[madhav14]

Hello all,

I'm currently using a 2015 BMW 320d which has driven around 75k. Being 5-6 yr old now, I'm looking to replace the car with something else with around 35 lacs budget. And here starts my confusion.

I'm primarily looking for an upgrade in the pre-worshipped route & as I'm coming from a car which is a pure drivers delight. my requirements are very simple.

- Luxury Car (Preferably SUV, else Sedan is also Ok)
- Fast & Fun To Drive

Well, that left me with very few options.

1. BMW 530d (2017-19 - old or new shape is fine)
2. BMW X4 (Any year)

Since I couldn't find these ones in my budget, I was ready for a little compromise.

3. Range Rover Evoque (2016-18 models)
4. Used C-Class (2018-19 models)
5. New shape 3 Series

Even then, I couldn't find a proper car with a decent price due to a prime reason mentioned in the thread below.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ing-fishy.html

So finally, thinking of getting a new Ford Endeavour as a filler car for 2 years which gives a total peace of mind, but that also means having a too big car as daily driver and losing that luxury badge value for sure.

With all this happening, another thought was - just leaving everything and keeping this car for one more year hoping to have a better situation then, which of course means touching around 90k mark, losing more in depreciation and making it harder to sell my car.

So now I'm in a total confusion. Please help with your valuable inputs.

Thanks in advance!

[saikishor]

Since your car is absolutely fine, I would suggest to hold on to it until the situation improves. However if you really need a new car now, I would suggest you to take a look at the Skoda Superb or the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace. Both of these cars are excellent European cars with good build quality and driving dynamics. And as many BHPians say, these cars are A6’s and Q7’s seling at half prices. I dont really think the Endy will be a good choice for you, as you might have a hard time getting used to the body roll.

[PetrolHead2272]

Hey,

I would recommend you to hold on to your car for a bit more time and wait for the covid situation to improve.

If in case you require a car right now, then I would suggest the MG Gloster. It looks enormous and has immense street presence. Although it doesn't have the luxury badge of your current car, you won't be left disappointed. The Gloster is high on bling and has 218 HP on tap.

If not the Gloster and you would want to stick to only luxury brands, I would further recommend the X1. If you could make a stretch in your budget, The X1 ticks all the right boxes. It's an SUV and is both fast and fun to drive.

In sedans, I would recommend the Skoda Superb. It is literally 80% Audi A6 at 50% the price.

Hope this helps,
Happy Hunting.
-Namit S.

[46TheDoctor]

Originally Posted by madhav14

Hello all,


- Luxury Car (Preferably SUV, else Sedan is also Ok)
- Fast & Fun To Drive

Well, that left me with very few options.

1. BMW 530d (2017-19 - old or new shape is fine)
2. BMW X4 (Any year)

Since I couldn't find these ones in my budget, I was ready for a little compromise.


Thanks in advance!

If you can get 530d or X4 30d within your budget, nothing like it. Otherwise, you can consider buying Jeep Compass S 4x4 AT which has fun to drive dynamics, decent performance and acceleration (but a slow gearbox), all the luxury feel and features, it will fit in your budget and provide new car peace of mind along with the warranty.

I will suggest you to sell your current car as it may fetch you significantly lower next year once your mileage reaches close to the 100k km mark.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by madhav14

Hello all,

I'm currently using a 2015 BMW 320d which has driven around 75k. Being 5-6 yr old now, I'm looking to replace the car with something else with around 35 lacs budget. And here starts my confusion.

I'm primarily looking for an upgrade in the pre-worshipped route & as I'm coming from a car which is a pure drivers delight. my requirements are very simple.

- Luxury Car (Preferably SUV, else Sedan is also Ok)
- Fast & Fun To Drive

!

Ah. I can relate to this thread as even I own an October 2015 3 GT albeit which has only run 50,000 kms - however unlike you, I’m actually very happy to use mine for another 3 - 4 years.

Here are some pointers in (apologies) slightly random order.

1. Don’t sell it yet. Your car has already seen its biggest depreciation. For the budget you’ve set, if you stick to the big 3 Germans you’re only going to get a 2 - 3 year plus car. Which will be second owner and as old as your current car in hardly 2 - 3 years. I’d say keep the 3 series for another 2-3 years. Perhaps remap it to get some refresh and maybe some minor cosmetic work as well like smoking out the grill etc. To my mind, this is your BEST OPTION, since everything else I write below will be a compromise in some sense or the other.

