[alabjarus]

Decision of the heart, dont think there's a right or wrong here, but few factors matter:

Aspiration: if you aspire for one, irrespective of the reason, you will find a way to get it.
(For me - I definitely wanted one)
Affordability: both buying & owning - selling family jewels to get one isn't a great idea, if you have disposable income go ahead by all means
(For me - I bought one 5 years after I knew I could afford one)
Your circle - both professional & personal: in certain circles its important to 'belong', to be seen on par to do business with
(For me - didn't have that compulsion as most of my customers are abroad and a German sedan there isn't a big deal)
Brands: if you are conscious, you would love to be seen in one
(For me - I love luxury & brands, so was a no brainer)

Is there a better use for that money, hell yes, but then what's life without some indulgence. :-)

[alphadog]

I voted No.

I have had the good fortune of being able to own and drive various cars including the Audi and BMW, in the UK and in Abu Dhabi. It was a joy to drive and experience those cars over there, however, when I relocated back to India, I decided not to get any luxury brand and went local, even though I had the funds.

Our poorly designed and maintained roads, lack of systematic traffic and road sense, exorbitant tax and duty imposed on these cars, did not make it worth the spend. There was also the question of after sales service being less than robust.

Although, there is a certain snob value attached to be seen driving one or arriving in one, it pales in comparison to the feeling of frustration I would get if I had owned one but not be able to enjoy it to its potential due to the above mentioned road conditions.

If it were an aspirational thing to own one, then I can totally understand getting one. But, it practically makes no sense to own one in India, for the average joe, like myself. One can enjoy driving in comfortable and safe cars, even owning other non-premium brands. I would rather spend the extra moolah on good thrilling bikes.

Cheerio!

[manishk123]

I own a 13 year old Mercedes and a newer BMW. Both cars still bring a smile to my face when I drive them. The design, the luxury touches, the drive and the overall feel make the experience completely worth it in my opinion.

Its as good as saying is it worth spending money on good clothes or should we all just dress in basics.

For special occasions you need something special!

[gus]

I guess its totally worth spending on a luxury car. When you have extra moolah in your bank account and you have already cushioned yourself for future then why not get a taste of finer things in life. After all you are working hard and for what ? Do charities, donate and do all things benevolent but also splurge a little on yourselves.
Moreover, its not just the premium price you are paying what you get in return is totally worth it. Safe and Secure drive, luxurious interiors, joyous ride, head turns and what not.
Of course get a luxury car. Totally worth it.

[Mar21]

Voted No.

For the likes of the entry-level germans / mini
Reality is more like - I'll mull over it, pull my hair out trying to reconcile diametrically opposite emotions, and then say "Naaa, not worth it right now, maybe someday soon"

There's almost always something just around the corner (real or imagined) that stops me from splurging (I guess buying something you really want vs. don't really need is splurging :-p)

For anything above that
"Ha ha - not happening anytime soon" that set of cars doesn't even enter the consideration set

[sgm]

No : You are stretching yourselves to enjoy your dream machine.

Yes : You enjoy the experience, you are behind the wheels mostly, then an entry level C/3 is fine, else you will need a E/5/A6 etc, You have another capable car which negates all the negatives of your luxury car.

Going for a luxury car just for snob value is folly but go for it if you can enjoy it.

Key to enjoying the car is, know the limits very well and accept them. These cars are definitely nicer to drive but a steep premium with less practicality, there are many pain points regarding practicality but these don’t happen 99% of the time.

[adneeraj]

Voted No.

1. You need a good safe space to park
2. You need a lot of cash to procure such a car AND another lot to maintain it well.

The Pros have been laid out extensively and I vouch for the safety these cars offer.

On top of all this, it is pure aspirational value to yearn for it and then one day make yourself eligible to buy it.
OR then, you are someone who's never seen a regular car in your garage - ever. OR, you've got into business and now see steady inflow in ample amounts that'd warrant you to buy a car.. windfall, maybe. You get the point.
Sometimes, given the circles you wander in, such a car might be a need.

For me, even a used luxury car is a strict no, unless I know the owner personally and his/her driving and maintenance habits.
Then again, a 4 yr old luxury car would have a lot of parts that are close to replacement as part of standard maintenance - this may set you back by thousands if not lacs.
Then there is the massive insurance and periodic maintenance cost.

I'd be rather happy owning a Jeep Compass, T-ROC or a Creta, Harrier even.

