[sampadroy]

Originally Posted by senna

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

If you're not in a hurry, I would advise you to wait for a couple of months. The 5 LCI is a new launch and for the next 3 months or so you can't expect any significant discounts on it. Speaking of Audi, it'll always be available at good (huge) discounts (Dec 2020 saw an avg of 16-18L off on the A6...) and this will increase more and more, with each passing month.
So either way, you'll be benefiting by waiting for a few months more and would be able to save a couple of lacs more, easily, irrespective of the car you choose to go with.

Also, as per my dealer sources, Audi Q5 and Q7 will be launching very soon (by Oct/Nov). So if you wait, you can check out those cars too.
Bonus point: Audi cars, even new launches are available at huge discounts from Day 1. So no need to worry about good discounts on Audi, it is always available.

IMO, better to wait and save a few lacs more!

[androdev]

Originally Posted by senna

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

Superb - A6 - 530i - 530d

It is a spectrum with increasing emotion and price but very little material difference to justify the price difference. Every car is an excellent package but it is very difficult to be confused between Superb vs A6 vs 530i - they are meant for three different types of people (530d is strictly for the mental).

If you are the kind who appreciates a slick drivetrain (engine + GB combo), nicely weighted and calibrated steering, urgency of purpose in overtaking, phenomenal feel of the brakes, Blackberry-like BMW interiors, etc. certainly stick to BMW camp. It will reveal a bit more of its soul each time you drive it. Work out the price by either waiting for a good deal, or getting a 330i, or even a used car. Don't get anything else, "senna"!

[Hayek]

Originally Posted by senna

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 one thing I didn’t spot in your backstory is how easy or difficult is it for you to afford cars of this segment. If spending ~ ₹ 65-70 l OTR is not a big deal, I would say, “Don’t bother about the discounts and go with your heart’s desire” - which seems to be the 530i in this case. Everything you highlight about the A6 is your Head ruling over the Heart.

On the other hand, if this is something where you are already stretching, then the discounts make enormous sense. ALL luxury car makers offer discounts - starting within 6-8 months of product launch. Buying a brand new model or facelift is clearly for the early adopters - who should be people for whom the amount they are spending is not a big deal. So if this is a large sum of money for you (as it was for me when I bought my X3), I would take the ₹13 lakh discount and be very happy with the A6 - the difference in service and driving pleasure is not that large for someone who is already breaking the bank.

I would have much rather bought a petrol X3 - which was launched on the day I was confirming my final order for the X3 20d. But given that there were no discounts on the X3 28i, and I was getting more than ₹14 l off on the 20d, the decision was a no brainer for me. Au contraire, I recently upgraded from the Seltos and Creta I was looking at as a second car to a Tiguan Allspace - at this price range and 4+ years after buying the X3, I could afford to up my budget by ₹12 l for something materially better.

The other alternative is to wait - discounts on the 530i will emerge next year (perhaps even as soon as December), and you will get a much better deal then.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by senna

Cons
1. Audi services and reliability is supposedly worse than BMW

You will be using this in Gurgaon which is handled by Krishna, who handle BMW in Punjab & Chandigarh. Usually, their service is up to the mark. The problem is with the VW group which comes with their own excuses to deny claims, unlike BMW. There are hereditary/ genetic problems with VW in my opinion so you have to watch out for this. Regular services won't be a problem. Just because of this, I will pay a little extra to BMW and have peaceful ownership. We all know, touching the candle flame will hurt, it's more of when than if.

3. Perceived brand image/snob value.

Should not matter, no one gives a second glance to either of these brands especially the variants you are considering. If it's for your own consideration, anything bought using hard-earned work will always be an achievement

Cons
1. Ingress/Egress is going to be a problem for my parents.

A rear seat of 5 is good for Kids, not just ingress but also, how low you sit. Some of my friends will never sit in the rear. But others find it Ok. So, give weightage depending on the actual use. If it's to be used more than 30%, I will not consider a 5 series at all.

3. A little less manueverable.

No, this is a non-issue. You will start making quick turns when you get used to that BMW.

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.

If you have a budget in mind (not necessarily a budget constraint) and want to stick with it, you should pick the A6 but if your budget is flexible, 5 series will be a better option. The difference of 13 lac at the time of purchase is going to get reduced when you sell, so BMW will have higher depreciation most likely. Do factor this as well. If Audi ticks more boxes, maybe, keep this additional saved money somewhere for that claim that Audi won't pass.

Originally Posted by the_skyliner

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.

No, on contrary, they have removed that fine leather that was available on Pre LCI. Even the seats are now sports which lose lumbar and some other adjustments.

[senna]

Originally Posted by Hayek

The one thing I didn’t spot in your backstory is how easy or difficult is it for you to afford cars of this segment. If spending ~ ₹ 65-70 l OTR is not a big deal, I would say, “Don’t bother about the discounts and go with your heart’s desire” - which seems to be the 530i in this case. Everything you highlight about the A6 is your Head ruling over the Heart.


