[newenergy]

One of my friend enquired about iX1 LWB and here are the prices including 360 plan. To be honest, if I were in the market for the same price range, I would consider Sealion 7.

iX1 360 plan:


iX1 on-road price (Pune):
BMW X1 and iX1 Pricelist w.e.f. 17th January 2025 Pune.pdf

[gaurav371]

Agreed that in terms of performance sealion would be much better and perhaps the quality of interiors as well.

But one of the major cons with BYD is that it doesn't have the badge value and I think resale would definitely be poorer + maintenance/ repairs (not sure how could and widespread the service centers are) would be an issue? Also, it being a chinese company in adverse political atmosphere things may get tough so it has some degree of uncertainty associated with it.

[crskumar]

Visited the Coimbatore Showroom and booked the iX1 LWB in Carbon Black which was on display. Fell in love with the colour and decided to book it at the moment itself. Initially was planning to book after test drive.

They are receiving the test drive vehicle tomorrow and once I test drive on Saturday I will be all in.

At the outset it looks like a great package as long as the handling and the rear seat suspension is good. Overall road presence is great especially in black where it looks like bully with the contrasting grill.

The front seat was great. Obviously the features are good. Rear seat is very spacious but a bit upright.

Will update once we do the test drive.

Originally Posted by AdhikR

I was also quoted a Rs. 82,500 charge for logistics and handling, which I felt was pretty steep.

They said 82500 as the logistics and handling but during booking they made it 20000. It was not bad given what others have been quoted.

Originally Posted by himanshu_j

Could you share why you feel the 360 finance plan is atrociously bad?

I am also looking at the 360 finance option. The interest rate is 9.25% for 4 years and 9.5% for 5 years. The residual value at 5 years at 50k kms was 23,82,175 which is about 48.5%. Have asked them for 4 years plan as well. Also plan to check financing option with other banks to understand current interest rate which I believe is around 8.5%

[himanshu_j]

Originally Posted by gaurav371

Too bad the 360 degree finance plans are atrociously bad else would have provided some safety against depreciation.

Originally Posted by himanshu_j

Could you share why you feel the 360 finance plan is atrociously bad?
From what I understand, with a 11.xx down payment and rest on finance, the 'buyback' value is the bullet amount at the end of the tenure & EMIs until then consist of principal as per ~17/21L (loan amount- buyback value) and interest component of the total loan amount ~40L.

Asked the SA to share the Amortization schedule, the original figures shared were quietly rescinded, the down payment went up to 14L and an annual bullet payment was added to the 38,522 EMI plan been advertised.

Here are the schedules with & without annual bullet plans shared with me.
~52L OTR Delhi, ~7L down, 45L loan amount for 5 years.
Residual/ Buyback after 5y/50K mileage: 24,01,000

Schedule 1 with annual bullet:
EMI: 50,886 * 54
Annual bullet: 2,00,000 *5
Total amount paid in EMIs: 3747844

Schedule 2, equal EMIs:
EMI: 63927 * 59
Total amount paid in EMIs: 3771693

Total cost of car: ~7,00,000+ ~37,60,000+ 24,01,000= ~68,60,000
Total Interest paid: 16.6L

v/s conventional finance for the same, 45L, 5yo @ 8.8-9%
EMI: 92,976
Total interest over 5yo: 10,78,584

Comparing the above figures, it would seem the residual value of 24L at end of 5 years is notional. The accrued interest under BMW 360 finance is comparable to a conventional car loan at 13%.

I have used the car loan EMI calculator by groww.in. I could very well be going wrong with my calculations here, happy to be corrected.

[MileCruncher]

Originally Posted by himanshu_j

Comparing the above figures, it would seem the residual value of 24L at end of 5 years is notional. The accrued interest under BMW 360 finance is comparable to a conventional car loan at 13%.

The problem in balloon and buyback scheme is that the interest is also levied on the residual value.

Even though the dealer / manufacturer is offering buyback, you are paying the interest cost on the residual value. Hence I feel ( this is what I have done in the past) is taking a 7 year loan makes better sense. You can sell off at 4/5 year mark and the whatever is your residual value ( Lets take 40% at end of Year 5 to be on conservative side) will be more than the residual loan left.