But again, to each his own

[astrodex]

I would have said No a couple of years back, but now I an inclined to say Yes, more so in India than other places. Of course, only if you can afford it without breaking your bank. There is truth in the saying that when you go for a project presentation go in a BMW and when going to submit a bill go in a Nano.

In addition to whatever mentioned above, there is also the feeling of exclusiveness and I do think it gives you a boost in your own personal confidence when you arrive in a luxury vehicle than an affordable one. This particularly is useful if you are in a consumer facing business.

My2Cents

[motorotor]

I voted a Yes.

For me, the question is not really about luxury though. It's about engineering and the price that I am willing to pay for it. In that sense, I do not differentiate brands. I go by my perception of what it is and how it feels before making my buying decisions. I am not a big spender by any means but when I do spend I try and get cars (or anything for that matter) that make me feel good using and owning.

Even though the question posted was about owning premium/ luxury cars in India and not really about cars that feel special I feel that it's safe to assume that premium equates to well made/ nicely engineered/ drives well and the like though I'm sure these days that is more the exception than the rule.

[Ash_vtec]

This isn't a clear cut answer. It's multidimensional in its approach.

If a "luxury car" is bought factoring it in as a prudent financial decision where one can comfortably afford the up keep and wear & tear of using one in a country like ours, then it's just a car... and it makes sense and can be used.

Also your lifestyle plays a huge role on whether its "worth it". Do you have good parking at home and at work ? What are your hours of commute ? How frequently in a week ? Highway usage ? or estate usage ? Do you personally enjoy owning one or have you just squeezed one into your drive way for "status" ? Ownership is many different things, for some its worth just knowing its there, pristine and ready for when you want to enjoy it in a relaxed manner and for some its not owning unless it runs xxx000 kms a year.

Most luxury car purchases are over leveraged buys, so that comfort factor to actually use it and lifestyle limitations make it seem like its not worth it.

There are many articles on the kind of car you should buy based on cash flows, however in developing countries with high aspirations, most cars are purchased based solely on the EMI per month and therein lies the problem.

I voted yes. If you can afford to buy it, I will assume you have factored you can afford to run it, damages and all.

Also it's subjective, one man's E - Class is another mans Octavia, so there is that argument too.

[Kosfactor]

When I am too old to drive and travel far perhaps then I`ll get one of those land barges and appoint a driver.

For now I find them luxury cars to be good looking, some are works of art and some are to be treated like an artwork and kept at home because they are no good on our roads.

[NiInJa]

Have a funny take on this. I and my colleague bought cars around the same time for the same money.

I got a Ertiga top model.
He got a used BMW X1.

Its no surprise which car we take to the mall or the high street whenever we get a chance. He attracts women even with a pot belly Having said that, I am totally happy with my purchase and I don't think I made a wrong decision.

So, in my opinion, its totally worth getting a premium car IF you know what you are getting into in the the long term: high service costs, high spare part costs, incompetent service (especially in India) etc. But when you get old, you will have some good stories to tell your grandchildren. It all boils down to what kind of person you are, honestly !

[SLK]

I think the definition of luxury itself is the question.

For many in our country traveling in a personal car for work and leisure is wasteful luxury.

For a big lot who own car still think using an AC all the time is not worth.

For most on this forum (not all of course) Merc and BMW are luxury.

I guess, it only depends on one's lifestyle, a person who stays/ moves in that class of luxury will find it worth to buy premium cars.

So if the question is "are these cars costing more than 35 lakhs, Value for Money (VFM)?" - then No, but are they worth for the buyer, absolutely.

There are some exceptions who pay through their nose to experience these luxuries, they are called enthusiasts. For those, GTO is right, only a pre-owned is worth it.

[Masda]

I voted No. For me this is a case of mind over a heart decision; in other words, the value proposition of premium luxury cars in the current Indian context is a big downer for me. With an assumption that the premium luxury segment starts onwards of 40 lakhs, they just don't make any sense to me. Pre-worshipped, perhaps yes!

With a limited usable life capped to 15 years, availability (or rather lack of) of parking space, maintenance costs, etc. not to mention steep depreciation make a very compelling argument against this segement in my mind.

[ringoism]

I totally understand the thing of being willing to pay for extra quality / engineering / performance or even "feel".

Question is whether (hype aside) something coming from a recognized luxury brand is always going to get you those several legitimate desireables.

I've been there at least once.

