[write2sourav]

Friends,

I am looking to purchase a luxury car (SUV only and Petrol option) and having a budget of around 50L. Need some suggestions from the experts on this.

Background:

1. Currently, I have a 2014 model Grand i10 which is my primary car. I am planning to continue with this car in future too.
2. I have a 2 member family. The new car usage will be on the lower side. Typically, it will run between 5k-6k KM's per year and mostly on highways for long trips.

Queries:
1. My primary choice is between BMW X1 and Mercedes GLA. I have discounted Audi Q2 considering the fact that it is going to be discontinued in India soon. As of today while writing the post, i don't have any information regarding launch of Audi Q3. What do you feel as to which car will be a better choice between Merc and BMW.

2. My choice will be dependent on the following factors:

a. Pleasure of driving.
b. Safety/Security and driver assistance features.
c. Less costlier to maintain in the longer run. I am planning to keep this new car for at least 10 years.

3. What kind of service and warranty packages should i look for while purchasing. I am a little worried about long term maintenance costs, especially the damage/accidental repair charges. I plan to go for a zero-dep insurance and hoping that will cover the damage/accidental repair charges.

4. With regards to financing, will it be cost saving to go for traditional bank loans rather than financing schemes from the automobile makers.

5. As i am based out of Delhi-NCR, what kind of discounts dealers are offering at the moment (on the petrol model) in this region. Is it advisable to complete the purchase during festive seasons like Dussehra/Diwali.

[NarediAni7518]

The X1’s new generation is just around the corner and there’s a possibility that it’ll be launched either in Q1 2023 or Q4 2022. The GLA is a freshly-baked product but the petrol engine is a joke for a Mercedes Benz, especially when they offered a much better petrol engine earlier. Also, I feel the quality of the cabin is not up to Benz’ standards, it has been cheapened out in comparison to the earlier car. I would personally like to stay away from the GLA because it’s a little overpriced for what it offers and for its puny 1.3 petrol engine.

Wild card entry: why not consider a Volvo XC40 ? It’s a great overall package, has much better safety features and looks unique. Do check it out once for sure.

[GTO]

The current generation X1 is too long in the tooth, while the GLA is best bought with the diesel. Since you have a 50-lakh budget, I would recommend the new C-Class (will have to stretch budget a bit) & 3-Series to you. Both are vastly superior cars and will serve you well for 10 years, without either of them feeling outdated or outclassed (the baby crossovers will though).

[Porcupine]

Out of those two I'd go with the GLA. The X1 is about to be replaced very soon.

With your requirement for petrol however the GLA200 has a lacklustre engine. If you don't mind a slight stretch, you can ask if they have any GLA35 AMG's in stock, maybe you could get a decent price for that.

In terms of discounts, Mercedes dealers now are not authorised to offer discounts anymore as under the new model you deal with Mercedes India directly. Don't expect any dealer discounts, maybe if MB India throw up some new 'offers' during the festive period, but that remains to be seen.

For financing, if you have a relationship with your bank/manager, I'd assume that would end up being cheaper for the purchase of your car, as they'd try to match or offer you better interest rates due to your relationship with them. But it doesn't hurt to take both quotes and share what you're offered by both.

[vb-saan]

The new X1 will be out in the international markets later this year (and maybe early next year in India?). From the pictures/videos, it looks much better than the current version.

As GTO suggested, the new C will be a great option to look at, and if you want to stay in the Crossover space, the Volvo XC40 will be another credible option.

[GreasyCarb55]

Originally Posted by write2sourav

Friends,

I am looking to purchase a luxury car (SUV only and Petrol option) and having a budget of around 50L. Need some suggestions from the experts on this.

The X1 is about to be replaced soon and the GLA is best bought with the diesel (220d).

If you can stretch a little bit I'd take GTO's suggestion and get something like the new C-Class or a BMW 330i/330Li. In this situation my personal choice would be a BMW 330i Sport which is about 55 lakh on-road Delhi.

If you cannot stretch your budget but are okay with a sedan you can look at the Toyota Camry Hybrid (49.3 lakh, on-road Delhi) as that car is essentially a Lexus ES300h with a 20 lakh discount and a Toyota badge.

