[RJK]

Originally Posted by CarMaster_059

So this person had just completed his MBA from XLRI 2 years ago. Now, having earned enough MOOLAH, he wanted to buy his first car with his own money within a substantial budget of 45 Lakh. His preferences were:
1. Petrol engine
2. Good aftersales
3. Fairly reliable (he was extremely aware that luxury cars do give issues later on)
4. Rear seat comfort
5. Soft Ride quality
6. Interior build quality

His requirements point towards Camry. Presumably he's going to be chauffeur driven - Camry will be a good bet for the same. I just sat in our Camry's backseat for the first time couple of hours ago with the driver driving & man it felt so comfortable, ride quality is great for the craters that we call roads in Mumbai. Usually, I'm the one driving my parents - today's backseat experience really reinforced my decision that Camry is perfect if chauffeur driven.

Agreed, Camry isn't going to win any battles in status game (Its a Toyota afterall) but the silence of the Hybrid is its party trick. People get seriously impressed by the lack of any NVH when the car is running on battery, having experienced it first hand from my friends (of the fairer kind as well )

That said, I completely agree with Axe_77 worldly wise suggestion about re-thinking the choice to spend such a big sum on a car at a relatively younger age (assuming that your friend has done MBA in his mid to late 20's). This Money can really be put to better use for getting even better toys later on life, but that's just me. Such an expensive car could also complicate working in office/organisation (if he works in one, irrelevant if he has his own business etc), you know how people think.

Cheers

[CarMaster_059]

Originally Posted by RedTerrano

Meet a lovely young thing on a first date.
Plonk your keys on the table.

Which is going to impress her more?
The tri star or the ovals?

Merc wins hands down.

*Above scenario is imagined based on the fact that your friend is a young gun.

I guess if he's able to spill out 45 Lakhs at this stage, he has already impressed someone with his position/ post in his comapany. Just saying. Just assuming.

[lamborghini]

Looking at his requirements I would actually suggest looking for a pre-owned Lexus ES :
- It has the luxury badge, well appointed interiors & features
- Should be equally reliable as the Camry
- Rear seat, while lacking in outright space is a nicer place to be : the controls on the armrest, etc. are a bit dated but offer that much more functionality as compared the ones on pre-2020 update E Class (where they launched the Exclusive with soft close doors, and tablet to control AC, ICE, etc.)

The E Class unfortunately didn't impress me much : The ride was average, engines were average, maintenance was higher than even it's German rivals, and they are literally everywhere etc.
I personally found the W212, though dated, to be a proper solid Mercedes in comparison to the V213 which packs on the bling but looses the solid build, mature ride & handling, etc.
Instead, I would look at finding a low run, within warranty 6GT which was a far superior vehicle in my opinion. Routine maintenance would be lower than the E Class barring any maintenance related to the air suspension - but an extended warranty should take care of that for a few years.

[IshaanIan]

I would recommend the Camry since his requirements for comfort and reliability are top most. That said, I'm surprised that a smart MBA grad that has spent his years investing money, is so ready to buy an expensive massively depreciating asset as his first car. Considering he isn't a car guy, might it not be better for him to buy something locally built thus being cheaper to maintain?

Originally Posted by RedTerrano

Meet a lovely young thing on a first date.
Plonk your keys on the table.

Which is going to impress her more?
The tri star or the ovals?

Merc wins hands down.

*Above scenario is imagined based on the fact that your friend is a young gun.

Have always used my WagonR on first dates and it seems to work better than anything else. Time and time again women have tried to be vocal about this and shift themselves away from the shallow opinion we have of them by saying the car doesn't matter. I'd say the Toyota would have her more impressed since she would appreciate the confidence a man has in himself and the substance he is made of that means he doesn't have to show off his material possessions.

[Raghu M]

It's a no brainer. Camry stands out in every department except the brand. I'd blindly choose the Camry. Merc has it's shortcomings. Used, high maintenance, not great life after 8 to 10 years of ownership and the unnecessary attention. Camry has almost everything and more than the Merc except the brand. I'd stay away from used luxury cars. The price may dip a little but the maintenance is sure going to eat those savings.

