To be or not to be car/pre-car owner

The effort to write this post is to cut some daily redundant efforts. Many times my friends and peer individually keep coming to me to discuss "Should I take car?new or pre-owned?"From seeking opinion, it goes to intellectual debate. Its good for some socializing timepass but I'm not kind of person who can pass on time for same timepass again n again.So here it's all about it basis my experience,research ...

I happened to brought pre-owned Toyota Etios ,VX top end version. Being very choosy person, I brought Toyota coz I believe in heart over outer beauty,i.e. engine. No doubts,looks matters but not over engine in my case.I drove most of brands and made research so I always wanted to buy Toyota "in my budget". Yes, budget is most decision maker here,else BMW is my dream car.But at this raw age we are often wild and picks risks over safety,which is hormone demand offcourse.I brought it when it was 6yrs old with 46k running.Was quite lucky enough to get this deal at 3L.I planted CNG on it at the cost of 48K.All what helped me here was research n stats,the average engine life of Toyota Etios is 2.5L kms,that's why it's tourism industri's most preferred car.With bigger boot I could successfully install 14KG CNG and still has boot place of sedan.With alternative fuel,I was okay with power delivery of 1.3cc as I always have open option of 1.5 cc with petrol.

Touch wood!Car always matched my energy and it turned to be my lucky charm.

Now talking about the need and luxury,I drove almost 16K through year.Here it will help you to make your first decision for dilemma of should you buy car or not?If you are office going person who will drive car for 240 days through year for daily commute;you will consume most like max 60kms per day but the fuel efficiency will be at worst.Now if you are weekender , roamer like me then it makes sense for you but car is fun as well as responsibility.If you can't make it more than 10k per year then you don't need car n you are good with ola n uber.No point in investment on depreciation results of it ,if it can't stand for your experiences.

Talking about expenses on car,a new car take capital of 10-15lakhs and for pre-owned it's between window of 3-5 laks.These are numbers for coupe/sedans.For SUV the numbers will swell by 40-70% on above judgemental figures.Health of car matters here so the cost.Now the most important cost aspect of owing the car is , operation cost which is your fuel, maintenance, insurance,engine oil,break oil,coolant etc lubricant costs which is quarter expense,spare part replacement as per their life span, servicing,decor, cleaning , repairs if any.

I will help with numbers from my book in case of pre-owned cars.For new cars ,these expenses are 40-50% less for first 5 yrs and then it's same.

Car fuel- Let's not think of this as I personally don't care ,I am a man of moment and mood,so I don't compromise on fuels n kms when it comes to travel.I love travel basically,bike or car or public transport I just need it.For ppl who live life full of it, this milage ,fuel expenses doesn't matter.In terms of number it's almost 15-20% of your monthly salary if it is 60k+

Car insurance- Its always between 5.5k - 8.5k.It has to be comprehensive with IDV 20-30% more than your car actual purchase value, standard annual depreciation of 15% per year.

Car servicing- 2500-4000 per year.Now , if it's showroom only servicing then be ready to pay 18%gst+10%labour extra.Being enthusiastic ,I have learn n seen car repair and servicing from the time we had WagonR.Its very important you know most about your car and your mechanics,else your loose attitude here will make you randomly loose 40-100% on suggested cost,this is called CHOONA,CHOONA.See,it's nature's unstated law,either your money will be saved because of your smartness or that mechanics will earn out for his smartness.In any situation smartness matters as money .Atleast you can try to be one with aquired knowledge incase you don't have experience.If you think showroom is safe,they are smart and dominant,there you can't bargain also for the car parts they wish to fit purposely for their sale n revenue target.So again, gf and car is responsibility and only smart person's job else without both also life is beautiful with minimum harmones.

Car lubricants - 3400-5000 per 10k kms/8mnths.Brake oil 1000/annum over quarter replacement,coolant also 800/yr for 3 quarter.

