[Jangra]

My first Diesel car was Getz CRDi in 2008. A 110 horses pocket rocket costed me 5.75 lacs. I believe it was the most fun-to-drive car I've ever owned. Due to relocation, I had to sell and still feel bad and miss her

In 2010, bought a Swift Vdi to due to its popularity, however, continued to miss the 110-horse punch of my Getz. But it had unmatched reliability and superb drivability. Did a few cross-country trips and was my daily driver for 100 km/day office commute.

In the same year due to the need of having 2 cars, bought Figo 1.4 TDCi Titanium which like others have said in the forum, has a handling ability like go-carts, and from the inside, it was ahead of its time. In that budget in 2010, in-built Bluetooth, 2 airbags, and ABS were a rear feature.

Anyway, I relocated to US in 2012 and had to sell one car and decided to sell the Swift since I wanted my parents to drive the car with ABS and Airbags.

Relocated back to India in 2016 and after much research on Team-BHP, bought a Vento TSI AT. It served me as a reliable caretaker and gave me the joy of riding in everyday traffic. It was my first time owning an Automatic and immediately after I was a convert. Its been seven years that I own my Vento and I love its sprity engine and gearbox that makes my commute fun and seamless.

Anyway, the post is not about the history of my car garage, I suddenly have an itch to own a diesel fun machine while I still can. My requirements are just three;
1- Should be a lot more fun to drive than Vento TSI
2- Should be equally reliable if not more
3- Do not want to spend over 14 lakhs for an upgrade (includes the Vento exchange)

My recent search got me close to 3 options

1- Jetta / Octavia - Since there is Skoda Kodiaq in my garage, not keen on buying another Skoda. Saw a few Jettas already and none were maintained even close to how my Vento is. That 7-year-old (2016) Jettas (with 55-66k on odo) looks like in their 12+. Shame! Yes, I know that one detailing will sort all the dirt and hairline scratches, but two Jettas refused to crank up to life seamlessly - I had to attempt 5-6 times every time to turn the engine on, and the initial vibration and noise of the start-up did not inspire confidence. The seller mentioned that it is usual with the Diesel Engine. While I have never owned a Diesel car for more than 2 years, can someone shed some light if that's normal, what could be the problem and is it an expensive affair to repair? If not a costly affair, may pursue this option
This is the most light on pocket and doable option as I may have to just spend 3-4 lacks over my Vento to upgrade to Jetta - while Octavia would be about 6-7 lakhs over my Vento for pre-2016 Diesel Automatic option

2- BMW 320D 2013-2015 options with >50K on the ODO. While many of you may advise against it, recent post from tuffenberg has inspired some confidence https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...-320d-f30.html (Buying my first pre-loved German sedan | Used BMW 320d (F30))
There are many options of 320 D in the 13-16 lakhs range. The only reservation I have is "The Unknowns". Yes, I will follow the use car checklist but an eight to nine-year-old machine is more than halfway its life. And it could be an expensive affair to maintain, and change parts due to wear and tear. But the fun-to-drive element I believe could overcompensate.

3- Do nothing, continue with my Vento for the next 3 years, and upgrade to electric. I have experienced the torque of an EV and I agree that it is significantly better than that of Diesel OR Petrol in their price range. While this option will need me to wait for 3 years, the impatient child in me will trouble me every day pushing me to upgrade now. Well, Is XUV 400 any better, and is worth putting it here along with options 1 & 2? I feel the interiors of the XUV 400 just doesn't justify the premium, but my options are open.

4- Wild card Entry - Sonet Diesel AT - Decent torque of a diesel, mileage of a diesel, loaded with bells and whistles of the current generation, cant go wrong with the new car.

What do you think?

[Shreyfiesta]

Originally Posted by Jangra

2- BMW 320D 2013-2015 options with >50K on the ODO. While many of you may advise against it, recent post from tuffenberg has inspired some confidence. There are many options of 320 D in the 13-16 lakhs range. The only reservation I have is "The Unknowns". Yes, I will follow the use car checklist but an eight to nine-year-old machine is more than halfway its life. And it could be an expensive affair to maintain, and change parts due to wear and tear. But the fun-to-drive element I believe could overcompensate.

I suggest you to take the 3 Series route. The F30 generation offers a rare combination of practicality, comfort and performance. There are plenty of examples available in used car market and at current prices, it's one of the best deals. 320d's 4-pot diesel offers the right balance between performance and practicality, but this engine sounds unusually loud by premium car standards. A simple remap on the 320d takes you well into 530d performance territory. Pre-LCI 320d have problems with camshaft tensioners and chain, this is identifiable by a ringing noise from the engine. Post-2016 facelift cars comes with improved suspension and steering, but it's not possible to find such LCI cars in your budget. Apart from these, there are few common 3 Series niggles like steering knock issue, wheel speed sensors, sticky door handles, etc.

[TSI_FTW]

Pre-facelift Jeep Compass will be available in your budget. Do check that out.

