How reliable are the cars at the top of my list? What are some things to consider for grand touring from a reliability perspective?
BHPian rev8 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
- Disclaimer 1 - This is my first post ever, so please let me know if I should be doing something differently!
- Disclaimer 2 - This is going to be a long read! If you are not interested in the story and background, please skip to 'The “What Car?” Section'.
Background
The story begins in 1995 when my dad brought home a Maruti 800. I was too young to even walk, so obviously did not have any thoughts or reactions to it, but as I grew up, I distinctly remember considering it my little sister. Cars meant something beyond a machine or pieces of metal and I felt that before I really understood the world as much.
As I grew up, I would eye every single car on the road, appreciate the beauty and visualise the sheer pleasure that the human in the driving seat would be experiencing. I knew in every moment that I will be that human some day and as soon as legally possible.
In 2005, we moved from Delhi to Gurgaon and back then, public transport was non-existent in the city. Dad drove the 800 to the office and mom was left longing for a ride at home to fulfil the household duties. So after long debates, in 2006, dad finally accepted the idea of buying another car.
Over these very many years with the 800, dad grew very much attached with the car as well as the brand, so while there were many new players in the market, we pretty much knew that it was going to be a Maruti. After many considerations, the Swift came to be the top choice. I on the other hand, looking out of the 800’s backseat windows, drooled over sedans, and did not want another hatch in the garage. And for some weird reason, I hated the halogen tail lamps of the Swift (which they later improved a lot with facelifts). While mom and dad were excited about the prospect of bringing a Swift home, I vocally protested and lobbied for an Esteem.
It took time and we were in the year 2007 now, but one day out of the blue, dad brought home the brochure of a new car. And, oh my! Was I starstruck! The SX4 had recently been launched and the Men Are Back adverts totally won me over. Me, an 11 year old kid, inspired by Maruti’s marketing as if I was buying the car with my own money. The brochure was on the house mantle for the next few days as we excitedly awaited the test drive.
By this time, I had ridden in a few sedans of relatives - Celio (Daewoo brings back memories), Esteem and Accent; and it was now time to experience the SX4 from the back seat. The salesperson was the one on the wheel first, and he knew how to show the car off! He went pedal to the metal and I remember every detail of the moment. It was my first time experiencing a G-Force of the sort and I was mind blown. Dad on the other hand was not so mighty impressed and asked the salesperson to take it slow. He understood and the rest of the test drive was not very momentous for me. But I knew, if we can get this car, I was going to be on cloud nine.
A few days later, dad broke the good news. We were getting a SX4 in our garage
The next few years went amazingly with the new ride and we enjoyed various road trips, mightily impressed with the SX4’s driving dynamics and high speed manners.
In 2013, I finally received my much awaited learner’s licence and practised on the 800. Soon enough, it became my daily ride to college and oh boy, did it grab attention. Me and my friends still reminesce the joy rides in the 800.
2014 however, became an eventful year for our garage! The 800 developed a problem with its choke in the winter since it was never used as much before, and it became a looming safety threat. The SX4 also developed some issues with its sensors and a service technician hammered something too hard and the engine developed issues. Dad decided to get another car for his office drives, and I would get the upgrade to SX4. Yay in my heart!
We took multiple test drives, and I called out early on that we need to test drive something other than Maruti this time. As fate would have it, my heart developed a love for the VW Polo. For my dad however, love was too strong a word to describe the Polo’s experience. He wanted a no-nonsense car, and a Honda Amaze was promptly booked. I however promised him (holding back tears) that once I secure a good job, I’m going to save up for a Polo.
During these test drives, a Maruti dealer offered a mouthwatering exchange price of an Alto for our 800 factoring in the loyalty bonus, exchange bonus, and more. Dad loved driving the 800 so much that he saw it as an opportunity of rebirth for the 800 in a fresh guise and the Alto too was quickly booked. We bid a sad farewell to the 800 and welcomed the two new cars to the garage.
In 2016, I started working professionally, and the dream for a Polo never lost sight. I kept back-calculating how many years until I can afford a Polo. Things took a turn in 2017 when I got an opportunity that elevated my financial capabilities which put the Polo easily in my reach. Unexpectedly though, the company was in Noida and a self-driving daily commute from Gurgaon to Noida would be insane for even the most enthusiastic drivers among us. In all fairness, I did attempt the drive a few times only to come home cursing by night. This completely derailed my plans for a Polo. The last thing I wanted was to get my beloved ride and only see it standing in the garage.
A few more years passed uneventfully and in 2019, the SX4’s engine problems started to grow. The car needed a fresh supply of engine oil every 3-4K kms and we did not have the heart or patience to open up the entire engine for inspection. The car was also approaching its 15 year mortality rate imposed by the government, and so we decided that it was time to let go of the beauty and sell it off. The quotes were so low that we just could not follow through with our intention to sell. Every single platform and dealer knew how to take advantage of the NGT ban. We decided to try in a direct market instead, but then Covid struck.
In 2022, once the lockdowns started lifting and the used car market improved, we took the hard call to sell it off. I also grew tremendously in my profession over this timeframe and the aspirations expanded in reach beyond a Polo. I also had to move to Bangalore for my job and decided that I will buy a car once in the city.
