Fun-to-drive yet luxurious car for 1.5 crore: Penultimate car purchase

I have kept the typical BWW X3, BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLC and Audi Q5 out of this list as none of them excites me.

BHPian rafiki recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello Everyone,

I am here seeking your insights to help me decide what to buy next.

My budget is around 1cr to 1.5cr, usage is around 10k a year and mostly outstation runs. We are a family of 3 and a dog. I want to get delivery of the car within this CY so a decision by July, or August is what I am looking at. My kid is 9 yrs old so the next 4 to 6 years is when we can create tons of memories and I want a car for such travels & road trips. I also think this will be my penultimate car or at least that when it comes to "thinking from the heart" point of view.

My car history: father’s Maruti 800 as a kid (the older one), Honda CRV and Skoda Yeti. Within the family, are Gypsy, Safari, X Trail, and Pajero. I am definitely an all-out SUV person even though I don’t offroad much.

I am now 42 and reached that point in life where I need to go after joys that I have long delayed. As a kid, I always wanted to buy a Range Rover but somehow now it doesn’t seem to make much sense to me. In the category I am targeting, I feel X3, X5, GLC and Q5 are all dated models. I saw the new GLC in Europe recently and it feels like they are just selling the badge with a bigger screen. I didn’t feel much of “technology shifts” in the car.

My buying criteria:

• Definitely a luxury product
• Should be fun to drive
• Should be an early-stage product in its life cycle
• I will retain it for 6 to 8 years

My current shortlists:

1. Volvo XC60 – it's like the Skoda of the premium category. Reliable, one notch below fun and solid value for money. This is a safe choice for me but that “safe” bit is not exciting me enough.
2. Land Rover Defender – I love the looks but all reviews indicate it's underpowered.
3. Porsche Macan – I love this one overall but it's not a major space upgrade from my current Yeti. Cayenne is both pricey & carries “snob value” which I don’t want
4. Audi e-tron – haven’t driven it yet but somehow feels like a better-engineered product in the market. The range is an issue for sure and am hoping the new Q8 e-tron will solve that. My typical runs are not more than 500km in one go so a range around that is sufficient.
5. BMW X7 – amongst all the ICE products, this one certainly stands out. However, am not excited about the bucket seats in the second row. I have not checked if that can be replaced with a bench seat.
6. Skoda Kodiaq – will save me a ton of money & “serve the purpose”. But it won't be a life truly lived for me personally.

I have kept the typical X3, X5, GLC and Q5 out of this list as none of them excites me. While I see the allure of the badge value, I want an exciting product first.

So folks – please help a newbie who is discovering life in the 40s!

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

No car is perfect, buddy! But looking at your list of requirements, I think the X7, X5 and GLS in 6-cylinder guise will be just perfect for you. Would also strongly consider the Macan because it is so much fun and so very practical. Love the Defender, but you definitely need a 2nd car as a backup.

Personally, with such a big wallet, I'd go for used. Think BMW M5, AMGs, Cayenne Turbos etc.

Here's what BHPian Turbanator had to say on the matter:

Few models, I can think off:

Range Rover Sports and Defender (6-cylinder): Based on RTO, these will be at extreme end of your budget. You won't be necessarily getting a better car but paying higher due to duties. This automatically means less visibility and exclusiveness.

Caveat - Service or spares can be tricky and high maintenance costs and reliability can be a question, though no personal experiences.

BMW X5 LCI: will be here around the time you need. Not a head turner (except few darker colours in M trim) but reliable and the best car to drive in its segment and above. I will skip X7 as you are a small family.

BMW X3 M40i: If you are Ok with the size, it will be fun to drive and is practical for long-distance travelling. May look dated too but with M treatment, I will definitely consider this.

You can park the saved funds in investments by picking either X5 LCI or X3M40, which will be handy when you are going to the next category - G-Wagon or a Cayenne Turbo or a Urus or even a 911 Turbo-S

Here's what BHPian Axe77 had to say on the matter:

I was helping a B’lore-based friend hunt recently in that budget (she had a similar range but stretchable up to 2 cr) and I recall coming across some used Porsches during that process, which were well within the 1.5 cr budget you have set. They’ve just picked up a used Macan and are open to another used Porsche specifically. You can enter exotic territory if you decide to hunt a bit (and wait if needed) to go slightly used.

Amongst new, I think the GLS would fit well if you prioritise comfort (I don’t find it too exciting though), an X5 for a balance of driving pleasure with average (relative to GLS) comfort and an X3M40i / GLC AMG coupe for hardcore driving pleasure with much more compromise on comfort (I think the latter might be close to end of life though).

I feel loathe to recommend JLRs to anyone but the 5-door Defender just has so much oomph about it. Do consider it if you feel up to biting the bullet on reliability.

Here's what BHPian cefiljoseph had to say on the matter:

Hi,

Happy to hear you are in the market for your grand purchase. I just wanted to offer my two cents about buying an early-cycle product. This is a very counterintuitive thing when it comes to buying premium cars. It's always best to buy the latter model of an older product than a newer version of a current product. The reason for this is when a new product comes in, it will require a ton of ironing out and sorting issues which happen throughout the product cycle. So, your best bet is to buy an "outdated" product. Sure, it won't have the latest and greatest gizmos. However, it will provide you with the biggest luxury which is peace of mind.

Let me give you an example of this as well. If we consider the case of what is arguably the greatest luxury car - S-class, we consistently see the final year models are anyway better. Take the W221 generation which had its final year in 2013. These cars are a steal and offer great reliability. Comparing it with someone who bought a W222 in 2014, I'm almost certain they had a worse experience than someone who bought a 2013 W221. Even with the W223 generation, the early adopters had significant issues with some people even facing breakdowns out of nowhere. Imagine spending 2-3 crores on something as grand as an S-class and having to go through the embarrassment and annoyance of a breakdown. A forum member too was the victim of this.

Therefore, I highly recommend staying away from fresh models especially when it comes to Germans. You never know if it's a lemon in the first year.

Keeping this in mind, My suggestions are as follows.

My top recommendation is definitely an R4 Macan since you are an SUV guy but doesn't do any off-roading. This is arguably the best-handling SUV on the market. Even the base 2.0 litre won't disappoint. Anything else you get at this price won't reward you as much as a Macan. Of course, being a Porsche, this will also be the most expensive to maintain. However, this is also arguably the most reliable car so the chances of you getting into any trouble are slim. Also, this being the end of life for the R4 Macan, finding good deals on used is possible and getting a new one is also possible.

BMW X3 M40i - This combines two of the best things that BMW makes - the B58 and the X3. I have always felt that X3 is the perfect BMW to have. Sure, the 3er is a hoot to drive but for all things practical, this is the one to have and it retains values better than the 3 for that very reason. Moreover, the excellent service networks and warranty packages from BMW help.

Defender 3.0 L Diesel. Usually, when manufacturers bring in old names and launch new cars, they mess things really badly. The current Tata Safari to the Lamborgini Countach did a terrible job by destroying a legendary name. However, with Defender, it's a different story. The 3 later diesel pairs beautifully with the car. I can't think of a better way to bring back an old name and it's an amazing car that stands out from the generic Germans.

X7 that you mentioned is also a great choice, arguably the best in the segment. However, since you mentioned that you would want to keep the car for a while, this might not be the best bet. Since no Seven series has been reliable, an SUV can only get worse.

As for electrics, in my humble opinion, the Audi e-tron is the best choice in the luxury segment. However, important to know that it's a new technology and being an early adopter comes at a cost.

Hope I could help. Wishing you all the best with your hunt!!

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