[geotracks]

Originally Posted by SahilSawant

After a lot of detailed discussion within the family, we all zeroed down on the BMW X1 X-line s20d.
It's a beautiful car and I'm totally in love with it. It's been just three months and I've already clocked more than 5000 kms, and I don't even use it for my daily commute.
It's totally fun to drive and I'm glad I chose the car over all the other options considered. It's true that this car is meant for just 4 people, unlike the Innova or the Fortuner, but apart from the space factor, it's miles ahead.
I'd be glad to help anyone who needs more information on this. Thanks to everyone once again.

Congratulations! Indeed a nice choice. Do post some pictures.

What were the points that finally tilted in favor of the BMW X1 v/s Fortuner (thought they cannot be directly compared).

[SahilSawant]

Apologies for the late reply.

The most important reason for selecting the X1 was the way it drives. You just put the foot down and it zooms like a rocket whereas the fortuner takes considerate amount of time to get there.
Other than that, the fortuner doesn't feel as premium as the X1 on the inside. Even though it is feature packed, it just doesn't feel worth shelling out 40 Lacs.

As for the pictures, I'm working on an ownership review, will upload it in a few days. Thanks

[V3V]

Greetings gentlemen, a newbie here. Stumbled on this forum when doing some research on buying a new car. Would seek your inputs/guidance on selecting the new family member for us. Also apologies in advance for seeking inputs on comparing apple to oranges!

Context:
We are looking to replace our 14 years old (quite old!) Honda City. We are a nuclear family (2 adults + 1 kid). We plan to have a single car in household which we primarily use for office commute and weekend runs. Our monthly average run is ~500km. Over long term, expect 90% of driving in city (Mumbai, mix of bumper to bumper traffic as well as some free stretches on the eastern suburbs) and balance ~10% on the highways. The driving duties are split between me and my better-half ~50%-50%. Given our monthly mileage, we think it makes sense to look at Petrol cars only. The mandatory requirements are (a) Automatic transmission (b) Sunroof (c) New car only. Our driving styles are quite grounded and not what one would call enthusiastic driver. We intend to keep this car long term (>5 years). Honestly speaking, we don't have any specific preference towards a sedan or a compact SUV (large SUV's are out though). We are looking at premium-ish vehicles only because of our hedonistic traits. Our budget is ~30L (at max we can extend this by ~20%)


The initial shortlist:
Honda Civic: Being a member of the Honda ecosystem, this was the first port of call. However, reading a few reviews and watching a few videos made me think quite critically. Most of the reviewers had compared this to Octavia and it seems that this car lagged Octavia in all parameters (except maybe the looks). Anyhow, got a TD for Civic ZX. Important point to note is that I test drove Civic after i had already test driven Octavia. Needless to say, this was stuck off the shortlist within 60 secs of placing my foot on the pedal. Better half had taken the test drive first and when we swapped the driver seats, she had said you don't need to drive this! Sluggish power, poor interiors, low seating etc. were insurmountable barriers.

Skoda Octavia: We hadn't even thought about considering this car. Some family/friends had bought Skoda vehicles back in the day and the feedback from them at that point in time was to not even touch Skoda vehicles with a ten feet pole. However there was no one in my current social circle who owned a Skoda vehicle in recent times with whom I could check the current status. Anyhow, desktop research showed that this car is the segment leader so we thought there is no harm in checking it out. Test drive for Octavia was scheduled and by chance it was prior to the Civic test drive. Went to the showroom and the SA showcased us Octavia 1.8 TSI L&K. We were quite impressed with the vehicle: roomy interiors, plush cabin feeling, comfortable seats and overall a high quality feeling. Then when it came to actual drive, the experience was phenomenal! Very comfortable ride quality, superb handling and great acceleration. This ticked all the boxes and made sure that any other car we check out had to beat the benchmark set by Octavia. We didn't discount much on commercials but the SA indicated discount of ~1L.


