[BeamerBoy]

Congratulations Manuj.

The 5 is a stunner and looks all the more grand in white. Cinnamon brown interiors! Good. But be watchful for the up-keep of carpets and the floor. It'd be a good option to pick up some floor mats from the dealer. They fit well.

Keep the updates coming with the first long drive, pictures, any add ons that you took like BSI etc. Looking forward and cheers.

[FlyinLow]

Good decision at the end & congrats on your new beast.

I had the same dilemma and picked the 5er too.

Buy I can state why I didn't pick the A6.
Audi is still picking up in India as a brand. Was not sure of the resale value and thought it would be lower than the other 2 brands. A lot of optional extras. And only One service centre in Mumbai.
I haven't stated the positives here yet.

[manujkansal]

Sorry guys for being absent for so long but just couldn't get time to update.
Totally loving the "BMW Experience".
Didn't get a chance to take the car for a long drive though & even in the city driving has been restricted due to "Delhi Rains". Will try & post some pictures and detailed report at the earliest.
The dealership experience was horrible. After going back & forth on all their initial commitments I was delivered the car at 7pm in the evening because I had to get the car that very day due to some reasons & they delivered the car in flat 20 minutes because everyone was in the hurry to leave ! And all that the dealer could manage to give COMPLIMENTARY at the time was a keychain ! I know it doesn't matter much but it would have surely felt nicer.
I am still contemplating the purchase of 5yr/60,000km BSI package which will cost me roughly Rs 3,00,000. Is it really worth it ? My annual run is about 10,000km & the car comes with a 2 year warranty. Any suggestions ?

[androdev]

Originally Posted by manujkansal

they delivered the car in flat 20 minutes because everyone was in the hurry to leave ! And all that the dealer could manage to give COMPLIMENTARY at the time was a keychain ! I know it doesn't matter much but it would have surely felt nicer.

BMW definitely needs to do better in this department. They didn't adhere to the promised time of delivery in my case. These small things are as important as the big things at this level.

I am still contemplating the purchase of 5yr/60,000km BSI package which will cost me roughly Rs 3,00,000. Is it really worth it ? My annual run is about 10,000km & the car comes with a 2 year warranty. Any suggestions ?

Things to consider:

1. If you sell off the car quickly you generally don't recover this money, but if you do intend to keep the car for that long it should definitely work out cheaper.
2. You can buy this at the time of first service (it should pay for the first service as well)
3. The dealership needs approval from BMW to carry out anything on your car that is to be covered by BSI. So typically your car will get under-serviced, whereas if you are paying for the service, then your car will get over-serviced.
4. I feel the extended warranty-coverage offered by BSI is more valuable than the service-coverage part of it.

If you do not know how or care to get these cars serviced from private garages (after the warranty), you are always better off with BSI.

[apurva512]

Would you be willing to share what kind of discounts you got for the 520d? Am contemplating buying a passat/c250 avantgarde/520d and getting an idea of the possible discounts would help when haggling with the dealers.

[BeamerBoy]

Originally Posted by androdev

...

Things to consider:

1. If you sell off the car quickly you generally don't recover this money, but if you do intend to keep the car for that long it should definitely work out cheaper.
2. You can buy this at the time of first service (it should pay for the first service as well)
3. The dealership needs approval from BMW to carry out anything on your car that is to be covered by BSI. So typically your car will get under-serviced, whereas if you are paying for the service, then your car will get over-serviced.
4. I feel the extended warranty-coverage offered by BSI is more valuable than the service-coverage part of it.

If you do not know how or care to get these cars serviced from private garages (after the warranty), you are always better off with BSI.

1. If you sell off the car early, you can still in a manner recover some money. For the reason that a used BMW with a BSI pack will sell at a higher price than a car without BSI.

2. You can buy it at the time of first service. Just note that there may be a need to wait 3 to 4 days before the paperwork is completed and the car can be serviced under BSI. Also be careful of the price. It might go up by the time your 1st service is due.

3. This is wrong. In fact it is vice versa. The car gets serviced as the dealer sees the needs for service/repairs. An owner may defer the service/repair but not BSI.

4. For the above reason, I feel it is VFM on both counts.

[manujkansal]

Originally Posted by apurva512

Would you be willing to share what kind of discounts you got for the 520d? Am contemplating buying a passat/c250 avantgarde/520d and getting an idea of the possible discounts would help when haggling with the dealers.

Discounts were pretty much dull. Don't expect too much of them as BMW has kind of made a policy as of now to not give much discounts on the F10 specially after F30. Anything near 2 lacs is good enough.

Originally Posted by BeamerBoy

Also be careful of the price. It might go up by the time your 1st service is due.

