[naidusown]

Hi, A big thanks to the Team-BHP community for a user-driven perspective and advice over the years.

Need your inputs on a decision

1. Is the W205 C220d a good buy at this time?
2. When will the W206 C220d likely launch in India and at which price point?
3. Merc has increased the C-Class ex-showroom prices from 39L to 51L this year

Context:

We are a family of 4 who have had Hondas (CRV, City, Jazz), Hyundai Santro, Duster & an Alto in the past.

We are now considering the C-Class as the main family car, with a Jazz auto as the second car
The car will come as part of a company lease, but with only @ 30% funded by the firm - rest is our investment
This is a bit of a milestone car with a plan to own it for 5-7 years

Cars considered:

1. BMW 330i and the 330 Li - The cars themselves are absolute hoot to drive, but interiors feel a gen behind the Merc
2. GLA 220d - Nice new gen GLA. Strong diesel engine, loads of features. The rear seat feels a bit jumpy (could be over inflated tires) and the car has a bit of body roll as well.
   Also it’s a small SUV, while the C-Class feels a much like a much larger vehicle for a little more money
3. Considered the Skodas - Octavia and the Superb - but it didn’t feel as special as the Merc
4. Also the Fortuner is close to 48 OTR for the top version - and feels overpriced, but reliable and strong
   
5. Did not consider Audi
6. We like the C-Class for the very well appointed interior, a diesel option, the marque value and it fulfils the need for a family of 4.

Look forward to hearing your inputs.

Thanks for the time.

[lamborghini]

If it's worry about maintenance and reliability, I would suggest having a relook at the Audi once again, unless you are sold on the C Class : the C Class has the highest routine maintenance costs and extended warranty pricing plans amongst it's peers.

Regarding between the W205 & W206 - points to consider:
- W206 will be worth the wait and will be more contemporary given you plan to hold on to it for a while. Should be launched next year. Expect a 5-7% increase in prices as compared to now and at some point, you may question whether it's worth buying the W206 at sticker or a discounted G30 5 series / Audi A6 (would suggest checking them out now in fact if you are able to strike a deal - better ride & handling, power plants, etc.).
- First batch of W206 could be Launch Edition which could come with some more goodies albeit at a higher price.
- W205 would have most niggles and issues ironed out by now, but the W206 may be more prone to niggles.
- W205 makes sense at a hefty discount. Typically there is a good Rs. 3-5L variance between same year previous gen v/s new gen models during resale after 4-5 years (by when the W206 facelift would be out). If they are offering a substantial discount, it would make sense to pick up the W205 but if you're paying close to sticker - invest the money for a year and buy the new one next year with full 6 year extended warranty.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Considering you guys are used to some well built cars, the old Hondas and Duster, you will find the W205 C Class a bit of a letdown once one initial wow factor wears off. The central console is prone to rattles and you’ll hear a few squeaks every now and then. No such issues with Audi and BMW. Beemers are overall the most reliable premium cars from a long term ownership perspective. Will strongly suggest that you reconsider Audi. The A6 is an excellent all rounder, basically a full segment above the C and 3. It is fairly well priced to begin with, and there are great deals to be had, which bring it within touching distance of the C.

[naidusown]

Thanks Lamborghini and Shreyans.

1. Dealer expects W206 to list at 15% premium to current gen as there's a gap between C and E and it can accommodate that rise
   
   The C is a stretch for us, would not like to stretch to 5
   However, we will speak to the sales teams at BMW.
   
   There's a 6 to 8 % discount on W205 ex showroom.
   

We're planning to test drive the A series twins today. Some things going for the A

1. 8 yrs transferable, unlimited km engine, transmission and turbo warranty - peace of mind
   
   60k for an extended warranty for 4/5/6 yrs to cover rest of the components such as AC
   
   Tubeless tyres that can be upgraded (want a 60 profile vs 55 in A and 50 in the C)
   
   Stiffer springs and slightly higher GC than W205
   
   A lower state of tune of the diesel leading to some fantastic mileage
   
   2021 generation, so will depreciate bit less than than the C
   
   On the cons side -
   
   Not many discounts so close in prices to the W205 C220d
   
   Psychologically, 2 levels below C class
   

Still a bit closed minded about the Audi.

Buying a new car is as much about dealing with my neuroses as it is about the cars themselves

[ajmat]

From what I read about the new C, the petrol version is not that great. Only the diesel is worth considering.

Try the A, Not a bad car but not worth the money me thinks. Wait for the new C to be announced and you might get some run out deals however, by then, Mercedes will be controlling the pricing.

The Audi A4 is worth a look.

[androdev]

Mercedes comes across as a better family car considering both tangibles and intangibles. I personally like BMW cars but I must confess there is a perceptibly "better" sense of occasion within the family if it is a Mercedes. This can largely be attributed to the fact that they are not car people - similar to how Rolex is synonymous with a luxury watch. Other brands always seem like a lesser family cars. As tempting and sensible as other brands may look, given your reason to buy a luxury car (a kind of family milestone that you have been looking forward to) - I would suggest you go for a Mercedes. I am sure there will be other opportunities to experience other brands in future.

Mercedes has adopted a strategy to make the outgoing model look extremely dated with each new launch. You can be 100% sure that new C will deliver the same fate to the current C. This is not the case with BMW and Audi - while they may not look as impressive as Mercedes, they do have the advantage that your car won't look dated when they launch the next car.

