[imp!]

Originally Posted by AdiSinghV12

And damn! The Sport Plus for 31.5 sounded like a steal! Anyway that's probably gone now, any guesses on what deal would I be able to fetch in November? Currently the offer that I'm getting on both the luxurly line and sport line is 34.5-3.25-0.5(loyalty)= 30.75 Ex Showroom.


Cheers!

That seems like a decent deal. The months leading up to Diwali are kind of slow for most manufacturers. Call and find out if the sport plus is still available! Also try and bargain with OTR pricing along with BSI. You ought to get a better deal that way. People have gotten upto 5 lac discounts on the whole package here.

[AdiSinghV12]

Originally Posted by imp!

That seems like a decent deal. The months leading up to Diwali are kind of slow for most manufacturers. Call and find out if the sport plus is still available! Also try and bargain with OTR pricing along with BSI. You ought to get a better deal that way. People have gotten upto 5 lac discounts on the whole package here.

The car would be bought around Diwali only and kinda can't pre-pone and most probably the Sport Plus won't be available by then... Any clue on how the discount scene would be during Diwali or a few weeks after that ? And my X1 has the BSI as I'm not planning to mod it but getting the same on the 320d would be crazy as half the things would be upgraded it won't really be worth it as the things covered would decrease with each new mod I make.

[Bluebeem]

Originally Posted by AdiSinghV12

The car would be bought around Diwali only and kinda can't pre-pone and most probably the Sport Plus won't be available by then... Any clue on how the discount scene would be during Diwali or a few weeks after that ? And my X1 has the BSI as I'm not planning to mod it but getting the same on the 320d would be crazy as half the things would be upgraded it won't really be worth it as the things covered would decrease with each new mod I make.

Ahhh only if we could predict the future so well, I would not have paid 32.5 for my luxury line

I agree with the above. There's very little doubt that prices will go up further due the dollar getting stronger.

Demand is at an all time low right now, I would assume if u negotiate hard, the dealer will give you a discount of approx 5 lacs. (Cash or freebies).

Demand will definitely be better during the festive season, meaning discounts Won't be as high.

If I were you, I'd either buy now, or buy in jan when the discounts on previous year manufactured cars are huge !

I do suggest you spend some time fishing for a sports plus. I believe the Jaipur dealer had one too.

[AdiSinghV12]

Originally Posted by Bluebeem

Ahhh only if we could predict the future so well, I would not have paid 32.5 for my luxury line

I agree with the above. There's very little doubt that prices will go up further due the dollar getting stronger.

Demand is at an all time low right now, I would assume if u negotiate hard, the dealer will give you a discount of approx 5 lacs. (Cash or freebies).

Demand will definitely be better during the festive season, meaning discounts Won't be as high.

If I were you, I'd either buy now, or buy in jan when the discounts on previous year manufactured cars are huge !

I do suggest you spend some time fishing for a sports plus. I believe the Jaipur dealer had one too.

Haha, that's true. 'Now' is kinda out of question, so, would you suggest that I further postpone my purchase by a month and a half or so after Diwali ? I won't really mind doing that but then my parents would just get away with this and say this is also my birthday gift, lol!

As far as the pricing part is concerned, I doubt it'd go further up because the prices are increased by around 60,000 a few days back and the discount that they are offering me is on this new price. There has already been a good 3L change in the price since the time of the launch so I guess now for a couple of quarters it shouldn't go up much but as you said, 'if we could predict the future so well'. Keeping the fingers crossed

[Bluebeem]

Originally Posted by AdiSinghV12

Haha, that's true. 'Now' is kinda out of question, so, would you suggest that I further postpone my purchase by a month and a half or so after Diwali ? I won't really mind doing that but then my parents would just get away with this and say this is also my birthday gift, lol!

As far as the pricing part is concerned, I doubt it'd go further up because the prices are increased by around 60,000 a few days back and the discount that they are offering me is on this new price. There has already been a good 3L change in the price since the time of the launch so I guess now for a couple of quarters it shouldn't go up much but as you said, 'if we could predict the future so well'. Keeping the fingers crossed

Actually. Ironically, the price increase is irrelevant.

A Cousin bought the luxury line for 32.5 ex showroom in November last year, just after the launch. This was the original price, no discount was offered.

Brother bought a 2012 make f30 base version in January 2013 for 26.8 lacs against the price of 27.5. A lousy discount for a year end model

Then prices were hiked. I bought my car In march. Ex showroom price now was 34.5 and I got it for 32.25. It cost me less Inspite of the price increase (Most discount offered Inspite of the price increase)

Now prices have been hiked further by 60-80k - yet you're getting the car at least 1.5 lacs cheaper than me also lol.

The only thing that matters is demand. The good thing is that you have time on your side, and the Indian economy isn't making any radical moves that may suggest the market scenario will change anytime soon.

