[clementj]

If you don’t need the car immediately, then do consider waiting for the 3 series LCI which may be due next year. As you are planning to keep it for a good 8+ years, getting one brand new with the 8th gen iDrive and iX like ultrawide display is a future proof option in my view.

motor1 3 series facelift article

I have had the same itch post an unexpected acquisition and after some thought, decided to stick to the existing cars and pick up a new 330i LCI in the coming year. The 5 series and 6 series BMWs feel a tad too big for self driven use especially in the city, attracts more attention while the 3 series appears to offers a great balance for the first German ownership.

Good luck with whatever you decide to go with!

[v1p3r]

Consider a used E Class. The engines are good, reliability is high, and that back seat blows everything else out of the water. It's also excellent for longer family trips, and feature rich.

And really, nothing says 'big fancy car' like a stretched Mercedes.

[akshay4587]

I think a bit differently here
You have an Innova for your Daily commute and family usage.
You have a fairly decent budget; why don't you get a Nice Toy.
Like Say a Used C43/63 AMG or Something. If you can some how live with two normal seats and two tiny seats, your options open up further

Something Like These

https://www.bigboytoyz.com/used-luxu...-2-detail-page


https://www.olx.in/item/mercedes-ben...iid-1628344472

[lordtottuu]

I have one of the last 525s with the inline 6 and it's such a joy to listen to.

Looking at a 60 plus OTR price for a 3 series makes me utterly befuddled. A 2-3 year old well maintained German car is as good as a new one.

[helterskelter]

Hi there,
So I am currently driving a 330i, I would hesitate to put it into a family car category because I really the think that the co-passengers in this car are at the mercy of the driver by that I mean , everything in this car is oriented towards the driver which suited me since I am single however for your exact requirements maybe a 5 series or even an E class would be better since it’ll be more luxurious and the co-passengers would feel so much more pampered and comfortable.

[84.monsoon]

Voted for a new 330i. There should be discounts available at year end. It is a reasonably fresh model and will be a lot more fun to drive being more compact than a 5 or 6 series. Since your planned usage is so low, and limited to 4 people,.space should be more than sufficient in the 3 series for short trips.Formlonger trips, you anyway have the Innova. Nothing to beat that new car feel!

If budget is not a constraint at all, then why not book a M340i XDrive when the next lot arrives? You get a ton more of power, a wolf in sheep's clothing and a legendary BMW in-line 6 which will be more and more rare in the years to come. I believe the next lot of booking may open again in December.

[LEOMAN]

Voted for 530d or 630d.As GTO said inline 6 diesel of bmw and zf 8hp70 gearbox are pair made in heaven .
After consulting GTO , reading his review i went for 530d of 2012 purchased in 2018 dec at 26k kms odometer and now it currently stands at 60k kms . My journey has been fairly smooth,no niggles whatsoever .
A f10 generation of 530d you can procure for 25-30l easily and enjoy the same for bext 5-7 years easily with minimum maintenance. A german car from 2015-2020 are a good buy.

[FamilyTraveller]

Voted for a new 3 series. 330i is pure fun to drive car. Recently purchased one and I am in complete love with it.

New car is a 'New' car. Buying a new car evokes a certain happiness that you will not get when buying a pre-owned. The fragrance itself will be missing to trigger that emotion along with the peace of mind of owning a new car.

New car - anyday over a pre-owned if one can afford.

[hrk997]

Voted for the second option. Car prices are hitting the roof and if one is open to used cars, they must be considered, they offer a lot of value for money.

That being said, your initial idea is actually pretty good. Go crazy, get something moderately practical but very powerful, i.e. any vehicle with four doors. You might find used Audi S5's and Merc AMGs. You could also consider the new GLA 45 AMGs. Go for a new car only if you're totally sure that you can't find a brilliant, powerful used car.

[vjbox]

Hey Vivek, Welcome to the forum and what a great time/occasion to get that nice ride for you and the family. Now I see you only want a German part of your requirements and I know my suggestion is not in the poll but nevertheless I am going to make it. Assuming you are ok to part about 70L OTR and are ok to slightly compromised on the super fun driving nature, I would ask you to look at the Swedes.

You need a car that needs to feel special, safe, luxurious and offer more than adequate performance when you need it. With family in mind, I would vote for a package that gives the best everything. Take a look at both XC60 B5 and the S90 B5 that have been newly launched with mild hybrid under the hood should offer it in plenty. I have driven both of them in their Diesel guise and loved them to the bits as both offer a very nice ride with that Swedish lounge like feel when seated in. They aren't too boring to drive either and offer plenty of punch when needed and I hope its the case with the new Petrol motors too. Of course they are not the BMW level when it comes to handling, cornering etc but you aren't going to lose much either since you gain in the form of an overall package. I don't think any of the completion offers what Volvo offers as a package. I would pick up the XC60 if you need a go anywhere sort of a car with that added advantage of AWD and better ingress/egress for elders. Otherwise the S90 makes it for a beautiful car and extremely comfortable for long drives with super comfortable seats. Both the cars offer fantastic massaging seats to keep you in comfort and the quality of massage feel really good and not gimmicky. Both the models are fully kitted and needless to mention the top notch safety aids you get part of the package and did I even mention the jaw dropping B&W audio system in these cars ? I am told the tech/sensors has been improved in the new models and now also includes the new Google based OS supporting connected tech and OTA updates which should stay more relevant for the times to come.

