Mercedes-Benz is offering discounts on the EQB, EQE and EQS in the form of a loyalty bonus to existing customers.

Mercedes-Benz has announced an offer on its electric vehicles this month. Existing Mercedes-Benz owners can get up to Rs 5 lakh off on the purchase of any EV.

Mercedes-Benz is offering the discount in the form of a loyalty bonus to customers who already own a Mercedes product. The offer is valid on pure electric models like the EQB, EQE and EQS.

At present, the EQB is the brand’s most affordable EV in India. It is priced at Rs 74.50 lakh (ex-showroom). It uses a 66.5 kWh battery that powers two electric motors having a combined output of 288 BHP and 520 Nm. The EQB can cover a distance of 423 km on a single charge (WLTP cycle).

Next up is the EQE, which costs Rs 1.39 crore (ex-showroom). It uses a 90.56 kWh battery that powers two electric motors having a combined output of 402 BHP and 858 Nm. It has a maximum range of 550 km (WLTP cycle).

The EQS is Mercedes’ flagship EV that comes with a price tag of Rs 1.59 crore (ex-showroom). It offers a maximum range of 857 km on a single charge.

Thanks to BHPian Turbanator for sharing this information with other enthusiasts!

2 lakhs is a big big amount for me and it's been just a month since I purchased the car. Everything is done but can I still put this issue up to Audi?

BHPian techspark recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

So I bought a new Audi Q3 last month and I called up 3-4 dealers and negotiated hard to get the best deal possible and after about 2 weeks of nagging I got a deal from one of the dealer which no other dealer could match, so I thought this is the best I can get and I went ahead and purchased the car.

Now today after 1 month, I get a whatsapp from another dealer and just for curiosity I tried to negotiate the price with him and turns out he is ready to give the car for a whopping 2 lakh cheaper than what I got for last month.

I want to ask fellow members if there is anything I can do now? 2 lakhs is a big big amount for me and it's been just a month since I purchased the car. Everything is done but can I still put this issue up to Audi? Why is there so much price difference between dealers and why doesn't Audi as a brand do something about it?

I remember back in the day when apple first launched the iphone, they reduced the price by $200 and they offered free credits to everyone who purchased the phone for a higher price.

Has this happened with others as well? What did you guys do?

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

If you buy a car today:

• There could be a price hike after a month. Will you pay the additional money?
• There could be feature deletions. Will you return the features?

This can go either way. The price could go down, or there could be feature additions. It's all part & parcel of the market-place.

Relax & enjoy the drive. You bought the car you liked at the price you accepted. Don't overthink it.

Here's what BHPian akhil007 had to say on the matter:

Don't turn this into a buyer's remorse.

What if:

• The car you bought for 2 lakh discount was a test drive vehicle(unofficially)
• Had few niggling issues not expected from a new car
• Had some accident and dealer wanted to pass it on after repair
• Had some features deleted
• and finally, Turned out to be a lemon

You liked the car, you liked the price, you bought the car and you're enjoying the car.

Peace of Mind is worth more than 2 lakhs. Enjoy your car

Here's what BHPian Emvi had to say on the matter:

While your disappointment is understandable, I don't believe much can be done in this situation. Just hard luck, than anything else. On the contrary, there have been numerous instances, where people have bought cars at a price and the very next day / week the prices have shot up considerably. I honestly don't think either Audi or the dealer would be able to address your complaint / request. Just try your best to look past it and enjoy your machine to the fullest.

Here's what BHPian graaja had to say on the matter:

As others have already mentioned, there is nothing you can do about this. Discounts are very variable depending on the stock on hand, dealer targets, old stocks required to be sold, etc.

Just like you would not pay the dealer 2 lakhs if the car price went up in a month, you cannot expect them to pay you if it went down.

Stop worrying about the pricing, and enjoy the car.

Here's what BHPian Paddlshifter had to say on the matter:

Everytime you think about this Rs 2 lacs discount, take your thought to the owners who bought Toyota Hilux without the Rs 6-8 lacs discount. The % discount (6-8 lacs of 35 lacs) is much higher in case of Hilux compared to yours (2 lacs of Rs50 lacs). So this happens.

Dealer discounts and manufacturer discounts vary throughout the year. Some models in January will have substantially higher discounts. At one point, some Audi models had upto Rs 10 lacs off. There must be some owners who narrowly missed duch large deals.

