[NirDiwakar]

Hi everyone, this is my first thread on Team-BHP. I am glad I am a member now and have the privilege to post and learn from the experience of fellow BHPians.
Before I get to my query I'd like to share some relevant background. I am a 30 years old man, I drive a 2016 model Hyundai Creta diesel automatic. Before this I used to drive a 2010 Swift petrol. I love to drive, but since the last few years driving the Creta I lost that thrill and excitement of driving. Buying the Creta was a head over heart decision. As a matter of fact I still enjoy driving my Swift. It's hard to point out the reason why I didn't enjoy driving my Creta. More than the mechanical reasons I believe one of the reasons is that I saw it as a bad financial decision purchasing a car which isn't enthusiastic to drive when I hardly drive 2-4 thousand kilometres a year.
I have now closed off the loans on my Creta and in the market for a BMW 330i. I am not considering any other car. I was waiting on the Octavia, but the launch price, omission of features and soft suspension were a deal breaker for me.
I have been working from my hometown, Patna for the last few months and would likely continue this even after normalcy is restored.
A couple of concerns which is dissuading me from going ahead with the purchase are:

• Maintaining the car, since the closest service center is 200Kms+. I intend to keep this car for at least 10 years.
• Does owning a fun to drive car brought any quality of life change?
• Does the initial euphoria of owning a luxury car die down due to lack of good roads, safe parking spots or other reasons which you didn't fathom until you bought one?

I realise this post is aimed more at the essence of owing a FTD luxury car instead of the mechanicals and options within the segment. I initially wanted to get a used sports car like the Audi TT, Porsche Cayman, etc. Cannot do so since it will be too flashy for the city I live in. Hope to get some clarity from the personal experience of fellow BHPians. Thanks.

[landcruiser123]

One life. Live it. I can't give specific advise on how to maintain a luxury car in a tier 2 city; But whether you are in Los Angeles or Mumbai or Patna, a beater car is a must. Correct me if I'm wrong - you still have the Swift. In that case, retain her as a beater for all those inner city trips. Read this thread: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...wning-one.html (Beater Cars: The unsung heroes! And advantages of owning one)

<Ignore below if you absolutely must have that BMW 330i>

Alternatively if you just want to have fun and don't care about badge value, buy something like the S-Cross 1.6 or Abarth Punto to satisfy your need for thrills. Refer: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ars-india.html (2020 Lineup: The Best Enthusiast Cars in India)

[TrackDay]

The BMW 330i is a wonderful machine to own and is definitely worth the purchase. I would say if you can afford it, go ahead and get it. There is no point delaying certain things in life if they are well within your purchasing power. Here are two threads that might help you on the subject :

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...uying-car.html (Financial thumb rules to follow when buying a car)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...salary-26.html (What Car @ What Salary ?)

Originally Posted by NirDiwakar

A couple of concerns which is dissuading me from going ahead with the purchase are:

• Maintaining the car, since the closest service center is 200Kms+. I intend to keep this car for at least 10 years.
• Does owning a fun to drive car brought any quality of life change?
• Does the initial euphoria of owning a luxury car die down due to lack of good roads, safe parking spots or other reasons which you didn't fathom until you bought one?

First of let me tell you that the following is based on my friends and family circle as I personally don't own any luxury rides.

• Regarding maintenance, the older these cars get, the bigger the headaches, but then that will also depend on how well you take care of the car, provided it is also not a lemon.
  
• Coming to the second question, NO it doesn't bring any change to quality of life. Quality of life is determined more by the quality of food ones eats, mental health, living environment, satisfaction with life etc. Yes, people in your circle will be more friendly with you, but then that is because of the car.
  
• Lastly, YES it will die down. At the end of the day, cars are a materialistic part of our life. A friend of mine said he found much more happiness when he got a dog than having a luxury car. Regarding whether it is worth it can be read below on this thread link:
  https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...r-india-3.html (Is it worth buying a premium luxury car in India?)

Coming full circle, I would say go ahead if your finances permit you. The car will definitely put a smile on your face every time you take her out on the highways or pull away from stand still. Most importantly the car should be to satisfy you and not others around you.