The prices for BSI have just been revised last month so I don't think they are going to increase them again but I will keep a check on that.
And I think i will go ahead with the BSI before the first service. If nothing else, it atleast gives a peace of mind

[sameerg001]

Originally Posted by manujkansal

.......

Sir, It's been quite a time, You got your 5 series. Still no pics, report.

Please share some pics, or if possible, Write a review

Cheers,
Sameer

[manujkansal]

Originally Posted by BeamerBoy

Congratulations Manuj.

The 5 is a stunner and looks all the more grand in white. Cinnamon brown interiors! Good. But be watchful for the up-keep of carpets and the floor. It'd be a good option to pick up some floor mats from the dealer. They fit well.

Keep the updates coming with the first long drive, pictures, any add ons that you took like BSI etc. Looking forward and cheers.

Floor mats are bought. Not from the dealer though but nonetheless they fit pretty well too.
Believe it or not its about to be a month and the first long drive is yet to come. Hopefully this weekend.

[manitkat]

Hey Guys!

I don't post much but have been reading team-bhp for years. I need help deciding on which car to buy. After test driving numerous cars from Merc, BMW, Audi, Jaguar. We have decided on the final two - BMW 5 series and Audi A6.

The car will be driven mainly by my dad (mid-50's) and also by me (27 years). My dad is currently driving a 2008 VW Passat. Our budget is 45-50 lacs on road.

So here is our decision making process:

Mercedes E250: Didn't feel it, wasn't sporty enough to drive and didn't have all the gizmos available in other cars. Also heard the car is due for a facelift soon.

Jaguar XF: Really liked the car. Love the drive. My mom hated the rear seat for some reason, wasn't enough leg-room in the back. Rear seat comfort is important since it will be chauffeur driven. Also the car is slightly above our budget (around 60 lacs on road after discounts). Not sure when the 2.2L diesel be available in the market, but that would fit the budget very well. The dealership told us April 2013, not sure how true that it.

Audi A6: I am personally a big fan of the Audi's. I drove a A6 3.2L Quattro for 2.5 years in the US. I loved the car, it was extremely fun to drive and the quattro just stuck to the ground even at 100mph around a sharp exit on the freeway.

We test drove the A6 TDI 2.0 and the cars interiors are just amazing. It was filled with gizmos to the brim from back camera to Navigation, rear seat entertainment, etc. It was definitely the most loaded car we test drove. The only problem was the engine. It felt sluggish, especially driving it right after the Jag (20mins later at our house). Actually the Passat 2.0 feels more responsive for some reason. Another issue my dad has that it is somewhat similar looking to the Passat. I read somewhere that the A6 is a souped up Passat.

After the engine peformance was issue I suggested my Dad the 3.0 TDI quottro. Unfortunately the dealerships in Delhi-NCR don't have a test drive car for 3.0. From what I have read during my research, the 3.0 TDI is a different animal.

Luckily for us the Audi is giving heavy discounts (upto 6-7 lacs) to compete with the Beamer. Which put an interesting twist to things. After discounts the 3.0 TDI fits our extended budget.

A6 2.0 TDI Nav Plus - 44 lacs on road after discounts
A6 3.0 TDI - 52 lacs on road after discounts

Another thing to note is that all the other partners in our company are all decided on the Audi A6 since they already own BMW's. So if we decide to go with the Audi we can negotiate really good discounts and have that leverage. Basically if we buy the Audi we will be buying 4 Audi cars at once.

BMW 5 series: My dad hasn't owned a BMW till date. All his business partners drive X5's and 7 series. His heart is really on the BMW. He always wanted to own one. After test driving the car he likes the 525d since it has more power than the 520d and has more gizmos than the latter. Also it fits the budget well. The 530d is a tad above the budget at 56 lacs (after discounts). Now here is another twist on the story - he has been offered two 525's by the dealership:

525d 3.0L Diesel - 204 PS (Older model only available in Silver) - 46 lacs on road
525d 2.0L Twin-turbo - 218PS (Newer model, has drive select like the 530d) - 47 lacs on road

The 2.0L has more power stock and is more fuel efficient. But the older model has a inline six 3.0 liter engine. I am pretty sure a remap on the 3.0 liter will make it into a different beast.

Decision Time:
So it is down to the A6 or the 5 series. Even though my Dad really wants the BMW, the interior and the features of the Audi have blown him away and put him in a lot of confusion. Audi looks like the Passat he owns (or so he thinks) and he likes the BMW badge. Although suspension, comfort and features wise he like the Audi. The Audi engine is sluggish and 3.0 TDI could be an option if I can convince him to stretch his budget by 2-3 lacs. Also since there is no TD car available he doesn't know what to expect from the 3.0 TDI.

