[GAPune]

1) I've not done test drive of "F-pace and Discovery Sport", but did for Evoque.
And then Volvo XC60 and MB GLC and GLA.
X3 is the best out of them in terms of drive, response, road presence.
2) More torque is Diesel and more power (inital BHP) is petrol. Vibration in diesel is Zero inside the car - it's BMW. But the engine noise outside for Diesel will be there. Average for Petrol is 10-12 in city and 15 on highway (It's the mileage of 5 series which is observed closely by me). Avg for Diesel is 10-12 in City and 15 on highway. Not much of difference.
3) Running cost in Petrol is lesser. Attaching below Pune's pricing:-



There is a brand perspective and BMW is held higher than Audi (check sales figures) and for me as an individual it's better than MB as well.

[GreasyCarb55]

Originally Posted by actuallyankur

P.S.- planning to use the car for long drives mainly, not much use in the city, and by long drives I mean covering places like Laddakh, Arunachal, Sikkim, Goa, Kerala and so forth on 4-wheels.

Your requirements has BMW X3 written all over it.

The approximate on road price for the X3 in Allahabad is as follows:

• xDrive 30i Sport X - 69.3 Lakh
• xDrive20d Luxury Edition - 70 Lakh
• xDrive30i M Sport - 76.2 Lakh

You could also look at the X4 30d as that gets the 3.0L B57 Turbo Diesel Inline 6 we all know and love from the BMW 530d but that is 10 lakh more than even the most expensive X3.

BMW X3 xDrive30i M Sport - 76.2 Lakh VS BMW X4 xDrive 30d - 86.5 Lakh.

[drjaygoyal]

I have been driving the X3 20d since Jan 2019. 38000+ kms already done.

One hell of a car. Soft in the city and rock steady on highways. I understand now why BMW is called the ultimate driving machine.

Plus the BSI & BRI packages are awesome and save tons on money long term while servicing and part replacement. I just got my shock ups replaced for free.

You have my thumbs up to buy the X3.

[actuallyankur]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Any reason for not trying out the Audi Q5 & Mercedes GLC?

Instead I would look at the Evoque which is a newer model if I want an aesthetically appealing LR; or would see if there's anyway to stretch for the Defender 90 which is honestly a brilliant car for your needs to tour the country though 3 doors have limits on it's practicality. I know you plan to sell it after warranty period - but if you can hold on to it for longer with extended warranty, it would justify the extra outlay in pricing.

I would also suggest waiting and checking out the new GLC when it makes it to our shores : the new C Class should give a good idea of what to expect.
It will be the latest in it's segment and unlike the X3, Discovery Sport, F-Pace, etc. - it will not be an old discontinued model (facelift maybe after 3-4 years) in 3-5 years when it is time to sell so you may benefit with better resale too.

Reason for not looking at GLC is simply because it's been too long in the tooth, plus the drive isn't as exhilarating. Whilst Audi in general seems to have lost it and fallen behind. The Q5's neither got the looks nor the drivability to write poems about.

The upcoming GLC does seem promising, but looking at how MB priced the new C-class, it might well slip out of budget. Plus there's no certainty on when MB will eventually decide to launch it on our shores, at what price, if any new or refined engine options will be introduced and how many features it retains over the global model, given the current chip shortage and the tendency of luxury automakers to pass on scaled down models here in India

[actuallyankur]

Originally Posted by actuallyankur

Hi!
I had been considering a Toyota Fortuner (4X4 AT Black color) for a while, made the booking in February, but now tempted to upgrade to a luxury SUV.

Needless to say I live to drive, the first vehicle I took for TD was the X3 330i and boy it amazes you!! It keeps pulling and pulling, holding on to the road like a clingy girlfriend. The brooklyn grey colour was the initial choice, but it supposedly will be a hindrance when I try to resell (I don't plan to keep it beyond the warranty period) it in a market like Allahabad, as people here tend to go for regular colors like white, black & silver more often.

Now, I am also tempted at the Jaguar F-pace (for the gorgeous looks) and Land Rover Discovery Sport (for the imposing presence, and the car looking bigger than it actually is), although I haven't been able to TD either since the cars are not available for TD at the dealer in Lucknow, imagine.

Not considering any used car options, any other suggestions are more than welcome

So need advice on following points-

1) Can anyone suggest how does F-pace and Discovery Sport compare to X3 in terms of driving, reliability, build-quality, etc. If anyone has driven any of these cars please share your driving experience.