[NirDiwakar]

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

Correct me if I'm wrong - you still have the Swift. In that case, retain her as a beater for all those inner city trips.
Alternatively if you just want to have fun and don't care about badge value, buy something like the S-Cross 1.6 or Abarth Punto to satisfy your need for thrills. Refer: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ars-india.html (2020 Lineup: The Best Enthusiast Cars in India)

I am planning on retaining my Creta as well, which will be a beater car.
Since I don’t drive much, I would prefer upgrading to a car which would be a substantially new experience for me. So having a RWD car with 200+ BHPs checks this box.

Originally Posted by TrackDay

Coming full circle, I would say go ahead if your finances permit you. The car will definitely put a smile on your face every time you take her out on the highways or pull away from stand still. Most importantly the car should be to satisfy you and not others around you.

I am purely making this purchase for fun to drive factor. If I can get any other car which is RWD has a sub 7 second acceleration, I would love to go for it. I would prefer not to mod a car to extract more performance from it. As I mentioned I live in Patna and there aren’t any independent service stations competent enough to work on modded cars.

[androdev]

I don't think 200KM distance to service center is a deal breaker. Given your limited usage (2-4K km per year) you will not be needing service more than once a year. You may have to tell the service advisor to take up service items that are due in next couple of months. Don't buy their service package so you have complete control on what gets done on the car. Keep a battery charger to avoid dead battery situation etc. if the car doesn't see regular usage.

Whether it's worth buying or not is a personal choice. On this forum, you will definitely hear opinions in favour of buying a nice car like 330i. Depends on your financial situation really. If you say you enjoy driving Swift even now, I would guess 330i till keep you happy for many years. Does it improve quality of life? I would say no.. too much money for too little.

[hridaygandhi]

Go ahead. Having owned a BMW in a tier-2 city for 3 years now, I can most certainly say, go ahead with the purchase. These machines require regular maintenance once a year, and driving down 200 kms is not too much of a deal-breaker. (BMW offers pick up drop from my city at a cost of Rs.1000).

Although, you definitely must have a reliable FNG where you can go for minor niggles, and you are good to go. A friend owns a 320d since 2012 in my tier-2 city, and has no complaints.

Although I do not own something as exciting as 330i, my X1 still puts a smile on my face every time I set foot in it. If you are not stretching your finances to get this, you definitely won't regret you purchase.

[Shreyans_Jain]

The 200km distance to the dealer should not be an issue. But bad roads and unruly traffic will be, especially when you take the car out only for leisure. No doubt the 330i is an excellent enthusiast’s car. But you need good roads to enjoy it. You’ll end up cursing yourself and your car if you’ll be driving on broken and traffic infested roads most of the time.

Given your specific requirements, constraints and ample budget, my suggestion will be to drop the BMW and go for the new V Cross or Thar instead. Both these vehicles will provide you the fun factor and excitement you want, while also being much more tough and durable. The money you save upfront can be used for mods and for investment purposes.

[NirDiwakar]

Originally Posted by androdev

I don't think 200KM distance to service center is a deal breaker. Given your limited usage (2-4K km per year) you will not be needing service more than once a year. You may have to tell the service advisor to take up service items that are due in next couple of months. Don't buy their service package so you have complete control on what gets done on the car. Keep a battery charger to avoid dead battery situation etc. if the car doesn't see regular usage.

Whether it's worth buying or not is a personal choice. On this forum, you will definitely hear opinions in favour of buying a nice car like 330i. Depends on your financial situation really. If you say you enjoy driving Swift even now, I would guess 330i till keep you happy for many years. Does it improve quality of life? I would say no.. too much money for too little.

I still remember reading your post when you were to purchase your S class. I gave this rationale to myself when I read your post on your decision to "bite the bullet" and get the S class was that there are certain moments when money can indeed buy happiness and this is one of it.
I am confused with your reply post. The last line contradicts itself. If something can keep someone happy for many years, won't it improve their quality of life too? There are few things which excite me and driving a nice car is one of them. I still remember when I had a rental Tesla Model 3, Miata for weeks. This was 2 years ago in US. If we had similar roads, the decision would have been easier. The big concern for me is, to be careful all the time when I am driving a car like 330i in a city where it's not so common. Constant worries of parking the car when I am visiting public places and scraping the underside will be sure to make me regret buying it. I hope to understand how real these concerns are.