Jeep Compass: This was another option we came across in our research. However, it got knocked off quite quickly. When we checked this out in showroom, we found the overall cabin experience quite average. Another important point was that based on our research we figured out that automatic petrol was quite a fuel guzzler.

Vehicles not considered

Volkswagen Passat: We don't like the overall look of the vehicle. Also, since it is diesel only, it did not make it to the shortlist.

Toyota Corolla Altis: Same as Volkswagen Passat

MG Hector: We found it quite large. Also our view was that most of the features are quite gimmicky. Would prefer to spend on a better car experience vs. fancy tricks


The next stage of the journey
So in our minds, we had firmed up on Octavia. Further research on the car ensued including product as well as after sales service. During this stage pored over several pages of information on this forum as well as other resources. As a part of this research stumbled on the fact that the big Germans are offering large discounts. So we thought what's the harm in checking them out! So while engaging with Skoda, we also started speaking to the Germans. Below is the summary of our discussions

Superb: Someone on this forum had mentioned about a good deal on Superb Sportline. We reached out to the dealer to enquire about this (sometime early Sep). He mentioned that he will check and get back. He called backing they have some offers on Style variant which we can discuss. We visited the showroom and test drove Superb 1.8 TSI L&K. The experience was well, Superb. The comfort, cabin experience, driving experience was quite good. Long story short, the SA managed to up-sell us to a Superb (Style 1.8 TSI AT) vs. an Octavia earlier. We understand that Superb is due for an upgrade next year but we aren't willing to wait that long (Plus potential teething issues for the new engine. Better to fight a known beast vs. the unknown). We did start negotiating on the commercials. It would be helpful if anyone can share what levels of discount is Skoda offering these days. We have been offered ~2L at this stage.

Mercedes: From the stable of 3-stars, the only vehicle we were willing to consider was C-class (C200 or C220d). GLA is too small and CLA is low in terms of both space and features. They did come down on the asking price but still way out of our budget.

Audi: We considered A4 and Q3 from Audi. A4 was outside our budget despite some good discounts while Q3 lacked any appeal.

BMW: We looked at X1 (sDrive xLine). The sales guys were quite upfront regarding discount. They mentioned that they could be more aggressive on pricing for the diesel variants. So we said that we would be open to diesel as well. It is still early days in our discussions and they have shaved off close to 7L off the ex-showroom price. Pricing aside, while the overall experience of the car was good, I didn't find it as plush and comfortable as the Superb besides lack of several features in X1 like front sensors, cruise control etc. (which is quite understandable based on the difference between badge value of Skoda vs. BMW). Also I found the drive quality of Superb more refined to the X1 (I suppose it is because of my preferred driving style and the fact that while we test drove a petrol Superb vs. a diesel X1) as well as Superb managing to eat up a lot of bumps vs. the X1 (which I suppose is because of difference in suspension of the the cars)

So where are we now and some questions

We have been discussing this thoroughly between us and where we are today is a 2 horse race between the Superb and the X1 (with a bias towards Superb). We understand it is like comparing apple vs. oranges but here we are. My spouse has a strong preference towards badge value and feels that if we can agree with the dealer on mutually agreeable commercials, then X1 is the way to go. My viewpoint is that while X1 is a good car, we are getting a more feature rich and comfortable car (i.e Superb) for a lower cost. Additionally, maintenance for Superb would be cheaper vs. X1. To summarise, the equation is:

X (Superb) = High quality car overall in terms of both driving and comfort + relatively cheaper to maintain + Cheaper vs. X1

Y (X1) = An above-average car + BMW badge value + Expensive vs. Superb

Now we have to decide whether X>Y or X<Y.

The package we are looking for Superb is 1.8 TSI AT Style + extended warranty for 2 years (total 6 years) + dealer maintenance package (which includes extra components not covered under standard Skoda maintenance package)

The package we are looking for X1 is sDrive xLine Diesel + 3 years BSI (We will purchase warranty extension as we move forward)

Now to the questions:
1. Is there some obvious miss from our side in terms of cars we have looked at? (i.e. any other car which we should consider besides ones mentioned above)

2. Based on my research, I understand that A.S.S has been a major issue for Skoda in the past and they have been improving on it in recent times. To address this, we have decided to take the extended warranty and this service package. Are there any other protection measures we can consider?

