[Sounak04]

Hello Everyone

My brother has been residing in Gaborone, Botswana. He previously used to own an Used BMW 1 series and an used Land Rover. Currently he owns a 2015 Volvo XC60 D4 with a 2.0L Diesel Engine producing 190 BHP/ 400 NM paired to a 8 speed Torque Converter.

Now he is permanently returning to India by next month and is on the Lookout for a new German SUV.

He wants to go with a BMW only has he prefers the driving capabilities of one.

He has taken the test drive of both X3 20d and X4 30d in Gaborone. Unsurprisingly he loved 3.0L diesel. Though surprisingly he did liked his Volvo’s 2.0L diesel more than the BMW’s 2.0L diesel.

He is not able to test drive the X3 or the X4 20i there. For that, he has to come to India only. And considering the waiting times of almost 3-4 times on a new BMW, he is thinking to book the car before his arrival in India.

Now the dilemma is-
1. Is it safe to go for a Diesel right now considering the issues with BS6 diesel engines and with all this emission things which are going against the Diesel engines? Also are BMW 3.0L diesel engines reliable for atleast 5 years?
2. How is X3 20i to drive and how adequate the engine will be in a X3?
3. X3 and X4 has a price of almost difference of close to 6-7 lakhs on road. X3 has better features as compared to X4. X3 comes only with 2.0L engines whereas X4 comes with a 3.0L diesel engine. Also, surprising the price difference between X4 20i and X4 30d is only 3 lakhs on road. Isn’t that a bit unusual?

Please advice regarding what to do and if in case there is any other option for less than 1 crore

Thank you in advance

[Axe77]

Firstly whether its the X4 or the X3, its the 30i engine that’s sold in India not the 20i. To that end, in my personal opinion, the driving pleasure hierarchy would be something like:

X4 30d —> much nicer than X4 30i —> nicer / comparable to X3 30i —> X3 20d.

You haven’t mentioned which city he’s returning but IMO he can’t go horribly wrong with either the diesel or the petrol variant. If its NCR he may want to pick the petrol since resale of diesels might be a hint tougher down the line.

I’d recommend either the X4 30d (top choice) or if he’s not keen on diesel then either one of the petrol X4 / X3 depending on his preference for notchback vs conventional SUV. The X3 is likely to be marginally more comfortable at the back than the X4 while the X4 will feel sportier in the drivers seat.

The 3.0 diesel should provide rock solid reliability for a lot longer than 5 years. If his ownership outlook is only 5 years, I don’t see an issue with going with diesel.

[GTO]

Agreed with Axe77, although the X4's styling is indigestible to me.

That being said, since he's got 1 crore in his hand, why not go for an X5? The delicious 3-liter 6-cylinder turbo-petrol as well as the 3.0 turbo-diesel falls in his price range (SportX Plus), while the M-Sport & xLine are slightly above. Check for discounts at your BMW dealership and this could be a deal.

For 1-crore, I would also consider a slightly used X7 bought via the BMW authorised channel for peace-of-the-mind (almost new condition, standard warranty, extended warranty, 360-degree checks).

[Axe77]

I focussed excessively on the listed options in your post missing the 1 crore bit in the subject line.

Agree with GTO on the third option. The X5 has a brilliant petrol as well as a diesel engine and lower variants are in strike range of the 1 crore mark (if discounts are possible hopefully it'll come closer).

This will be more comfortable than X3 and X4 and will also have a broader resale market in my opinion (not that resale alone should overly influence what you buy). X4 is an acquired taste for sure - not to everyone's liking I agree.

The X5 carries the best form factor of the three, is reasonably recent in its iteration, has a stonking diesel as well as petrol on performance and I personally also find it the "right" size in external footprint - neither too big nor too small. I'd personally lean to an X5 over the X7 but that's mostly because I prefer the external footprint of the X5.

Check for deals on this one for sure.

[Sounak04]

Originally Posted by Axe77

Firstly whether its the X4 or the X3, its the 30i engine that’s sold in India not the 20i. To that end, in my personal opinion, the driving pleasure hierarchy would be something like:

X4 30d —> much nicer than X4 30i —> nicer / comparable to X3 30i —> X3 20d.
...

The 3.0 diesel should provide rock solid reliability for a lot longer than 5 years. If his ownership outlook is only 5 years, I don’t see an issue with going with diesel.

Ah my mistake. Its a 2.0L petrol engine known as 30i but the 2.0L diesel engine is known as 20d. Not confusing at all.

He is coming back to Mumbai so no such known issues of Diesel Ban. I guess 30d makes sense then considering there is only a 3L on road price difference between a Petrol 4 cylinder and a Diesel 6 cylinder in X4. Any reason for this as the 5 series has almost a 10L-15L price difference between the same? Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Originally Posted by GTO

Agreed with Axe77, although the X4's styling is indigestible to me.

That being said, since he's got 1 crore in his hand, why not go for an X5? The delicious 3-liter 6-cylinder turbo-petrol as well as the 3.0 turbo-diesel falls in his price range (SportX Plus), while the M-Sport & xLine are slightly above. Check for discounts at your BMW dealership and this could be a deal.

