Why did the thought of putting the 2017 Maruti Suzuki S-Cross and a used BMW X1 in the same space cross our mind? Because we came across more than four people who’ve already booked the flagship Maruti and were pretty explicit when they drew parallels with a certain BMW for the way the new S-Cross looked. For some reason, we let the skies in their minds stay clear and did not bother to ask if they even considered buying a used BMW X1 instead.
But when we looked up online, many used examples of the German carmaker’s entry-level crossover were available at prices similar to what a brand new S-Cross retails for by the time it’s ready for the road. These were cars which had clocked anywhere between 50,000 – 75,000 km on the odometer and were about six years old at the most. What’s the whole point of this paper fight then? We’re only putting out a perspective for those who think that the new S-Cross does remind them of the X1. Should they be interested in exploring the idea of driving a used example of what they’re benchmarking the new car’s looks against, here’s what they’d win and what they might not.
The Badge
There’s no getting away from the fact that anyone who contemplates about this thought would only do so for the more premium badge that he/she would drive. However, in the bargain, you’d lose out experiencing the virginity of a factory fresh motorcar and the typical fragrance which emanates from all things which are brand new and unused. Your street cred will definitely be higher for being behind the wheel of a premium German machine. But those who know you and also know their cars would know that you’ve bought something used.
The Experience
The facelifted 2017 Maruti Suzuki S-Cross is only available with a 1.3-litre, 89 bhp engine and a 5-speed manual gearbox. On the other hand, even a used BMW X1 will delight with its 2.0-litre diesel or petrol with 177 bhp and 150 bhp respectively. A tiny number of those horses might’ve vanished due to age, but hey, it still is a BMW and unless it has gone through unusual abuse, it’ll still put a smile on your face. Then there’s a smooth shifting 6-speed auto box which you get with the X1, which will add a lot of convenience to your urban driving experience.
With everything that’s been crammed inside the new 2017 Maruti Suzuki S-Cross, you won’t really feel much of a difference with respect to features. However, for being a premium car, the BMW will definitely feel richer on the inside. Same goes for the ride & handling, and the overall superior motoring experience the BMW will offer. But that will come at the cost of lesser kilometres per litre compared to a brand new S-Cross and something else you’ll read next.
Maintenance
Most owners who buy premium cars new, also invest in a maintenance package which takes care of the service aspect for the first few years. Once the warranty period and the maintenance package expire, and the car clocks 50,000 – 75,000 kms, quite a lot of components are about to reach the end of their lifecycle and age begins to catch up. In the case of premium cars, it catches up with your bank balance too as spares and service are expensive and most owners prefer a change of wheels at this point. Compare that to a Maruti, a brand known to offer one of the best and the most economical after sales experience when it comes to cars.
The Next Switchover
You must also consider the fact that a brand new 2017 Maruti Suzuki S-Cross will retain its resale value better, compared to a used BMW X1, three years or so down the line. For approximately INR 11 – 13 Lakh or so that you’ll invest now, a brand new S-Cross will retain about 65% – 75% of that value depending on how you keep it. On the other hand, you’d be really lucky if your used BMW manages to retain even 50% of its current ask.