[nmn.070]

Originally Posted by dealer

Above a 120kmph there is a very minor vibration that can be felt on the steering wheel and until I read the forums, I just thought it's just the large R19 wheels that are transferring road vibrations to the car. You wouldn't know about the vibration unless you actively think about it.

Ok good to know. Hopefully even that is resolved in the new drivetrain. The forums made it sound like it's undriveable. Clearly that's not the case.

Originally Posted by B747fan

I had a chat with someone who works at Mercedes in Jaipur, and they told me that the C300d is still available, albeit in lower quantity due to production constraints, and that the C43 was planned since a long time. So maybe your sales advisor got it wrong.

That's encouraging. But experience with the GLA35 has put me off with Mercedes. And even if available I'm sure they don't have a TD vehicle available so no sense. Long term reliability of EV seems better than ICE to me. Thank you for sharing the information though!

[nmn.070]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

With the Budget you have, you should be adding a couple more cars to the list.

• Mercedes Benz E Class
• Audi A6

The E Class will blow the BMW away when it comes to the interior and ride (Yes it does sit a segment higher)

The Audi A6 is pure Elegance.

The above two are unlikely to be anywhere near as fast as the M340i. That said, 0-100 dash in just over 6 seconds is decent. Pottering around in the city, I doubt you'll be able to tell the difference.

Personally, I find the M340i's springs a bit edgy for day to day use. Flat out on the highway is where this car belongs.

As a few have already said, an EV should be on top of your list.

Thank you for the suggestions. As you recognised correctly, I'm most inclined for an EV now. Also, A6 is FWD and E class is best to be driven in. We are hunting for a car that will be self driven and to be enjoyed as such. Long distance duties are reserved for the cavernous Kia carnival.

[nmn.070]

I want to thank everyone for their inputs. Have decided to go for the Volvo C40 recharge. My reasons for not opting for the other options are as follows:

ICE (340i, c300d, gla35)

I have experienced some great ICE vehicles over the last 2 decades and the entire experience is now getting slightly tedious in the face of new technology. Odd breakdowns, too many parts for wear and tear, high running costs, the horror of exhaust gases are some of the reasons that the sound of an engine cannot compensate for. Since we have other vehicles for emergency and touring duties it made sense to go for an EV now.

Electric Vehicles

It is now a known fact that the lifetime carbon footprint of EVs is much lower than that of ICE. Also, it is easier to contain emissions at the point of production (powerplants) than to manage each vehicle in the road. I believe that people buying their second or more successive car should make more environmentally sustainable choices. We borrow this earth from future generations, let us do our bit to keep it safe. Also, both my house and office have renewable sources for electricity so charging the car is 100% clean.

Hyundai Ioniq 5 - loved the car at the price, a tad too slow to my liking and the white interiors make me nervous about long term wear as I have 2 small kids.

BMW ix1, i4 - both are unavailable. I4 also happens to be too low and the ix1 not differentiated enough from other products here other than its bmw-ness. Wanted to experience something different from bmw which has been great so far.

Kia EV6 - the strongest contender here. I really liked it. My reasons for not picking it is that it offers too many options and settings. I struggle with ocd and I would constantly be fiddling around with everything. Having driving modes would make me go mad as I would be switching constantly instead of enjoying the drive. True luxury for me is to have things set just right and then to enjoy how it was designed instead of having micro control over everything. The ev6 also seemed expensive being a cbu and the seat somehow wasn't as comfortable as the Volvo even though it was more spacious. The speed in sport mode is good but not exhilarating enough for me. It feels very much like my old 328i. Lastly, the outlandish looks are something I'm on the fence about. Do not wish to stand out too much.

Volvo C40 - I think I had my heart set ever since I had the first drive. The interior is dull. The 360 camera is not up to the mark. The space is slightly cramped. The platform is not true EV. The range is shorter than the competition. These were reasons why I wasn't sure but over the last 2 weeks, deliberating on these things has made me focus on what I want. A trusted brand that focuses on safety and longevity. Premium yet sustainable interiors. Convenience of just driving and enjoying without fiddling with settings. The best performance shy of the 1crore mark. In the city it feels quicker than the 340i. Small footprint that makes it easy to park and drive in congestion. Endearing looks that do not attract too much attention. Did I mention the speed?