What it means is that you should buy a Mercedes fairly soon after launch giving yourself at least 3-4 years before an updated launch including facelifts. This is an expensive proposition for many as you have to buy without discounts but Mercedes in general is a costlier car to buy and own, so fits the overall theme.

A-Class: Looks really good. I totally love it. Suitable if you are driving it and you guys enjoy the proximity of each other. Bad choice if you keep a driver.
E-Class: Will carry sufficient prestige (even over the new C) with it for many years to come even if new launches come in. Great if you keep a driver and family members needs their space. Worth stretching if you get a good discount.
Current C-class: If the current A class, S class theme doesn't impress you and you prefer to live in the past/retro.
New C-class: Waiting game - justice delayed, justice denied.

[naidusown]

Ajmat and Shreyans, thanks for goading us to try the Audi. The A6 is so much better! Now a new wrench in the decisioning

[GTO]

Current C-Class has been around for 7 years and is too old + too common. Wait for the new C-Class. If you want to buy a car now, get yourself a heavily discounted A4 2.0 TSI (a Mod just bought one for 39 lakhs OTR), a heavily discounted A6 (a close someone got one earlier this year for 49 lakhs) or a Camry. You'll be surprised by its quality & refinement - it's a damn Lexus with a "T" badge. What's more, the new Camry is a little fun to drive too.

[androdev]

Originally Posted by GTO

Current C-Class has been around for 7 years and is too old + too common. Wait for the new C-Class. If you want to buy a car now, get yourself a heavily discounted A4 2.0 TSI (a Mod just bought one for 39 lakhs OTR), a heavily discounted A6 (a close someone got one earlier this year for 49 lakhs) or a Camry. You'll be surprised by its quality & refinement - it's a damn Lexus with a "T" badge. What's more, the new Camry is a little fun to drive too.

I was helping a friend navigate this space and being a first time luxury car buyer, he wants to buy something with good insurance and extended warranty. New A class is close to 60L in Bangalore once you include fancy insurance, extended warranty. I felt like I experienced time travel :-) C class will surely break new records. I think there is a huge opportunity for Audi and BMW to take advantage of the market that MB doesn't want to serve. For someone in Bangalore, 40-50L is an insufficient budget to buy a new luxury car. Unreal times!

[PrideRed]

I would wait for new C class or pick something from similar from other brands. You don't get good discounts on current C despite being quite old and I definitely do not like to hear from my friends say " Ah you got an old Mercedes" despite you paying through the nose.

[Puneet0051]

You just mentioned current C is a stretch, new W206 would be 15-20% more expensive to own with almost zero discounts and higher sticker price. If you ready to stretch further and pay that premium it will be worth the wait.

But if i was to choose not changing the budget i would drive A6 and decide. Don't go for A and settle for less. Given the A6 discounts it should almost tick all the boxes except the badge for which C is the way to go.

Since you didn't like 330i as much, buy which the heart says

[thechinmay]

I'd also suggest a look at the A6. Definitely worth the price tag - something that can't be said about the others in the segment.
The new C Class might also initially come in only as a CBU (like the W223 S Class) at a significant price premium to the current model. Add to that Mercedes India's stand on discounts and you might be in for a pretty long wait overall.

[Vasanth]

Having owned a Mercedes CLA for the past few years and being a die hard fan of Mercedes Benz I can add a few points to be noted if you’re considering a Mercedes

1) When Merc launches a complete new generation of any Class : They nail it. Whether it comes to quality or technology.
2) It will sure be little more expensive but it comes at a price. The W206 gen C class and 205 gen interiors are miles ahead. It’s almost as luxurious as W222 S class.
3) We own the pre-facelift version of CLA. Merc released a facelift version within 1-1 and 1/2 years
And it featured - bigger infotainment display, rear AC vents, Apple car play and android auto, dual zone climate control, front lip spoiler and side skirts.
All of which I wish I had.
4) If you are price conscious and don’t care about looks, tech, and luxury you could consider W205 C class. Or the Audi A6 which is a all rounder.

Take a look at this W206 C class.


All the best.

[anandavinash]

GTO: In which city was the A4 negotiated down to 39L OTR? In Bengaluru, the base model is almost 55L. Can't imagine Audi tanking their margins that low here.

Originally Posted by GTO

Current C-Class has been around for 7 years and is too old + too common. Wait for the new C-Class. If you want to buy a car now, get yourself a heavily discounted A4 2.0 TSI (a Mod just bought one for 39 lakhs OTR), a heavily discounted A6 (a close someone got one earlier this year for 49 lakhs) or a Camry. You'll be surprised by its quality & refinement - it's a damn Lexus with a "T" badge. What's more, the new Camry is a little fun to drive too.

[SolidSnake]

Originally Posted by anandavinash

GTO: In which city was the A4 negotiated down to 39L OTR? In Bengaluru, the base model is almost 55L. Can't imagine Audi tanking their margins that low here.

Basically , the Audi dealers in Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai South and Pune are handled by Jubilant motors. These guys are holding very low inventory to cut the losses incured by low sales. Hence, don't expect the 10-15L discounts offered by the Delhi dealers in these regions.These dealers are very resistant to haggling and mostly probably you will get 6-8 lacs discount if you haggle very hard.

Off-topic , Has anyone bought Audi cars from Delhi dealers like Audi Gurugram and Audi Gurgaon and tried registering in a southern state like Tamilnadu ? Will there be any problems during registration or during service/warranty support ?