Shared some of this elsewhere earlier: I had a BMW 7-series (E32) in my former life in the U.S., bought pre-owned for about 1/7th its original cost. A big, lovely, well-built car of (IMO) relatively timeless design. Oh yeah, it got some (female) attention back then even as a twelve-year-old car - most of which I didn't need/want. Anyway, at that time, a 3-series of around the same vintage had almost as high a resale price as the 7, despite having been a MUCH cheaper car new. Why? Because it was a much more trouble-free and reliable model, mainly for its relative simplicity. As one representative point of comparison, the E32 had a dozen control modules scattered throughout the car as the "brains" of every function imaginable, the failure of any one of which could set an owner back a thousand dollars or more; while the 3-series was still using perfectly adequate old-school cable-operated HVAC controls.

A lot depends on one's definition of "engineering", as well. Lexus and Infiniti came into being and quickly became real thorns in the flesh for BMW/Merc because their entire engineering philosophy was different - and probably better. Whereas the Germans engineered "perfect" components requiring regular replacement as per the factory service guidelines (water pump at 90,000km's, front suspension bushings at 50,000, driveshaft flexy-thingy's at 70,000 etc), the Japanese luxury cars could be run pretty much like their solid lower-end cars always had been - change oil and brakes regularly and go easily 150-300,000km's without having to do much of anything to them at all.

E-class Mercs of that era had issues with valve-guides wearing prematurely (inexcusable for a company that had been building cars for a hundred years already); my BMW had pistons from one of their suppliers that were rattly when cold; Porsche 911's had that stupid sealed camshaft bearing that always failed early. BMW's 4L V-8's had cylinder walls irreparably failing very prematurely, due to high-sulfur U.S. fuels. So-called "updates" were offered by these premium German makers to correct these problems - too often at the owner's expense!!! Whereas American makers would typically recall vehicles and pay for such repairs, and the Japs just basically didn't make mistakes in the first place !!! That was my perception over many years, anyway...

Anyway, around the same time, my dad was driving a full-sized Chevrolet sedan he'd inherited from my grandfather, built the same year as my 735i. I'd been happily driving the latter for some months when one day I had to take the Chevy someplace, and took off down the road. I was amazed. It was quiet and the driveline was actually smoother than the Bimmer's. It had a powerful 5-liter V-8 that seemed to pull about as well as the BMW's 3.5 I-6. It got about the same highway FE. And with simple upgrades via the Caprice's optional Police Package bits, it would've handled and braked as well as the Bimmer, too. Amazingly, the Chevy had done near 300,000km's by this time, almost twice what the BMW had on the clock. With all those miles, its front suspension had never yet needed rebuilding, whereas the BMW must have been through at least four sets of lower control arms in the same number of years (even with half the miles). The Chevy's A/C still blew cold and worked perfectly, the BMW's wonky climate control, with all its sensors and automated valves, truly had a mind of its own, the only time it came close to working right was when the car was immobile in the driveway.

The BMW's doors shut with a resoundingly solid "thud", and there was very little wind-noise in the interior, the leather was nice, it had ABS, and the dashboard was solid with no rattles... so yes, it was better in some ways. But it had a fairly conventional MacPherson strut suspension, a single-overhead cam, etc... nothing exotic there. And as a $49,000 flagship in late 1987 (this was before the V-12 750iL was intro'd, which was at least five times the nightmare!), WAS IT WORTH THREE TIMES what the $17,000 Chevy was? In comfort? In longevity? In performance? In "engineering"? It is hard to argue in the affirmative.

I know all this goes WAYYYY back now... but conceptually, things don't really change that much. My old college roomie runs the European Auto Garage in Knoxville (google that), works on high-end European daily, has all kinds of stories. Premium/luxury cars can be REALLY nice, but buying such brands or models doesn't always get you better machinery or a better driving / overall ownership experience. All this apart from the question of the Indian driving context, horrible depreciation rates, service access/ difficulties (I remember these guys in a Porsche Cayenne stranded out on Ladakh's Tso Moriri route for some days... not being able to find so much as a replacement tyre for it anyplace within probably 500+km's), etc.

As some here know, I drive an old 4x4 M&M Marshal now that's got about one-quarter the bhp as the 7 did, and doesn't even have a heater, and is rattley and rude. And I'm good with it. Scary on the 4-lanes, of course, even at a mere 100kmph top speed - "A man's got to know his limitations..."

Finally, what makes a person happy? And more importantly, WHY does that thing make him/her happy? Can dig pretty deep here, and the answers are not always admirable when you come right down to it.

There are many potential happy mediums, of course...

I'm kinda liking the Skodas, since someone mentioned it...

-Eric