Thank you all once again. I'm now waiting to place my order as I move on to the choice of color. Happy driving!

[iliketurtles]

Congrats! Every car on the market is imperfect, with shortcomings of its own. Given your must-have feature set, the C40 is pretty much the best choice you could make. Congrats, and do post pics once you get her, and post a thread too. Not too many of them from EV owners!

[Tanmay8488]

I think me commenting won’t make much sense since most people have already voiced my opinions, what I would rather like to do is to ask you sir, what is your profession? I am still a student, would like to know about the field that you’re in, I too would like to have a career which pays me this much that I am able to afford a car worth 80 lakh rupees. Sorry for my orthodoxy but I am guessing you must be a businessman, if yes, what business do you own?

[nmn.070]

Originally Posted by Tanmay8488

I think me commenting won’t make much sense since most people have already voiced my opinions, what I would rather like to do is to ask you sir, what is your profession? I am still a student, would like to know about the field that you’re in, I too would like to have a career which pays me this much that I am able to afford a car worth 80 lakh rupees. Sorry for my orthodoxy but I am guessing you must be a businessman, if yes, what business do you own?

If you're a student, study hard and be good at what you aim to be doing in life. Most professions can get one to this point and beyond eventually. (Mods- I'm not sure if this tangent is permissible. Kindly advise)

[nmn.070]

I felt it important to provide regular updates for readers who have subscribed. Often feeling frustrated by abrupt end to discussions without updates and ownership feedback. Always found it refreshing to see those so I will try and follow up here.

Since it was already close to the end of the year I decided to place my order in 2024 for better residuals. I utilised the additional time at hand by doing extensive drives. I ore informed the dealerships and took around 2 hours test drives in mixed conditions on successive days for the following vehicles. I think it will be really helpful for those in a similar dilemma:

bmw m340i was exciting. However the turbo lag is present in city conditions and I sorely missed the immediate response of EVs. Also, the firm suspension made for a really bad time in the rear seats. I drove this back to back with my 328i and found that to be much more balanced and enjoyable to rev out within speed limits. The fake engine sound was horrendous but thankfully can be turned off. For the occasional 10% when the extra power will be used, I found the price gap too large to justify. I don't track my cars so made little sense to have this.

Hyundai ioniq 5 was comfortable. Found the lounge like interiors to be the best second time around. Comfortable to drive and be a passenger in. Sorely lacks power but if you want something that isn't an attack vehicle, this seems like a winner. The benefit of CKD brings the price comparable to a Camry and I would seriously pick this over the Camry. The infotainment is ok. I don't understand why people are celebrating it. A humble i20 offers the same more or less. The adas was hit and miss. I would keep them on just for the novelty. Not real utility. Easy to drive is the takeaway. Considering it as my second option if finances don't work out for a 65L car in 2024. Sub 50L it feels like the best car available.

Kia ev6 was good to drive. Power is sufficient. Space is good. However did not like the seats much. They are odd. Even my wife was least comfortable over the 2 hours in this. The contouring is not optimum and floor is high. The headroom is also less. Dark interiors make it feel dingy compared to the Hyundai. The infotainment like I said was very mediocre. Don't like that you have to stretch a lot to navigate the screen from a comfortable driving position. The heads up display was also not of a good quality. It has features like ar but the focal point made it feel odd. My 9 year old 328i has a crisper hud. The extended TD worked against the ev6 the most. I found the materials to be lacking after getting enough time to really feel everything by hand. It's a decent car but feels overpriced compared to the ioniq 5. I would not buy this over the ioniq 5 given the almost 20L price difference. Additional power cannot compensate for everything else which is at par with the Hyundai. Priced 5L above the Hyundai, it would have been my second pick. Overall ride and handling was the most balanced out of all. Softer than the bmw while still being a good handler outside of a track. Felt confident driving it at pace. If the seats could be better i would consider again but not this time around.