I highly recommend you give them a shot! Good luck with your new car and wish you loads of happy miles.

[a4_attitude]

Welcome aboard
Understanding your requirement and my love for Porsche, I would recommend you to go for macan, I bought it last year, its a fun to drive car, family car with sports car character, take it anywhere with family of four with no issues of ground clearance and ingress
Best wishes

[ronk]

Firstly, congratulations on your success!!

Please bear with me for this long post! I scratched that itch last year, and I thought I should share my perspective which might be slightly different.
We seem to have a lot in common, we are the same age, similar middle class background, our kids are similarly aged and we seem to stay in the same city.
My starting salary was a little lower than yours and my current salary significantly lower!! ��
Anyways, I’ve had a mixed car history with some interesting but generally cheap and old cars. Only a Polo 1.6 has been a constant companion for the last 9 years. In 2020 I had an opportunity and decided to once and for all go in for a premium German! Lease limits, aukat realisation, middle class rationalisation later I settled with the X1 so that my family including a big dog can thoroughly enjoy this newly afforded luxury. Needless to mention, this 1 year we really enjoyed the car. Took it on a lot of trips, and on most occasions enjoyed the extra attention (In Bangalore a new Nexon might get more attention than an X1, but in tier 2 towns any BMW will turn a few heads).
Now, 1 year later if I were to do this again, I would do somethings differently, like :

1. Invest the chunk of my car money on something that handles our country better and attracts lesser attention - much like your company car, Skoda Kodiaq, Tucson….! This would be my family beater, roadtrip car, and the one used to visit gossiping relatives
2. I would still like to have a german, but this would mostly be through the pre-owned route and something seriously fun! Something that takes my family on those nice drives, some parties and dinners, to the mall at times, but mainly something that excites the shit out of me when I drive it! It will definitely not be an SUV!!! Think 530d, c43/63, S60 polestar, Audi S5
3. I would not stretch my finances to buy the German luxury, because the novelty wears of fast and then you realise that there are plenty more cars that do the car duties better, especially at our age and family scene.

Best of luck for your search and I hope you enjoy and own a few lovely cars that make you smile everytime you experience them!!

[Vid6639]

My vote goes for the A6. If you want a nice premium luxury car that will pamper you when you drive then there is no beating the Audi A6. It has good discounts as well and the price is almost on par with the 330Li.

Your requirements:

1. Back seat comfort - The 3 series even long wheelbase is low to get in and out of. I have an older 3 series and my dad refuses to sit in it since it is so low to get in and out of. He loves my Kodiaq for all highway drives. The A6 is perfect in this dept. The E class even more so but too big to be fun to drive.

2. Good ride. The BMW's can't hold a candle to the Audi's ride. The 6 series is probably closest but air suspension is a no non in our roads imo.

3. Ground clearance. Forget the 3 series and the 5 series. Audi's India spec suspension will clear all bangalore speed breakers with ease. Also if you get a BMW you better check the weather for rain. BMW is like throwing a cat in water when it rains.

4. Features: Audi'd interiors will simply blow you away with the gadgets and the dual screens. The E class will feel gawdy after the understated interior of the A6.

5. Fun to Drive: While the A6 might not be as good as the BMW 3 and 5, it feels much more nimble than the 6 series and the E class LWB. The E class is not a car to drive and have fun. The A6 2L TFSI with 245BHP has pretty good performance and good balance between ride and handling.

Go check out the A6 and bargain hard. I think you won't be disappointed.

[vivnitrel]

Update:

I was convinced that buying pre owned makes a lot of sense, as you get more car for the same money. In this case, the 330 Li Mposrt onroad is for 65 Lacs, where 630 d M Sport, a car from 2 segments above, was available only for 50 lacs! And the car was in great condition.

So I booked my tickets for Hyderabad to visit the BBT showroom in Hyderabad for today evening. I was supposed to take delivery tomorrow, if everything went well.

This afternoon, I get a call from Kartik the BBT sales guy mentioning someone else booked the car.

I was so pissed, and a thought came to mind that I may miss my goal on owning the BMW this year as well. So in that frustration I pick up the phone and call the BMW sales guy Deepak and ask him to come to me right away.

So finally the dream of owning a BMW gets fulfilled. Booked the new 330 Li M Sport with 5 year warranty and 3 year 40k BSI

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[manish84]

Originally Posted by vivnitrel

Update:

So finally the dream of owning a BMW gets fulfilled. Booked the new 330 Li M Sport with 5 year warranty and 3 year 40k BSI

Congratulations on your BMW.

I took a long TD of 330Li today in Mumbai and negotiated the OTR. Left it at a note where dealer told me there is still some room when I come with a cheque. The car is fantastic to drive, good thigh support and ample space in rear. Also got demo of auto parallel parking and assisted reverse (last 50 m). It's a great car though as everyone else pointed, the price is too high for a 3 series. SA kept saying it's same length and engine as 5 series and hence priced like one. How much discounts did you manage to get?