The average used car in India sells for ₹5.5 Lakh. That is a significant sum for most households — enough to feel the consequences deeply if the purchase goes wrong. Yet industry estimates suggest 40% of used cars change hands with unreported issues, and experts believe 15-20% of used cars may carry odometer fraud. For a first-time buyer — someone buying their first ever car or their first pre-owned vehicle — the exposure to these hidden faults is highest, because they have no baseline. They do not know what a healthy engine bay looks like, what normal oil colour means, or what "good compression" sounds like under the bonnet. This guide explains exactly what a test drive misses, the five things an AI inspection checks that a test drive cannot, and why ₹249 is the most accessible protection available to a first-time used car buyer in India today.
Why First-Time Buyers Are Most Vulnerable
The used car buying process in India systematically disadvantages first-time buyers. Sellers — whether private individuals or informal dealers — have usually sold multiple cars before and know exactly what to emphasise and what to conceal. The buyer, often purchasing their first car after years of saving, is operating on excitement and limited knowledge. The combination is expensive.
Three knowledge gaps are particularly dangerous for first-time buyers. The first is mechanical literacy — recognising that dark, tar-like engine oil indicates neglected oil changes, that a greenish-brown coolant suggests contamination from a failing head gasket, that an intermittent vibration at 80 km/h is a balancing issue and not "just the road surface." These are things experienced buyers have learned through ownership or a mechanic friend. First-time buyers walk in without them.
The second is cost calibration. A first-time buyer has no intuitive feel for what repairs cost. A seller saying "small clutch issue, easy fix" sounds minor. That "easy fix" could be ₹18,000-₹35,000 at an authorised service centre for a compact sedan. A second-time buyer who has been through a clutch replacement knows this; a first-time buyer does not. This information gap is exactly what enables under-declaration of issues.
The third is confirmation bias at the test drive. The test drive is emotionally loaded — the buyer is finally behind the wheel of a car they have been researching for weeks. The brain at this point is actively hunting for evidence that the car is good, not evidence that it is problematic. Sellers know this, which is why the test drive is rarely where a deal falls apart. The hidden issues — accumulated engine wear, flood damage, odometer rollback, structural repairs — are invisible to a test drive under normal conditions.
The financial exposure: On a ₹5.5 Lakh used car, a hidden engine issue (head gasket replacement: ₹25,000-₹70,000), undisclosed transmission wear (rebuild: ₹40,000-₹1,20,000), or flood damage (multi-system electrical failure: ₹50,000-₹2,00,000+) can easily exceed 25-50% of the car's purchase price. Industry professionals use a practical rule: a ₹1,500-₹3,000 inspection that uncovers a single negotiation point or stops one bad purchase saves ₹30,000-₹1,50,000 in avoided repair costs.
What a Test Drive Cannot Tell You
The test drive is the centrepiece of used car buying folklore in India — the idea that a careful drive will reveal everything worth knowing. This is unfortunately not true, and the gap between what a test drive reveals and what an inspection uncovers is precisely where most expensive problems hide.
A test drive checks whether the car currently runs, steers, brakes, and shifts in normal driving conditions. It does not check the structural integrity of the car after an undisclosed accident. It does not check whether the odometer reading is genuine or was rolled back 60,000 km three months ago. It does not check whether the engine oil is black and sludge-like — a sign of missed oil changes — or whether the coolant has the brown discolouration of a compromised head gasket. It cannot detect whether a car was submerged in the Chennai floods two years ago and had its ECU replaced, its carpet swapped, and its cabin deodorised before resale.
The test drive is particularly ineffective at catching intermittent problems — a transmission that slips only when hot, an AC compressor that fails only under sustained load in summer, or electrical gremlins that appear only after the car has been sitting in rain overnight. These intermittent faults are common in used cars and are almost never visible in a 15-minute test drive under controlled conditions.
Industry context: Physical inspection services in India — including Droom (from ₹549), Ride N Repair doorstep 150-point inspection (₹2,499+), GoMechanic, and CarVaidya (₹1,500-₹5,000 range) — exist precisely because the test drive is insufficient. These services were designed for buyers who already know they need professional eyes on a car. The challenge is that physical inspections require booking 2-3 days ahead, sending a technician to the seller's location, and spending ₹1,500-₹5,000 per car — economics that make it impractical to use them for every car you are evaluating. A ₹249 AI inspection changes this calculus significantly by enabling first-pass filtering on every shortlisted car before committing to a physical inspection on the finalist.
The 5 Things an AI Inspection Checks
VahanBazaar's AI Vahan Inspection at ₹249 combines government VAHAN data, per-photo AI analysis, odometer cross-check against vehicle age, model-specific known failure points, and a tailored 12-question inspection checklist. Here are the five core areas it examines — areas that are invisible to a test drive but surface clearly in a systematic photo-and-data analysis.