The other alternative is to wait - discounts on the 530i will emerge next year (perhaps even as soon as December), and you will get a much better deal then.

I should have written about this in my backstory. If I buy the A6, it will be full cash payment. For the BMW, I will have to take some loan. Though the amount of the loan will not be very large. So not a big issue financially.

More than the financial aspect, the practical aspects of the A6 are pushing me to it. Will probably take another visit to the showroom to clear some air on the concerns that I have.

As I had stated, this will be my primary car and I would hate it when I can't use it due to any of the limitations that I stated in my previous posts.

[senna]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

You will be using this in Gurgaon which is handled by Krishna, who handle BMW in Punjab & Chandigarh. Usually, their service is up to the mark.

A rear seat of 5 is good for Kids, not just ingress but also, how low you sit.


No, this is a non-issue. You will start making quick turns when you get used to that BMW.


If you have a budget in mind (not necessarily a budget constraint) and want to stick with it, you should pick the A6 but if your budget is flexible, 5 series will be a better option. The difference of 13 lac at the time of purchase is going to get reduced when you sell, so BMW will have higher depreciation most likely. Do factor this as well. If Audi ticks more boxes, maybe, keep this additional saved money somewhere for that claim that Audi won't pass.



No, on contrary, they have removed that fine leather that was available on Pre LCI. Even the seats are now sports which lose lumbar and some other adjustments.

Once again, thank you for your kind inputs.

The front seats on the 530i do have lumbar support, but are in sensatec instead of real leather. They are lovely nonetheless.

Regarding the backseat, it is going to be used quite regularly atleast for the next 2-3 years. I sat in them for some part of the testdrive and found the position comfortable but getting in and out was a bit difficult when compared to the A6.

I do understand that the price difference will not matter much if I keep the car for more than 5 years(which I am planning to do), its just that the other factors are also a bit confusing. I think, I will have to make a proper pros and cons list deciding what gets what weight and come to a conclusion on this.

Thank you for taking the time out to help me.

[senna]

Guys, another update.

After much thought and deliberation, I have booked the A6, delivery this week.

Luxury is something that’s best enjoyed together with the family. I would have hated if my parents felt uncomfortable getting in and out of 5. So the heart gave in to the head.
Though I will miss out on the fun factor of the 5. I can probably buy a fun to drive car a few years down the line. The primary car should be something that everyone is able to enjoy.

Thank you all for you helps and inputs.
Will post pictures and a brief overview of the car once I have it. Ordered the A6 in white.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by senna

I have booked the A6, delivery this week.

Congratulations!

I had spare time yesterday for a while so went out to check the Audi, as a repeat owner of BMW, I found the dash and other instruments nice, the driver's seat on the new one seems to be a good place to enjoy. The rear appeared to be about the same as on 5. The difference that we may find with BMW can be due to the extra width of BMW seats. I didn't drove the car, just sat in the rear for a while.

There was a crowd in the Audi showroom, so I get this feeling that their worst may be over. At least here in NCR, nobody talks about diesel so they can compete with other Germans.

Immediately after this, I checked the new 5. They have taken the leather off but the quality is still nice, it looks better than Audi. But, I am not sure about that extra large size screen. We may see a different implementation in future models. One thing that stood out to me was the 3D rear lights. These are larger than 3 and bolder. Absolutely in love, hope, I can swap these on my 2020.

In the BMW showroom, they had the launch variant of 3 with a Longer wheelbase. That seems to have one of the best legroom. I haven't driven it either so cannot comment on other things. But, it['s worth considering for folks who have rear seat use.

[senna]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Congratulations!

I found the dash and other instruments nice, the driver's seat on the new one seems to be a good place to enjoy.

There was a crowd in the Audi showroom, so I get this feeling that their worst may be over. At least here in NCR, nobody talks about diesel so they can compete with other Germans.


In the BMW showroom, they had the launch variant of 3 with a Longer wheelbase. That seems to have one of the best legroom. I haven't driven it either so cannot comment on other things. But, it['s worth considering for folks who have rear seat use.

The interiors of the Audi are definitely a nice place to be in.
There was decent crowd over the weekend. As far as I know, they have sold at least 3 A6 cars within this week itself. This might be a good sign for Audi.

The 3 is good but can't be someone for whom boot space is important. It is very very small. The legroom though is probably even more than the 5. Coupled with the panaromic sunroof, the cabin feels spacious.

[androdev]

Originally Posted by senna

Guys, another update.
Ordered the A6 in white.