[Sanidhya mukund]

Problem No. 1 -
- Bad roads-
The car is for occasional use, so it shouldn’t be much of an issue. Also, Patna roads aren’t as bad as say 10 years ago. There are multiple people who drive Honda Citys, VW Ventos, Corolla Altis and Ciaz type cars. Not too many, but there are quite a few Honda Accords and Skoda Superbs as well. If these cars can manage Patna roads, I am sure a 330i would also manage them without much of an issue. I do have quite a bit of bad road experience on my W204 Mercedes in parts of rural UP and Rajasthan, and I can safely say that it can manage bad roads occasionally.

Problem No.2 -
- Bad traffic and lack of parking space-
This is one problem that one has to live with. It exists in every Indian City. The long dimensions are a bit of a bane in traffic and bikers/ rickshaws/ bullock cars/ tempo drivers will definitely give you scratches. It hurts a lot in the first couple of years, but one tends to learn to live with it. After completing 7 years of ownership, I no longer care about minor scratches and dents my car keeps getting in NCR traffic. You can also mitigate this to some extent by getting Paint protection film applied on your car. There is now a 3M outlet in Patna, so that shouldn’t be an issue.
Parking will have to be planned in advance. For example, going for a meal at Maurya wouldn’t be an issue. Going to crowded market place like boaring road? Take the Swift/Creta instead.

Problem No.3-
-Service-
-This is something that will work out for sure. I guess it shouldn’t be a problem to go to Ranchi/Kolkata for a service every year. Talk to your dealer and see if they can help you here. A friend in Guwahati had bought a BMW 3GT in 2016. There was no BMW dealer in that city at that time, but the BMW dealer from Kolkata used to have a tie up with the local VW dealer for servicing BMW cars. They used to fly the technicians in and used to supply the parts there. Since Patna does have quite a few luxury cars now, I guess BMW would also be holding service camps in your city annually. Your best bet is to talk to your dealer about this and ask about what they do for their Patna customers.
Repairs could be a problem. If your car develops a snag, you will have to get it on a flat bed and send it off to the dealership. There are also very few garages and mechanics in Patna with the skill to repair such cars.

-Problem No.4
-Premium fuel-

This is very very important to ensure. You will have to see that if high octane petrol is available at nearby pumps or not. Also, this will limit the cars highway usability as it could get difficult to find pumps with power/speed on the highway.


Do consider the above and make an informed decision. Personally, I would say if you can afford it and like it, then you should go for it. For a car enthusiast, a nice car is all that is needed to put a smile on your face. The novelty of the badge does wear off a little after a couple of years, but you will really appreciate it for its qualities.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by NirDiwakar

I have now closed off the loans on my Creta and in the market for a BMW 330i.

Certainly helps that you have chosen what is the most reliable luxury car brand from Germany. BMW is second only to Lexus in the premium car space and the reliability is surprisingly good. My 5-Series has surpassed all my expectations on reliability.

Maintaining the car, since the closest service center is 200Kms+. I intend to keep this car for at least 10 years.

As long as you have another backup car, you should be fine. But no way would I own just a single car without a dealer presence in my town. There are anyway wait times for some parts, even in the city.

You should also network and find a good independent shop in the Tier-2 city that is familiar with luxury cars. Would be a big help.

Be mentally prepared for some downtime when there are unforeseen repairs. Also, you will pay through your nose if the car needs to be flat-bedded 200 km away.

Does owning a fun to drive car brought any quality of life change?

Absolutely. It's owning a piece of art (you will spend countless hours just looking at & admiring it) and splendid engineering (unmatched driving pleasure). BMW has really nailed the engine, gearbox & suspension tune with the 330i. It's perfect for India.

Does the initial euphoria of owning a luxury car die down due to lack of good roads, safe parking spots or other reasons which you didn't fathom until you bought one?

