[GTO]

No such thing as a luxury car on a budget . If a Audi / BMW / Mercedes is cheap to buy, it certainly won't be cheap to maintain. For 18 - 20 lakhs, the best option will be the newest C-Class or 3-Series you can buy. These are excellent entry points into the luxury car world which give you a feel of the engineering, driving dynamics, premium part quality, ownership cost etc. that comes with the German marques. After a couple of years, you can upgrade to the larger cars.

Also read our recent W212 thread carefully. There are some great member posts.

IMHO, after the initial "wow" factor of the brand, our parents don't care too much about a luxury badge in the driveway. You could instead make a more practical choice by getting a Camry or recent model Superb.

Originally Posted by Tojo_GotBhp

AFAIK, BMW offers BSI(Service Package) and extended warranty upto 10 years/200K Kms.

No, extended warranty is max till 6 years. It is the service packages (without warranty) that run longer.

[bansal.sushant]

Just a different opinion, since you mentioned German and Luxury, and based on the above comments, a BMW/Merc might not be the best option given the constraints, why don't you consider the other side of German cars? Namely VW (or Skoda)!

You can get a new Rapid to experience the German engineering and build quality! If you want luxury also, you can consider a new/used Octavia, or even a slightly used Jetta/Superb!

You will get 80% of Audi, within your budget and an extra peace of mind!
Only thinking lacking with be the snob value that comes with the brand, now you have to see how important is that vs other things.

[amannarwal]

I own a 5 series GT F07. Bought it after 40k km and 6 years of use.

Was MNC maintained and proper dealer serviced.

But I have come across some problems which you would not expect.

All dashboard electronics failed one day.

After much diagnosis was found that fuse box was faulty and was replaced by the dealer for about 12k.

I got out pretty cheap but the kind of problems others faced for the same issue could have costed a lot of money.

This is one of the failures but you do get others.

I think a new Octavia is just as good. And it's brand new.

[sterlingsilver]

Thanks for the reply! Subconciously, I think I started this thread as I was unable to answer the exact questions myself!! This seems to be a classic heart vs mind quandry. Iam looking for proper advice from members here who have been through such a decision and want to know the outcomes they have faced.

Leaving aside the financial point, its just different strokes for different folks. I cannot fathom to myself why parking an MB or BMW in my driveway is our definition of "arrived". But it just is.

[sterlingsilver]

Thanks Sanidhya mukund, for your heads-up! Knowing that cars like these can give you so much maintenance itself makes me weary. Thanks for being so upfront with the maintenance issues.

Knowing the usage and ownership pattern, I think I would rather sit tight than buy an A3 or a CLA. Just me, I guess.

"There is nothing called a cheap German Car" - Thanks Hema4saran for the sensible advice. I will keep this in mind. I understand your view point on the rear seat space and experience for my mother on the C class / 3 series. But since this is my first german car purchase, and on the pre-owned route and on a budget leash too, I think I start with baby steps and graduate to the big league after experiencing first hand what these cars can do.(and the heartache involved, if any!)

Hi jkrishnakj, thanks for taking the time to look into this thread. I have just discovered that buying a car out of state and re-registering it in TN is HUGELY expensive. Unique to TN, the depreciated cost of the car is not considered for calculating the TN road tax. In absolute terms, If I were to bring the above BMW 530d from Maharashtra and re-register it in Chennai, the road tax works out to about 6.5 Lakh - 7 Lakh INR! So out of town cars, sadly, does not make any sense.

Thank you ajmat. This gives a lot of insight on how the future COULD look with such a purchase. Makes me think very practically and ensure I need to be sure of what Iam getting into. Thanks again!

Please be blunt. I am looking for honest advice from all of you and appreciate your views. I will keep these in mind.

Hi bansal.sushant, appreciate your advice. Snob value notwithstanding, Its just that a german car is to me an aspiration buy. I would like to buy one for my mother as an appreciation of her life journey. All logic aside, I dont think a VW or Skoda is for this occasion. I would rather sit tight than make a purchase of a Skoda/VW/Camry just for the sake of a purchase.

Originally Posted by bansal.sushant

Just a different opinion, since you mentioned German and Luxury, and based on the above comments, a BMW/Merc might not be the best option given the constraints, why don't you consider the other side of German cars? Namely VW (or Skoda)!

You can get a new Rapid to experience the German engineering and build quality! If you want luxury also, you can consider a new/used Octavia, or even a slightly used Jetta/Superb!

You will get 80% of Audi, within your budget and an extra peace of mind!

This would give me a heartattack!

If there is so much to watch out for as potential issues in any german car, I think a used german is not for the faint hearted like myself!!

Originally Posted by amannarwal

But I have come across some problems which you would not expect.

All dashboard electronics failed one day.

[sterlingsilver]

Guys, my apologies- I was not able to tie many of my replies to the specific message from members using the "quote" function. I just figured out how the quote / edit functions work. I just typed in my replies using the "quick reply" against every message post. I assumed that my replies would reflect just below each of your messages.

Mods: This will not happen again. My apologies.