2. If you must sell it (for whatever reason):

2.1 Don’t go for Land Rovers. They can be particularly expensive to maintain post the 5 year mark. The Evoque is not only more cramped than the 3 but is also not as sweet an engine. You’re paying good money to get a car which in my opinion is less exciting and also less spacious.

2.2. Avoid the X1:

Again, car for car, the 3 series is superior.

2.3. Avoid Mercedes:

Purely for budget reasons. In that budget, you’re unlikely to get something superior to the 3 that’s less than 3 - 4 years old.

3. If you plan to defer the purchase by a year or so:

3.1. Consider a 2 - 3 year old X3 petrol (gives you SUV body type and an engine that’s superior to the 320d.

3.2. Consider a 3 - 4 year old 530d: Not an SUV, you’ll need to stretch the budget but please do this if you’re happy to keep the car till its 10 years old. This will be a HARD car to upgrade from without spending a LOT of money.

3.3. Consider a 3 - 4 year old ML 250/350 or X5: If the wait can afford you a higher budget by waiting it out, these will be luxurious and depending on which one you pick, FAST too. Again, once you buy any of these, hold them until they’re 10 years old at least.

4. If you’re willing to step down from the luxury Germans:

If you can hold on to your BMW for another year perhaps you can include some of the following options.

4.1: All new Tucson: Gives you SUV shape, with a reasonably powerful engine and a luxurious product.
4.2: Jeep Commander: SUV shape, powerful engine, judging by current Compass, it should have a well appointed interior. Will bust the 35L mark but hopefully deferring by a year might address that.
4.3: Skoda Superb / Octavia / Kodiaq: These are your best sedan / SUV options in the segment below the big Germans. The best way to stay reasonably true to your budget and buy a car which is comparably good when you think of your BMW.

Happy shopping.

[thechinmay]

From what I can see, the used car market is also at a high right now - lack of supply and no discounts on new cars can be blamed for this. I would suggest waiting and going in for a G30 530d in a year or so. The facelift launch should also help in pushing down prices of used models.
Since you've not mentioned any specific preference for diesel, you might be able to get a pre owned G20 330i Sport for somewhere near your budget.

[AZT]

Luxury car prices will keep rising YoY so used market will also keep pace. I would have suggested delaying your purchase but since you want a luxury brand, prices wont get any better next year even if you wait.

I'm guessing you see Superb as a downgrade else that would be a great option. If you're looking at a 2 year timeline then why not look at a used fortuner, nothing holds value better than that.

[adi.mariner]

The 3 series seems to be in good condition. Why not go for a Engine Remap or other performance and cosmetic upgrades to keep it going for a few years more and then you can truly upgrade with an increased budget?

[Shreyfiesta]

From what I understood, your F30 3 Series seems to be in decent shape even after 5-6 years of usage. I would suggest you to continue with it till the 1 lakh kilometres mark, and replace it with a pre-facelift G30 5 Series after a couple of years. By then, prices of 5 Series in the second hand market will come down to ₹ 20-30lakh range for well-maintained examples.

If you really want to replace the 3 Series with a new car urgently, take a look at the Superb Sportline TSI. It is definitely a VFM product for that price as it offers limo-like space, tons of features, and very premium looking all-black interiors. Also, it is not far behind the 3 Series in terms of handling and dynamics.

[asit.kulkarni93]

If you spend 10-15% of your decided budget, your car is good to go for another 50k kms. Upgrade the suspension, get better tyres and a remap to give your 320d a new lease of life. The used car market is very expensive right now and unless you catch hold of a good g30, I would suggest you retain your 320d. The G30 530d is a true upgrade for you.

[Dr.AD]

Originally Posted by madhav14

I'm currently using a 2015 BMW 320d which has driven around 75k. Being 5-6 yr old now, I'm looking to replace the car with something else with around 35 lacs budget.

As a fellow 320d owner, I can tell you that nothing new in the range of 35L will replace it. And any used car you get in 35L will not be that much better. It seems like an exercise that will not fetch you much in return.

I would say keep the car. If your car is well maintained, 75k on the odo is not a big deal. My 320d is at about 55k and still feel fresh and lovely. Every drive in the car is still enthralling. The only things missing are some bells and whistles such as Android Auto and Apple CarPly. But those are superfluous things that I can live without. As far as the core mechanicals of the car are concerned, (engine, transmission, suspensions) and then the qualities such as ride and handling, this is still a fantastic car. Very few cars will be able to match this.

So unless you have some known issues with the car or have to change it for some other reason, I would say keep the car for at least 2 more years. I would worry about maintaining a BMW after 100k km, but not before that.