New car loans from Pvt Banks are anywhere between 8.6-9.1% (based on CIBIL) and between 9.2 - 9.6% from PSU Banks. And some banks on large ticket size loans allow you to prepay without foreclosure charges after half the tenure is over.

[di1in]

Originally Posted by anb

Vehicle preparation charges - 2.70 lakhs, Quote given by EVM Autocraft, Kochi.May be deserve a seperate thread

A friend of mine got a vehicle preparation charge of ₹1.44L today from EVM for iX1 eDrive20L. When I asked him to enquire about the break up, they responded by saying that it’s ₹1L for the VAS & essential kit, and ₹44,000 for the spare wheel kit.

[gaurav371]

Originally Posted by himanshu_j

Asked the SA to share the Amortization schedule, the original figures shared were quietly rescinded, the down payment went up to 14L and an annual bullet payment was added to the 38,522 EMI plan been advertised...

In my opinion - it is better to add up money on the same timeframe so we should look at present value considering 6% inflation

Schedule 2, equal EMIs:
EMI: 63927 * 59

PV comes out to INR 32,59,266
PV for residual value comes out to be 17,80,034

So, in today's terms you end up paying - 7 + 32.59 + 17.8 = 57.4

v/s conventional finance for the same, 45L, 5yo @ 8.8-9%
EMI: 92,976

PV comes out to be 48.09 + 7 = 55.09

So, its not that bad particularly for an EV considering you get security against depreciation

[anb]

Reviews are on YouTube now. One channel praises the car for everything as if it is an advertisement, not a review. Another review is opposite.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RibS-h1FfrY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFKWzzDITGU

[gaurav371]

I finally test drove it today - am a sedate driver and to me it didn't feel under powered and would be a good car for city drives. Only kind of sore point is the missing 360 deg camera (though the front/ rear sensors do a decent job) no spare wheel no massage seats (was more of a gimmick anyways so don't miss them)

[dr.skt]

I noticed the same thing in these 2 polar opposite reviews. Faisal's review was as if the car is absolutely not upto mark in any aspect apart especially the concerning point about its suspension comfort while other review didn't highlight any such shortcoming.

I am waiting for a test drive next week to find out the actual truth as I am seriously considering ix1 lwb as my first EV and my next daily driver.

Originally Posted by anb

Reviews are on YouTube now. One channel praises the car for everything as if it is an advertisement, not a review. Another review is opposite.
https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=RibS-h1FfrY

https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=cFKWzzDITGU

[sarathlal]

Did a short drive on the new iX1L.

Few observations;

• This car is very practical in terms of space, comfort and at the same time, retaining the BMW drive characteristics.
• Felt like the car is focussed on being a family car, than just a drivers car. (Not firm suspension, space all around - rear, trunk etc)
• Loads of leg space for the rear passengers. The legs wont scrape at all irrespective of the front seat position
• Good amount of head space.
• Width is just okayish. Three people will be a tight squeeze.
• Poor under thigh support, both in front and back - This was a disappointment.
• There is a 'well' (A dip in floor where you could rest your legs in stretched position) for the front passenger which I felt uncomfortable, but theoretically is supposed to compensate for the lack of under thigh support.
  
• Very spirited drive. Even in normal mode, the car was kept on pulling and running away.
• Sports mode was even better.
• Overtaking can be done without breaking a sweat. Beautiful power delivery.
• The artificial sound felt good at times.
• Noise insulation is very very good.
• Doors are heavy, overall package felt good, especially given the price.
• The reverse parking assist is awesome. Backtraces effortlessly and will be a great aid.
• Audio sound is okayish, nothing to write about

Overall, BMW has given a very practical car at a value price point. It does lack a bunch of 'features', like no ventilated seats, no lumbar adjustment, no HUD etc.
But compared to what it offers, those wanting to get onto the BMW might not get a better opportunity than this.

[areddy]

I took a test drive of the BMW iX1 LWB yesterday. Until now, I have been surviving on Ola and Uber, but I finally decided it was time to buy something for myself. The car will be driven primarily by me, with occasional use by my family. I wanted a “feel-good” car, so I started looking at BMW and Mercedes. Initially, I considered the E-Class, but I realized it’s way too much space for one person, especially since I won’t be using a driver. I also looked at Mercedes’ EV options, but I haven’t taken a test drive yet.

