Hey everyone, last year in July 2025 I bought my first car and I thought I’d share my journey with all OPs — especially for anyone stuck between stretching their budget for the “best” car vs making a practical choice, so I thought my experience might resonate with someone in the same boat.
The Catalyst: 60km on a Classic 350
For the longest time, I was commuting 60km every day on the national highway on my Royal Enfield Classic 350, battling scorching heat and heavy rains. My parents were constantly urged me to buy a car. I kept pushing the plan because my priority was building a solid financial corpus first. But my parents gave me a great piece of advice:
a car isn't just a depreciating asset; it’s a utilising asset. It repays you with comfort, control over your time, and most importantly, security.
The Turning Point: June 2025
While randomly scrolling YouTube in June 2025, my parents saw a video about the Ciaz potentially getting discontinued and being offered at massive discounts. Knowing I had always wanted a big sedan growing up, they literally dragged me to the Maruti showroom. We actually already have a 2018 Ciaz in the family (my sister's), which has run almost 75,000 km and is still in mint condition with zero issues. So, the reliability was already tried and tested for us.
The Showroom Hop & The FOMO
To be thorough, we also went to check out the Verna, City, Slavia, and Virtus GT. All their mid-variants were sitting upwards of ₹15 Lakhs.
I won't lie—I was deeply impressed by the Virtus. We really loved the 1.0 Highline Plus MT, but it was going to cost upwards of ₹15 Lakhs (even with BH passing). It was a beautiful machine with a punchy turbo, but buying it would have completely derailed my finances.
The Master Deal
Meanwhile, I pitted three Maruti showrooms against each other and negotiated hard. The Ciaz Zeta Manual was initially offered to me at ₹12.15 Lakhs. By the end of it, I secured an on-road price of ₹11.15 Lakhs, including ₹40k worth of accessories. It was simply too good to be true. I bought it because it was my OG love—a proper, no-compromise sedan.
Here is why I am perfectly at peace with choosing an "outdated" car over a modern machine:
The Chauffeur Priority
I anticipate some criticism for picking the Ciaz over a driver's car like the Virtus. But the truth is, I didn't even know how to drive when I bought it! I am much more interested in being chauffeured. With the ₹4.5 Lakhs I saved upfront, I can easily afford to hire a driver and enjoy the absolute best-in-class rear legroom the Ciaz offers.
Engine Realities (1.5L NA vs 1.0L Turbo):
The Virtus 1.0 offered a 3-cylinder turbo, but the Ciaz gave me a highly refined 4-cylinder 1.5L naturally aspirated engine. It's smooth, silent, and incredibly reliable.
The "Beginner Tax" (Dad's Advice):
My dad gave me the best advice for a rookie: avoid a powerful, aggressive turbo engine. The sudden turbo surge can be intimidating, and burning a clutch on a VW while learning would result in a massive repair bill. The Ciaz’s linear power delivery is super forgiving, and Maruti parts are dirt cheap if I make a mistake while practicing.
The Stepping Stone Strategy:
This isn't my final car. I plan to upgrade to a Safari or Innova in 6-7 years. Investing heavily in a VW (with a steeper depreciation curve and higher maintenance) didn't make sense. The Ciaz ticks all the immediate boxes (LED projectors, auto climate control, Apple CarPlay, massive boot) and will hold its resale value brilliantly when it's time to upgrade.
The Verdict
I saved around ₹4.5 Lakhs upfront, got a spacious, elegant sedan, and didn’t have to compromise my financial planning. Sometimes, the most "boring" choice on paper is the absolute best choice for your peace of mind.
Would love to hear your thoughts, especially from folks who made a similar choice to prioritize financial utility over FOMO!