Are luxury cars more expensive to maintain in India than in Europe?

I have a fleet of Mercedes, Volkswagen, Toyota and Kia cars. I wanted to know if India-spec German luxury cars cost more to maintain, and have more wear and tear, compared to the ones sold in Europe.

My maintenance experience with Toyota so far has been far better than Mercedes. My eight-year-old Mercedes E 250 diesel has almost done 1 lakh km, and it now needs a suspension overhaul, which has been estimated at Rs 5 lakh. My Toyota Innova, on the other hand, is as old and has run 1.50 lakh km, while my Corolla, a 2004 model, has crossed 2 lakh km. And both Toyotas, apart from tyres and brakes, have never needed such major maintenance.

I am surprised that a car having the No. 1 tag in the world needs major suspension work after just 1 lakh km. I was planning to buy a Volvo S90, but looking at the high maintenance costs, I am afraid.

Rajan Jain, via email

Autocar India says: Toyota’s cars indeed score extremely high on the durability front, with some of their critical components designed to offer a long service life. In fact, models such as the Hilux are globally renowned to outlast their owners, with little to no repairs arising out of the suspension and engine components, despite unreasonably high mileage clocked by some owners. Therefore, focus on quality and durability of a component to offer uninterrupted, reliable service, could be considered as a Toyota hallmark.

On the other hand, while German luxury marques also ensure high quality and built-to-last engineering of their cars, it must be understood that most of these models are specifically designed to operate in European countries, which offer state-of-the-art road infrastructure. Although European manufacturers do tweak their cars for the Indian market, the re-engineering is generally not as comprehensive, as these vehicles are designed to the highest fit-and-finish, and minimum tolerance levels.

Since you are contemplating another luxury car from a European brand, we can ascertain that while the Volvo S90 will offer a high snob value, a luxurious cabin, top-notch safety and pleasing aesthetics, it could remain slightly expensive to maintain in the long run. It might demand unforeseen repairs owing to its usage in tough Indian driving conditions.

However, if low maintenance is the main criteria, we would suggest looking at the Lexus ES 300h as well, which would perhaps offer less bells and whistles compared to the Volvo, but, being Toyota’s luxury marque, it would come with the assurance of better reliability and customer support.

Also See:

Car maintenance cost comparison – Part 2: Premium and Executive Sedans

Car maintenance cost comparison Part 7: Premium hatchbacks

SUV maintenance cost comparison – Part 1: Premium and Executive SUVs

Should you get your car serviced at an independent garage?