3. Is there any other add-on we should consider for X1 besides BSI?

4. The Skoda dealer is insisting on 100% payment for the vehicle when placing the order. I have not purchased any car in recent times so I am not sure what is the standard market practice but common sense says that 100% payment should be done only after PDI. The SA is insisting that they will have to place an order at the factory for the car (they don't have any in their stock) and Skoda will not start manufacturing a 30L car based on 50k booking amount. Is this a fair ask?

5. Any other points which we have missed or any additional thoughts you would like to share with us.

Thank you for reading through this and looking forward to your inputs!

[ike]

Originally Posted by V3V

4. The Skoda dealer is insisting on 100% payment for the vehicle when placing the order. I have not purchased any car in recent times so I am not sure what is the standard market practice but common sense says that 100% payment should be done only after PDI. The SA is insisting that they will have to place an order at the factory for the car (they don't have any in their stock) and Skoda will not start manufacturing a 30L car based on 50k booking amount. Is this a fair ask?

Thank you for reading through this and looking forward to your inputs!

This is not on. Skoda will not manufacture the car for 50k but it is for the dealer to cough up the cost. He is trying to ensure his working capital doesn't get held up. What happens if you decide to cancel the booking?

[simeonovitch]

Originally Posted by V3V

The next stage of the journey
So in our minds, we had firmed up on Octavia. Further research on the car ensued including product as well as after sales service. During this stage pored over several pages of information on this forum as well as other resources. As a part of this research stumbled on the fact that the big Germans are offering large discounts. So we thought what's the harm in checking them out! So while engaging with Skoda, we also started speaking to the Germans. Below is the summary of our discussions

Superb:

And this is where you messed up.
Get a grip on yourself. You're a family of three.
You love the Octy.

Just because there are discounts on the Superb, doesnt mean you have to get it. The superb is far bigger, targeted at a chauffeured crowd, will be impractical in the city, due to the dimensions etc etc.

You've forgotten your own criteria of getting a petrol because there are discounts on the Diesel X1. Did you factor in the additional service cost of the diesel? In addition to the extra costs of a BMW over a skoda?

A friend wanted a cheap, compact reliable go anywhere 4x4.

Started looking at a Gypsy King 4x4.
Then thought, hey, I can add a couple of lakhs more and get a Thar 4x4 with AC and power steering. Then thought, I'm already spending close to 10 on a Thar, why dont I get a Scorpio 4x4. Then thought, the Hexa AWD isnt that bad of a car, and is new in the market. Then thought. 18-ish for a Hexa? I can get a Pajero Sport (with discounts) for that much.
Then asked me to accompany him for a TD.

I hit him on the head with a soft drink bottle, and reminded him that his criteria was a simple reliable go anywhere 4x4, not luxury people carrier.

He then bought a Gypsy.

[parasgupta]

I believe BMW is offering good discounts on the Petrol X1 as well.

If you need any information specifically regarding the Petrol X1 please let me know as I've noticed that there aren't too many around. I had a tough time trying to get first hand information regarding the Petrol version before I made my purchase. I got mine just last month and so far it's been an absolute delight.

I do agree with simeonovitch. The Superb will be too much car for a family of 3 specially considering your requirements/ usage.

[Shreyas_H]

Originally Posted by V3V

BMW: We looked at X1 (sDrive xLine). The sales guys were quite upfront regarding discount. They mentioned that they could be more aggressive on pricing for the diesel variants. So we said that we would be open to diesel as well.

They might be more keen to sell you a Diesel, but a Petrol also has a lot of discounts going these days. A simple Whatsapp query to a sales manager at Infinity BMW told me that they can give a discount of 6L on the petrol X1.
Obviously, negotiating more and sitting with a cheque book in your hand will bring you a much higher discount than that.

