[Bong Chennai]

Good morning, everyone.

Happy Independence Day.

This is my first post in the group and a very long post. Please bear with me.
Also in case I have made any errors in following Group rules, requesting MODs to advise me.

I stay in Chennai and currently in the market for buying a new vehicle at sub 90L OTR.

My initial thought was to proceed with Volvo S90 without checking any other model.

However, once I started speaking to Volvo dealers in different cities (details being shared In later part of this post), I started looking at other models including German ones which were never in my radar in the first place.

Now I am equally confused and seek inputs, suggestions from others within the group.

So far, my interactions with all the car dealers in Chennai are fantastic (BMW, Merc, Lexus, Volvo, Audi, Toyota). Each one of them had brought the car to my place more than once as I separately wanted to take my daughter and wife on test drive to seek their opinion.

Some initial pointers:

• mostly chauffeur-driven
• sedate driving style
• badge’ does not count at all (could have considered ‘Genesis’ if they were available)
• the overall feeling should be ‘luxurious’
• the family consisting of 3 of us (including our child) and other cars are there
• will be used in highways and inter-city trips frequently; however I do not anticipate taking this car to too narrow roads regularly
• average usage over 5 years will be ~80K to 100K kms
• I usually prefer to keep my car for ~10 years
• will surely opt for extended warranty and service package provided (I am not a savvy technician to understand different technical issues modern cars face and that’s why prefer not to go to FNV and use ASS rather)

Regarding my requirements, expectations (happy to hear if I am expecting too much):

Mandatory ones

• only sedan (never thought of buying a SUV so far); considering 5-seater (even if it is sort of a 4 seater, no issue)
• only petrol / petrol + hybrid (no diesel at all)
• good (at least decent) ground clearance along with air suspension is a pre-requisite (although looking at options available, may need to change my expectations)
• availability of ADAS
• impact of road undulations need to be less
• noise insulation should be best in this class (with decent cushioning)
• good rear legroom although rear seats will not be used frequently (apart from driver seat, front passenger seat will be used 90%-95% of times. Back seats will possibly be used maybe once a month)
• body-roll needs to be minimal
• must have a good boot space for those occasional family trips
• want that “big car” feeling
• 360-degree camera is needed
• service focused ASS (as I am ready to pay separately for their service package and continue with them even after expiry period, I am looking for customer-centric dealership)

Good to have

• considering that I prefer to keep my car for ~10 years, durability of car and expected medium-term presence of the car OEM in India is a requirement (I understand no one can predict this, however happy to hear from others)
• automated parking assistance (if ADAS is available, mostly this will also be available)
• massager
• ventilated seats with cooling options in front and back seats
• leather seats (I know some of you may wonder why I am including this considering our climate in South, but I prefer leather than artificial leather)

Cars test drove and decided not to continue the discussion

Lexus ES300H

• in my world, it’s a “Stunner”
• now Chennai is having own Lexus service center
• fantastic noise insulation, suspension is decent
• having a full spare tyre in this category also helps
• too low GC
• legroom is too less compared to what we need
• too “plasticky”, interior looks dated for sure
• music system is decent in ‘Luxury’ variant
• the boot is too small compared to my requirements
• only reverse camera available
• if my requirements were to look for a car which I will use primarily intra-city, would have looked no further than ES300H; unfortunately, I need an ‘allrounder’!
• I am still contemplating whether I should re-consider ES300H because of long-term dependability of Toyota (heard that, Lexus in India has improved their service quality in the last few years)

Camry

• definitely value for money however did not tick most of my “mandatory” and “good to have” boxes!
• interior-wise not at par with other models I had considered
• not happy with their suspension
• noises were picked up both at high / low speed
• other issues pointed above for ES300H are also applicable for Camry (though boot space is better but music system is nothing much to be talked about, in this category)

Audi A6

• with due respect to A6 owners, this is not for me.
• Chennai Sales Advisor was extremely helpful and given me a chance, I would have recruited him in our company!!