For 1-crore, I would also consider a slightly used X7 bought via the BMW authorised channel for peace-of-the-mind (almost new condition, standard warranty, extended warranty, 360-degree checks).

I agree with you that X4 has a very Polarizing design. But my brother seems to like the coupe design.

Yes I just saw the Price list and X5 SportX Plus does fall just below 1cr. The price difference between X4 M-Sport and X5 SportX Plus is roughly 9L on-road. So it is can be considered.

He is not going for a used car as he has driven used cars from the last 7 years in Botswana and now wants to own a new one.

Originally Posted by Axe77

I focussed excessively on the listed options in your post missing the 1 crore bit in the subject line.

Agree with GTO on the third option. The X5 has a brilliant petrol as well as a diesel engine and lower variants are in strike range of the 1 crore mark (if discounts are possible hopefully it'll come closer).

I agree with Axe77 that X7 does have a larger footprint and considering how congested Mumbai is that is something which is out of consideration.

But yes I will definitely tell him to consider both X5 and X7 once.

Any other car which comes to mind below the 1 cr mark?

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by Sounak04

I agree with you that X4 has a very Polarizing design. But my brother seems to like the coupe design.

I love it too, but then I’m a sucker for notchbacks myself, as my choice of the 3GT shows (another polarising design for sure).

Any other car which comes to mind below the 1 cr mark?

The Mercedes GLE is giving some discounts at the moment. A colleague just picked up a 300d* for a little under 1 cr on road in Mumbai post various discounts literally a few weeks ago (price includes some service pack also I think).

*Nomenclature trivia: The 300D unhelpfully denotes their four cylinder variant while the 400D refers to the six cylinder one - go figure indeed!

Advantage GLE:
- It looks stunning, is very modern and looks like a proper 1 cr car from the interiors standpoint;
- No air suspension unlike the X5, which some prefer since air suspensions have generally had a history of being problematic and expensive to repair.
- More comfortable at the back in terms of seat comfort as well as leg room.

The big downside of course is the engine, which is strictly “adequate” for that price and size, specially when you pit it against the 6 cylinder diesel of the X5.

For sheer performance and driving pleasure: the X5.
For everything else, the GLE 300D will hold the edge.

[lionheart_mm]

Why don't you consider a slightly used current-gen X5. It baffles me that the X3 that retailed for around 70 lac on-road is now nearly 1 crore.

[CEF_Beasts]

Originally Posted by Sounak04

He wants to go with a BMW only has he prefers the driving capabilities of one.

Now the dilemma is-
1. Is it safe to go for a Diesel right now considering the issues with BS6 diesel engines and with all this emission things which are going against the Diesel engines? Also are BMW 3.0L diesel engines reliable for atleast 5 years?
2. How is X3 20i to drive and how adequate the engine will be in a X3?
3. X3 and X4 has a price of almost difference of close to 6-7 lakhs on road. X3 has better features as compared to X4. X3 comes only with 2.0L engines whereas X4 comes with a 3.0L diesel engine. Also, surprising the price difference between X4 20i and X4 30d is only 3 lakhs on road. Isn’t that a bit unusual?

1.) Yes for both, it’s absolutely safe to go for BS6 Diesels and BMW’s Diesels are pretty reliable.

2.) Like you mentioned in your subsequent post that the car will be used in Bombay. Even a 100hp car will suffice in Bombay with the mad traffic, potholes and metro construction. Having owned the X3 30i for a year now, there is absolutely no place in Bombay where you can unleash the power. Anyways that’s a discussion for another day.

Coming to your question on how adequate is the power in the X3 30i. I would say it can shame performance sedans of yesteryears with its brilliant ZF 8 speed transmission and 252hp motor. It’s the perfect blend between a sedan and SUV.

3.) It’s not possible that the X3 has better features than the X4. Both cars are exactly the same except the body shape and additional price for that body. X4 is worth considering for its 30d engine. And with only a 2-3 Lakh difference between the X4 30i and 30d, the 30d is a no-brainer!

Other cars I would recommend are the X5 30d/40i both are lovely engines. One of my friend has the G05 X5 30d XLine in Gurgaon and he swears by it. Not even a single issue he has faced with it in the last 3 years of ownership. And if you followed the recently conducted ModBallRun to the highest motor-able roads of India, where super cars and performance cars conquered the highest passes of India, then there was a X5 40i and M340i in the convoy. Both 40i’s performed flawlessly in those treacherous conditions.

Only thing is the rear seat space difference between the X3 and X5 is not much. And the SportX variant of the X5 that undercuts the 1Cr mark is pretty sparse in terms of equipment.

GLE300d is a mini GLS with the exact same interior. I only wish the 300d had a 6cyl engine and not a 4cyl one for its price. And IIRC, the wait on Merc SUVs currently is massive, stretching to 9-12 months, of course unless you get lucky with someone else cancelling the car.

Another car I’ll recommend is the new Q7, brilliantly priced for its size and equipment with a 3L V6 petrol under its hood.

[Vibhanshu]

Both X3 and X5 are incredible choices. There's nothing that comes close (GLE is a Okayish close).