Once I moved to Bangalore and saw the traffic, I really did not have high hopes for my own ride. I knew that even if I got one, it would have to be a weekender only and certainly not my daily ride. My company being a tech workplace also provided cab services, so I decided to only invest in a car when I would prefer to drive a lot over the weekends. Up until the move to Bangalore, I explored a lot of North India in our humble Amaze with my partner, so I knew that the time would certainly come to explore South India by road, and with my better half, and so, the wait continued.
All of this brings us to today, where the wait has finally come to an end, and I write this post reminiscing every one of those beautiful moments throughout life, all connected by the desire to have my own car, the one I know I would truly love, dare I say, as much as my wife (please don’t tell her I said this).
I am truly as nervous as I am excited about this purchase, so let’s begin!
The “What Car?” Section
Team BHP has been my home for a long time, but I have always been lurking as a reader. When this moment came, I knew that the first thing I needed to do was to apply for a Team BHP membership and write this post, because I was in no way going to make my first purchase without posting on the What Car? thread. So here goes!
Budget
I have drooled over a lot of cars through the backseat and more recently the driver’s seat, and every time my focus was always on cars that my pocket could accommodate so I have focused on every segment as I grew financially. I am fully aware that in 2024, the best value will easily be fulfilled by cars in the 20-40 lacs bracket, but this is not a brain buy, rather much more of a heart buy. I intend to keep this car for as long as the warranty lasts and certainly do not intend to own a German without protecting the pockets.
I have set my budget up to 1 cr all inclusive (including maintenance packs, extended warranty etc). Another thing to note is that I will be going for a BH series registration and am only accounting for the initial registration cost (not recurring) in this budget.
Requirements
Must Haves
- Luxury - Any car that makes the final list has to drape me in luxury for the budget. Luxury is quite subjective though, but primarily, what I mean is that I want the cabin to feel business class - leather or leather like, electric adjustments for seat and steering, good massage seats a plus (you get the idea).
- Seat Comfort - I will be taking this car on grand tours - at least one Bangalore-Gurgaon round-trip every year and more to visit corners of the country via road, so comfort has to be paramount (think 12-15 hour rides per day). The backseat will only be used when the car is in NCR, so not as often, but I certainly want it to be a decent place to be, even if not as luxurious as the front.
- Reliability & ASS - Since this car will be driven most of its life on highways, I certainly do not want a breakdown in the middle of nowhere, and worse with no support from the manufacturer. This car would also see a lot of mountains, so preferably something that could be fixed at a local garage in case of emergencies.
- Impressive Music - I am not an audiophile but I truly appreciate a good sound system. It makes or breaks the experience for me, and the car has to absolutely do well in this regard.
- Power - While I would love to buy an enthusiast car, I don’t think this one is it. I want this one to be a luxury grand tourer, with enough juice to not be left hanging on mountain road overtakes. The power should be available on tap and not have a lag.
- Safety - Needless to say, this is paramount but I don't have a detailed requirement from this perspective.
- Looks - This would be very subjective, but as a rule of thumb, I want to turn back and look at her every time I walk away. The octavia (4th gen) in lava blue tugs at my heart all the way. Just look at her!
- Fuel Choice - This has to be a petrol or a hybrid. No diesels because of NGT and no fully electrics because this car is going places where an electric charger might be the last thing available.
Nice to Haves
- All-wheel Drive - I plan to take this car in a lot of mountainous terrain, sometimes snow. This is certainly something that I feel would help big time in such environments, although I will probably not take the car significantly off-road ever (probably just dirt or mud tracks).
- ADAS - While I would prefer to keep the wheel in my hand and feet on the pedals at all times, it would be great to have a Level 2 ADAS for the boring straights with average speed monitoring systems in place now on some expressways.
- Practicality - Some key items I'm looking for in this regard (all good to haves) are:
- A spare wheel tucked under the boot (not separate on top)
- Android Auto, preferably wireless (no Apples in my world)
- Auto Dimming IRVM and ORVM (to live with a Fortuner in my rear-view)
- TPMS
- Hill assists
- Heated windshield (to be able to drive in the rare extreme weather)
- Cooled glovebox (a hot day on the road warrants this often)
- Fuel Economy - Anything above 10 kmpl in the city and I'm happy. Mild hybrids for the win!
- Maintenance Costs - I expect luxury buys to lighten deep pockets but I don’t want the spends to exceed 1-2% of the value of the car per year. I will most likely go for extended warranty and service covers.
- Driving Dynamics - While it’s not top of my list, I would certainly enjoy a ride that can handle itself well in the mountains without a ton of body roll. Not looking for a sports car level drive though. Something like adaptive dampers would be a great add.
- Up to Date - I am not looking for cars with the latest gadgets and tech. I still like my cars mechanical over electrical, but I also do not want something that has been on the market for over 5 years and has had only mild refreshes.
- Badge Value - While this is not a strict requirement, but, if I end up spending over 40 big ones on the car, I would prefer it to have some badge value.
Choices, Choices, and more Choices!