[Axe77]

I wouldn’t recommend either of these frankly. Other options that are worth considering instead IMO (I am assuming crossover / SUV format is a priority over sedans):

1. A sparingly used X3 petrol. Beautiful engine and a properly mature German car. Less than two year examples should be available within that ball park.
2. The all new Kodiaq petrol. Its a really fabulous car if you’re open to the overall VAG ownership experience though.
3. A Countryman - niche car, very stylish, powerful enough petrol now and ‘adequate’ enough boot for most road trips. The styling is polarising amongst Mini aficionados (I love it!). Do see if the ride quality is not a deal breaker though.
4. If you’re open to a petrol sedan, then the BMW 330i is your best bet. I’d struggle to recommend the current gen C class in petrol guise. Its simply not worth it, specially for highway runs where it’s performance deficit will feel accentuated vis a vis a 3, unlike in the city where the hybrid still masks it somewhat by virtue of the way its tuned.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by write2sourav

Queries:
1. I have discounted Audi Q2 considering the fact that it is going to be discontinued in India soon. As of today while writing the post, i don't have any information regarding launch of Audi Q3.

2. My choice will be dependent on the following factors:

a. Pleasure of driving.
b. Safety/Security and driver assistance features.
c. Less costlier to maintain in the longer run. I am planning to keep this new car for at least 10 years.

3. What kind of service and warranty packages should i look for while purchasing. I am a little worried about long term maintenance costs, especially the damage/accidental repair charges. I plan to go for a zero-dep insurance and hoping that will cover the damage/accidental repair charges.

4. With regards to financing, will it be cost-saving to go for traditional bank loans rather than financing schemes from the automobile makers.

5. Is it advisable to complete the purchase during festive seasons like Dussehra/Diwali.

Just wanted to throw in the Q5 as a spanner here.
At the moment, it would be around 65L on-road Delhi given the minimal discounts, but if you time your purchase right (during the Audi discounts festival which happens when stocks pile up) you may be able to get it at a slight increase to your budget (sub 60 on road)

Compared to the X1 and GLA it is a size up in terms of space, with better performance and driving mannerisms thanks to the better power and Quattro.

If that is not possible, I would pick a pre-owned 2020 X3.30i as my next option: one within warranty which can be extended and low kms, with a full-service history.

In case that also is not feasible and it really boils down to these two options: the bmw would tick the boxes better in terms of maintenance (Audi in the middle but you need to be a lot more hands on - take the car to the dealer yourself and show the SA the issues and make sure they don't overbill you, etc. - this can happen with BMW and Mercedes too but is seemingly more common in Audi, though after warranty you would be better off taking it to a recommended independent garage specialist); the bmw would be better to drive.
However the X1 is dated, and you would feel the age showing up a lot sooner than in the case of Mercedes which is the biggest deal-breaker for it.

Regarding service and warranty packages: given your low running I would skip the service package (but keep an eye out on estimates and question everything that feels unnecessary), but pick up maximum extended warranty. In some cases the 6th year warranty is considerably more expensive so you may want to get the 5 year warranty IF there is the option to extend should you feel you need it.
Insurance has to be zero dep and if possible get RTI (return to the invoice) Cover too.

Financing boils down to whoever gives you the best rate at the end of the day : whoever has a lower total outflow at the end of the term should get the business. Manufacturers often have bullet plans etc. which you can consider if it will be more feasible but that depends on your cash flow planning.

Lastly, the festive season is the best time to buy along with year-end but keep an open eye out for any good deals.

By the way, do take a test drive of the Volvo XC40 (quirkier design, rarer on roads, well equipped, quality interiors) & the Mini Countryman too (think of it as more fun take on the existing X1).

[sauravpat]

Would also like to suggest the Kodiaq, XC40 and Countryman over the X1 and GLA.

Since you are not time bound, I think you should wait for the new Q3 which will launch soon. You can evaluate the complete set then.

[write2sourav]

Thanks a lot Lamborghini for your inputs.