In opinion, stick to these 2 options. X3 and X5.

To your question, if BMW diesels are reliable - yes! They're most reliable among the premium/luxury segment. Including the petrol.

If you fancy big (like really big) space and can manage the width of the car (it's really wide) - X5.

If space is of moderate requirement and you want something more agile or more manageable - X3.

Either ways, you won't get it wrong with both choices.

Personal vote - if you have other people mover cars at home, get the X5 for those occasional use/trips. If not, then X3 is great.

All the best!

[Sounak04]

Thanks for your feedback. He likes the X5 as well, however, the sportX version is sparse on features like the sound system, limited colors, non-leather interiors, etc. which msport offers. The difference between the X4 30d msport and X5 30d msport is almost 28L with X5 costing 1.19Cr and a bit over-budget.

Is the resale of X4 an issue? I mean does the X5 have much better resale prospects over X4?
He wants to keep the car for more than 5years, however he is in a global company and may relocate in future, if he gets something good.

[Cresterk]

Originally Posted by Sounak04

Thanks for your feedback. He likes the X5 as well, however, the sportX version is sparse on features like the sound system, limited colors, non-leather interiors, etc. which msport offers. The difference between the X4 30d msport and X5 30d msport is almost 28L with X5 costing 1.19Cr and a bit over-budget.

Is the resale of X4 an issue? I mean does the X5 have much better resale prospects over X4?
He wants to keep the car for more than 5years, however he is in a global company and may relocate in future, if he gets something good.

Mixed bag really. X3 and X5 are known vehicles since they have been on sale for longer and thus more familiar to people looking for an aspirational car. The X4's styling is either a love it or hate it design and has lower sales. Cars which don't sell well new will barely sell old.

I recommend getting an X3 30i m-sport and calling it a day. No worries about diesel getting banned in the future + its much more powerful and you save a few bucks that can be used for a maintenance package.

[UD17]

Originally Posted by Sounak04

Please advice regarding what to do and if in case there is any other option for less than 1 crore

Thank you in advance

I would personally prefer X4 3L for the sheet exclusivity, radical design language, 6 cyl thrills and good road presense.

[Shreesharai]

We had a x4 30d bought at launch before that an x3 20d and now recently we got the glc 43amg. If you compare the two my pick is the GLC 43 amg
I’m a bmw fan boy but this car is just so good in terms of performance and luxury compared to the x4 which is just a torque monster. This car gets air suspension and all other features which the x4 misses out. the ride is butter smooth and then when you slot it into sport + it’s an whole other animal
You have the addictive pops and bangs and the brutal acceleration of an amg. You slot it into comfort it’s just like any other Merc.
Sir I would suggest you test drive both cars and decide. I feel x5 is overpriced for what it offers.

[Dr.Car]

Hi everyone, This is my first post as a member of Team BHP and first of all I’d like to thank the moderators who provided me with a chance to join this wonderful forum.

I am looking to buy a new luxury SUV in the Rs. 90-1Cr. category and had narrowed down on the BMW X5 and the Mercedes GLE. The car will be driven by my father, mother and myself. So, we don’t need a chauffeur driven car at all.

We test drove both these cars last week for a brief 20 Km ride and found both to be extremely nice and comfy. The driving experience was definitely better on the Bimmer but I liked the interior layout of GLE a tad bit better. The test drive cars were both diesels and we are ok with it but still open to go for petrol.

After a lot of discussion in our family, we finally narrowed down on the BMW due to its better driving experience. Since, this is gonna be our first luxury car purchase, I wanted to make sure that the car we buy shouldn’t be outdated within just a few years and so, I searched the Internet regarding the facelift of both these cars and found that the X5 is due for a facelift in 2024. This was also confirmed by the SA but he assured me that there aren’t gonna be very significant changes.

I’d like to have advice from the members of this forum that should I go ahead with the booking or wait? (Even though it’ll be difficult to wait for so long but we’ll manage). Thanks

[GreasyCarb55]

Originally Posted by Dr.Car

I’d like to have advice from the members of this forum that should I go ahead with the booking or wait? (Even though it’ll be difficult to wait for so long but we’ll manage). Thanks

Hi Dr.Car, welcome to TeamBHP

If you're okay with the higher running costs I would highly suggest you go for the petrol engine over the diesel, yes the B57 3.0L Turbo Diesel is a great motor and has been the heart of many amazing BMW's since 2017 (the most notable one being the 530D) but the B58 3.0L Turbo Petrol in the 40i model is too good to ignore. It's essentially a detuned version of the engine found in highly desirable cars like the BMW Z4 M40i, M340i and MK5 Toyota Supra so when it comes to mod potential the world is your oyster.

As for the facelift this is going to be the "LCI" (or Life Cycle Impulse) which is BMW's standard mid life facelift it gives to it's cars a few years after they enter the market. If this facelift was scheduled for 2023 then I would've told you to wait but if it's coming in 2024 then I would say that's too much to wait for one car and taking into account that the exact launch date for the LCI is unknown and delay between international and indian launches it would probably take a year and a half to get you the LCI car. As you've already experienced it yourself, the X5 is one hell of an SUV so go for it