I've finally decided and bought a BMW 320d dynamic edition and would love to share my decision making process, buying experience and my initial first few days of driving experience of the car!
The Decision making process
After a lot of contemplation between Skoda Superb, Volvo S60, VW Passat, BMW 320d & the Merc C200 Avantgarde - I finally ended up buying a BMW 3! Let me run you guys through the entire decision making process of ruling out the other cars I initially considered.
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Skoda Superb
DSG gearbox worries (was clear on wanting an AUTO only), Skoda A.S.S concerns drove me away from buying it Volvo S60
Lack of brand value & service centers was the losing point Passat
DSG gearbox worries, features such as auto parking etc. not practical for indian conditions, too expensive bringing it to BMW & Mercedes territory MINUS the brand value in comparison C200
Interiors were great in quality, but too conventional in design. The iDrive replacement for Merc is really sub standard in comparison - looks like a 1990s user interface. A tad bit costlier - and no substantial additional features. The elegance model looks like it's designed for 40+ aged guys, and the Avantgarde version looks too chic! The BMW 320d Dynamic Edition!
The drive response, the engine, the ultra smooth & quick gearshifts made me instantly fall in love with the beast! It really feels like a plane taking off on a run way. The ride is extremely firm around turns & bends even at high speeds - gives me a lot of confidence while driving. I think it's also because of the design of the car which feels more spread out, shorter in height and the bulges at the wheel arches.
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Dealership experience
I bought my 3 from KUN Exclusive in hyderabad. The sales person who interacted was well informed about the car and did a good job selling me into loving it! However, I was definitely disappointed with the fact that I got absolutely no discounts! I was hoping there would be some discounts considering that a new 2012 3 would be replacing the current model. I also hoped for the dealer to throw in something from their end, but I was shockingly surprised that I had no such luck. I also hoped that I would get a few accessories or upgrades as a token - but all I got was a car cover and floor mats!
Equipment & features
The car comes loaded with all the gizmos you could imagine -
- Condition based service (CBS) concept - the car tells you which individual component needs to be serviced - you could check status of each of these on your iDrive. This is completely the opposite of the conventional - leave it for service after 10,000kms etc.
- Dual zone climate control
- Rain sensors, light sensors (these are small but incredibly cool features trust me!). The viper goes faster if you suddenly try to throttle harder while overtaking etc. - all amazing small features added for higher safety!
- Auto up/down for all windows everywhere
- Incredibly cool traction control and stability assist! Check this video out -
- iDrive - this is a topic by itself. Built in phone through bluetooth (supports all features - lists my contacts, call history, conference calling, hold/unhold etc.), Vehicle statistics (avg fuel consumption, distance, distance to empty etc.), Journey Computer (reset and start logging your current journey - avg speed, fuel consumption, time driven, distance driven etc.), 12GB built in Harddisk for your music, Television (doordarshan only!), Loads of car settings - time/date, how doors lock/unlock, lighting options - day time lights, triple turn indicators etc., and plenty more!
- Sound system by Harman Kardon! Honestly, this is easily the best music I have EVER listened to in my "life"! No exaggeration - insanely high quality music system - and comes stock!
- Driver & passenger electric seats (driver's seats comes with 2 memory options - and the cool part is, each memory option also memorizes the side rear-view mirror positions)
- Auto mirror adjustment while reversing (mirror bends downwards while reversing, and comes back up automatically)
- Park assist sensors - shows a graphical view of the rear of your car while backing up
- Rear windows come with manual sun blinds to pull up - has a very very premium look and feel to it
- Electrically operated rear windshield sun blinds! Push a button, and the blinds roll up - looks super cool
- The keyfob maintains your vehicle's last known status - service information, distance driven etc. etc. and any service center would know your car with just the key. You can manually roll up/down your windows with the keyfob. Press and hold the unlock it continues to roll down all windows...you stop pressing it, it stops rolling down. Same with hold the lock button down to keep rolling up.
Engine & Performance
The 2.0l diesel engine is one extremely powerful engine. Every time I step on the the gas pedal, the insane surge of power makes you feel like you're about to take off the ground! The turbo kicks in just about half a second after flooring the pedal, but once it opens up...the car literally flies away. I can't tell you how much fun it is to throttle away leaving the rest of the vehicles far far away within seconds.
Mileage & Efficiency
So far I've done 1700kms. When I drive on highways (did a trip from Hyd to Blr & back), I consistently get 16kmpl. Within city, its always 13-14 which is amazing. I stay around Hitech city and here most of the roads are nice and open which contributes to better fuel efficiency. The worst I got was when I was in bangalore city traffic, which was still over 12 - and this being a diesel plant, its more than what I would expect.
Interiors & comfort
The driver and co passenger seats are very well crafted. I personally love the driving position, the flight cockpit like feel the car has. The iDrive controller is at the right location and the center armrest really makes it very comfortable. But there is one thing - the seats are very low in height and you would need to stretch your legs straight (there's lotsss of leg room) which is quite different if you come from an SUV style seating position. The rear seats also have a lot of leg room, even with the front seats extended all the way to the rear. The rear seat headroom might be questionable for someone taller than 6ft probably. A lot of attention to detail can be seen all around the cabin interiors which gives it a very premium feel.
My wishlist of additional features
- I really wish there was a way to automatically fold my outside rearview mirrors when I lock the car. The mirrors automatically open up if you go faster than 20kmph, but there is no way to auto fold the mirrors when you lock your car.
- Cruise control - whether I use it or not, it would have been good to have as a feature
- Navigation has been stripped off. The dealer told me its an additional 1.5L which is crazy! All they need to add is a GPS receiver and a software update! But that's BMW pricing for you!
- Bottle holders - the 1l bottles dont fit into the doors or anywhere for that matter. Small aspect, but gets annoying when you travel long distance.
- Spare tire - I know runflat tires are amazing, but still having a spare tire is definitely a good to have especially if you do longer trips
- Cooled glove box/storage area
So far, this is my first post...will keep posting more on this thread! You guys can ask any questions you have - and I could try and help! I had a lot of confusing questions while buying mine, and I can understand if you have the silliest of questions
Let me know if any of you guys want me to post pictures
cheers!