The Apple example you cited was a price correction where companies need to pacify existing customers also. Back in 2004, Hero Honda Karizma launched at Rs79990 but there were less takers so they reduced the price to 69990. The existing customers were offered a free central locking/ anti theft kit with remote locking worth Rs3000.

Here's what BHPian Axe77 had to say on the matter:

I can give numerous examples in my own life where I’ve seen both sides of this coin. If you are enjoying the car, please don’t sweat about subsequent discounts.

I bought the Meridian at almost full price (only inflated insurance was corrected) in the month that it was launched in. Within 3 - 4 months it was selling at an almost 2 - 3 lakh discount. There’s no point sweating the small stuff. Its a 3.5 - 5 year purchase at the least. A small chance of being longer. That’s less than 50k a year. If all other boxes are checked there’s no point thinking of what could have been, that too for a depreciating asset. If you can afford a Q3, this is not a life changing amount I guess (however annoying it is I do accept).

In contrast, when I bought the Tiger, I had a 1 - 1.5 lakh worth of luggage kit thrown in. In recent years there’s barely been any discount on these bikes. Same with my 3GT. I got it for a discount of 7 - 8 lakh of OTR in 2015. You’d be hard pressed to get those kind of discounts on most fast moving German models in recent years.

The house I currently live in at Mumbai, I bought in 2013 for X amount. Its probably appreciated by barely 10% in 10 years. (Basically at rental yields it would have been far cheaper for me to live in the same house on rent). But its my home. It gives me stability of address. I’m not overthinking the amount given it was not an investment in isolation but my primary home.

Go for a nice long drive and remind yourself of the joy that the Q3 brings and which made you buy it in the first place.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

On-road price is nothing but the final price that the buyer pays. It includes the following:

1. Ex-showroom price - This is the manufacturer-fixed price of the vehicle. It consists of all charges including manufacturing, transport, dealer's margin, pre-delivery inspection (PDI) costs and the GST levied on the car.

2. Registration - This includes the RTO road tax, as well as fees for the Registration Certificate (RC).

3. Insurance - While registering for 3-year 3rd party insurance is mandatory, most new car buyers opt to go for a comprehensive insurance policy that offers more protection.

4. Fastag & Number plate - Fastag and High-Security Registration Plates (HSRP) are now compulsory in most of the states and are usually charged a nominal amount of Rs. 600 combined.

In short, on-road price = Ex-showroom price + RTO road tax + Insurance + Fastag & Number plate

Ex-showroom Price:

One of the positives of the new GST regime has been the simplification of taxes. Prior to GST, the ex-showroom cost was made up of ex-factory vehicle cost, excise duty, cess (if any), delivery charge to dealer's location and sales tax. In some localities like Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, an additional octroi duty or local body tax was also levied respectively.

These days, the taxation is much simpler. Also, most manufactures have a pan-India ex-showroom price, which can usually be found on their website.

As seen from the attached table, the tax component on cars has gone down for all, with the only exception being hybrid vehicles. Sadly, the Toyota Camry has become a victim of this, and it caused a significant hike in prices post the implementation of GST.

Registration:

Thanks to digitisation of the RTOs, the data required for calculating Road Tax is taken directly from the Vahan portal, where car makers have uploaded the information directly. An added step here is that dealers have to add the owner details before sending out the car for registration. Road tax varies across states and keeps changing from time to time. Use this Parivahan link to check the road tax in your state.

Road tax is usually a flat percentage figure (rounded up to the next integer) to be paid on the ex-showroom price. Nominal costs like RC fee and courier charges need to be paid along with the tax to the RTO.

If you are opting for a number of your choice, additional charges are applied according the number you want.

Delivery and handling charges:

This is a big point of contention among the car buyers out there. Broadly speaking, there are 3 types of handling charges:

• Included in ex-showroom
• Excluded from ex-showroom, albeit set by the manufacturer
• Arbitrary charges levied by dealers

Depending upon the manufacturer, you might have to pay an additional charge over and above the car's ex-showroom rate. It is still a grey area, legally speaking, as different jurisdictions implement the rules differently. Premium car dealerships will often include a charge for a flat bed to take the car to and from the RTO you want the car registered at. As their dealer network is thin, they may not have a dealership in the place where you want the car registered. They might also arrange home delivery if you so desire. From my experience, most of the premium car dealers will negotiate an all-inclusive cost and specify all the inclusions. However, they might not share the breakup with you for the add-on services like service fees for delivery / flat bed etc.

Quoting blackwasp here as this post is relevant even now:

I would like to add a different take to the handling charges. While many of us consider them to be illegal, I thought I'd share my experiences.