Since you were looking for a petrol anyway, would suggest that you don't change your preference just because a showroom guy told you there is a higher discount on Diesel!

PM me if you need the contact details for BMW Infinity.

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by simeonovitch

And this is where you messed up.
Get a grip on yourself. You're a family of three.
You love the Octy.

Just because there are discounts on the Superb, doesnt mean you have to get it. The superb is far bigger, targeted at a chauffeured crowd, will be impractical in the city, due to the dimensions etc etc.

Tend to agree with the soft drink bottle treatment .

With your use case, the Superb will (in daily life), suddenly become a handful manoeuvring in B2B traffic, street parking, mall entrances/exits and sharp speedbreakers. It could limit your very usage of the car because you will think hard before taking it to particularly tricky situations.

Stick to the Octavia L&K. Its at the end of a long lifecycle, thoroughly tried and tested under Indian conditions for >6 years now. The size is just right with only a front overhang (lower lip) and has immense road presence especially with the split DRLs.

Wring out the maximum cash discount instead of dealer-driven warranty schemes and of course take the 6 year package. Pay only the booking amount or walk away showing your chequebook.

[GladRagu]

Originally Posted by V3V

BMW: We looked at X1 (sDrive xLine). The sales guys were quite upfront regarding discount. They mentioned that they could be more aggressive on pricing for the diesel variants. So we said that we would be open to diesel as well. It is still early days in our discussions and they have shaved off close to 7L off the ex-showroom price. Pricing aside, while the overall experience of the car was good, I didn't find it as plush and comfortable as the Superb besides lack of several features in X1 like front sensors, cruise control etc. (which is quite understandable based on the difference between badge value of Skoda vs. BMW). Also I found the drive quality of Superb more refined to the X1 (I suppose it is because of my preferred driving style and the fact that while we test drove a petrol Superb vs. a diesel X1) as well as Superb managing to eat up a lot of bumps vs. the X1 (which I suppose is because of difference in suspension of the the cars)

Hi,
7L discount is very good. Could you please let me know the final on road price you were offered for X1 and the breakup if possible.

I also did td of superb petrol AT & X1 X line.

I find the following in X1:
More planted on road and hence felt confident driving it as if I have been driving this car for years, smooth non-noticeable great shifts and ample power on demand, very good steering feedback (almost like the Fiat Linea) .
Yes, I'll miss the cruise control which I have been using it well in my linea but the X1 is fantastic to drive and hence I can live without the cruise.

On the Superb:
On the gear shift:
During quick lane changes, when I needed more power, I noticed a delay in upshifting many times and it's strange that all the reviews claim petrol AT is great to drive in superb! I tried the sport mode and that noticeable difference was still there. Could be some problem with td car. There was no such issue with BMW and it was a pure power packed drive. I'm about to td a diesel Superb in the following weeks and let's see whether this issue present in that as well.

It's loaded with features and definitely value for money when compared with X1 but the drive isn't as good as the BMW. The steering feedback isn't that good compared to X1 and I would rate it lower than Linea. Particularly, at high speed (160++) quick lane changes, I felt home in X1 like in Linea but not with Superb. Also, in braking dept, road visibility BMW wins.
Seat comfort, suspension is very good in superb and I hate the low thigh support in X1.

Bmw is bare-bones features wise when compared with Superb.

Family also prefers BMW as they feel it's more roomier than superb!

So, we're planning to buy X1.

[Madhusudhan]

Originally Posted by V3V

.....We are looking to replace our 14 years old (quite old!) Honda City. We are a nuclear family (2 adults + 1 kid). We plan to have a single car in household which we primarily use for office commute and weekend runs. Our monthly average run is ~500km. Over long term, expect 90% of driving in city (Mumbai, mix of bumper to bumper traffic as well as some free stretches on the eastern suburbs) and balance ~10% on the highways. The driving duties are split between me and my better-half ~50%-50%. Given our monthly mileage, we think it makes sense to look at Petrol cars only. The mandatory requirements are (a) Automatic transmission (b) Sunroof (c) New car only. Our driving styles are quite grounded and not what one would call enthusiastic driver. We intend to keep this car long term (>5 years). Honestly speaking, we don't have any specific preference towards a sedan or a compact SUV (large SUV's are out though). We are looking at premium-ish vehicles only because of our hedonistic traits. Our budget is ~30L (at max we can extend this by ~20%).............