Then came the iX1 LWB launch, and I was intrigued. I took a test drive last Sunday at Deutsche Motoren. Special shoutout to Deepu, who handled the test drive for me.



First Impressions

Exterior: The car looks… okay. Not bad, but also not exciting. It doesn’t scream BMW at first glance, and I felt it looked a bit bland. The test car was in Sparkling Copper Grey, which may not have been the most striking color. I was looking around to see if it turned heads – but it didn’t.



Interior: Again, a bit bland. Coming from Ola/Uber cars, my last recent drive was my sister’s Kia Sonet, which felt like it had more bells and whistles. That said, the build quality felt solid – the steering, door handles, and other touchpoints had that premium feel. The infotainment system was being updated, so I couldn’t test it.

Driving Experience

My driving benchmarks are Ola/Uber and my sister’s Sonet, so obviously, the iX1 felt leagues ahead. I drove it on ORR and internal roads in Hennur, so I didn’t get a chance to push it to high speeds. Ride quality was good – no scraping on potholes or speed breakers. It felt planted and smooth, but honestly, it didn’t feel drastically different from other cars I’ve been in. Acceleration felt great when overtaking, but since I wasn’t pushing it, I didn’t get to fully experience the performance.



Seating Comfort

I am 6 feet tall, and the driver’s seat felt very comfortable – but not as plush as an E-Class. In the back seat, with my driving position set, the legroom was slightly tight but manageable. More than space, I felt the under-thigh support was lacking – my legs weren’t naturally resting on the seat, which might become an issue on long drives.



3 Reasons Why Would I Buy It?

1. BMW Badge – It’s still a BMW at the end of the day.
2. Financial Package – The combination of pricing and buyback guarantee is attractive.
3. Service Every 2 Years – The SA mentioned this, and if true, it’s a huge plus.
4. Large Panoramic Moonroof – Adds to the overall experience. (4th reason!)



3 Reasons Why Might I Not Buy It?

1. The “Poor Man’s BMW” Issue – There’s some chatter that the iX1 feels like an entry-level BMW, and I wonder if that would take away from the premium feel.
2. Minimal Features – The car lacks many small luxuries. Since I don’t own a car currently, I don’t know what I’d miss, but ventilated seats, rear sunblinds, better under-thigh support, and a 360-degree camera are things that come to mind.
3. Looks Too Plain – I was hoping for something more exciting, either on the exterior or interior. The car I test-drove had neither. I want to see it in another color and with a working infotainment system before deciding.



ICE vs. EV?

When I started, I was neutral about ICE vs. EV, but now, I feel like I’d be happier with an EV. No fuel station visits, lower service costs, and a quieter ride sound appealing. I don’t care about “pure driving feel” – my driving style is relaxed, so an EV suits me fine.

What Next?

Are there any other cars I should test-drive? I was curious if Mini has an EV option, but the Countryman EV doesn’t look too exciting visually.

Would love to hear suggestions from the forum!

[newenergy]

Originally Posted by areddy

Are there any other cars I should test-drive? I was curious if Mini has an EV option, but the Countryman EV doesn’t look too exciting visually.

Would love to hear suggestions from the forum!

I suggest you test drive BYD Sealion 7 once. I am sure you will fall in love. This is miles ahead of what BMW offers and it is a born EV where BMW X1 is just a ICE convert.

[anb]

Originally Posted by newenergy

I suggest you test drive BYD Sealion 7 once. I am sure you will fall in love. This is miles ahead of what’s BMW offers and it is a born EV where BMW X1 is just a ICE convert.

Most of the international reviews suggest Sealion7 has poor steering, ride and handling. What’s the use of all those power if the suspension is bad.

[Stribog]

Originally Posted by anb

Electric is now cheaper than both petrol and diesel. BMW X1 sDrive 18i M Sport and sDrive18d M Sport are priced at 50.80 lakhs 53.80 lakhs. The BMW IX1 e20L M sport is only 49 lakhs

Because of the tax structure, the onroad prices are vastly different.

OTR Chennai is

x1 18i M Sport Petrol - Rs 67,00,000
x1 18d M Sport Diesel - Rs 70,68,564
iX1 edrive 20l M sport - Rs 56,00,000

All this includes a fancy insurance of some Rs 3,50,000 which am assuming you can negotiate down a bit.