Repair and replacement - Now this is second most important decision maker here .A standard car needs replacement of 4 tyres for every 30k kms,which cost 22k for 4 wheels.I mean, top class Michellene,Apollo, Bridgestone antiskid precise designs.We can't compromise here if we are frequent highway driver or if we drive more than 60kms at single start.So again 22K /1.5 yrs.

Shock absorbers - You use any global standard car except luxurious,with Indian city roads it will crank your shocks after every 15k kms,it must be replaced.It may cost you 11-12k for entire parts plus 2.5k labour n servicing. On showroom repair it's 13-14k+18%gst+5%vat+10%labour+kuch bhi extra unke mann ka.

So again,12k/1.5yrs.

Repairs and replacements-

drive belt - 2k / year/ 15k kms

Battery - 5-8k/ 5 yrs/ 50k kms

ABS brake pads- 1.5k /year/ 10k kms( If speeding/highway use is most,it should be changed per 5k kms )

AC gas- 5k/full top up/5 yrs OR 700-1000/per 1.5 yrs

Ball bearings for gears and connecting rods- 2-4k /1.5 yrs

Vipers- 600/ every year before rainy season

Headlight - 1800/3year/15k kms

Car wash-400-500/ month for daily dry cleaning,200/ quarter for wet n vaccum cleaning

PUC- 200/ 6 months.

Parking - 20-50/place 

Mentioned above are must/happen to expenses which can't be denied,which should be forecasted as operational cost on your annual budget.Apart from capital you invested.Now it's totally, upto your use and luck if you add any other miscellaneous expenses like ppl burn clutch by over padding it,which is total breakdown case and cost 8-15k.Few ppl apply brakes without clutch for 1/2nd gears which results wear n tear of brake /gas paddles can cost 8-15k per case.So,frankly on this forecasted numbers you should have 50k / annually handy as contingency fund. Not talking here about discretionary expenses.

Now ,bike or car- Once you get your hands on car you will always prefer car.Ignore ppl who says car se kam nahi hota/ bike se fast hota bla bla.They are absolutely wrong, if you check maps they will always surprise you on this logic for connectivity.And if you are organised ,your work will be done as expected for sure.So don't trust loosers and lousers.Parking problem is there ,means i can't be fooding at street labor small joints ,I always need proper big hotel/restaurant with ample parking.But again this made me so organized.I haven't dined without prior booking and 50% discounts for last 6 months and all of them were big reputed chains.And if you are strong ,can fight and manage others you can always get that vaccant place for park. 

Still , personally I love both ,it's always great to have cruiser bike with car and over the time I'll surely have it.But car is always preferred.

Now that all numbers are clear,let's talk about other side of buying car decision making.Emotions ,yes it is! For few ppl it's in form of dream, comfort, I'll do this with car,do that with car etc. ,which is not wrong but emotions are too volatile things.So if they are linked with anything ,it's very important that it should long last not temporary.Have seen many ppl keeping car parked,using it just for office and their dilemma continues on...

So ,see numbers ,think of your emotions for car vs your emotions for money.Returns and depreciation of emotions vs it for money.

My personal opinion,-if life/road invites you and you are man of moment and can manage all ,go for it.But saying you are man of moment analyse self through last 10 yrs....weather you were same person when you had bike? Just to travel have you taken possible public transport?Just to meet someone I drive 18kms  to and fro + drive ahead till we feel it's time to go back.And I was same with bike and all.So car keeps me same with class and add more values to my experiences.

So if you are not that kind of person ,you can use ola/uber.No doubt that won't give you that hormone boost or feel or class but who cares till it matters to self .You can also multiply your money with some compound interest instead of depreciation.

Just adding to your dilemma,life and money both depreciate.Money can be added on any stage but life can't be.Not raw ages of life atleast.If few 2 digits are compound interest of money;memories of experiences you lived are compound interest of life.

I love the line from starboy which says..

We don't pray for love, we just pray for cars!!!