Replacement for my BMW 320d with a Rs 35 lakh budget

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.

BHPian madhav14 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

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

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

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

• Range Rover Evoque (2016-18 models)
• Used C-Class (2018-19 models)
• 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.

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

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 selling 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.

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

Ah. I can relate to this thread as even I own an October 2015 3 GT albeit which has only run 50,000 km - 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.

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.

If you must sell it (for whatever reason)

• 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.
• Avoid the X1: Again, car for car, the 3 series is superior.
• 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.

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

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

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.

• All new Tucson: Gives you SUV shape, with a reasonably powerful engine and a luxurious product.
• 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.
• 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.

Here's what BHPian Dr.AD had to say on the matter:

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.

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

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