So guys I need your help to make this decision. Which one A6 2.0 TDI or 3.0 TDI or 525d 3.0 or 525d 2.0?

Also is it good idea to add a Performance chip to the Diesel cars or get a engine remap done? Will it Void the warranty? There are some solutions like the ChipExpress and Bluefin that can be added and removed whenever we like (basically before and after a service). Can it harm the engine at any point?

[khoj]

manitkat. the answer is within your post itself.. your Father's heart strings are pulling him towards the Beemer.. go with the flow. You don't need any help from us. Just get your Father the car he yearns but maybe he is not putting it explicitly out of his love for you and wants you to make the decision per your liking. Go ahead and make the decision for him and let it be one that brings a smile to his face when he looks at his possession every morning and his heart fills with exhilaration once he gets into the cockpit and flexes his right foot 'cause once a driver does that nothing else matters not the discounts, not the gizmos, not what ones friends are driving, its what's thrumming around you and is under your control that is what matters......& some call it JOY!

Originally Posted by manitkat

Hey Guys!

I don't post much but have been reading team-bhp for years. I need help deciding on which car to buy. After test driving numerous cars from Merc, BMW, Audi, Jaguar. We have decided on the final two - BMW 5 series and Audi A6.

The car will be driven mainly by my dad (mid-50's) and also by me (27 years). My dad is currently driving a 2008 VW Passat. Our budget is 45-50 lacs on road.

So here is our decision making process:

Mercedes E250: Didn't feel it, wasn't sporty enough to drive and didn't have all the gizmos available in other cars. Also heard the car is due for a facelift soon.

Jaguar XF: Really liked the car. Love the drive. My mom hated the rear seat for some reason, wasn't enough leg-room in the back. Rear seat comfort is important since it will be chauffeur driven. Also the car is slightly above our budget (around 60 lacs on road after discounts). Not sure when the 2.2L diesel be available in the market, but that would fit the budget very well. The dealership told us April 2013, not sure how true that it.

Audi A6: I am personally a big fan of the Audi's. I drove a A6 3.2L Quattro for 2.5 years in the US. I loved the car, it was extremely fun to drive and the quattro just stuck to the ground even at 100mph around a sharp exit on the freeway.

We test drove the A6 TDI 2.0 and the cars interiors are just amazing. It was filled with gizmos to the brim from back camera to Navigation, rear seat entertainment, etc. It was definitely the most loaded car we test drove. The only problem was the engine. It felt sluggish, especially driving it right after the Jag (20mins later at our house). Actually the Passat 2.0 feels more responsive for some reason. Another issue my dad has that it is somewhat similar looking to the Passat. I read somewhere that the A6 is a souped up Passat.

After the engine peformance was issue I suggested my Dad the 3.0 TDI quottro. Unfortunately the dealerships in Delhi-NCR don't have a test drive car for 3.0. From what I have read during my research, the 3.0 TDI is a different animal.

Luckily for us the Audi is giving heavy discounts (upto 6-7 lacs) to compete with the Beamer. Which put an interesting twist to things. After discounts the 3.0 TDI fits our extended budget.

A6 2.0 TDI Nav Plus - 44 lacs on road after discounts
A6 3.0 TDI - 52 lacs on road after discounts

Another thing to note is that all the other partners in our company are all decided on the Audi A6 since they already own BMW's. So if we decide to go with the Audi we can negotiate really good discounts and have that leverage. Basically if we buy the Audi we will be buying 4 Audi cars at once.

BMW 5 series: My dad hasn't owned a BMW till date. All his business partners drive X5's and 7 series. His heart is really on the BMW. He always wanted to own one. After test driving the car he likes the 525d since it has more power than the 520d and has more gizmos than the latter. Also it fits the budget well. The 530d is a tad above the budget at 56 lacs (after discounts). Now here is another twist on the story - he has been offered two 525's by the dealership:

525d 3.0L Diesel - 204 PS (Older model only available in Silver) - 46 lacs on road
525d 2.0L Twin-turbo - 218PS (Newer model, has drive select like the 530d) - 47 lacs on road

The 2.0L has more power stock and is more fuel efficient. But the older model has a inline six 3.0 liter engine. I am pretty sure a remap on the 3.0 liter will make it into a different beast.

Decision Time:
So it is down to the A6 or the 5 series. Even though my Dad really wants the BMW, the interior and the features of the Audi have blown him away and put him in a lot of confusion. Audi looks like the Passat he owns (or so he thinks) and he likes the BMW badge. Although suspension, comfort and features wise he like the Audi. The Audi engine is sluggish and 3.0 TDI could be an option if I can convince him to stretch his budget by 2-3 lacs. Also since there is no TD car available he doesn't know what to expect from the 3.0 TDI.