Wait for Diwali. If you're getting the car still for 31.5 or close to it, buy it. Prices will always move up n down and there will always be someone who gets a better deal than u did. The buy is best relished when u want it most. 50-70k here n there shouldn't matter. I wanted the car for my bday and I got it !

[AdiSinghV12]

Originally Posted by Bluebeem

Actually. Ironically, the price increase is irrelevant.

A Cousin bought the luxury line for 32.5 ex showroom in November last year, just after the launch. This was the original price, no discount was offered.

Brother bought a 2012 make f30 base version in January 2013 for 26.8 lacs against the price of 27.5. A lousy discount for a year end model

Then prices were hiked. I bought my car In march. Ex showroom price now was 34.5 and I got it for 32.25. It cost me less Inspite of the price increase (Most discount offered Inspite of the price increase)

Now prices have been hiked further by 60-80k - yet you're getting the car at least 1.5 lacs cheaper than me also lol.

The only thing that matters is demand. The good thing is that you have time on your side, and the Indian economy isn't making any radical moves that may suggest the market scenario will change anytime soon.

Wait for Diwali. If you're getting the car still for 31.5 or close to it, buy it. Prices will always move up n down and there will always be someone who gets a better deal than u did. The buy is best relished when u want it most. 50-70k here n there shouldn't matter. I wanted the car for my bday and I got it !

That's funny, but rightly said that it is best relished when you want it the most and getting a Bimmer for B'day (in my case, in Jan) would certainly be special. I'm wishing for something around 32L for the SportLine (Ex Showroom + Insurance with secure). The registration I'd get done later as I'm looking for 0007/0066 which is only possible easily in HR/BR. Getting it in DL/MH would cost a bomb.

[GS300]

I am struggling with a dilemma, and I need the good advice of the gurus here.


I drive an Innova now. I have used it extensively – daily commute to office, long (1000km door to door) drives etc. 90% of my drive is within Bangalore city. I do not do any kind of off-roading (other than the pot-hole riddled roads in Bangalore).


Now, I have an opportunity to stretch and get myself a 3 series. Helped by my company lease and some other factors. Maintenance etc will be taken care by my employer. I will have to sell my Innova – I do not have parking space for both the cars.


While a Bimmer has been my dream for many years, I am torn between the practicality of having an SUV or MUV and the pure driving pleasure of the 3 series. It is a heart v/s brain problem, which I am not able to find a solution – mainly due to the fact that I have never owned (except for a luxury car I had while I was in the US) a luxury sedan in India, and I do not know the limitations of relying on a car such as the 320d as your ‘only’ car. If I go for this car, I need to stick with it for at least 3years due to the lease conditions.


What is the right decision here? Should I yield to the temptation of going for the bimmer or just be practical and happy with an SUV/MUV?


Any advices, sharing of experiences, inputs welcome!

[extreme_torque]

If I were you I would have gone for it. Yes an SUV and MUV are better bet for bad roads, the only thing that changes is ground clearance and the fact that you will need to be slightly more careful while dealing with bumps. The upside is the fun you will have when the roads are good, less fatigue due to better driving position and less roll. The cherry on top is that maintenance will be taken care by your company. I say, go for it.

[9thsphinx]

If you've gotten used to the practicality and versatility of your Innova, the 3 will be a big downer with regards to those two points. The Beemer is not a commuter car, it's not as spacious as the Innova and if you're being driven around one, you may just not be comfortable in the back seats for extremely long rides due to those runflats.

From your requirements you would be better off with an SUV - try the CRV, the 2013 Captiva or the XUV. I wouldn't recommend the Fortuner too because that again is not the best for ride comfort.

On another note, the 3 is a fantastic machine and if you're going to be in the driver's seat nothing would come close in terms of driving pleasure!

[GS300]

Originally Posted by 9thsphinx

and if you're being driven around one, you may just not be comfortable in the back seats for extremely long rides due to those runflats

Thanks 9thsphinx & extreme_torque for your quick inputs that give different perspectives!

Just one point to clarify - I do not have a driver. Whichever car I buy, I am the driver and that is one of the reasons why I started looking at cars with better driving experience.

I want to have a better driving experience in my daily drives. But, the practical issues that i need to deal with are:

- Road quality of my daily commute route is bad in some of the stretches
- occasional purchase of small furniture etc – carrying all that in an innova is easy.
- During rainy season, there are areas where roads will be under water ( at least a few inches). With Innova, I don’t have to worry about it at all.
- A few occasions, I will have to drive around with 5 people (4 adults and 1 kid).
- Run flats are worrying me – if I can drive only 80kms after a flat tyre, wouldnt it be a problem if that happens during one of my long drives?

[Akshay1234]

Let me give you a few points to think about, if those are fine with you then I think you can live with the car everyday -

The Innova to 3 is a completely different ball game. They are opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to the character. The 3 is a small sporty sedan, and the Innova a big, underpowered muv.