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by sterlingsilver

Guys, my apologies- I was not able to tie many of my replies to the specific message from members using the "quote" function. I just figured out how the quote / edit functions work. I just typed in my replies using the "quick reply" against every message post. I assumed that my replies would reflect just below each of your messages.

Mods: This will not happen again. My apologies.

Also we have a "Thanks" button incase you want to just thank someone who has replied to you with suggestions.

All the best in your search.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by sterlingsilver

help on buying a used German car.

My mother, 68, is a single parent who, without any support, raised us well, built our family to be financially comfortable all by herself, without any exceptional education. She always wished for us to grow well enough to have a Mercedes or a BMW in our driveway someday.

Originally Posted by sterlingsilver

Its just that a german car is to me an aspiration buy. I would like to buy one for my mother as an appreciation of her life journey. All logic aside, I dont think a VW or Skoda is for this occasion. I would rather sit tight than make a purchase of a Skoda/VW/Camry just for the sake of a purchase.

I can relate your feelings and love for your mother.

Get yourself a 7 series. There will be enough examples at 20-25 lac. To give you an idea, I wanted to sell my 2015 730-LD signature last year that had done 18,000 Km and the maximum BMW dealership will offer me was Rs 25 lac. Though privately, I could have got 30-35 Lac. That was last year and mine was the top of the line with rear steering, wine chiller, and Nappa leather besides upgraded Bowers system. Key will be patience as I tell everyone and find from the original owner, mostly a corporate or HNI. 7 series losses a value much more than a 530-D and given the usage, back seat for your mom & as a driver's car for you, I can easily recommend this over anything else.


As GTO has pointed, you cannot have an extended warranty on German cars after 6 years but if a car has been serviced regularly, there is nothing to worry about. There can be something wrong here or there but no horror stories like VW/ Skoda or a Porsche.

[Durango Dude]

The whole topic is a contradiction of sorts: When on a budget you don't buy luxury German. If you're bent on getting a luxury German then your budget must be 'unconstrained' from the 15-20L bracket. Most can afford a sticker price of used luxury German but not the pain of the upkeep and maintenance.

[TheHelix0202]

Why don’t you take a look at a used BMW X1 or Audi Q3? Recent and decent examples fit in the range of 13.5 L to 25 L; plenty of options for you. Heck, even an Audi Q5?

Link 1: https://www.olx.in/item/bmw-x1-sdriv...iid-1574957487

Link 2: https://www.olx.in/item/bmw-x1-sdriv...iid-1572865967

Link 3: https://www.olx.in/item/audi-q3-2015...iid-1576988419

Link 4: https://www.olx.in/item/audi-q3-20-t...iid-1575142759

Link 5: https://www.olx.in/item/audi-q5-20-t...iid-1572861227

[sumeethaldankar]

German luxury on a budget is an oxymoron. You may be able to buy cheap but to run it and maintain it you may need to extend your budget. If you are conservative avoid luxury marquees. I would say go for a brand new car if you have a used luxury car budget and then customize it look better and different from others eg alloys etc

Here's some food for thought.

https://youtu.be/zwVxpSs3Kyo

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by sterlingsilver

Dear Team BHP,


After reading GTO’s BMW 530D F30 review and the value proposition pre owned cars offer, I had decided that I really wanted to bring home a Mercedes or a BMW, at least pre owned, and gift it to my mother, let her have her moment and thank her for all that she has done.

Since I know very little about cars and pre-owned ones in particular, I had decided to set the following boundaries after reading various TBHP forums:

1. Will buy one directly from an individual seller or from MB/ BMW dealerships. Will not buy from a dealer.

2. The car is already 8 years old on date. Is this a prudent decision to go for such an old car? Or as a rule, should I look at nothing beyond XX years / XXX kms on the odo?

5. What about the costs of tires, batteries etc going forward?
How much would a regular service cost?

8. Is it worth the hassle to get the car to Chennai and re-register it?

9. How does a car getting transferred from a company name to another company save taxes?


Thank you

So when buying a used German, it is key to do research on the vehicle you're buying to get an idea of common pain points.
It varies with each car!

In addition, its always beneficial to have a pool set aside for maintenance - I believe in budgetting around ₹1.5L/year on maintenance at an independent mechanic; but again it is very car dependent and there could be years where you will spend 1/2rd the amount, and years where you will spend 2 times that amount.

For someone new to the used car scene, coming from a garage that could last a lifetime such as the Innova, I wouldn't look at a car older than 3-4 years, and that too a facelifted model in which most niggles would be resolved.
Finding a good independent mechanic is key, and forums such as this will help you find one with a little digging around.

Some thoughts about the vehicle:
- don't buy something from first year of launch : typically they have the most niggles.
- not more than 5 years old with less than 40K on odo
- some features should be avoided: such as the air suspension which isn't as reliable + more expensive to fix
- full service history & check insurance for any accident details

Coming to your queries:
1: Dealers aren't a bad source. Yes buying from owner is cheaper, and buying from BMW/Mercedes is safer as they run through the vehicle, but a lot of members including GTO have bought from a dealer and have been happy about it.