Originally Posted by Axe77

Here are some pointers in (apologies) slightly random order.

1. Don’t sell it yet. Your car has already seen its biggest depreciation. For the budget you’ve set, if you stick to the big 3 Germans you’re only going to get a 2 - 3 year plus car. Which will be second owner and as old as your current car in hardly 2 - 3 years. I’d say keep the 3 series for another 2-3 years. Perhaps remap it to get some refresh and maybe some minor cosmetic work as well like smoking out the grill etc. To my mind, this is your BEST OPTION, since everything else I write below will be a compromise in some sense or the other.

I completely agree with Alex77. He has summarized everything quite well and given a very good advice!

[vvb8530]

I doubt you will be able to find even a 4 year old 530d or X4 for 35L unless you find one with a pretty high mileage on the odo. Waiting further for one will only mean you find an almost as old a car as your current car within your budget. If you are not very brand conscious and not specific on the fuel type in your budget a Superb would be a worthy upgrade to your 320d in terms of size, space and features. With an extendable warranty up to 6 years it is something that I feel you should definitely consider.

[madhav14]

Firstly, Big Thanks to everyone who gave your valuable suggestions.

Since your car is absolutely fine, I would suggest to hold on to it until the situation improves.

I would recommend you to hold on to your car for a bit more time and wait for the covid situation to improve.

1. Don’t sell it yet.

As a fellow 320d owner, I can tell you that nothing new in the range of 35L will replace it. And any used car you get in 35L will not be that much better.

Your car has already seen its biggest depreciation. I’d say keep the 3 series for another 2-3 years. Perhaps remap it to get some refresh etc. To my mind, this is your BEST OPTION, since everything else I write below will be a compromise in some sense or the other.

Most of the suggestions echo the same thing. Yeah totally agree. It's a fantastic car and very hard to sell this one and replace with another. Not quoting all of your comments as it might cause confusion to the viewers, but to summarise the point - As most of you said, it's really hard to get a proper upgrade/replacement for my car within that budget right now. Other than keeping the car for 1-2 years more, and then stretching the budget for a G30 530d or X4 or X5, every other option is a compromise for sure.

2.2. Avoid the X1:

Again, car for car, the 3 series is superior.

X1 was never there. Was considering X3 (still a compromise in engine) or X4 (perfect balance of SUV Peace of Mind, that 3.0L Engine & Dynamics).

So unless you have some known issues with the car or have to change it for some other reason, I would say keep the car for at least 2 more years.

Nothing much, the regular brake discs & pads, tyres and a couple of rattles that needs to be fixed. Apart from that, engine & transmission etc. are in pretty good shape. Might have to shell out a couple of lakhs to get the car back in perfect condition.
However, being a person who changes (pre-worshipped) cars almost every year - I've come a long way with this one. So that upgrade bug has slightly started in mind. But still, as many BHPians suggested, the remap & suspension upgrade sounds like a wonderful pocket-friendly route to happily enjoy this one for the next couple of years. so definitely considering that option.

[vredesbyrd]

As simple as it is, go 530d or go home. The F30 is a mighty impressive car to begin with. Why don't you remap and put some performance mods on it as you wait for G30? Will keep things fresh. Or while waiting, you can get LCI parts and do a facelift yourself.

[speedfreak77]

A 320d is a driver’s delight and if you are gonna buy an Endy, I might tell you a friend of mine went from a 320d GT to an Endy and he’s not happy. Again it all comes down to your taste and need. I have always said it and will keep saying it, If you love driving above everything else in the world, You have to have a 530d or a 911 anything from the range from the Carrera to a GT3. Considering you are stepping from the 320d to an upper segment, If you see a 530d in a good condition then hands down buy it. But if you cannot find one then I’d suggest you to hold on for a while to your car. You may see a 530d Lci for around 40 lakhs next year and it will be a great buy and an amazing package overall. X4 is also a great buy is you’re into big cars. I have seen a lot of X4 M-sports 30d go for about 50-55 lakhs. Next year you can see a massive price drop in these too. All in all I would strongly recommend you to wait for next year.
The new 3 series is also a good buy but if you are willing to stretch that much you may get a 530d easily.
I would not suggest a the baby rover because of its bad ergonomics and that car has been going around for a lot of time. It won’t feel very upmarket.
The C-class is also a good buy. A host of beautiful interiors with good powertrain. Still, it won’t give you the feel of being connected to the road like the beamer. You will miss the 3 in a week of buying it.

Cheers!