Congratulations! It's after all a German petrol dual clutch, so it can't be far behind the 5 series if you are in the mood for a spirited drive (especially if you use paddles/manual mode). Good choice given your family requirements and VFM, I can relate to it as I also enjoy driving S class that's lot less agile mainly because my family enjoys it and one learns to extract the best out of a car. All the best and wish you many years of safe and fun driving! (Waiting for your ownership thread)

[the_skyliner]

Originally Posted by senna

Guys, another update.

After much thought and deliberation, I have booked the A6, delivery this week.

Congratulations, senna! Please share the delivery experience and do write a detailed review here.

By the way, could you share the details of the deal you got?

I test drove the A6 yesterday and simply loved it inside out. The engine is so responsive. And those interiors are just so lovely and welcoming.

[CEF_Beasts]

In a dilemma between GLC 200 and X3 30i, as a replacement for our 14’ Fortuner. Visited Infiniti BMW, Worli to have a look at the X3.

Interested only at the Petrol models, X3 30i SportX’s listed price is ₹69L OTR Mumbai and Luxury Line at ₹75L OTR. Discounts the SA told were about 1.5L on the ex-showroom?! So roughly 2.5-3L off on the OTR, at this price didn’t really find value in it! Have told the SA, somehow bring the price down to the early 60s and you will get my booking. Let’s see what offer he brings back to the table. SA was clear in saying SportX is very rare to find in stock so Luxury Line is what is he is going to check in his stock or in the factory.

In the meantime saw the 3 Gran Limousine as well and it was too low for my liking so skipped it. Not looking at sedans, since have got used to a higher ride height.

Going to check the GLC tomorrow.

If anyone has got discounts in the range of ₹5-10L on either the GLC200 or X3 30i recently in Mumbai, please share the details.

If somehow the OTR falls in the early 60Lakh range will go for either of them otherwise going with the 21’ Fortuner 4X4 AT.

[sampadroy]

Originally Posted by CEF_Beasts

.

Discounts the SA told were about 1.5L on the ex-showroom?! So roughly 2.5-3L off on the OTR, at this price didn’t really find value in it! Have told the SA, somehow bring the price down to the early 60s and you will get my booking

Not only in Mumbai, but this is also the case with the hot-selling BMW cars all across India! Currently, the stock levels are extremely low (post-Covid 2nd wave effect) with all the major dealers and the prices are also going up each quarter without any real justification. Not only this, there seems to be an artificial inflation and shortage created in the market to jack up the prices even more and reduce the discounts to an insignificant level. Funnily enough, X3s used to sell at an avg discount of 10/12L or more (hard negotiations, ofc), always.

BMW X3 in the early 60s is very much possible but then you'll have to wait longer and let the stock levels increase. Same with the GLC too, I guess. These 2 cars are always on waiting since the very beginning of FY '21. You'll have to wait for this pent-up demand to clear out and then only you'll get your good sweet deal.

SA was clear in saying SportX is very rare to find in stock so Luxury Line is what is he is going to check in his stock or in the factory.

Not really sure about the credibility here, do check out the BMW Online Stock Locator and also the other dealers in your territory. But yes, if you book/order and buy a Factory Fresh car, the discounts will be lower for sure. Better to go with the ones which the dealer has in his stockyard if you want to negotiate hard.

If somehow the OTR falls in the early 60Lakh range will go for either of them otherwise going with the 21’ Fortuner 4X4 AT.

For that to happen, you'll have to wait now and look for a deal maybe in the year-end months. If you're not in a hurry, it's better to do so.
Otherwise, as you mentioned, you have your Plan B ready!

[akash_v12]

Originally Posted by CEF_Beasts

In a dilemma between GLC 200 and X3 30i, as a replacement for our 14’ Fortuner. Visited Infiniti BMW, Worli to have a look at the X3.

Interested only at the Petrol models, X3 30i SportX’s listed price is ₹69L OTR Mumbai and Luxury Line at ₹75L OTR. Discounts the SA told were about 1.5L on the ex-showroom?!

Just checked the Stock Locator, there are just 3 SportX’s available in the whole of the country. Luxury Line’s have more availability than the SportX’s for sure. Listed price of the SportX is ₹57.5L, ex-showroom. So, might be able to bring it down to around 64-65 OTR? I wouldn’t expect more on that.

Coming to your question, I feel the X3 is the better choice. The GLC, from what I know, will be a step-down on the driving experience but after the 2020 update has also got some feature deletions. Now, with Merc’s new ‘no inventory’ strategy, not only will there be no discounts but also a longer waiting period.

[CosmicWizard]

I have been in the wait to get hold of a blue X3 since Jan, 21 but for no luck. Back then I was told that production and deliveries will start in March, then that got delayed to July. Now last week my SA told me that there will be a facelifted X3 in September, so I guess end of year is what seems feasible.

https://www.overdrive.in/news-cars-a...ior-revisions/

Funny thing is, in spite of not having produced a single petrol X3 this year, they have increased the price twice nonetheless (once in Jan, again in April)