Case 1: Companies like MSIL, which include all their costs - logistics, PDI, fuel etc. and combine it in the 'ex-showroom' that is given to you.

Here, as a customer, you end up paying more money in the form of taxes as you pay the GST (upto 53% depending on segment) + road tax, insurance, etc. on a higher ex-showroom price.

Case 2: Companies like Renault, Fiat, VW, that bill you separate logistic charges / handling charges / PDI charges.

Here, this is not added to the car's base price, and it is billed as service, attracting a lower tax on this amount. Further, your road tax and insurance will be slightly lower as well since your base price is not inflated.

Now, it must be noted that you check with the company directly and check if it's the approved figure and that the dealer is not trying to pull a fast one on you. Also, they must give you a separate invoice for this.

Case 3: Companies like Isuzu.

The standard accessories in the car are billed separately, so further lower the car's base price. Yes, as a buyer, you end up paying a total amount, but had they included the accessories' cost, you'd again end up paying higher tax and more on it.

While I agree that when buying a car, we don't want to pay any extra charges, it's best to get a thorough look into the pricing and take a call. I recommend all to call, email and double check with the respective company officials on the approved charges in different states and cities. And ask for separate invoices for all charges - e.g. accessories, handling charges, car base price, insurance etc.

EDIT - Regarding dealerships charging under registration charges - this is optional. The dealership may charge it, but it should also give you the option of doing the registration on your own if you don't want to pay for these services. High end car dealers will add charges for a flatbed to take your ride to the RTO of your choice and back

Insurance:

3-year 3rd party insurance is now compulsory on every new car purchase. Most dealers will offer you a 1 year comprehensive + 3 year 3rd party bundle offer. There are add-ons like zero depreciation, return to invoice, engine protector, Road Side assistance, etc. that should be selected as per your requirement. You can also opt for a 3 year bundled plan which will save you some money compared to renewing every 3 years in lieu of higher upfront payment.

Dealers are keen to have you purchase the insurance from them as they add their margin to the insurance quote. However, it's important to note that you are under absolutely no obligation to purchase insurance from them. Usually, getting the insurance directly from the insurance provider, or browsing the market for other resellers & aggregators will end up being cheaper - but will take up more of your time. Whichever option you choose, ensure you read the inclusions and exclusions of the policy carefully before finalising.

Fastag and Number plate:

Fastag has been made compulsory for new vehicles across India. Usually the dealer has a tie up with a particular operator and will include the same in the total price quoted to you. The actual cost of the tag is Rs. 100 and you need to maintain a minimum balance of Rs. 200. Add some usable balance to it and the total cost to you should be around Rs. 500 (100+200+200). Get the latest updates on Fastag operators & charges at this Team-BHP Fastag discussion.

High Security Number Plates (HSRP) have also been made mandatory in many states. These are available for Rs. 500 a pair. Some dealers will include a frame as well for a nominal cost.

Additional / Optional Costs:

Along with your new car, you might also choose to purchase an extended warranty, a service plan or some accessories. These also need to be factored in as additional costs.

Discount:

This really comes down to the negotiation between the dealer and you. As a thumb rule, cars with the dealer which are older inventory or less popular variants & colours can get you a higher discount. Latest launches and those which have a long waiting list will not be offered with any discount.

Tips:

• Check insurance rates from outside, on platforms like CoverFox, PolicyBazaar etc. They could offer a better deal.
• Be aware of the handling charges and do proper diligence.
• Before you take delivery, insist on getting the number plate fixed. Avoid leaving any items pending, as they can drag on for a long time - e.g. accessories not in stock, documentation etc.
• Compare the quoted road tax amount and the actual receipt. Dealers are known to inflate this slyly.
• Be aware of Debit notes. In case of any discrepancy in the actual payment vs the receipts, the dealer will issue you a debit note for the difference in the amount. Insist on a proper receipt for it.
• Note that discounts are almost always applied on the on-road price, not the ex-showroom price. This means they won't reduce your road tax and insurance component. This is because the RTO will have its own pricelist for cars and will usually not deviate from it apart from genuine reasons like selling old inventory or the car being discounted by the manufacturer itself. Case in point, in 2016, I could get my Abarth at a lower ex-showroom price as it was a 2015 make, but the inspector did call up the dealer and confirmed the same. For mass market cars like Maruti, Hyundai and Tata, this may not be the case.
• Preferably get confirmation about the transaction and the overall deal on email before paying the whole amount.
• Make sure you do a PDI.