Here are my top choices:
Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 - Absolutely fits the bill and my top choice at the moment.
The brand has been on my mind ever since I saw a W211 E-class in Autocar magazine and then on the road.
Some things that I love about the GLC:
- Burmester audio - Enough said!
- The famous ambient lighting of a MB.
- An intelligent air purifying system - Loved the concept.
- Gimmicks like the transparent bonnet, boot locker.
- Interior looks are top class - The baby S!
- A tempting motor. Enough power available.
- Safety and Pre-Safe.
- Some things restricting me from booking it right away:
- Looks of the Avantgarde trim. The front grill looks absolutely cheap with gaping plastics. If this was available in the AMG line trim, I probably would have not given a serious thought to other options. And, I am absolutely in love with the AMG line steering wheel! Digital lights would have also helped a lot with the looks.
Please tell me that I'm not the only one who sees a HUGE difference in these trims? The AMG line looks significantly opulent to me!
- Missing level 2 ADAS. Not sure about the availability of Distronics, and will be checking this during test drives.
- No seat massage, although not a deal breaker since I hated the massage in the rear of the XJ. Seat kinetics might be good enough but I need to try it out.
- Luxurious leather is not an option, so I need to try out faux leather in terms of comfort and feel.
- Nitpicks - Missing heated windscreen and cooled glove-box / cup-holders. Thankfully they’ve added ventilated seats now. I don’t care much about the missing keyless entry.
Volvo XC60 - The amazing seats, sound system, safety and ADAS from a Volvo are all best in class which makes this a very lucrative option. The main concern is the lack of a new look since many years and I am not particularly a fan of its tail end (love the front absolutely though). If they simply gave another refresh to the petrol instead of going all electric, this might have been a top choice, but it is still a strong contender that I am yet to experience.
BMW 6 GT - Grand touring and luxury at its finest, with the heart of a real BMW. The concern is the outdated model and no major refresh in a long time.
Here are my potential choices:
BMW X3M / X5 - To give a chance to what the heart really wants but is not practical for the uses I intend for this car. Maybe the second car, which doesn’t have to be a grand tourer. X5 also seems to be too big.
Porsche Macan - Same reasoning as the beemers, and the lifelong dream of owning a Porsche. Macan is probably not the best way to do it though, but I would like to experience it before dropping off the list.
The new E class / 5 series - These are the cars expected to drape me in luxury so I certainly want to check them out discounting the major con of ground clearance for the grand touring road conditions. I hate the amount of touchscreens they have now though and the backseat is not the place I’ll be, so it will come down to how I feel about the front seats.
Here are some other considerations:
Hyundai Tucson - Primarily going to check it out to give another chance to the brain.
VW Tiguan - Same as Tucson.
Audi Q5 / A6 - A refreshed Q5 and lesser glossy surfaces (fingerprint magnets that you can spend your life cleaning and would still not be clean) could have kept these in the potential choices but I’m still not keeping these out of consideration entirely.
Here are some considerations that have been ruled out:
- Entry level Germans - They all feel like Creta on stilettos (no offence). The new X1 is a joke (again, no offence). I did consider the GLA AMG but it has been discontinued and also did not fulfil the luxury quotient.
- Skoda Kodiaq - Reliability & ASS does not meet the benchmark and the size is also bigger than necessity.
- Lexus NX - No refreshes from a long time and looks boring.
- JLR trio - Reliability issues. Defender is out of budget and rejected in looks by the high command.
- Mini Countryman - Limited ASS network and not really excited by it.
Where do I need your help?
Here are some questions I still have:
- This is obviously a What Car? thread, so the primary question - Did I miss something that should have been on my radar?
- If you were in my position, what would you have chosen?
- Does anyone have any information about the GLC’s AMG line trim coming to India? Or, do you have any connections who can help out with this information?
- Any suggestions for the order of test drives?
- Does it make a difference, which dealer I choose to buy from for a BH registration?
- How reliable are the cars at the top of my list? What are some things to consider for grand touring from a reliability perspective?
- What should be the recurring expenses that I should expect? Is there any cost-benefit analysis for buying service packs upfront? And how long of an extended warranty should be purchased?
If you made it this far, thank you for the time you have invested. I truly appreciate it!
Looking forward to hear from you all!
Here's what BHPian Anonymousguy had to say on the matter:
Since you are only using highways, I believe a 6GT should be good, also check out Mercedes C/E classes for reliability, comfort, brand value etc. Why not get a second hand X7 or a Seven series??
Here's what BHPian Jhinchak had to say on the matter:
You can also consider the Jeep grand Cherokee.
My best advice is to test drive all the cars on your shortlist and see which car speaks the most to your heart.
Some cars might not have all of your requirements but will make you more happy compared to all of your checklists.
Here's what BHPian CEF_Beasts had to say on the matter:
If you can stretch for the X5, then absolutely nothing like it !
The LCI is well loaded with features, both petrol and diesel inline-6 engines are at the top of the game and BMW’s reliability and service experience is also better in my books.
Otherwise the GLC would be my pick in the luxury segment (<= 1Cr) at the moment.
Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.