[CorsaLove]

Need some help here.

I'm in the market for a new car. Diesel.

However, liked the Tucson but yet to test drive it. But as god would have wanted, had to visit a used car showroom for a friend and liked a 2018 520d with 30K on odo.

Now confused which one to go for. Both are coming in almost the same price range.

Any advice would really be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

[androdev]

Originally Posted by CorsaLove

Both are coming in almost the same price range.

I'm sure you are aware that initial purchase price is not indicative of the total cost of ownership. In general, a car like 5 series requires a healthy bank balance and more importantly a willingness to splurge on luxury. So the decision really depends on your financial circumstances and your spending priorities.

Assuming that you are past the financial assessment, a car like 520d can be enjoyed only if your driving involves a good amount of open highways. If 90%+ of your driving is inside Bangalore (so sad!), then better look elsewhere.

My "guestimate" is that one would need a disposable cash of 2L per annum to service a 520d (in addition to EMI, Insurance, Fuel). I do not mean you will necessarily spend 2L (actual spend might be just 50K per annum), but you need to be in that financial zone to venture into 520d category.

If you are "living to drive" then all bets are off

Edit: If you are venturing into your first used luxury car, buy it from a known owner or from BMW official pre-owned section. Avoid open market stock.

[GTO]

+1 to Androdev.

If it was a 530d, then it wouldn't even be a discussion for an enthusiast. But for a 520d:

BMW = prestige, sheer quality, more fun-to-drive than a crossover, driving dynamics, happy engine + brilliant gearbox, cramped back seat, low GC, high cost of maintenance (75k / year initially, then 1 - 1.5 lakhs when out of warranty period).

Tucson for a properly premium crossover, more practical, peace-of-the-mind ownership, more space, better boot, rough-road friendly.

[EV NXT]

In case it helps, bhpian madagascar has moved to a Tucson from a BMW 530i and says it has exceeded all his expectations. Check out his post on the Tucson review thread.

Except for the performance models starting with the 330i and upwards and the badge value the Tucson is better in most areas. Its fast, rock steady at high speeds, handles like a sedan and is finished very well.

They say rallying improves the breed and Hyundai has won the WRC two years in a row and its possible that a little bit of that must have gone on to improve the handling and road manners of this car.

That the Tucson costs substantially less to buy and maintain just sweetens the deal and makes the BMW hugely overrated.

[AB93]

Slightly unrelated, but I am in a similar situation, but instead of the 520D, my option is a 2019 320D (under 15K kms).
1. What would be a fair price for the 320D?
2. How much can I expect to pay in overages per annum (except insurance, EMI, fuel) to the 320D.
3. Leading from 3, when buying a second hand BMW 3 series, what is the time period after which the car becomes painful (financially + time cost) - ergo, how many years can I extract from a 4 year old 320d, given I am a sedate driver?
4. After say 6-8 years of usage, can I expect to down sell it at a decent price and recoup anything?

[sunikkat]

Honestly, not even a contest it’s BMW. Whether 520d, 530d, 530i, 320d, 330i etc.
Other than practicality, space and ease of maintenance, Tucson doesn’t even come close to 520d in any of the parameters.

[DesertRain]

I have never owned a preowned car, maybe not the smartest move.
However if you dont mind a preowned car then what comparison are we talking about really.

Imagine sitting in a beemer cockpit

cheers

[VinsWagen]

If the BMW is reasonably well maintained and you can afford the maintenance costs, then its the Beamer hands down.

We may find BMW owners who are happy with the Tucson like our own Team BHPian Madagascar but I doubt there ever was or there ever will be a first-time BMW owner who would wish (s)he had bought a Tucson instead.

[sgmuser]

Another heart Vs brain case. I go for Beemer. One has to enjoy those luxuries if it's affordable. Especially you toil for what? Make yourself comfortable, feel good about yourself and feel safe. BMW will give you all of that and a lot more. That's why they are called Premium or Luxury. Best part is you're not even buying it as new so there you have saved good amount of money. Everytime you get in or get out the car reminds your achievements in your life. It's true. I'm not exaggerating. After all these, you go to a.family function and you show them you have arrived. It's a feeling worth that extra money.

