Picked up our Skoda Fabia Combi today. This is one way to hedge against chaos.
We went to the dealership in corpore, 18-day-old, Morgan, TTT and me. It was surprisingly smooth. I hadn't slept much the past few days and I was already thinking with dread about balancing a baby on my lap while trying to read a bunch of lease documents while TTT chased Morgan (who favours luxury models) around the showroom. But Lorna slept most of the time and the Skoda people seemed organized and scrupulous.
On the way there, our cab driver, an opinionated sort, told us things that would produce buyer's remorse before the fact...well, in people who were buying. We're just leasing.
These were his talking points:
* They don't make German cars like they used to, unless you go for top-of-the-line. They're not like the Japanese cars. I want a Toyota Avensis. My current non-cab is a Mazda. It's great.
* Estonian diesel (which is the cheapest in Europe) is the worst in quality. My friend had a repair bill of $2200 to replace some engine parts that conked out from the bilge water they sell at local gas stations. Diesel engine repairs cost a lot in Estonia.
* I know that I get 15% better gas mileage driving in Finland.
* All diesel cars in Finland are levied an annual tax of about 1000 EUR. It is only a matter of time in Estonia.
Take these with a grain of salt. I pressed him on the last one, and I have yet to Google it to see if it is true. Aren't new diesels so clean that they're worried about ultrafine particles, and only very recently?
But I wonder what would have happened if we had got this cab driver when we were still shopping.
When we got to the showroom, Morgan liked the Octavia Scout and another showroom model, both running around twice of what the Fabia cost. What an elitist! I figured the fire-red colour of our Fabia would be the only sales argument he would need. We even got the Ambiente package, not the Basic. Finally he settled for the Fabia.
My wife drove home, and Morgan drove when we got home. I have yet to drive it. I certainly like the car. I will get around to it. I am tempted to drive to Riga right now with Morgan for a boys' road trip.
I think I am suffering from a mid-life crisis so I am trying to distance myself from bright red shiny metal things.
3 comments:
Congrats and take it easy. No need to keep yourself away from this thing. It's not like you got youtself a souped up Camaro or something. This thing looks very tame and "non-middle-age-crisisy". And it even looks like you are very very confident with your masculinity. A real chick magnet in other words. The only thing "bad" about this things is probably the new car smell. All that plastic interior. That's a lung killer. Seriously.
Once again, congrats.
Nice. Now it's just a matter of time before you get a motorbike to compensate for the Skoda station wagon. [grin]
Gotta love the color...reminds me of a firetruck! Looks very sharp! A road trip sounds like a plan...a warm up for your trip to VA. Enjoy ; )
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