Jaguar XF

• Now it is a CBU product and hence did not consider

This left me with only 3 other models which I could seriously consider, and I have booked one amongst them. Although I may still go with one of the remaining two!

Volvo S90

• ticks most of the boxes that I consider “mandatory” and “good to have” (only sad part is lack of features in rear seats and non-availability of automated parking assist) including having massagers and ventilated seats in the front
• however the dealers are the slowest to communicate, interact with. I had spoken to dealers in multiple cities (to check BH availability) and scenario is not different at all.
• professionally (without getting into any details) I am connected to them. Even then, things were no different.
• so my worry is, if I go ahead with them and they stop selling the car in India (and consequently stop servicing too) + do not provide timely services or provide parts (there are enough horror stories) + a lot of their dealers in metro cities are new (old ones who are no longer part of the brand, do not have anything positive to say about the OEM) + China connection (could there be some issues due to our relationship with that country, who knows!) + some of the dealers apparently even charged customers for keeping the cars in ASS pending parts availability (old news), I will lose my sleep.
• by now you know I am happy with the car but extremely worried about the brand and their dealers.
• as MY 23 model is launched, MY22 vehicles are being offered with discount. cheapest amongst 3 (E200 Exclusive is 3L extra and 630i is 5L extra; if it is 630i+Jahre – then another 3L extra)

Mercedes E200 Exclusive

• the preferred one by Indians in this category and surely there will be enough reasons (look-wise fantastic)
• you get that “large car feeling”
• out of 3 German OEMs, my experience with them at different stage is best irrespective of cities
• no 360 degree camera, no air suspension, noise insulation is poor compared to other 2 vehicles we are talking about, boot space is too less, no leather seats, no massager, no ventilated seats, did not like the ride quality compared to others, can’t even close the boot from inside the car (big hindrance in shopping malls)
• my personal equation with some dealers are good; know some of them at professional level as well.
• so my question is, because they are responsive and the car gives a fabulous interior, would I leave everything else and opt for it even though this car may not be providing me many features that are extremely important to me (at least now)? Anyone here in my shoes? I prefer factory-fitted accessories.

BMW 630i-Jahre Edition

• before someone points out that it is not exactly an apple-to-apple comparison, let me add that I am not looking for 5-series at all. 6-series provides most of what I am looking at.
• but, it comes at a price. 8L more from S90 and 5L more from E200 Exclusive. I may get some more discount (maybe another lac), still the differential is big.
• while it ticks most of my “mandatory” boxes, still it does not have 360 degree camera, massager, ventilated seats.
• ride quality at low speed was not good.
• plus, I am equally apprehensive about BMW service packages, where the vehicle can change service periodicity at any point of time because one has gone on an out-station trip (as an example) and in BMW dealership language “because the driving style was aggressive, so service periodicity could be changed”). I had read multiple such incidents in this group as well. To note, this car will be driven by a chauffeur.
• although this car is >5mtr, is there anyone else apart from me who had felt that E200 has a much better road presence?

In a nutshell,

• considering that I will opt for extended warranty and service package (5 or 6 years), maybe overall incremental expenditure for maintaining the car will be minimal irrespective of the model chosen (630i could be an exception due to their system-driven service periodicity mechanism)
• S90 – ticks most of my boxes, but extremely apprehensive about OEM and dealers in India; family is not much happy due to lack of rear-seat comfort although they had left the decision to me as they will use the car infrequently (will get my favorite denim blue color; will be available by Sep/Oct22)
• E200 Exclusive – does not tick most of the boxes but feels luxurious and dealers are responsive, supportive; family is happy as well (no blue but will opt for graphite grey if chosen; will be available by Sep/Oct22)
• 630i-Jahre Edition – expensive to purchase compared to others, possibly expensive to maintain as well; not happy with road presence (can get tanzanite blue color which I like; will be available by Nov22)

Thanks again for going through this note.
Look forward to receiving your inputs, suggestions, advise.