There are a lot of downsides - overpriced cars, overpriced maintenance, always parking carefully, driving super carefully, the attention, pricey insurance, tyres wearing out rapidly etc.

But on the upside, if you love to drive, you will be grinning each & every time you are in the driver's seat. My 530d is now 8 years old and it still makes me . I am always looking forward to driving the beast.

You've clearly worked hard. Go for it and redline away into the sunset . You got to live a little, man.

[androdev]

Originally Posted by NirDiwakar

I still remember reading your post when you were to purchase your S class. I gave this rationale to myself when I read your post on your decision to "bite the bullet" and get the S class was that there are certain moments when money can indeed buy happiness and this is one of it.
I am confused with your reply post. The last line contradicts itself. If something can keep someone happy for many years, won't it improve their quality of life too?

Good observation. I had all my planets aligned when I bought that S class. Most important factor was that I was young with two small kids and we traveled a LOT by the S class. I also did not have any other financial needs at that time so I could indulge myself. Things are different now, kids are grown up a bit, my responsibilities have increased and I am on the wrong side of the youthful phase of my life. Now that I think about it I would have had a great time with any D segment+ car during that period. Recently I bought a used 911 ostensibly to reward myself for all the donkey work I have been doing but it hardly measures up to the fabulous time I had with S class.

I would say family, health, being content and stress free, etc. are the main factors that contribute to quality of life and car can be like icing on the cake - but you need a cake to start with.

There are few things which excite me and driving a nice car is one of them. I still remember when I had a rental Tesla Model 3, Miata for weeks. This was 2 years ago in US. If we had similar roads, the decision would have been easier. The big concern for me is, to be careful all the time when I am driving a car like 330i in a city where it's not so common. Constant worries of parking the car when I am visiting public places and scraping the underside will be sure to make me regret buying it. I hope to understand how real these concerns are.

You can truly enjoy a car like 330i anywhere in India except maybe some remote mountainous places that need a Fortuner or something. You can enjoy it better on Indian highways than the US freeways. You will learn few techniques to avoid scratches and general road abuse: always park in less congested areas even if it means walking a bit, yield to bikes and autos, go slow over humps, wait for wide open stretches to enjoy the power and so on. Things can still go wrong, we are in India after all. You can have good insurance cover and warranty packages etc to take care of those risks. Start by using the car limited to good roads and safe parking places and slowly expand your comfort zone. Be realistic with your budgeting. Do your homework and enjoy the ownership with a sense of adventure and passion.

[NirDiwakar]

Originally Posted by hridaygandhi

Go ahead.
Although I do not own something as exciting as 330i, my X1 still puts a smile on my face every time I set foot in it. If you are not stretching your finances to get this, you definitely won't regret you purchase.

I am glad to know you’ve already been through this path and have no regrets whatsoever. Thanks for your reassuring reply.

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

Given your specific requirements, constraints and ample budget, my suggestion will be to drop the BMW and go for the new V Cross or Thar instead. Both these vehicles will provide you the fun factor and excitement you want, while also being much more tough and durable. The money you save upfront can be used for mods and for investment purposes.

Thanks, but for me a FTD car can’t be an off-roader. I’ve test driven a Thar and love the looks of V Cross. Even though they look appealing, they aren’t FTD car for me.

Originally Posted by Sanidhya mukund

Do consider the above and make an informed decision. Personally, I would say if you can afford it and like it, then you should go for it. For a car enthusiast, a nice car is all that is needed to put a smile on your face. The novelty of the badge does wear off a little after a couple of years, but you will really appreciate it for its qualities.

I didn’t know that manufacturers have these kind of tie ups. This would solve most of my worries. I would definitely go ahead with the 330i now. I am not sure whether it does require a higher grade fuel.

Originally Posted by GTO

As long as you have another backup car, you should be fine. But no way would I own just a single car without a dealer presence in my town. There are anyway wait times for some parts, even in the city.

You should also network and find a good independent shop in the Tier-2 city that is familiar with luxury cars. Would be a big help.

