[xtremeshock]

My friend just purchased the 630i, completely floored by it, it is an amazing mix of space and performace and the boot space is just an added bonus, it also comes with a rear seat entertainment package - ideal for the little ones.

I am sure there will be stocks lying here and there, and you may get a good deal as well, as my friend got an amazing deal.

Do check with different dealers and insist you need only this model.

[rev8]

Originally Posted by xtremeshock

My friend just purchased the 630i, completely floored by it, it is an amazing mix of space and performace and the boot space is just an added bonus, it also comes with a rear seat entertainment package - ideal for the little ones.

I am sure there will be stocks lying here and there, and you may get a good deal as well, as my friend got an amazing deal.

Do check with different dealers and insist you need only this model.

Would you be able to share from which dealer did your friend purchase?

[beanstalk_230]

Originally Posted by rev8

X5
Dilemma inducing car! Sales experience at BMW was far better than Mercedes.

• The performance was certainly better than all others, but it felt big to drive (as opposed to GLC which felt very nimble)
• Loved the HUD (test drove M Sport, but won't be available in xLine which is what I'll be able to afford)

X5 and GLC are real contenders at this point. X5 xLine is coming at a 23L premium over the GLC.

Would suggest that you must try GLE 300D as well if you're considering X5 XLine. Landing costs might be the same but will give you a different perspective altogether.

[xtremeshock]

Originally Posted by rev8

Would you be able to share from which dealer did your friend purchase?

He Purchased it from Chennai Dealer KUN BMW.

You can try to connect with Mr. Prabhu: +91 9894929834, you can ask his help for all across India if available.

[rev8]

Originally Posted by beanstalk_230

Would suggest that you must try GLE 300D as well if you're considering X5 XLine. Landing costs might be the same but will give you a different perspective altogether.

Thankyou for the suggestion but I'm not considering diesels due to NGT rules in NCR, and the petrol is going to cost similar to X5 MSport.
Also, GLE is quite outdated at this point and with the new E class launched, I'm sure GLE will soon see it's major refresh.

[rev8]

Lexus NX 350h

A really well rounded car, but left me desiring for more.

• Amazing noise insulation. Probably the best so far.
• Really comfortable back seats (for the size of the car).
• Peppy engine but got too loud on pressing the pedal and it felt like I was milking the poor thing even when we barely had any speed.
• The materials did not feel as luxurious as the Germans, especially switches and controls which felt old-style.
• HUD was present which was good but it was very basic in quality and was easy to miss (X5 had an amazing HUD on the other hand).
• Loved the under thigh support in the front seats. It did not extend outwards but rather upwards, which was super helpful for me because I'm tall and in most cars even after extending under thigh support, I don't really get any extra support.
• Parking sensors were too sensitive and loud and were becoming a nuisance too early into the drive.
• I did not like the angle of the pedals, had to make my foot too upright which made them get tired quicker.

Overall, ruled out because of the missing X factor during the drive. I could imagine myself in the rear seat more than the front, but even then, ES or an E-class would probably do better justice to the rear seat anyway.

[rev8]

The last week has been very eventful. Our Alto's transmission developed two major issues in the last 2 months, first being the rusting of the radiator piping leading to a coolant leak and second being a transmission failure (a broken transmission lock), both leaving the car stranded. Thankfully we don't use it over long distances so it did not turn into a nightmare, but it made us lose trust in the car and we decided to urgently replace it.
As you would recall from my original story post, our SX4 had also developed engine issues. This was the second time a Maruti from our garage developed issues, and so we don't foresee buying another one any time soon.

Anyways, since this post is about luxury grand tourer, I'm going to continue talking about updates on that front (heading below), but the last week was a bit distracted as we went out on a hunt for Alto's replacement, so let me share some quick updates on that before continuing.

We wanted an automatic transmission (not AMT) and something with comfortable and premium feeling interiors. This wouldn't be the beater (which Alto was), we instead downgraded our Amaze to the beater status and decided to buy this one to replace Amaze. We visited most dealerships around in this last week - Kia, Hyundai, Toyota, Honda and MG. We didn't want the VAG twins because mom and dad will primarily be driving this car and they don't need the performance at the cost of kit and feel, so those cars are not really a fit.

We loved the Honda Elevate and MG Astor. MG however was running a 100 year anniversary celebration at this time luckily and offered a 1.3 Turbo AT Savvy for a mouthwatering price of ~15L all inclusive post negotiations. We got them to add freebies worth ~50K on top and booked it. If we consider my credit card discounts, the car net us ~14L. At that price for a top end Astor, it just beat the Elevate out of the park.

Continuing the luxury car updates
We test drove the Q7 and it was supremely comfortable in the rear. The front however, left us longing for more in terms of features as well as luxury. It was no doubt an elegant interior, but the vastness of glossy surfaces were a fingerprint magnet and the car would very quickly look old unless maintained well.
I also explored the option for BMW 6GT but the only ones in stock are black in select dealerships, none of which are in NCR or Karnataka. Asking a Chennai dealer to bring one to Bangalore just for a test drive seems cruel.
At this point, I am done with all my inital set of test drives, and know exactly where I am leaning.

So here it is!
Driving the GLC brought a big smile to my face but it's rear seats are too firm and I don't see long distance travel for anyone being comfortable in it.
I loved BMW as a brand the most, especially the quality of materials. The X5 checked all the boxes and would be the ideal car. The XLine also fits my budget, BUT, nobody seems to have one available for a test drive. They all have M Sport which comes with air suspension, so I really want to experience the car without air suspension before committing to it.

On another note, I discovered that BH series is not possible with a Gurgaon residence, which has dropped me in the dilemma of getting a HR registration or KA registration since I do stay in Bangalore 9 out of 12 months of the year. So do I pay the additional ~8% of road tax or risk it with a HR plate.

Next Steps

• Find a way to test drive the X5 XLine
• Make a decision between GLC and X5
• Decide the state registration to get
• Book the car!

P.S. - I will create separate detailed posts about the Astor in relevant threads.