Hyundai is a great highway rider and it's huge inside. We're getting a kind of LWB, so loads of space inside to relax on long trips. Smooth engine plus FE, brand new car and comes with latest technology which are typical of Hyundai. But it's a Hyundai. After sometime this is just another car and this is not the case with BMW. BMW is BMW. If you can afford to spend 1 lakhs for maintenance a year or 10k Kms, (it could be less), then pls go ahead with BMW provided the car you have chosen is a good one without any accident or flooding or abuse etc. I was split between Fortuner and X1 and went with X1 fyi. Nothing drives or handles like a BMW. Everything else is a bonus.

[adi.mariner]

If you are okay with the high upkeep of the BMW, go for it with your eyes closed. But don't max out out your budget with the purchase. Something like if your budget is 20 lakhs, buy a car worth around 15-16 lakhs and keep the spare as an emergency fund for repairs/maintenance. This is specially for cars which are out of warranty and service plans. All the best.

[EV NXT]

Just saw this review of the Tucson by the owner of a 330i:

Originally Posted by itwasntme

My take:
Excellent and totally modern vehicle without any major flaws, powerful and torquey diesel and seamless well-matched 9AT torque converter.

Drives almost like a sedan really. Was in the back seat on exact same route as XUV700, Creta, Seltos, Kushaq etc. and the Tucson was by far the best. To be clear, there is no comparison whatsoever on typical rural patchy road surfaces.

Rear seat very spacious too, and without too much bling or useless fripperies. Interiors are super good quality, and far better than my 330i Sport.

…..Frankly, for the diesel (KA on road 38.5 - 42L), there is no competition.

[indrangiri]

I bought a 2015 BMW 320D F30 with 25K on the odometer in 2020. Now have done around 15K in the past 2 years and luckily other than routine maintenance and change of tyres havent spent any extra.The important point is being diesels, these cars should be run regularly to avoid any issues with the injector clogging or the battery charge going down. However, the BMW uses AGM batteries that have a great life of 7+ years but would cost around 35-40 K to replace.

The driving dynamics shine on good highway and I recently did a long drive to Goa of around 630 KM in 10 hrs of driving time. Did not feel tired at the end of the drive and this is due to the perfect drivers position and handling in a BMW !!

[revsperminute]

The car you go for should fit your needs. Do you have a second car in the garage? Having a 5 as your only car will get very cumbersome in the city (street parking, valets, short runs). A 5 will also be considerably more expensive to maintain. If you happen to keep cars for a long period of time, non-availability of zero depreciation insurance is something to consider as well.

Coming to the 520d as a car-

Having driven the g30 520d in the city and on highway runs, the car will not wow you in the engine department. The dynamics and cruising ability is insane though. GC is pretty low and your car will be kissing most ‘desi’ speed breakers even when angled.


If you really want one from the heart, I say go for it. A BMW is a BMW.

[casnov]

Your location is Bangalore and Tucson's on-road price is ~40 lakhs. If you are getting a pre-owned BMW at the same price then looks like its pretty new and well kept. Nobody grows up with a dream of owning a Hyundai no matter how much they have improved, and when you have a chance of owning a Beamer, grab it with both the hands, put a check against it in your bucket list.

[AB93]

Originally Posted by indrangiri

I bought a 2015 BMW 320D F30 with 25K on the odometer in 2020. Now have done around 15K in the past 2 years and luckily other than routine maintenance and change of tyres havent spent any extra.The important point is being diesels, these cars should be run regularly to avoid any issues with the injector clogging or the battery charge going down.

1. What was the ballpark price that you paid for the F30?

2. What is the sort of daily running that one would require to justify the diesel engine? If my daily run is less than 15 KMS, would I be signing up to misery by buying a German diesel?