[CosmicWizard]

Are you sure BMW has restarted production of 2021 X3? Last I checked in April, there was to be no production of X3 till July atleast (and that too before the 2nd wave lockdown impact) so all you can probably buy right now is old 2020 stock, if any.

[androdev]

Originally Posted by senna

I would describe myself as a budding petrolhead(thanks to the team-bhp forum)

Your backstory makes a very strong case for 530i. It will feel like a car from one segment higher to your wife and kid. You can drop X3 20d from your shortlist and test drive X3 30i vs 530i.

The last mile connectivity you mentioned would be an inconvenience but if you are willing to suffer that 5%, you can reap the benefits of an arguably the most the perfect sedan for the remaining 95% of your usage.

[senna]

Originally Posted by CosmicWizard

Are you sure BMW has restarted production of 2021 X3? Last I checked in April, there was to be no production of X3 till July atleast (and that too before the 2nd wave lockdown impact) so all you can probably buy right now is old 2020 stock, if any.

Yes, the only piece they had in 20d variant was sold earlier this week. It was also a '21 model. New cars are scheduled to arrive in early July.

[senna]

Hello guys,

There has been a few updates since my last post.

1. Took another test drive of the X3 30i with wife and kid in the back seat. It was rejected very swiftly after the testdrive due to the issues I mentioned in my previous posts. The seat was found to be uncomfortable by my wife. This left only the 530i in the contention from the BMW stable. This will have zero discounts for the coming few months. Expected OTR should be around 72-74 in Gurgaon(purely my expectation, no word on the pricing from the dealer)

2. Took testdrive of the GLC petrol and did not find the car to be much appealing. The power at lower revs was a bit disappointing(more so after the other cars' testdrive), the engine noise filtered into the cabin(and not in a sporting way), the dealer attribute to it being a demo vehicle and the abuse it has to go through. The backseat was an improvement over the X3 though. No discounts available on it apart from ones on a showroom piece(diesel) which is Jan 2021 manufactured and lacks a few features(no massaging seats, no 360 camera). This showroom piece is with the dealer since 4-5 months and I am a bit apprehensive about it. I also found the dead pedal to be a tad too narrow for my liking which might become a problem on longer drives.

3. Also took a testdrive of the audi A6. Quite a few things to like about this car. The insulation was really good. The turning radius is surprisingly small which makes u-turns and parking a breeze, the size of the car is masked really well due to this. The boot is h-u-g-e and will take lot more luggage as compared to the other cars in contention. The ground clearance is a tad bit more than the 5 series. Drove the car over quite a lot of speed breakers with 3 people on board and no scrapping was observed. Moreover, the discounts on it are mouth-watering.

After these drives, I have decided to either go for the A6 or wait for the new 530i. The difference between the on-road prices of these 2 sedans after the discount on the audi comes out to in excess of 12 lakhs. Is the beamer worth the extra money or should I go for the A6 ?

P.S
I am not going to use the car on twisty roads or on track much. The car is primarily for city and highway usage only. So RWD and the extra handling prowess of the BMW might not be much useful to me.

PPS.
sorry for asking a question about these 2 sedans on a thread about X3 but this is linked to my previous posts, hence I am posting it here

[avira_tk]

Originally Posted by senna

Hello guys,
There has been a few updates since my last post.
..
3. Also took a testdrive of the audi A6. Quite a few things to like about this car. The insulation was really good. The turning radius is surprisingly small which makes u-turns and parking a breeze, the size of the car is masked really well due to this. The boot is h-u-g-e and will take lot more luggage as compared to the other cars in contention. The ground clearance is a tad bit more than the 5 series. Drove the car over quite a lot of speed breakers with 3 people on board and no scrapping was observed. Moreover, the discounts on it are mouth-watering.

.. I am posting it here

The 5 series is worth the premium, it'll be assembled here, the A6 is imported under the free trade quota. The BMW also gets service packages, not sure with Audi.This will affect the ownership and eventually the resale, if it matters, however massive discounts make resale irrelevant. The A6 is the one you like, also the boot is huge and has space for the spare, a big deal on the highway.

[senna]

Originally Posted by avira_tk

The 5 series is worth the premium, it'll be assembled here, the A6 is imported under the free trade quota. The BMW also gets service packages, not sure with Audi.This will affect the ownership and eventually the resale, if it matters, however massive discounts make resale irrelevant. The A6 is the one you like, also the boot is huge and has space for the spare, a big deal on the highway.