2) Beemers being famous for their fun to drive quotient, are looking like a more attractive option. In case I do decide to go for X3, do you think Diesel makes more sense than Petrol in a city like Prayagraj/Allahabad where we do not have the 10 year rule. Diesel has 190 bhp & 400 Nm, while petrol has 252 bhp & 350 Nm. In real world what would be more beneficial- more torque or more power. Would there be a considerable difference in noise and vibration levels between diesel and petrol.

3) Also, whether I go for X3 or any of the counterparts, how does the running cost compare in between a diesel and petrol engine. If anyone is using BMW's 2 litre diesel or petrol units in any of the models please suggest.


P.S.- planning to use the car for long drives mainly, not much use in the city, and by long drives I mean covering places like Laddakh, Arunachal, Sikkim, Goa, Kerala and so forth on 4-wheels.

Fun fact- before shortlisting above cars, I tried my level best to see if there was any way (financing plans, discounts, etc. wherein I could stretch to a Porsche Macan.

So, after much consideration, and taking into account all of your feedbacks and suggestions, finally booked the BMW X3 xDrive 30i M-sport in carbon black color. Delivery is expected in mid October.

Was really tempted to go for the Brooklyn grey color, but wasn't sure how the shade would fare in long term, and if it would affect the resale prospects of the car. Since there was no option for Sapphire black (read: jet black), I went in for Carbon Black which I was told is a shade which will look dark royal blue under sunlight, and black at all other times. I am just hoping the shade looks more black than blue.

I am offered a price of Rs.75 lacs OTR, and according to the sales rep it is a discount of almost Rs.4.5 lacs. Can anyone suggest if this is a good deal or I should either push for better pricing.

Also, since it is my first luxury vehicle, please do suggest points to remember and/or things to do apart from getting extended warranty and maintenance package, like what accessories to go for. Do recommend about PPF/ceramic coating and which brand is best. Till now I have zeroed down Detailing devils for car detailing.

Rest, can't contain my excitement to finally own a Bimmer!!!

Thank you so so much for helping me decide on one of the most exciting decisions of my life!


P.S.- a number of you said why I am not considering the Audi Q5. Well I previously owned VW Passat, and had a pretty bad experience with the car and the company. The car broke down due to engine coolant leakage, and the fault couldn't be rectified even after 4 attempts by 2 different service centers, leading engine seizure. After trying to contact VW officials numerous times and not getting any support, I finally had to file a case in the consumer forum (judgement for the same is awaited). So swore against getting another VW car in the foreseeable future. I think I should probably pen down my Passat experience sometime.

[CosmicWizard]

Originally Posted by actuallyankur

I am offered a price of Rs.75 lacs OTR, and according to the sales rep it is a discount of almost Rs.4.5 lacs. Can anyone suggest if this is a good deal or I should either push for better pricing.

On OTR, a discount of Rs 4.5 lacs is on the lower side. Do this: take the inflated insurance part out, how much discount are you getting on ex-showroom? I bought mine in Sep,21 and got Rs 4.8L discount on the ex-showroom. Back in Jan 21, the discount was Rs 7.8L on ex-showroom but alas the color of our choice wasn't available and we had to wait and the prices went up and discounts went down :-(

Your all-inclusive insurance (include zero-dep, return to invoice etc etc) on X3 should be no more than Rs 1.5L so do the discount math from there. Good luck!

[actuallyankur]

Originally Posted by CosmicWizard

On OTR, a discount of Rs 4.5 lacs is on the lower side. Do this: take the inflated insurance part out, how much discount are you getting on ex-showroom? I bought mine in Sep,21 and got Rs 4.8L discount on the ex-showroom. Back in Jan 21, the discount was Rs 7.8L on ex-showroom but alas the color of our choice wasn't available and we had to wait and the prices went up and discounts went down :-(

Your all-inclusive insurance (include zero-dep, return to invoice etc etc) on X3 should be no more than Rs 1.5L so do the discount math from there. Good luck!

Thanks a lot @CosmisWizard that is very helpful!
Please do share the model and color you went for (some pictures of the same will indeed be very droolworthy).

Also, what warranty and service package you got, if any. The vehicle performance and issues if any so far, as well as the dealer and the ASR experience so far.

Cheers!