[IshaanIan]

I would say go with the S90 simply because it is their flagship product and even if they do not hold the same place in consumers' hearts as German brands, they certainly never quit trying to attain that badge value so there's no way they are going to discontinue the S90 even when they had the S80 they did not mind keeping it on sale for the longest time even though it never sold as well as their German rivals. A company does a little extra when it is their flagship model and since you will not find an S-Class, LS, A8 or 7 series for the same price, there is no point comparing it to cars like the ES, E-Class, A6 and 5 series the Volvo S90 is obviously superior to all of those cars unless reliability is a major factor in which case the ES becomes your only option. Also I have observed a lot of people with similar requirements as yours; luxury, features, comfort and sensibility, go for the Volvo S90 or XC90

[lamborghini]

Honestly, the 6GT is the one that meets most of your requirements.

I would skip the Jahre edition with the 19" alloys and get the regular variant with higher profile tyres which would improve ride quality & be that much better to maintain (620D luxury Line : do take a test drive, you can always get the 630i & downsize if the ride quality is better and you want petrol).

Around 18 months ago, we were in a similar dilemma : the E Class was first to be voted out as despite an amazing sales team and quality interiors; I wasn't impressed with the ride quality, performance, features, etc. on offer.
Yes - interiors were great, but given you're mainly driven - you would prefer a silent creak free cabin, supportive rear seats, and good ride quality and that is where the E Class loses out in my opinion. Didn't help that when I drove it, I felt like a chauffeur.
As for road presence - yes, it does have the presence but it is just so common!!

The 6GT was one that was on top of the list. A beautiful car, and if it were self driven more often - would've been parked in the garage. The 5L difference is easy to justify, and if you pick up the regular trim - the difference would be much lesser for the added kit on offer. Plus BMW has some excellent warranty and service plans in place - most users in Mumbai at least are VERY happy with their plans, but maybe local Chennai owners can chip in on this.
However, this too was let down by it's road presence & specific to our case the interiors, which were good quality, but after owning 2 BMWs it didn't feel as fresh as I would have liked it to be.
Logically, this would be on the top of my list.

We ended up with the Lexus, but as a chauffeur driven city car - it is a gem. Not so great on the highways & poor GC doesn't help either.

The S90 is a nice car, but I found the rear seating and ground clearance to be deal breakers for me, but at this price point - the heart has to really have the say in the transaction so if your heart years for the S90 and it is able to overcome your reservations - it is the one to go for.
The car, over the next 10 years, will definitely be discontinued and replaced with a new model - but I don't see Volvo leaving the Indian car market.
Dealership support again is something best addressed by Volvo owners close to you.

On parts availability - unfortunately it is the bane of this segment and something every Manufacturer struggles with - even Lexus, etc. Mercedes is the best on this front however, and ease of sourcing parts really boils down to the order of vehicle sales - higher selling will have more parts available, lower selling models will take time as they may even have to import certain parts.

I know you are averse to SUVs, but I would still go and have a look at the Q7, Q8, GLE, XC60, and NX350H as well. The gap between the sedans and SUVs in this segment is much narrower in terms of performance, ride & handling, etc. and the better ground clearance and presence could be a boon for you.

[Sahil]

New: 6GT
Pre worshipped: w222 S facelift

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by Bong Chennai

mostly chauffeur-driven
sedate driving style
average usage over 5 years will be ~80K to 100K kms
usually prefer to keep my car for ~10 years

I won't look anywhere else except Lexus. Please revisit them and check out the car. The best will be to go to their showroom, and they may have a couple of cars in the showroom/ workshop. Interior colour makes a difference so check in person. No other manufacturer will come close to the Lexus as far as ownership experience is concerned for 10 Years.

E class is nice to sit in the rear, but I won't trust them for 10 Years. Spare apart from the regular takes 5-6 days most of the time, and after the warranties are over, these can pinch. Extended warranties and service packs are usually more expensive than BMW, but the standard Mercedes warranty is 3 Years.