Thanks to BHPian Mad Monkey for sharing this information with other enthusiasts!

Volkswagen dealerships are now offering the Polo GTI at a discounted price of Rs. 19.99 lakh ex-showroom. We have since confirmed this news with Volkswagen Downtown Mumbai dealer.

The GTI is powered by a 1.8-liter TSI putting out 189 BHP and 250 Nm of torque. Equipped with a 7-speed DSG gearbox, the Polo GTI is claimed to reach a top speed of 233 km/hr. Despite the great performance figures, Volkswagen seems to be struggling to sell the 99 units of the Polo GTI allotted for the Indian market. The company found very few takers for the car, especially due to its high price point. Hence, dealerships are now looking to clear stocks by offering huge discounts on the model.

The VW Polo GTI was launched in November 2016 at a price of Rs 25.99 lakh. The 3-door hot hatchback is the first GTI model to be launched in India. Apart from the lack of rear doors, the Polo GTI features a few cosmetic upgrades over the standard Polo. 

Last month, we had reported the discontinuation of two variants of the Ford Endeavour, cutting down the SUV's variant count to just three. The discontinued variants were the 2.2 4x4 MT Trend and 3.2 4x4 AT Trend. Ford had removed them from the company's official website. This had resulted in the elimination of all the manual transmission variants from the Endeavour line-up.

Now, Ford has sent out a bulletin to its dealerships, mentioning the Endeavour's pricing after GST implementation. This updated price list includes six variants of the Endeavour. Ford appears to have not only re-introduced the two variants it had discontinued last month, but also brought back the base 2.2 4x2 MT Trend trim that was removed from the line-up in 2016.

Owing to the lower taxes applicable on SUVs under the new GST norms, Ford has also reduced prices of the Endeavour by up to Rs. 1.91 lakh (for the 3.2 Titanium 4x4 AT variant).

Prices (ex-showroom, Delhi):
• 2.2 Trend 4x2 MT - Rs. 23,68,700
• 2.2 Trend 4x4 MT - Rs. 25,17,900
• 2.2 Trend 4x2 AT - Rs. 23,91,200
• 3.2 Trend 4x4 AT - Rs. 26,15,800
• 2.2 Titanium 4x2 AT - Rs. 26,95,300
• 3.2 Titanium 4x4 AT - Rs. 29,59,000

Source: MyCarHelpline

Thank you to BHPian nvldvr for sharing this information with other enthusiasts!

Ford has made yet another price change in its Endeavour line-up. This is the third price revision for the SUV in the past 3 months. The manufacturer had earlier hiked prices of the Titanium variants in December 2016, while all trim levels, except the 2.2 4x2 AT Trend, had suffered a hike in January 2017 as well.

This time, Ford has cut down prices of the 2.2 4x4 MT Trend variant but these revised prices of the Endeavour haven’t yet been uploaded on the official website. However, a price list effective from February 2017 reveals the new ex-showroom Vishakhapatnam prices of the SUV. This price list mentions that the 2.2 4x4 MT Trend trim now costs Rs. 24,27,756, which is similar to the price of the 2.2 4x2 AT Trend variant.

Interestingly, Ford had made a similar price cut for the Trend variants in the month of September last year, which made the two entry-level variants equally priced. However, this price cut was rolled back with subsequent hikes in the past three months.

Volvo India has announced a revision in the ex-showroom prices of all the cars in its portfolio. The revised prices are effective from April 1, 2016.

The company has reduced the prices of some of its models - V40 Cross Country D3 Inscription (reduced by Rs. 3,04,000), S60 Kinetic (reduced by Rs. 1,51,000) and S60 Momentum (reduced by Rs. 24,000). Volvo claims that efficiencies of scale have enabled it to reduce costs and it has passed on the benefits to its customers.

For all the other models, Volvo has increased the ex-showroom prices by 3%. The increase is a result of the recently proposed taxation norms on cars across various categories in Budget 2016.

Volvo's model line-up consists of the S60, S60 Cross Country and S80 sedans, V40 and V40 Cross Country hatchbacks and XC60 and XC90 SUVs.

Chevrolet launched the Cruze facelift in January this year with prices ranging from Rs. 14.68 - 17.81 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). It's been less than a month since its launch, and the prices for this car have already been slashed by a significant amount.

The Cruze facelift sports minor styling updates in the form of new LED DRLs, chrome inserts in the horizontal foglamp housings as well as some added chrome on the front grill. It gets new projector foglamps and a rear lip spoiler.