1Odometer Genuineness
What it checksThe inspection reads the odometer display from an uploaded photo (engine running, as required), then cross-checks it against three independent signals: vehicle age versus national average annual mileage (approximately 15,000 km/year for private passenger vehicles), service record entries where available, and physical wear indicators — steering wheel grip wear, pedal rubber wear, gear knob surface wear, and seat bolster compression — all of which should correspond to the claimed mileage.
What it findsA five-year-old car showing 28,000 km — roughly 5,600 km per year — is statistically implausible unless the car was rarely used. A car with worn seat bolsters, a polished gear knob, and shiny pedal rubber claiming 45,000 km when the wear patterns suggest 90,000 km is a mismatch flag. The inspection quantifies this inconsistency so you can challenge the seller with a specific discrepancy rather than a vague suspicion.
Risk if missedAn odometer rolled back by 60,000 km on a ₹5.5 Lakh car hides the cumulative maintenance backlog of those extra kilometres. Engine wear, brake wear, tyre wear, clutch wear, and service intervals all compute off the false lower number, meaning the car will reach its next major service event far sooner than the buyer is led to expect.
Repair exposurePremature engine service due to missed oil changes: ₹15,000-₹40,000. Clutch replacement from hidden high mileage: ₹18,000-₹35,000. The odometer fraud guide at Odometer Tampering: How VAHAN Catches It covers the VAHAN-side checks in detail.
2Engine Condition
What it checksThe engine bay photo is analysed for oil quality (colour on the dipstick or visible filler cap residue), coolant colour and condition, visible fluid leaks or dried leak traces, engine bay cleanliness versus artificially steam-cleaned appearance (sellers sometimes clean engine bays before inspection to hide leaks), and any obvious aftermarket modifications to emission-related components such as the air filter or exhaust system.
What it findsHealthy engine oil is amber to light brown. Dark brown or black oil, or oil with a milky-white emulsion in the filler cap, indicates either severely delayed oil changes or coolant contamination — the latter being a classic head gasket failure symptom. Coolant that is brown or rust-coloured instead of green or pink suggests a corroded cooling system. A steam-cleaned engine bay on a high-mileage car without a service record is a flag that the seller cleaned it specifically to hide evidence of leaks.
Risk if missedA failing head gasket on a petrol sedan costs ₹25,000-₹70,000 to replace at an authorised service centre. Ignored, it leads to full engine overheating and potential engine seizure — at which point the repair cost exceeds the car's value. Contaminated oil causes accelerated bearing wear, compressing the engine's remaining useful life by tens of thousands of kilometres.
Repair exposureHead gasket: ₹25,000-₹70,000. Engine overhaul post-seizure: ₹80,000-₹2,50,000, often more than the car is worth. Engine rebuild costs versus car value calculation is the primary reason why mechanical inspection is non-negotiable on any used car priced under ₹6 Lakh.
3Electrical Systems
What it checksThe interior photo and odometer-with-engine-running photo allow the AI to assess dashboard warning lights (no persistent warning lamps should be illuminated after the engine has been running for more than 10 seconds), touchscreen and infotainment unit condition, visible wiring modifications under the dashboard, and indicators of sensor or camera failures. The VAHAN data cross-check also surfaces whether the car has had any insurance claims for electrical damage.
What it findsA check-engine light, battery warning, or TPMS light that remains on after engine start is a diagnostic trigger requiring an OBD-II scan. Aftermarket wiring harnesses under the dashboard — often installed for taxi-meter connections, GPS tracking, or entertainment upgrades — can cause cascading electrical faults. Cloudy or cracked reversing cameras and failed parking sensors are common on cars over five years old but are rarely disclosed by sellers.
Risk if missedElectrical issues on modern cars — particularly those with ADAS features, connected-car systems, or start-stop technology — are expensive to diagnose and repair. A faulty ABS/ESC control module on a Hyundai Creta or Tata Nexon costs ₹25,000-₹60,000 at an authorised service centre. Battery replacement on a car whose starting issues were masked before the test drive: ₹5,000-₹18,000 depending on the battery type.
Repair exposureOBD-II diagnostic scan: ₹500-₹1,500. ECU replacement (flood-damaged): ₹20,000-₹80,000. The cost of an electrical fault is highly unpredictable — it can be as simple as a ₹200 relay or as complex as a complete wiring harness replacement at ₹1,50,000+.