2: I would avoid an 8 year old BMW given its your first buy. Best left to those with more technical know-how and expertise. Around this time a lot of rubber components typically start hardening and cracking + with 75K on the odo on bombay roads will probably require some suspension work if not done so already.
Instead, there are some much newer 520D modern line vehicles with half the mileage that can be had at ₹3L more.

5: Tyres for 17" are around 50k, OEM batteries can be 20-40k, etc. Regular service will be 15-20k.

8: You need to add the re-registration cost to your purchase price. It will be based on the depreciated value, but could still be hefty and may nullify the price advantage.

9: Company purchases are eligible for depreciation benefit. However in your case you will have to re-register so it will be up to you what route to take.

Coming to your list of preferred vehicles:

1: BMW F10 5 series: great choice, but could be pricey. Look for a facelifted 520D ideally - there are several quoting 25L in Mumbai which can be had for lower

2: Mercedes W205: you would probably get first year vehicles (2015) in budget, which I would avoid. Also Mercedes has higher maintenance costs than an equivalent BMW so if you would be stretching your budget for it - pls plan accordingly.
3: Mercedes V213: I haven't seen any cars listed for less than ₹40L.

I would also add:

1: BMW F30 320D: fairly reliable, a good facelifted variant would be within reach. The ride quality is better than the W205 C class, engine a bit more punchier, and if you can snag one with the brilliant interior combinations BMW offers (such as the red leather seats on the Sport line, or tan brown on the luxury line) - it really feels nice coming from a sea of beige and black interiors.

2: the W212: while your mother may not be a fan, in my opinion its one of the last solid Mercs with Stellar rear seat comfort

3: BMW X1

4: Audi A4

5: Mercedes B Class: again a great car to be driven in. Poor resale helps make its case.

6: Mercedes GLA: you may just get one with company warranty still in place!

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by sterlingsilver

She always wished for us to grow well enough to have a Mercedes or a BMW in our driveway someday. (That was probably the sign that we too have “arrived” )

Can you please guide me with some advice to the above points and also help me in any way you can to take this forward?

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

With that budget and your model requirements, you will be have to compromise. There is lots to be said about maintenance costs, reliability, how to buy, out-of-state vs in-state, negotiations, inspections etc. but before you go into that rabbit hole, ask yourself some fundamental questions:

1) Have you considered the fact that with your 15-20L budget, you simply aren't ready financially?

2) Even if you are ready to increase the budget and/or compromise in other areas, are you sure that you need a E Class/5 Series to show that you have "arrived"?

Everything McLaren wrote is the first and perhaps only thing that came to my mind honestly.

At the budgets that you have in mind, I feel perhaps its better to gift a luxo-barge like a Camry / Camry Hybrid. It'll be extremely comfortable, a certified luxury car and much more predictable and palatable to own over an extended period (say using a 5 year car for another 7 odd years) than any comparable German.

[lemedico]

In my opinion, your budget is good for the 2021 Octavia, premium inside out. Hold on to the cash for some more time until it launches over here.

You may buy a second hand posh brand vehicle and I promise you, it will certainly fill you with pride and a sense of achievement. But I can also promise you that the day stuff goes wrong, (and stuff will go wrong as they do with anything that exists) you'll end up questioning yourself as to why did you dip toes into this murky pond of ownership.

[Iyencar]

It’s quite clear what sterlingsilver wants is to help his mom make a statement that they have arrived and for them the only way to do so is by buying a full size executive sedan from the big three. Nothing wrong in that because it is an emotional and not a practical decision. From the last few posts of his, he seems to be well aware of what he is getting into. Dear sterlingsilver my 2p would be to look at a petrol car. They depreciate faster and will suffice for your usage. It will be easier to find one than a diesel of the same model. Since you are in TN, look for cars around Coimbatore where most industries and fat cats are. The company’s dealerships list cars at a cool 6 to 10 lakhs more than a private seller or independent dealerships but they sometimes throw in a warranty, an inspection and fix issues you point out before you buy. Check the vehicle’s service history. Ensure it has been serviced at a dealership by looking at the records. If you are sure of keeping the vehicle for a lifetime then a car with 2 owners will have depreciated faster. You’ll most likely be looking at the 5 series, E class, A6 and higher. Even luxury cars are used abroad as taxis and run for a really long time so a higher odo isn’t necessarily bad. My guess is with your mom it’ll be more about the looks and rear comfort than anything else. Only you know her preference (3 star logo on the hood or embedded in the grill, split headlamps or single units, only white cars or anything but black, etc. etc.) Naturally, the ideal car will be less than 5 years old, have some warranty left and maybe have a service package and run for only about 30-40k. Don’t bother looking for out of state cars to register in your state. Not worth the hassle and the cost. Keep looking and once you shortlist you can always come back and ask about the specific model’s troublepoints. Then pay the odd 10k for the inspection by the dealerships, set aside a lakh or two in a mutual fund or RD for service and repairs, take God’s name, ask mom for an auspicious date and time and go for it. Good luck! Mom is lucky to have a son like you.