I will rule out six series because you will sit in the rear. Never been a Volvo fan, so I can't suggest it. Maybe their priorities are now electric, which may explain the response you got from the dealers.

On Lexus, you don't need to worry about service; it is super cheap, and parts outside the warranty won't hurt. List the shortcomings of Lexus and E class and take a call. If you are open to around five years of ownership, go with E, but if you must use it for the full 10 years, Lexus

[varunanb]

Originally Posted by Bong Chennai

• considering that I will opt for extended warranty and service package (5 or 6 years), maybe overall incremental expenditure for maintaining the car will be minimal irrespective of the model chosen (630i could be an exception due to their system-driven service periodicity mechanism)
• S90 – ticks most of my boxes, but extremely apprehensive about OEM and dealers in India; family is not much happy due to lack of rear-seat comfort although they had left the decision to me as they will use the car infrequently (will get my favorite denim blue color; will be available by Sep/Oct22)
• E200 Exclusive – does not tick most of the boxes but feels luxurious and dealers are responsive, supportive; family is happy as well (no blue but will opt for graphite grey if chosen; will be available by Sep/Oct22)
• 630i-Jahre Edition – expensive to purchase compared to others, possibly expensive to maintain as well; not happy with road presence (can get tanzanite blue color which I like; will be available by Nov22)

I prefer the 6GT over other cars, mainly due to an excellent ownership of my 5GT, which currently is in its 10th year and 137k kms in odo. Apart from wear and tear of parts, haven't had any major failures at the moment and the car had next to zero downtime, except when I had the rear bellows replaced and another time when the timing chain was replaced at 120k kms.

This is one car that can take abuse of our roads, just last weekend had been to Anaikatti, near coimbatore and the car handled all the bad roads that came on our way with ease.

Im sure 6GT will definitely be better than 5GT and sure you will enjoy the car.

Have always felt, the s90 was a beautiful car to look at than owning one.

[the_skyliner]

I would go with the Merc. E class is truly a benchmark in chauffer driven luxury sedans. Do not fret too much over omission of 360deg camera, I don't think you will miss it that much. Merc's artificial leather is of top quality so that also should not be a deal breaker IMO.

Only thing that you should reconfirm by taking a longer TD is ride quality. That is one thing where you should not compromise on. However, it is better to not have air suspension if you are intending to keep the car for 10+ years. One less expensive wear and tear part to worry about.

S90 even though a near perfect car, I would not trust Volvo with their wafer-thin service center coverage. If you want to be sure, just visit their service center once and then visit Merc/Audi service center. You will know the difference in their approach and overall experience.

I would also recommend you to TD the E350 even though you are not looking a diesels. Merc's 6 pot engine is surprisingly silent and vibration free. Do have a look before you put your money down.

Cheers!

[GreasyCarb55]

Originally Posted by Bong Chennai

In a nutshell,

• S90 – ticks most of my boxes, but extremely apprehensive about OEM and dealers in India; family is not much happy due to lack of rear-seat comfort although they had left the decision to me as they will use the car infrequently (will get my favorite denim blue color; will be available by Sep/Oct22)
• E200 Exclusive – does not tick most of the boxes but feels luxurious and dealers are responsive, supportive; family is happy as well (no blue but will opt for graphite grey if chosen; will be available by Sep/Oct22)
• 630i-Jahre Edition – expensive to purchase compared to others, possibly expensive to maintain as well; not happy with road presence (can get tanzanite blue color which I like; will be available by Nov22)

Thanks again for going through this note.
Look forward to receiving your inputs, suggestions, advise.

I would personally go for the 630i M-Sport, the Jahare edition extras are only cosmetic. Plus it's the only car on this list that is exceptional as both a chauffer driven car as well an Enthusiast's/Driver's car.

[androdev]

Welcome to the forum, @Bong Chennai. Very well written what-to-buy post with keen observations.