[GTO]

I wouldn't normally recommend older German luxury cars, but since you are well-versed with European car ownership:

- BMW 320d

- Go big or go home! BMW 530d. Many good to great examples available in the 15 - 25 lakh range. If it's going to indeed be your last diesel, why not buy the best Diesel AT combination on the planet? Trust me, that 6-cylinder motor with the snappy ZF 8-speed will have you grinning like a mischievous child. Here is a sample listing to tempt you - go & bargain, no way he is getting this price. This white one would be my top pick. Here is one with higher running and is a typical 12 - 14 lakh car.

- Mercedes E350. Another 6-cylinder beast and again, many good cars in the 15 - 25 lakh range. A certified car, don't sweat too much over the mileage if it has been maintained immaculately.

- As TSI_FTW said, a used Compass 2.0 Diesel will be a relatively safer / newer buy. That engine + 6 speed MT & tank-like build and stability are enjoyable on the open road. As a DSG owner, I don't think you'll be able to live with the Compass' automatic gearbox.

Follow our used car checklist (including service history, checking past insurance claims etc.) to the T and you should be okay. There are lots of A+ independent garages in Bombay to help you maintain your cars (I go to Redline Autohaus & Sunil Shanbagh for my cars).

[IshaanIan]

Why not save some money on what otherwise seems like an impulse purchase, and go for something like the S-Cross 1.6? With a tune I'm sure the characteristics of that motor will impress any diesel fan out there.

[Jangra]

Originally Posted by GTO

- As TSI_FTW said, a used Compass 2.0 Diesel will be a relatively safer / newer buy. That engine + 6 speed MT & tank-like build and stability are enjoyable on the open road. As a DSG owner, I don't think you'll be able to live with the Compass' automatic gearbox.

Originally Posted by TSI_FTW

Pre-facelift Jeep Compass will be available in your budget. Do check that out.

The only issue of this otherwise great car is its auto gearbox. Else, I would have got the new one instead on my Kodiaq. Looking for an Automatic only, I'm no longer a fan of manual and love the automatic convenience.

530D is in fact a dream car, should I get a good deal on it. Will explore.

[Shreyans_Jain]

I drive a diesel manual Compass as my daily, and also have a Vento TSi as well as Kodiaq TSi in the family. As good as the Compass is, it’s got nothing on the Vento for daily city driving, with the a heavy and aggressive clutch vs the brilliance of the DSG. And out on the highway, while it definitely better than 9 out of 10 cars, Kodiaq happens to be that 1 exception. Compass handles better than the Kodiaq, but the big Skoda is not far behind. It is equally stable and is in fact punchier and more refined. So, it is lose lose either way with the excellent two cars you already have.

My suggestion will be to hold on to your cars for now, perhaps invest in a stage 1 remap for both. Throw in an audio upgrade for the Vento as well, that should take care of your new car itch. I see it best that this discussion be revisited after a couple of years, with a bigger budget and many more EV options to choose from.

[sunikkat]

First preference will be a 320d if you get in that price. After that Jetta/ Octavia and a simple remap can do wonders. Though Compass is good too, it will not be faster than Vento TSI and you will have more fun in a Vento.
On the diesel engine starting issue, I have been owning Octavia for 7 years and every single time it will start in single crank, other than when the battery was gone. So better to have a thorough check as it’s not normal.

[livetodrive]

If 4x4 is not in your wishlist, a 4x2 diesel manual compass will be a great choice.

[vredesbyrd]

I'd say F30 320D. Fantastic handler and fairly reliable. Oh and the engine is nice too.

But if you are putting it as "My Last Diesel", might as well suggest you to increase your budget a little and try for a 2013-14 F10 530d.

[np23]

In my opinion, Cannot do much better than a 530d, or a W212, had a better chassis than the F10, plus it sold less so maybe better (lower) prices in the used market, I'm still holding on to my E200 W212 Facelift since 2014 and can vouch for its stellar reliability and fuss free nature.

Another car which I might suggest is, if you can find your hand on the previous generation Jaguar XF S 3L Diesel, though reliability might not be as high as the Bimmer and Mercedes, but in the looks department and when it comes to making every drive an occasion, few cars matched the previous XF.

[buzzy_boy]

If you're not restricting yourself to sedans, I'd highly recommend the XUV 700. With a couple of lakhs here and there, you should be able to afford the AX 3 D variants.

The power-train is sensational.

Granted that it isn't as practical as a vento for city driving; but, I'd argue that it's no less practical than a Jetta or a Beamer.

It's the team bhp car of the year for a reason!

[ChandraSekarMN]

I would have suggested Jetta, if the requirement of 'more Reliable' is not mentioned. It meets the other two - Fun to Drive, upgrade within reasonable budget. Having said that, the DQ250 is comparatively Reliable GB and will be an upgrade from Vento in all senses. Otherwise as Ishaan had mentioned, SCross 1.6 (if you can find one in good condition - No Automatic available though) will be the next best bet. I am frankly not experienced on Big 3 German Luxury Brands and hence not mentioning about them.

Jeep is a good handler, but the DSG of VWs give you whole different driving experience.

[guruji]

Two more options:
Jeep compass Diesel
Hyundai Tucson Diesel

[Mak@87]

Might one suggest the previous generation Verna Turbo Deisel. I had the 2nd gen 2011 Fluidic, and it did not disappoint. I'm sure there'll be several available in the pre-owned space, with low mileage and well maintained.