What difference should it make whether the car is assembled here or if it is imported under the quota ? This shouldn’t be a negative for Audi, right ?
Regarding the service packages, you do make a valid point and will enquire about it from my SA.
Also Audi is offering up to 5 years of warranty and conditional extension for sixth year as well. That should keep one protected against any major failures. I am not trying to defend Audi, just genuinely confused at this point.
The heart really wants to own the BMW. Just wanting to convince the head

[sampadroy]

Originally Posted by senna

What difference should it make whether the car is assembled here or if it is imported under the quota ? This shouldn’t be a negative for Audi, right ?
Regarding the service packages, you do make a valid point and will enquire about it from my SA.

Hi, senna!
AFAIK, the A6 is no longer being imported and is currently being produced as a CKD unit, just like the A4.
You may read this article to understand better.
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com...le34806037.ece

Regarding the service packages and more details, you may check out this website and also ask your SA for better clarity.
https://www.audi.in/in/web/en/custom...vice-plan.html

Audi does have various types of Service Packages such as the Regular Service Plan, Comprehensive Service Value Pack, Anytime Service Plans, and also a Lifetime Value Service Plan.
https://www.audi.in/in/web/en/custom...alculator.html

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by senna

t took a testdrive of the audi A6. Moreover, the discounts on it are mouth-watering.

After these drives, I have decided to either go for the A6 or wait for the new 530i. The difference between the on-road prices of these 2 sedans after the discount on the Audi comes out to in excess of 12 lakhs. Is the beamer worth the extra money or should I go for the A6 ?

Yes and No In most luxury cars, timing is the key. Buying a BMW just at the launch can be very tricky (expensive). Bird was having a last piece of 530-D, you can check if they still have it and can come at a good price.

I personally will pick a CBU over a CKD but as another member has pointed, both the cars are CKD. I like the interiors of BMW, the technology and features on the 5 will be advanced and it's at a different level when you drive. The service and reliability of BMW will be far superior over Audi.

My pick will be a BMW at reasonable discounts over a highly discounted Audi. Think as any other product, whatever is available at a cheaper price from the manufacturer means that it will sell at cheaper too when you have to sell or costed a lot less for them to manufacture. Audi is no saint or wants to get rid of their inventory, it's their business model. Price high and then discount it from Day 1. Many overheads like RTO are always paid on MRP so you will be wasting at least 10% of that discount on the taxes. Regular margins on luxury cars are 6-7 % plus holdbacks. It's the schemes passed from the manufacturer that dealers pass further and we see higher discounts. For the first few months, there is no support from the manufacturer but Bird operates on volumes. They should still do something for you if you are decided.

You can either wait until festival or year-end and see if the discounts on the LCI start coming up or simply forgot 3 lac discounts that may come up at that time and buy now. To give you an idea, one of my knowns picked a 530i in March at 64,80 On-Road including Insurance, Gurgaon RTO & 3 years BSI Plus 1Lac- Around 4,48). Basic was 61,50 and this was with a discount of 9,60 Lac. Higher discounts like this usually come at the time of model change only.

[avira_tk]

Originally Posted by senna

What difference should it make whether the car is assembled here or if it is imported under the quota ? This shouldn’t be a negative for Audi, right ?
Regarding the service packages, you do make a valid point and will enquire about it from my SA.
Also Audi is offering up to 5 years of warranty and conditional extension for sixth year as well. That should keep one protected against any major failures. I am not trying to defend Audi, just genuinely confused at this point.
The heart really wants to own the BMW. Just wanting to convince the head

The quota is limited to 2500 units, that means fewer cars in the market and spare parts availability may be questionable. Turbanator has mentioned the pitfalls of heavy discounts, so I would trust his judgement because he owns the brands in question.

[androdev]

I will keep it simple: For a keen driver, BMW drivetrain is 'far' superior. You don't have to go on twisty roads to appreciate it. You will feel this every minute behind the wheel and it is a great feeling. A budding petrolhead should not overlook this fact at this budget - I would probably say BMW or nothing :-)

A6 is a fabulous family sedan and it competes with 5-series in all markets and does reasonably well. It is a worthy contender for sure. I don't want to go brand bashing but Audi suffers a bit on the brand/prestige in India (not as reliable as BMW/MB, usually associated with discounts, shared drivetrains with VW, subpar dealership experience, etc.).