I think Lexus might serve you the best given your intention to keep it for long term and chauffeur driven usage. For slow moving urban traffic, ES300h would be amazing and IMHO it is far better than any car in your list. For highway driving, it doesn't do as a great job as other cars but as long as your driver is maintaining modest speeds like 80-110 kmph and gentle acceleration, the difference is an acceptable compromise. It also looks exclusive on the roads due to the rarity.

Having said that, I would say go with the car that impresses you the most. All the talk about reliability and cost of maintenance boils down to small margins. I have no reason to believe that 6 series and E class won't serve you well for 10 years if serviced regularly - there are many examples of BMW/MB/Volvo cars on this forum with trouble free long terms ownership. As a customer with 90L budget, I am guessing you would not mind 10% increase in cost of ownership compared to Lexus during the course of 10 year ownership. I really doubt you would be required to spend more than 10L extra to maintain these cars compared to Lexus. To a large extent, people don't like things breaking down but I think it is a fair compromise to deal with one or two break downs during a period of 10 years in exchange for owning a car that gives that special feeling. For the amount of money we are talking about, the car must make you feel special above all else.

Few things to keep in mind which may be helpful to you:

1. Mercedes Benz has the most mature and consistent after sales service in luxury segment. Manufacturer has a tight control of dealer experience, supply chain, etc. They are not cheap but nobody is cheap in this segment (except Lexus)

2. Artificial leather of Mercedes is very good, easy to maintain and remains in good shape for many years. Napa leather of Volvo will wear out in two years with heavy usage.

3. Mercedes model changes are too dramatic and each new release makes the older model look very dated. This is not the case with BMW/Audi. Good for people change cars with each new update but may not be such a good thing for buyers wishing to keep the car for long.

4. Consider Air Suspension as a maintenance item - it is not likely to last for 10 years. So if you are shortlisting cars with Air suspension, keep this in mind.

5. An often overlooked fact, pay close attention to the tire profile. Prefer variants without lower profile tires. Anything above 18" would spoil the ride comfort and carries risk of tire damage/breakdowns.

6. 360 deg camera is not such a must have. It's useful only if you have tight parking spaces with inexperienced driver.

7. Try to do "back to back" test drives on the typical routes you are likely to travel - highways and poorly maintained city roads are the two types of roads that expose the true character of ride.

8. BMW requiring service every now and then is not such a big issue. IMHO, it's a great feature of the car. The service reminder comes well in advance giving you adequate time to book an appointment. The only drawback is that you chauffeur must be trained to read these service reminders (or you could check it weekly once after a drive).

Unfortunately, I don't have a clear winner to recommend :-) Mercedes E class would have been ideal if the car was sold with plenty of features but sadly MB is in a position to get away with cars that are not generously spec'ed. BMW 6 series (and BMWs in general) are not the best if you have a lot of urban usage - they are not just as smooth and soft compared to Lexus/MB. Volvo is the best when it comes to interior material quality and (recently) stunning looks - but they are pretty average when it comes to drivetrains and of course their after-sales is not that strong. Lexus suspension will surely remind you that you compromised in favour of reliability and ownership costs.

Hope I have not confused you more instead of being helpful. If I were in your place, I would go with the car that appeals to my heart and live with the shortcomings. After all, at this budget, all cars are very competent and margins are very small. Please do share your test drive experiences and decision making process as it would help other members immensely.

Good luck.

[DonHyd]

I understand your budget but because you also test drove the Camry, and because you are not particular about brand value, why not try the Superb? It is Skoda's flagship sedan and L& K trim is generously equipped. In build quality, interior space, music system, suspension, engine etc, there is nothing to find fault with.

[the_real_slager]

Hello,

I own a Black 2018 S90 T5 R Design and before I had a C300 in AMG line. Personally for me, while I was shopping for the S90, I had considered the XF and A6. BMWs were ruled out because wife found the interiors to be dated. And Mercedes not because we were letting go of one and wanted something different.