I will for sure check Volvo XC40. The only worry regarding that car is the thin service network of Volvo and maintenance costs. Feature wise this car ticks all the right boxes though.

I am personally more aligned towards BMW X1 than Merc GLA as the former is more fun to drive. Having said that, i might wait for a few more months for the new X1 model rather than buy the older one (unless i get mouth watering discounts). The Q5 and X3 options might be slightly overbudget for me.

One more question, what's your take on the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe. I understand the car has low ground clearance but in my case it will be maximum 3 members occupying the car. The car looks like a sports car but pocket friendly for people trying to add a BMW badge to their garage.

Thanks GTO for your inputs.

How about the BMW 3 series (330i Sport model). I suppose this will be a good choice as i am considering a petrol model. The M Sport model will be slightly more expensive for me. In terms of drivability, heard that this one is a fantastic car. I will try to push for some good discounts considering there are many BMW dealers in Delhi-NCR region.

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[neel911]

With discounts going away, I really wonder if entry level Mercedes GLA or BMW X1 is worth it and we are just paying for the badge. X1 with FWD (no AWD option) . I agree to some of comments where used X3 would be better option.

For the sedans, the main challenge is to find the right roads to drive them. In Bangalore, it's like craters all over the place and you would not want the bottom to scrap multiple times.

Volvo XC40, though a really nice package, the service network is questionable and for me it does not come close to BMW or Merc if badge is important.

The new X1 is right around the corner but I won't be surprised if it turns out to be more expensive than GLA.

[Arsenic]

I’d personally recommend the following (with basically no budget stretch required):

1. Volvo XC40:
Brilliant looks, excellent interior with massive, responsive and user-friendly touchscreen, and extremely comfortable front seats (got to experience a used one at the NESCO CARnival).

2. Toyota Camry / Škoda Superb:
If you’re fine with a sedan that isn’t a big 3 German, I’d highly recommend looking at these two. My pick would be the Camry simply for reliability (iffy DSG) and also rumours of a next-gen Superb coming soon, considering the current one is 7 years old. Camry also has brilliant fuel efficiency for a D2 sedan thanks to the hybrid system, vs the Superb’s guzzling TSI motor (Superb would probably be more fun-to-drive though).

Happy shopping!

[helterskelter]

Hey Sorry to barge in on the threat abruptly but i would advice you to take a longish test drive of the 2 Series. According to me the ground clearance is a joke when fully loaded and the car is nothing more than a badge and for that price much better options are available. For that budget, 330i if going for a petrol sedan or an XC40/Countryman if going for a crossover.

[astrodex]

Originally Posted by write2sourav

Thanks a lot Lamborghini for your inputs.

Having said that, i might wait for a few more months for the new X1 model rather than buy the older one (unless i get mouth watering discounts).

One more question, what's your take on the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe. I understand the car has low ground clearance but in my case it will be maximum 3 members occupying the car. The car looks like a sports car but pocket friendly for people trying to add a BMW badge to their garage.

How about the BMW 3 series (330i Sport model). I suppose this will be a good choice as i am considering a petrol model.

I'd recommend that you test drive the X1. The current one is getting replaced but you might get great deals on it. I think it is the only one (other than the 2) you will get good discounts are BMW.

I would not recommend the 2 Series, there are several issues with it, in addition to it being small. Read up on the reviews on team-bhp. The only thing that it has going for is the BMW badge. My vote would be the older X1 over 2.

3 Series is the best of these options, but 330i sports (non M) model might not come with much discounts since they are not making that many of them. They are also a lot hard to find these days.

[Tanmay_868]

Originally Posted by write2sourav

Friends,

I am looking to purchase a luxury car (SUV only and Petrol option) and having a budget of around 50L. Need some suggestions from the experts on this.

As others have suggested neither X1 nor GLA are suitable purchases given the lack of discounts.
XC40 is worth a look.
But do look at Audi too.
Discounts are still underway for A6 and I think they would roll out some for Q5 soon due to its abysmal sales. But currently A4 has no mouth watering offers

Start visiting dealerships so that salesperson knows you by face and identifies you as a serious buyer. Period from Diwali to year end is I think best time to buy a new car.