So guys I need your help to make this decision. Which one A6 2.0 TDI or 3.0 TDI or 525d 3.0 or 525d 2.0?

Also is it good idea to add a Performance chip to the Diesel cars or get a engine remap done? Will it Void the warranty? There are some solutions like the ChipExpress and Bluefin that can be added and removed whenever we like (basically before and after a service). Can it harm the engine at any point?

[Akshay1234]

What options come with the A6 3.0tdi at the 52l on road price?

To be honest my pick out of those would be the A6 3.0tdi just for the V6 engine. The interiors are great, and it has an air suspension. Then again the BMW may be a little better to drive, but the A6 will have more power. The BMW will have some more features stock, like rear seat entertainment, dunno if that matters to you.

Both have their pros and cons, but personally between these 2 it would be the A6 since you can get the 3.0 and by your idea of chipping it seems you want a lot of power. It'll be better to get a car with more stock power, and with the A6 and a chip you will be looking at almost 300bhp. Also it is not an enlarged Passat, its quite different and only the engine is really common with it besides a few parts from the VAG bin.

[manitkat]

Originally Posted by khoj

manitkat. the answer is within your post itself.. your Father's heart strings are pulling him towards the Beemer.. go with the flow. You don't need any help from us. Just get your Father the car he yearns but maybe he is not putting it explicitly out of his love for you and wants you to make the decision per your liking. Go ahead and make the decision for him and let it be one that brings a smile to his face when he looks at his possession every morning and his heart fills with exhilaration once he gets into the cockpit and flexes his right foot 'cause once a driver does that nothing else matters not the discounts, not the gizmos, not what ones friends are driving, its what's thrumming around you and is under your control that is what matters......& some call it JOY!

Thanks Khoj. I have told my Dad the same thing, buy what your heart really feels like. Initially he was 100% sure he will buy the Beamer, but after test driving the A6 he likes it also. I think he has just got very confused after test driving other options.

Originally Posted by akshay1234

What options come with the A6 3.0tdi at the 52l on road price?

To be honest my pick out of those would be the A6 3.0tdi just for the V6 engine. The interiors are great, and it has an air suspension. Then again the BMW may be a little better to drive, but the A6 will have more power. The BMW will have some more features stock, like rear seat entertainment, dunno if that matters to you.

Both have their pros and cons, but personally between these 2 it would be the A6 since you can get the 3.0 and by your idea of chipping it seems you want a lot of power. It'll be better to get a car with more stock power, and with the A6 and a chip you will be looking at almost 300bhp. Also it is not an enlarged Passat, its quite different and only the engine is really common with it besides a few parts from the VAG bin.

In terms of features both the A6 and BMW have them all. Audi also has the rear seat entertainment but its not as well integrated like the BMW. Also the feature list on the Audi maybe slightly more on the lower models but the 530d has it all.

Today my Dad told me that he has decided to stretch the budget to 60 lacs, since he really wants some good power and all features from the car. Now the new contenders are:

BMW 530d vs Audi A6 3.0 vs Jaguar XF

The only reason to not buy a Jaguar would be its service issues. We have heard that parts for the Jag are a big problem and their service is not very good. Is this true?

Also for BMW is the M kit any good? What all performance modifications can be done to the cars? I mean the car should do 0-100kmph in 5.5 - 6 secs

[Akshay1234]

Now that the 530d is included, get that. Your dad wanted a Bimmer and now the 530d is the best of the lot. The newer 530d's come with the M bodykit, wheels, steering wheel and seats standard so make sure the dealer does now pawn off an old model onto you.

You can get a chip or remap for the car later, but for a while I'm certain you will be happy with the performance.

[manitkat]

Originally Posted by akshay1234

Now that the 530d is included, get that. Your dad wanted a Bimmer and now the 530d is the best of the lot. The newer 530d's come with the M bodykit, wheels, steering wheel and seats standard so make sure the dealer does now pawn off an old model onto you.

You can get a chip or remap for the car later, but for a while I'm certain you will be happy with the performance.

Are you sure the M-bodykit is now included? A friend of mine bought a 530d last month and it didn't have the M-bodykit on it. Will call the dealer first thing tomorrow morning to confirm.

Also we wanted to get the rims painted gunmetal, can this be done by the dealership before delivery or are there external companies who do it? Also any idea what all body shops in Delhi can do this job? We are planning to buy a white 530d and think gunmetal or black rims would look sexy.