S90 is a very nice car and it ticks all the boxes. It does what it is supposed to do and has tons of space in the back. Boot space is adequate. The driver seat is very comfortable and you can just drive it in highways for the whole day and not feel tired at all. The sound system is from Bouwers and Wilkins and it is on another level. The car is a looker too with 20 inch 5 spoke wheels. I chose it over the XF as I was getting a very good deal.





But, at the same time, it is really boring and plain to drive. Sure, it has 254hp 2.0 Liter turbo petrol but it is not exciting to drive at all. I still regret not going for an XF whenever I see a XF R-dynamic on the road. And also, the quality of materials and the fit and finish inside the cabin of the S90 are one level lower than say a Mercedes.

For your requirements, I really feel an E-class in AMG line would be the best. I personally feel, it has the best back seat among its competitors, the interiors are top notch and the general quality of materials are superb, inside out.

Regards,
Kiron

[Bong Chennai]

Mod note: Posts merged, please use Multi Quote (Quote+) instead of back to back replies. Also do trim quoted post for replies, since it hampers readability especially on Mobile devices. Thanks.

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

I would say go with the S90 simply because it is their flagship product and even if they do not hold the same place in consumers' hearts as German brands, they certainly never quit trying to attain that badge value so there's no way they are going to discontinue the S90 even when they had the S80 they did not mind keeping it on sale for the longest time even though it never sold as well as their German rivals. up

Thank you so much @IshaanIan. While I concur with your point about flagship product as well as ES300H long-term reliability and still keen to go ahead with S90, trying to get some comfort from other S90 owners that if I proceed, I will not end up in a soup

Originally Posted by lamborghini

The gap between the sedans and SUVs in this segment is much narrower in terms of performance, ride & handling, etc. and the better ground clearance and presence could be a boon for you.

Thank you so much @lamborghini.

I booked E200 before posting in this group as I am apprehensive that I would eventually cancel the booking.

Looking at options available, 630i seems to be most preferred option. However as I need to stay put with this car for a long time (hopefully), I am looking for a strong road presence (as much as one can get from a sedan in front of large SUVs or MPVs!).

Regarding Jahre or regular version, we are floored with Laser Lights. However paying that extra few lacs is going to pinch us.

As you own BMWs, any thoughts on their service periodicity mechanism?
I mean, do you face situations where you go outstation and come back & see that suddenly your service has become due although when you would have started, you had seen service would become due only after another few thousand kilometers.

Regarding ES300H, I again spoke to the dealer. MY23 will come to India by Oct22. But low ground clearance and small boot will continue to be there although 'plasticky' interior is expected to be changed with some nice electronics being put in. As I intend to take the car outstation frequently, having nice interior alone won't sort out my problems.

S90, yes, I am still trying to convince myself that I can still listen to my heart.
As I am already at later half of 40s, started giving lots of importance to head and so all these doubts (sadly!)

Regarding SUVs, I test drove XC60 but did not like the body roll. Another issue is within close circle, people prefer more of sedans than SUVs and so I have limited experience, exposure with SUVs.

Originally Posted by Sahil

New: 6GT
Pre worshipped: w222 S facelift

Thank you @Sahil.
Restarted the discussion with BMW. Let's see where it goes.

Originally Posted by Turbanator

I won't look anywhere else except Lexus. Please revisit them and check out the car. The best will be to go to their showroom, and they may have a couple of cars in the showroom/ workshop. Interior colour makes a difference so check in person.

Thank you @Turbanator.
I like your comment on listing down shortcomings.
Started working on that. Much appreciated.

I seriously want to go ahead with ES300H. But that low gc...
Twice I took out using the same stretch where I had taken S90, E200, 630i; however ES300H was the only car which mandatorily scraped the road! Tried getting multiple people to drive but results were the same!
Unfortunately, I will have many such 'paved' roads with speed-breakers during my regular road trips.
They told me MY23 is being launched soon. But gc will remain the same along with the small boot!

