Viral Post Reveals ₹2.5 Lakh Down, ₹21K EMI — And ₹3,300 Per Drive: How Owning a ₹12.8 Lakh Car for Weekends Costs ₹3.2 Lakh a Year
Viral Post Reveals ₹2.5 Lakh Down, ₹21K EMI — And ₹3,300 Per Drive: How Owning a ₹12.8 Lakh Car for Weekends Costs ₹3.2 Lakh a Year ( Representational image )
A ₹12.8 lakh weekend ride turns into one of the most expensive “subscriptions” you can own
Buying a car often feels like a milestone, proof that you’ve “made it.” But for one proud new owner, the real cost of that milestone came as a shock.
CA Abhishek Walia shared the story of a client who purchased his first car for ₹12.8 lakh, paying ₹2.5 lakh upfront and committing to ₹21,300 EMIs for five years. On paper, it looked like a sensible purchase. In reality, he drove it only on weekends — sometimes less.
When they crunched the numbers, the truth emerged:
Annual Costs
- EMI: ₹21,300/month → ₹2,55,600/year
- Petrol: ~₹2,800/month → ₹33,600/year
- Insurance: ₹13,000/year
- Parking & Service: ₹1,500/month → ₹18,000/year
Total: ~₹3.2 lakh/year
With just 8 drives a month, that worked out to nearly ₹3,300 per outing — excluding the ₹2.5 lakh already sunk as a down payment.
For comparison, weekend travel via Uber or Zoomcar rentals could have cost about ₹90,000 annually, less than one-third of his actual spend.
Status vs. Utility
Not every EMI is bad. Loans for education, assets, or business tools can create long-term value. But some EMIs quietly drain your finances without adding much utility — what Walia calls “status EMIs.”
If the pride of ownership is worth the cost, then it’s money well spent. But if you rarely drive, your “dream” car could be the most expensive subscription you’ve ever signed up for.