I would still say A6 is a pretty good option given the attractive price but if you can afford it, go for 5 series. It's a driver's delight and also a great family car.

The joy of getting a discount is very short-lived especially if you buy the wrong car.

[the_skyliner]

Originally Posted by senna

PPS.
sorry for asking a question about these 2 sedans on a thread about X3 but this is linked to my previous posts, hence I am posting it here

I recently TDed both A6 and 5 series (20d and 30i). From pure driving pleasure perspective, I would say go for 530d. Otherwise A6 is an excellent package at the given price. I found A6's engine a tad more responsive than 30i. It could be just me but that's what I observed.

DSG does take some getting used to but it's almost there with BMW's TC in terms of smoothness and performance.

A6 is also a newer car here. The current 5 series is in it's 5th year whereas A6 is just a couple of years old.

If you are going to drive most of times with family in tow, then pick A6. It also has bigger boot which will come handy.

And if you are leaning towards 5, then you should wait 5-6 months before buying one as BMW dealers are low on stock as well as with the new LCI this month, the discounts on the 5 will be close to nil.

I would repeat: get 530d if you are spending more for performance, else A6 is no slouch.

Good luck!

[sircar]

Go for the 530i Senna. I am saying this even though I own x3 30i puchased recently. I had been eyeing the 530i for a long time and settled for the X3 as I could not live with the fact that the underbelly of my car will be scraped every time I go over a speed breaker or take the ramp to my basement parking. I have a notorious incline going into my basement, which might not be the case with anyone else. I also use the X3 primarily for weekend trips with a family of four.
If your usage is more city oriented and not always with four people in the car, the 530i should tick all the boxes. Go for it. Its a luxury car buy and the satisfaction of owning a newly released model albeit an LCI should outweigh any temporary satisfaction over saving a few lakhs... at least that’s how I see it. Good luck with whichever you choose.

[senna]

Thank you all for your kind words and suggestions.
Have scheduled a TD of the 530i tomorrow. That will be the deciding factor.
Lets see if the driving pleasure of the bimmer outweighs the practicality and VFM quotient of the Audi. Will keep you guys updated.

[senna]

Took a long testdrive of the new 5. As most of you had mentioned, the drive was much more engaging and enjoyable.

I am listing the various pros and cons for both vehicles that I observed.

Audi :

Pros:
1. Bigger boot.
2. Better ingress/egress as compared to the BMW.(will come in handy when visiting parents).
3. Easy maneuverability due to the low turning radius.
4. Significantly better sound system.
5. A bit more ground clearance.
6. Price
7. Comfort oriented suspension(no adaptive dampers though), better bump absorption.

Cons
1. Audi services and reliability is supposedly worse than BMW(mentioned by other bhpians, no first hand experience here)
2. Less engaging to drive.
3. Perceived brand image/snob value.

BMW

Pros
1. Much more fun to drive.
2. Adaptive dampers, can stiffen up the suspension for spirited runs.
3. Was more silent than the Audi. This could be due to the 5 being only ran only for ~500KM and the audi in excess of 10K.
4. Wireless carplay.
5. The cabin layout looked more appealing to me.

Cons
1. Ingress/Egress is going to be a problem for my parents.
2. Boot space is average at best
3. A little less manueverable.
4. price difference with audi is > 13 lakhs(after taking extended warranty in both, includes BSI in bmw and no service packs in audi)

I am finding the audi to be a bit more tempting due to the above points. Am I missing something here ?

[the_skyliner]

Originally Posted by senna

Took a long testdrive of the new 5. As most of you had mentioned, the drive was much more engaging and enjoyable.

I am finding the audi to be a bit more tempting due to the above points. Am I missing something here ?

You summed it well. The price difference is really huge. I too would have picked A6 had I been in the market for a sedan. The fact that A6 is a newer car and mostly the current gen will be there for another 6-7 years will definitely help while reselling.

The way I see it: A6 comes at C class money and that is a great VFM.

And personally I liked the material used in A6 over the pre LCI 5. Not sure about the LCI. Heard they upped the game by improving leather and overall dashboard material quality.

You can look at Q5 if you are okay to wait a couple of months. Even if you decide on the 5, do wait for a couple of months to get a better deal.