This is soo close to my own search!! The similarities r from the range of cars to the size of the family . I too had discovered how awesome Octavia was after TD of some of the cars mentioned in your post. And after going through some of the posts on Team BHP, I made an enquiry of Superb Sportline got an awesome deal on it and just picked it up 5 days back.

Whether it’s X1 of Superb, you wouldn’t be disappointed. It’s a choice of badge vs VFM. We went with Superb for 6 years peace of mind, the features it comes with, the space and of course it drives well. We didn’t opt for X1 because of the space on the rear seat and how basic the car was on the features on the expedition variant. Of course even that was way expensive than the Superb.

When it comes to my experience on driving Superb on Mumbai roads, yes it’s a big car but you forget that once you get used to it. Prior to this I was driving i20 for about 10 years. They are cheese and chalk in size but am sure with little miles on my side it’s not an issue.

Go with how you felt when you drove them. After test driving and evaluating so many cars what I have realised is that there is no wrong car, I went with what felt great to me and Superb it was!

[lamborghini]

Just a few thoughts:
1) Check with the BMW dealer if they have any old stock F30 3 series available.

2) The X1 makes a lot of sense given the conditions of the road + easier to drive. That being said, so is the Octavia and it's substantially cheaper with more kit.
The BMW will be easier to maintain though and overall more reliable as well IMO. Keep in mind that the Octavia will be soon replaced with an all new model, and the X1 will also see a facelift soon.

3) The Superb makes sense if you are driven around, but that aside as a self driving car you are not gaining much.

4) If you are hesitant to try Skoda because of service woes, have a look at the Elantra as well - overall a very nice understated car though still lagging behind the Octy, but nicer than the Civic to drive IMO!

If I were you, I'd go between the Octavia & X1: whichever tugs at the heart more.

[V3V]

Thank you for spending your time and sharing your thoughts. It's been quite helpful to read through the replies!

Originally Posted by ike

He is trying to ensure his working capital doesn't get held up. What happens if you decide to cancel the booking?

Thank you for sharing your inputs. Will stick to paying only the booking amount till PDI

Originally Posted by simeonovitch

And this is where you messed up.
I hit him on the head with a soft drink bottle, and reminded him that his criteria was a simple reliable go anywhere 4x4, not luxury people carrier.

Thanks for this and raising some very pertinent questions! I guess it would be helpful for me to factor in these additional parameters

Originally Posted by parasgupta

If you need any information specifically regarding the Petrol X1 please let me know as I've noticed that there aren't too many around. I had a tough time trying to get first hand information regarding the Petrol version before I made my purchase. I got mine just last month and so far it's been an absolute delight.
.

Congratulations on your new ride!! We did have petrol as the first priority as well. And as you have mentioned, there is lack of information about the petrol version. The SA told us that >90% of cars sold in this segment are diesel ones (which corroborates with lack of information about the feedback on petrol variant). We haven't had a first hand experience of driving the petrol version yet. It would be helpful if you can provide your views on following:
1. I found the NVH levels on the diesel version on the higher side. Is it same for petrol version as well?
2. How is the maintenance service for the petrol variants? (Given that most of the cars sold are the diesel variant)
3. How's the performance of the petrol gearbox in your experience so far?
4. Any other key points you would like to share from your ownership experience so far

Originally Posted by Shreyas_H

Since you were looking for a petrol anyway, would suggest that you don't change your preference just because a showroom guy told you there is a higher discount on Diesel!

PM me if you need the contact details for BMW Infinity.

