Buying a C-class or a 3-series?

I am planning to buy a car within a budget of Rs 50 lakh. So far, I have shortlisted the Mercedes C-class and the BMW 3-series. Also, this is the first time that I am going to own a premium badge car. I liked Merc better in terms of comfort and supreme styling, while, on the other hand, I liked the BMW’s driving pleasure. Though, overall, I am in love with the Mercedes C-class petrol. I intend to keep the car for a good 10-15 years. However, I have the following concerns:

• My annual run is 10,000-15,000km, so should I buy a petrol or a diesel car? So far, I have driven the Merc petrol variant and the BMW diesel variant and both were really smooth and punchy.
• l  Which car would be low on maintenance comparatively, and how much would it be?

I am also planning to check out Range Rover and Audi cars as well.
Shakti Sharma, Delhi

AAA If your heart is set on the C-class then go for it, as it is a proven car and offers the best long-term ownership experience in its class. Also, Mercedes has recently launched attractive service packages that are tailored to give owners peace of mind when it comes to servicing costs. We would suggest you go for the petrol (C200) as the diesel engine in the current C-class is now outdated and a bit noisy too.