Be mentally prepared for some downtime when there are unforeseen repairs. Also, you will pay through your nose if the car needs to be flat-bedded 200 km away.

Absolutely. It's owning a piece of art (you will spend countless hours just looking at & admiring it) and splendid engineering (unmatched driving pleasure). BMW has really nailed the engine, gearbox & suspension tune with the 330i. It's perfect for India.

There are a lot of downsides - overpriced cars, overpriced maintenance, always parking carefully, driving super carefully, the attention, pricey insurance, tyres wearing out rapidly etc.

But on the upside, if you love to drive, you will be grinning each & every time you are in the driver's seat. My 530d is now 8 years old and it still makes me . I am always looking forward to driving the beast.

You've clearly worked hard. Go for it and redline away into the sunset . You got to live a little, man.

Wow, just yesterday I was on the fence with this decision. It’s so clear what I want to do now.
I am factoring that incidentals will occur. Always a follower of the Murphy’s law. I have been watching 330i POV videos, should get out of virtual experiences and make them real now.

Originally Posted by androdev

I would say family, health, being content and stress free, etc. are the main factors that contribute to quality of life and car can be like icing on the cake - but you need a cake to start with.

You can truly enjoy a car like 330i anywhere in India except maybe some remote mountainous places that need a Fortuner or something. You can enjoy it better on Indian highways than the US freeways. You will learn few techniques to avoid scratches and general road abuse: always park in less congested areas even if it means walking a bit, yield to bikes and autos, go slow over humps, wait for wide open stretches to enjoy the power and so on. Things can still go wrong, we are in India after all. You can have good insurance cover and warranty packages etc to take care of those risks. Start by using the car limited to good roads and safe parking places and slowly expand your comfort zone. Be realistic with your budgeting. Do your homework and enjoy the ownership with a sense of adventure and passion.

I recently recovered from Covid and had a major trading loss. All this made me question what have I been doing in my life. If everything in life is ephemeral, might as well enjoy while I still have my health and financial position to go for something I have been wanting to for years. Your S class post was something which gave a then 21 year old me, a dream to fulfil. Thanks for your reassuring reply post.

[Sanidhya mukund]

Originally Posted by NirDiwakar

I didn’t know that manufacturers have these kind of tie ups. This would solve most of my worries. I would definitely go ahead with the 330i now. I am not sure whether it does require a higher grade fuel.

.

But please do verify with the BMW dealer if they have such a tie up for Patna or not. It was definitely the case in Guwahati back then. Regarding the requirement for premium fuel, I am pretty sure that the 330i would require it. I own a much older technology Mercedes from 2013, but the manufacturer still recommended premium fuel. I was told that using low octane fuels in engines with high compression ratios can cause knocking. My car has the M271 engine, which is a pretty standard 4 cylinder engine, but I still go with premium fuel.
Also, you wouldn’t want BMW denying any warranty claims by stating that the car was run on normal fuel. You don’t need the 99 octane stuff, but I am sure BMW recommends premium fuel.
On your next visit to the fuel station, do ask them if they have power/speed or not. If I remember correctly, there are indeed some pumps in Patna that offer ‘speed’. I vaguely remember being offered speed about a decade ago. I may have refused it then, probably because I was driving a carbureted Esteem.

[asm3899_CHD]

Well, premium fuel should not be a problem. Just re-fuel from a good COCO or reliable pump and add a bottle of octane boosters and you are good to go. Even if it runs fine on normal octane, I would still recommend you to go for high octane because these high compression turbocharged engines do perform better with higher octane and are smoother too.

[NirDiwakar]

Contacted multiple dealers in Delhi and the dealer in Ranchi. Got quite discouraging response with none of them having stocks on Sport and the stocks which they have or will have on MSport in on an allocation basis. Therefore, I can't have exterior/interior colour preference.
In addition to this the offers received from dealers in Delhi was at most 2.5L discount on the MSport. The dealer in Ranchi is offering free insurance and BSI for 3 years for a total of about 2L.
Is this normal? I remember when my brother was to buy a car in the entry level premium segment about 3 years ago, discounts were in the range of 4-6L. Should I wait for the festive season? Please advise.