I had booked E200 Exclusive. But apprehensive that once initial euphoria of 'look' and 'road presence' is over, I will end up with a car that does not cater to my 'mandatory' requirements.

Regarding 630i, if not driver seat, front co-passenger seat will be used extensively.
However, I am trying to seek opinion from current BMW owners if they face challenges in figuring out service periodicity.

On S90, you are absolutely right. Even sales advisors are saying that they will eventually move to Electric sooner or later.

[carthick1000]

Welcome!

It is quite an interesting read to go through your requirements and about your views on the cars in comparison.

Given your need for a luxury, fuss-free ownership for long term, ES300h would be the top pick. I would like to add to the points highlighted by turbanator and androdev.

Lexus's in general and their sedans specifically are the most silent cars in their class. And noise in the cabin is a major factor affecting comfort on shorter as well as longer journeys. With ES300h's active noise control, Lexus's superlative focus on sound proofing/deadening in the car, be it passive (the wheel well has felt lining, every door has insulation, thickened glasses and a CVT gearbox which revs at ~1500rpm while doing 120kmph) or active (noise control), the same cannot be said for others in your comparison list. This is one major item anyone should consider while looking for comfortable mobility in the luxury segment.

Here is a glimpse (<3min) of what makes lexus's quiet?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WxjLr5AQrw

This is my 2 cents. Let us know what car you chose eventually.

[shyampsunder]

Unlike mass market manufacturers like Ford, the luxury manufacturers don't invest tons and hope for volumes. They know the luxury market is small in India and hence price their products with good margins and avoid large capital investments. This reduces the risk of manufacturers closing shop and leaving.

Volvo's performance in India has only been improving from playing second fiddle to the big brands, now they are doing 2x of JLR's volumes. Globally as well Volvo is on a similar growth trajectory. What I like about them is that they don't skimp on the products they bring to India and generally bring in fully kitted-out cars. Even on the EV front, they have brought in a great product at a good price, and appropriately the Indian market is rewarding them.

Know multiple Volvo owners who were apprehensive because of the badge value but absolutely love the car. Volvo is also known for its lower cost of ownership. Not as much as Lexus though.

Ultimately it makes no logical sense to spend 90 lakhs on a car. So it's a pure heart decision, just go with whatever makes you feel special and happy.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by Bong Chennai

Looking at options available, 630i seems to be most preferred option. However as I need to stay put with this car for a long time (hopefully), I am looking for a strong road presence (as much as one can get from a sedan in front of large SUVs or MPVs!).

Regarding Jahre or regular version, we are floored with Laser Lights. However paying that extra few lacs is going to pinch us.

As you own BMWs, any thoughts on their service periodicity mechanism?
I mean, do you face situations where you go outstation and come back & see that suddenly your service has become due although when you would have started, you had seen service would become due only after another few thousand kilometers.

The ES does have ground clearance woes sadly, and since we have an SUV at home that we prefer for outstation trips - the ES was meant to be a city car and does decently except one does need to be careful on many speed breakers.

The 6GT, though not exceedingly good looking does have some presence in front of SUVs owing to the bulkier shape but it isn't as respected as an E Class on the roads no doubt.
The big concern is the ride quality so I would first urge you to try the 620D GT and see if the ride quality is any better on the smaller rims, not to mention that it would alleviate one big issue for you - alloy wheel bends, which are very common on BMWs shod with low profile tyres such as the 19" on the Jahre edition. You could always get the Jahre & swap the alloys for lower profile ones mated to tubeless tyres for better ride.
As for service warnings, they're fairly reliable save and except for the brake wear indicators which are over optimistic and can catch you off-guard. For 10K km a year, an annual service should be fine unless you drive aggressively.
Treat it like a normal car which doesn't have a brake pad wear indicator but just a brake pad warning that pops up when the pads are nearly worn out.