Volvo c40 extremely responsive drivetrain. Decent comfort but not a handling beast like the bmw or Kia. Still it felt sturdy and confident. The interiors lack space but over a longer drive I was more comfortable in the seats. The interior quality is a nitch above the Koreans. Android automotive was a blessing after the kia infotainment. Still not easy to navigate but less clutter and amazing voice control with Google assistant. I found it easiest to adapt to. Has a no nonsense approach to everything. Comfort, tech, speed. All felt like they have depth of engineering. The glass roof is a question mark since Jaipur summers can bake bread inside a car. Ambient lighting was not as good as people make it to be. It's alright but doesn't feel premium. Other than that, the speed was at par with bmw but with even more immediacy. It has no modes to toggle and goes whenever you want it to. Feels sorted over expansion joints of flyovers. The seating position is great. Compact inside and out but seems to be the pick of the bunch at the price point. I'm surprised they don't sell this by the truckloads already. Might want to wait for the ex30 but that has even lesser space so most likely not made for my use case with a family. Any additional speed over the c40 would be unusable in the city and pointless on the highway with these cars having limited range.

TLDR - the Volvo is still my pick after test driving the vehicles again at length.

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by nmn.070

I felt it important to provide regular updates for readers who have subscribed.

Since it was already close to the end of the year I decided to place my order in 2024 for better residuals. I utilised the additional time at hand by doing extensive drives.

TLDR - the Volvo is still my pick after test driving the vehicles again at length.

A word of advice; if you’re waiting till 2024 anyways, keep an eye on how the Tesla story plays out. The Model 3 could be right up your alley. I hear chatter about poor build quality and questionable after-sales, but it’ll surely be worth a look if and when it launches.

Edit: on the topic of upcoming launches, stay tuned to the Ioniq 6. It’s also a compelling proposition on paper.

[lamborghini]

Heard there are discounts on X3.40i as per other thread, maybe worth stretching the budget if the drive is better than the M340i?

[nmn.070]

Originally Posted by iliketurtles

A word of advice; if you’re waiting till 2024 anyways, keep an eye on how the Tesla story plays out. The Model 3 could be right up your alley. I hear chatter about poor build quality and questionable after-sales, but it’ll surely be worth a look if and when it launches.

Edit: on the topic of upcoming launches, stay tuned to the Ioniq 6. It’s also a compelling proposition on paper.

There are a few launches to look out for. Ioniq 6 appears distasteful to me but is a good car otherwise. Tesla would be exciting ownership and will most likely carry superior brand cache. Byd seal seems interesting too with lfp batteries seemingly safer and more robust. It's going to rain EVs. I just hope that these happen before I get my booking done which would likely be in January and not later. The Volvo is still a sought after vehicle in markets with all these alternatives available and I don't want to get caught up in the wait and watch game too much. New launches will be just around the corner always. Thanks for the heads up though! Difficult to contain the excitement of getting a new car.

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Heard there are discounts on X3.40i as per other thread, maybe worth stretching the budget if the drive is better than the M340i?

I did not test drive it but seems like a very good option. My budget cap is at 80L though. I don't think it will be in that bracket even after discounts. Also, the instant torque of EVs is something ICE vehicles cannot compare with. The accessibility of performance is on a different plane altogether. This entire process of exploring EVs has ruined ICE for me now. Almost to the point where I feel that if I go ICE i should only look at practicality and retain my current car for a few more years. It feels wrong to put in so much money for a new ICE car.

[Sid9306]

Originally Posted by nmn.070

Please suggest any thing I'm missing out on. I feel EV will allow me to hold the car longer as I generally keep them for 5+ years with low cost of ownership. Range is not a big concern beyond 300kms real world. I'm ambivalent to sedan vs crossover. I saw another thread on someone going ahead with the Volvo c40 in a similar predicament. All the help is much appreciated.

Wow it’s like I’m reading the same thing that happened with me earlier in the year.
I was on a lookout for a similar purchase and drove every car listed above but I went for the 330Li since I never owned a Beemer before.

Just a small advise, TD the GLC300, the interior is much better than BMW, although it won’t provide that thrill of a low slung sedan, but it will be pretty close to what you want, a family car, just waiting for you to push that accelarator.

I had already stretched my budget to 330Li so I couldn’t really opt for the GLC300, but do give it a try before finalising.