Thank you for your inputs! We have been talking to Infinity on this. I do understand they would be more amenable to additional discount. We will stick to the petrol version and see what deal do they offer. And thanks for your offer to share the contact. We have been talking to Naseeb at Infinity. It would be nice if you can M me your contact details. Unfortunately I don't have credentials to send a PM.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Tend to agree with the soft drink bottle treatment .

Stick to the Octavia L&K.

Pay only the booking amount or walk away showing your chequebook.

Well, it seems I do deserve the soft drink bottle therapy! Thank you for your insights! It is quite helpful!

Originally Posted by GladRagu

Hi,
7L discount is very good. Could you please let me know the final on road price you were offered for X1 and the breakup if possible.

So, we're planning to buy X1.

Congratulations on the potential buy! The SA ran the discounted numbers on his laptop so I don't have the exact break-up. The OTR cost was in range of ~41L

Originally Posted by Madhusudhan

This is soo close to my own search!! The similarities r from the range of cars to the size of the family .

Go with how you felt when you drove them. After test driving and evaluating so many cars what I have realised is that there is no wrong car, I went with what felt great to me and Superb it was!

Thank you for your comments and congratulations on the new car! It's quite helpful to know that there are people in same boat as us If you don't mind, would you mind sharing your thought process between selecting Superb vs. Octy? (Or was it the heart call!)

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Just a few thoughts:
If I were you, I'd go between the Octavia & X1: whichever tugs at the heart more.

Will check with the dealers regarding F30 3 series (we weren't proactively offered any in our discussions thus far). We did read about the facelifts but concerns are regarding price hike and Octavia getting a brand new engine. I guess now its battle of heart between Skoda and BMW!

[parasgupta]

Originally Posted by V3V

Congratulations on your new ride!! We did have petrol as the first priority as well. And as you have mentioned, there is lack of information about the petrol version. The SA told us that >90% of cars sold in this segment are diesel ones (which corroborates with lack of information about the feedback on petrol variant). We haven't had a first hand experience of driving the petrol version yet. It would be helpful if you can provide your views on following:
1. I found the NVH levels on the diesel version on the higher side. Is it same for petrol version as well?
2. How is the maintenance service for the petrol variants? (Given that most of the cars sold are the diesel variant)
3. How's the performance of the petrol gearbox in your experience so far?
4. Any other key points you would like to share from your ownership experience so far

Thank you.

1. The NVH levels in the petrol are definitely better that what you’ll get in the diesel. That I believe holds true for any segment/ any car. It’s the same here.

2. The service intervals are need/ usage based but on an average you can expect 25k per year on maintenance. This is a less than the diesel. BMW is offering BSI Plus for 3 years/ 40000kms at approx 78k all inclusive if you purchase it within 1 month of getting the car. It’s this that I’m really confused about. Whether to buy or not.

3. Honestly, you miss out on a lot of features if let’s say you decide to do a toss up between Kodiaq and X1 (which was our case). What really swung me was the drive ... that engine and the gearbox ... that silly grin on your face is very difficult to wipe off once the X1 gets going. Absolute drivers delight. Creature comforts and all can then take a hike. Frankly, I haven’t been able to summon the courage to see what it’ll do in Sport mode.

4. One very irritating naggle ... the boot is originally designed with electronic opening/ closing. In India however, none of the models have that. They are all manual. In doing so, although they’ve saved some imaginary cost, but closing the boot now does take 2-3 attempts for someone who’s not familiar with it. I’m planning to take it up with BMW as and when I get the time.

That’s it for now. Buy it. With your eyes wide shut.

[bottle]

I would like to catch up if you are based in Chennai, we were very keen to get the Petrol but at that time it was unavailable I feel that I missed out on it

[KMT]

I cant vouch for its veracity but you might want to check this out-

Rs. 11 Lakh Discount On Land Rover Discovery Sport, Cheaper Than Toyota Fortuner

https://gaadiwaadi.com/land-rover-di...s-11-lakh/amp/