Firstly do you use all the space in an Innova? Do you need a 5 seater? Face it, the 3 is not going to seat 5 in any sort of comfort. 4 people will fit in with relative comfort. The 5th, will make sure you hear every expletive known to man.

Now that is the biggest hurdle, moving from an Innova to a 3. If you can manage that I am sure you will find some way around the others.

Now since you don't really go on bad roads (out of town), the 3 even with its run flats provides a decent ride on city roads. Small and medium bumps will actually be taken better than the Innova.

The next thing is the attention, yes these cars are pretty common nowadays. But will you be fine with some extra attention? Also you will have to worry about parking more than you did with the Innova. A scratch on this is going to hurt you a lot more than on the Innova. Knowing how crowded our cities are, you may have to plan your parking before going out.

I would have written maintenance here, but since your company is taking care of that you can cross that off your list.

Don't worry about speedbreakers, it won't scrape on most of them. Blame that on the stiff suspension. Just go slowly over them.

Go and get the car man, you are saying it is your dream. And now that you have the chance, go out and get it.

Don't worry about the reliability, as long as you are not careless with it the car will not give you a problem.

EDIT - Just looked at your above points. And I've got to say why not check out the X1? It will give you good driving pleasure, while giving you more practicality than the 3.

[9thsphinx]

Originally Posted by GS300

...the practical issues that i need to deal with are:

- Road quality of my daily commute route is bad in some of the stretches
- occasional purchase of small furniture etc – carrying all that in an innova is easy.
- During rainy season, there are areas where roads will be under water ( at least a few inches). With Innova, I don’t have to worry about it at all.
- A few occasions, I will have to drive around with 5 people (4 adults and 1 kid).
- Run flats are worrying me – if I can drive only 80kms after a flat tyre, wouldnt it be a problem if that happens during one of my long drives?

I'm sorry to say but the 3 series doesn't qualify for any of those points. Except for point#4 and 5, which is still debatable, the other 4 points clearly mention your need for a driver-oriented SUV and not a sporty sedan! Go with your head is what I would recommend. The heart wanting the 3 makes absolute sense in the 3 being a car one looks forward to, if one can afford.

Once again, if you're looking for pure driving pleasure get the 3. For everything else there's the SUV.

[suman]

Originally Posted by GS300

What is the right decision here? Should I yield to the temptation of going for the bimmer or.............

Go for it man, Akshay has summed it up beautifully! In fact, he's given you a great suggestion -

Originally Posted by akshay1234

EDIT - Just looked at your above points. And I've got to say why not check out the X1? It will give you good driving pleasure, while giving you more practicality than the 3.

Its been two years now that I have been using my X1 as a daily drive, just completed 31k kms. I've taken it to all parts of the NCR, good roads, bad roads and the intermittent stretches of (post monsoon) no-roads. Yes, one does need to be careful about waterlogged stretches (I've been told that the thumb rule is, if the water touches the lower tip of the front number plate, AVOID!!) and be a tad careful about the tyres when negotiating treacherous stretches. However, the smile it brings to one's face the rest of the time is priceless

If you're still hooked on the 3 series, the ground clearance is much less so that's something to keep in mind during the monsoons!

[GS300]

Originally Posted by suman

Go for it man, Akshay has summed it up beautifully! In fact, he's given you a great suggestion -

Its been two years now that I have been using my X1 as a daily drive, just completed 31k kms. I've taken it to all parts of the NCR, good roads, bad roads and the intermittent stretches of (post monsoon) no-roads. Yes, one does need to be careful about waterlogged stretches (I've been told that the thumb rule is, if the water touches the lower tip of the front number plate, AVOID!!) and be a tad careful about the tyres when negotiating treacherous stretches. However, the smile it brings to one's face the rest of the time is priceless

If you're still hooked on the 3 series, the ground clearance is much less so that's something to keep in mind during the monsoons!

Thanks all for your inputs. I did consider X1 (in fact the reason I visited the BMW dealership was to look at X1. But I felt that the base model of X1 leaves out many features such as iDrive. And the next version (Sportline?) is beyond the budget that I am eligible for (as per company lease).

Some inputs regarding some of the points raised in earlier replies - regarding my space requirements: I bought innova since at that time I had a requirement to accommodate 5+ passengers. Over time, it has come down to just 3. Most times, i am the only one in the car.

[imp!]

Originally Posted by GS300

Some inputs regarding some of the points raised in earlier replies - regarding my space requirements: I bought innova since at that time I had a requirement to accommodate 5+ passengers. Over time, it has come down to just 3. Most times, i am the only one in the car.

Hey, Would you care to share your route? I commute to Jigani to work on a daily basis and the granite tycs here regularly show up in the 320D, A4, Jags etc...it may be manageable. On routes which our Innova takes with aplomb, we have to be careful with our Laura (not saying the Laura mannerisms are anything like the 3, just that it may be possible)

Also, have you considered keeping your Innova by parking it on the road outside your house, building or at the office?