[roadie]

Originally Posted by Sid9306

Wow it’s like I’m reading the same thing that happened with me earlier in the year.
I was on a lookout for a similar purchase and drove every car listed above but I went for the 330Li since I never owned a Beemer before. .

Did you drive the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe as well. Having driven the earlier 330i and the 330Li I did find a lot of float and body roll in the long wheel base. Surprisingly the 2 series had a much more tighter and fun ride.

[Sid9306]

Originally Posted by roadie

Did you drive the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe as well. Having driven the earlier 330i and the 330Li I did find a lot of float and body roll in the long wheel base. Surprisingly the 2 series had a much more tighter and fun ride.

I didn’t drive the 2 series Gran Coupe, but TD the i4 and M340i before deciding to buy the 330Li. I’m 6’3” thus rear seat space is a big issue for anyone sitting behind me.

i4 didn’t seem worth the money at all, although M340i is every bit of fun as they say, I had to go for the sane option of an everyday drive. But honestly, even 330Li is no less, considering I don’t even get to stretch it for more than a KM on Delhi roads without a bit of traffic or speed cameras, or bumps!!!

Honestly I prefer the softer sprung suspension as compared to the stiff one on previous ones and especially the m340i considering the roads, it absorbs the bumps much better. German cars have a long history of different parts making noise after a few years, I think this would be great considering most of the drive is going to be between 40-80 kmph.

[nmn.070]

A quick update on the final choice. I had finalized the C40 but whiling away time till 2024. In the meantime I got to drive a friend's new Z4m40i. This got me curious about the 340i again so found somebody to take me for a drive in a well run in example. There is a huge difference between the dealer's demo car and the personal car. I guess proper running in is still a thing.

So getting the BMW guys to give their best offers. If there's a good one on the table, might just be the popular choice of m340i for me too. I guess saving the planet may have to wait!

Getting cold feet about electric drivetrains. Although the Volvo seems to be trouble free, I heard about somebody losing battery warranty on an Ioniq5 over a scratched underbody panel. the replacement cost was quoted at higher than the cars MSRP. Such uncertainty is definitely a buzzkill.

Anybody updated on year end discounts on the m340i or the Volvo C40?

[nmn.070]

Closed the deal and the chapter of the new purchase. Went with something that is mostly not aligned with my initial demands!

Not the M340i - I enjoyed driving it. Got good deals on the table. Went for a final test drive with family and that was the end of it. I did not get to use the power much due to traffic in the city. At low speeds the car felt annoyed. It just wants to go. Kids were not happy with the constant acceleration and braking. Wife was unhappy with the harsh ride. Decided that I'm going to grow up and get a larger vehicle. An SUV that we can use as a family for long and short distances alike. X3M40i was out of my budget. No X3 either since it is only available in diesel now.

Not the C40 - over consumption of media made me have cold feet. I realized that I cannot drive to Shimla or dehradun with this car. That resale would be highly uncertain. That on my frequent Jaipur to Delhi runs Id have to hunt for chargers before my return leg. Overall I've decided to wait for 3 years for this technology to get robust and infrastructure to catch up.

As it is evident, I've gone from someone hunting for speed to someone looking for comfort and reliability. So here is what I've booked:

It is the Volvo XC60 - I got a great deal on the car which will be a my24. Planning to take delivery on 15th January but invoicing is done to get the December offers and prices locked in. It is front biased awd which I despise but it compensated for that by being extremely calming with the best audio system and massaging seats at even 3x the price. It looks handsome and will age well. It is a tried product so no reliability issues are expected. The Android automotive system is a big advantage in my opinion. I can drive this alone, with family, on short and long trips and keep it for long with its assured E20 fuel compliance. I have been a speed obsessed 3 series owner for a decade looking to drive fast but alone for safety of the kids (I never drive hard with them onboard). Time to become the cool sedate father who wants to spend quality time with the kids in and out of the car.

Thank you all for your generous feedback and helpful suggestions. Feels like a coming of age story for me personally as I always believe that my car should reflect my identity.

From a sleek, red and fast 328i to a soothing, mature and safe XC60.