The interior of the updated Cruze features a new 7" MyLink touchscreen infotainment system which comes with applications such as internet radio (Stitcher), Grace Note and SIRI eyes-free compatibility. It also supports Bluetooth for telephony and audio streaming, voice recognition, touch controls for the climate control and vehicle personalization settings. Additionally, the Cruze receives a reversing camera and a new multi-function steering wheel.

Power still comes from a 2.0L diesel engine producing 164 BHP / 380 Nm of torque. It's available with a 6-speed manual or automatic gearbox.

The launch prices (ex-showroom Delhi) for the updated Cruze on January 30, 2016 were:

LT (MT): Rs. 14.68 lakh

LTZ (MT): Rs. 16.75 lakh

LTZ (AT): Rs. 17.81 lakh

The revised prices (ex-showroom Delhi) are now as follows:

LT (MT): Rs. 13.95 lakh (reduced by Rs. 73,000/-)

LTZ (MT): Rs. 15.95 lakh (reduced by Rs. 80,000/-)

LTZ (AT): Rs. 16.95 lakh (reduced by Rs. 86,000/-)

Earlier today, we reported that BMW was set to reduce the prices of its cars in India. Now the company announced new prices of its vehicles.

BMW has increased the levels of localisation at its facility in Chennai to 50%. The plant started operations on 29 March 2007. Up to eight car models can be locally produced on two assembly lines. At present, the 1-Series, 3-Series, 3-Series Gran Turismo, 5-Series, 7-Series, X1, X3 and X5 are assembled at the facility.

Some of the major auto components sourced for local production of cars at BMW Plant Chennai are: engine and transmission from Force Motors, axles from ZF Hero Chassis, door panels and wiring harness from Draexlmaier India, exhaust systems from Tenneco Automotive India, heating, ventilating, air-conditioning and cooling modules from Valeo India and Mahle Behr and seats from Lear India.

Prices:

1-Series

• 118d (Sport Line) – Rs. 29,50,000

3-Series

• 320d (Prestige Edition) – Rs. 34,90,000
• 320d (Luxury Line Edition) – Rs. 38,90,000
• 320d (Sport Line Edition) – Rs. 38,90,000

Gran Turismo

• Gran Turismo (Sport Line) – Rs. 39,90,000
• Gran Turismo (Luxury Line) – Rs. 42,90,000

5-Series

• 520d (Prestige Edition) – Rs. 44,90,000
• 520d (Prestige Plus Edition) – Rs. 47,90,000
• 520d (Luxury Line Edition) – Rs. 49,90,000
• 530d (M Sport) – Rs. 59,90,000

7 Series

• 730Ld (Prestige) – Rs. 92,50,000
• 730Ld (Eminence) – Rs. 1,06,50,000
• 730Ld (Signature) – Rs. 1,25,20,000

X1

• sDrive20d (xLine) – Rs. 37,90,000

X3

• xDrive20d (Expedition) – Rs. 46,90,000
• xDrive20d (xLine) – Rs. 51,90,000
• xDrive30d (M Sport) – Rs. 59,90,000

X5

• xDrive30d (Expedition) – Rs. 65,90,000
• xDrive30d (Design Pure Experience) – Rs. 69,90,000
• xDrive30d (Design Pure Experience 7 Seater) – Rs. 72,90,000

Thank you to a Team-BHP fan (who prefers to remain anonymous) for sending us this information. Heartfelt gratitude for sharing it with other enthusiasts!

BMW is reducing prices on many of its models in India. The step is being taken as the levels of localisation have increased.

According to the information we have received, the X5 SUV will see the biggest price reduction - about Rs. 4 lakh. Among other cars, the 530d sedan will see its price fall by Rs. 2 lakh (approximately) and the X3 SUV and 3-Series should see their prices cut by Rs. 1 lakh or so. BMW is likely to make an official announcement about these price cuts in a few days.

Earlier this year, BMW had announced that it had started sourcing different components for local production of its cars at the Chennai plant from various Indian manufacturers. The level of localisation at its Chennai plant has been increased to approximately 50%. The company has also increased its cumulative investment in India from Rs. 390 crore to Rs. 490 crore. Most of this investment has been route to the Chennai plant.

The company claims that 95% of BMW cars on Indian roads are built at its Chennai plant, which has a capacity to produce 14,000 units. The facility has two assembly lines and locally assembles models such as the 1-Series, 3-Series, 3-Series Gran Turismo, 5-Series, 7-Series, X1, X3 and X5.