[vredesbyrd]

Why not a used CLS350? Screaming V6 at that but it'll be much older.

[clementw]

Well this seems to be a big spend for a young person but then some decisions are from the heart!
Personally the E class should appeal to a more mature kind of customer so the choice of Camry especially a hybrid is expected.
Still coming to terms with a big car buy so early, maybe I am too old for this or maybe I am too cautious.

Best wishes and happy motoring!

[2000rpm]

At this age, I would go for the Mercedes. This is not the age to take decisions from the Head

[sam264_2000]

Between the 2 options, I would pick the new Toyota Camry for him. We don't know if this person is a "car guy" and as such its better to go ahead with Toyota's reliability and retain the car for a good 10 years, specially since he is spending massive moolah on his first car purchase. However, as some of the other members have suggested, I too would strongly recommend to consider other lesser expensive options for a first car purchase.

[RMN]

Simple. If he can afford the maintenance costs of an E-Class, got for it. If he cant and especially if he is already breaking the bank with the 45 Lakh budget - Camry any day!

That said, wouldn't a top of the line Skoda/VW model be a better option against an E-Class than a Camry?

[denny_ace]

Since the OP already mentioned mind winning over heart, I guess the bottom line has been drawn in favour of Camry. While the German engineering is a class above, their luxury cars can become real 'money pits' over a period of time. It's therefore not surprising that just a three-year old Mercedes is available 20-25L cheaper than its original price. A Toyota or a Honda, on the other hand, will certainly not depreciate at this rate since their cars can easily clock more than 2 lakh Km without any major hiccups. The 2.5L NA engine of the Camry is also a clear winner in the long run against complex turbocharged engines!

[ZenMaster]

Originally Posted by RMN

Simple. If he can afford the maintenance costs of an E-Class, got for it. If he cant and especially if he is already breaking the bank with the 45 Lakh budget - Camry any day!

That said, wouldn't a top of the line Skoda/VW model be a better option against an E-Class than a Camry?

Exactly, why not a brand new Skoda? It would probably end up being cheaper than the Camry. (Initial expenditure)

He can then invest the remaining money to pay for the maintenance expenses in the future

[FAIAAA]

Originally Posted by Axe77

So many thoughts in my mind when I read this.

On an unrelated note, (and please forgive a middle aged man for perhaps philosophising) he seems very young. My only other advise is that this is the time to heavily invest surplus cash and let it enjoy the power of compounding over the next few decades. Depreciating assets may give you the feeling of being rich and some of the more fickle joys that money brings. Being wealthy is when you have the financial freedom to what you want with your time. He is clearly buying into a super luxury product where a 20 lakh Creta / Honda City could perhaps also do the job. Life is fickle and throws many curve balls as you grow older. True wealth comes from being able to have the freedom of time, to do what you want to do without the shackles of your employ.

+1 to that. Couldn't agree more . Reminds me of the central theme of the book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" that "Rich" are those that make money work for them while the Poor (even those with high incomes ) are those who work for money. Financial freedom and being able to choose a life such that one doesn't need a vacation (our very own GTO's signature) is true luxury.

Extending the argument you, GTO and others make about "more car per car" / "lot of car for first car" , and having personally owned luxury cars, realize how the equation gets skewed above 30+ lacs . Today's cars in the Rs 18-35 Lac OTR segment have 90% of higher segment cars at 40-60% of the price.

[Hells Bells]

I can't advise with good conscience on buying a car of this kind considering he is barely 2 years into his post-MBA work-ex. I know the money that one makes while coming out of a top-tier B school and it is not Camry/E-Class worthy within 2 years. Unless he has significant work-ex behind him pre-MBA and not a reasonably freshly minted grad. There are smarter ways to put in money.

However, between the two cars, I would go for New Camry going by the requirements.

[no_fear]

Originally Posted by sunilch

What if she is a biker and has no interest in Cars?

Ahem, then just call me. I will take it from there.