4Body and Paint — Accident and Flood History
What it checksAll four exterior photos — front, rear, driver side, passenger side — are analysed for panel alignment gaps (uneven gaps between doors, bonnet, or boot lid indicate frame damage or replacement panels), paint colour matching between adjacent panels (resprayed panels in a different shade indicate post-accident bodywork), visible paint texture differences (sprayed panels have slightly different texture from factory finish), and lower-panel rust patterns (early rust in the door sills, seat rails, and under the carpet is a flood damage marker).
What it findsA front right door that sits 4 mm lower than the front left door is either a replacement panel or a bent A-pillar — both are serious structural concerns. Overspray on rubber seals around windows or doors indicates a respray that was not done by an authorised body shop. Interior photos showing recently replaced carpet, mismatched upholstery sections, or corrosion on seat rail bolts are reliable flood markers, particularly on cars previously registered in Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, or Kerala.
Risk if missedStructural damage — bent chassis rails, welded frame repairs — compromises crash safety. The car may pass visual inspection and drive normally, but in an accident it will not perform as designed. This is not a repair issue; it is a safety issue. Insurance companies can also reject claims on flood-damaged cars once the history is identified, leaving you uninsured for multi-lakh repairs. The guide on Chassis and Frame Damage: 9 Signs to Spot covers the physical inspection steps in detail.
Repair exposurePanel replacement for one door after a minor accident: ₹8,000-₹20,000. Flood damage electrical repair: ₹50,000-₹2,00,000+. Frame realignment after structural accident: ₹30,000-₹80,000, with no guarantee of full structural restoration.
5AC and Cooling System
What it checksThe engine bay photo and interior photos allow assessment of the AC condenser condition (visible damage from road debris), compressor belt condition where visible, and blower motor or vent condition inside the cabin. The AI cross-checks the vehicle age and model against known AC-related failure patterns for that specific make, model, and year.
What it findsA corroded or bent AC condenser (positioned behind the front grille and susceptible to impact damage) significantly reduces cooling performance and leaks refrigerant over time. Cars over five years old with no recorded AC service — no refrigerant top-up, no cabin filter replacement — are likely running with degraded cooling performance. The inspection also surfaces model-specific AC failure patterns: for instance, AC compressor failures are a documented issue on certain model-year Swift variants, and AC condenser corrosion is common on cars regularly parked near coastal areas (Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi).
Risk if missedAn AC system that works marginally in February will fail entirely in May. In north India summer, an AC failure is not a comfort issue — it is a safety issue (heat exhaustion, driver fatigue). The timing of failure — after purchase, in summer — means the buyer has zero negotiating power and pays full repair cost.
Repair exposureAC refrigerant top-up (gas charging): ₹1,500-₹3,000. AC compressor replacement on a compact sedan: ₹12,000-₹35,000. AC condenser replacement: ₹6,000-₹18,000. Full AC system overhaul on a neglected car: ₹20,000-₹50,000.
Get an AI Inspection for ₹249 — VahanBazaar AI Vahan Inspection
Enter the registration number and upload 8 photos (front, rear, driver side, passenger side, engine bay, boot, odometer with engine running, front seat interior). Get full VAHAN RC data, per-photo AI analysis, odometer cross-check, model-specific known issues, and 12 tailored buying questions — in 90 seconds.
How Odometer Fraud Hides in Plain Sight
Odometer fraud is the most prevalent form of used car deception in India, and it is remarkably difficult to detect without systematic cross-checking. Mechanical odometers used to be rolled back physically, leaving visible signs of tampering in the speedometer housing. Modern digital odometers in cars manufactured after 2010 can be reset or reprogrammed via OBD-II ports using inexpensive devices sold openly online, leaving no physical evidence whatsoever.
The economic incentive is significant. A car with 95,000 km on the clock might sell for ₹4.5 Lakh in a competitive market. The same car with 45,000 km on the display commands ₹5.8-₹6 Lakh. The rollback is invisible, the seller pockets the difference, and the buyer unknowingly purchases a high-wear car at a low-wear price — inheriting all the maintenance obligations that the false mileage conceals.
The cross-checks that expose odometer fraud are service record entries, physical wear calibration, and plausibility analysis. Service books stamped at authorised centres record the odometer reading at each service. A car supposedly showing 45,000 km with a service entry at 62,000 km from eighteen months ago was evidently rolled back after that service. Physical wear on the steering wheel, gear knob, pedals, and seat bolsters builds up at a predictable rate proportional to real usage — and cannot be reversed when an odometer is rolled back. Sellers sometimes replace worn gear knobs and pedal rubbers as part of the preparation for sale, but worn seat bolster foam, steering wheel grip texture loss, and door-seal compression are harder to fake. Our detailed analysis of odometer tampering and VAHAN-side mileage checks explains exactly how to use government records to validate a seller's claimed mileage.
Red flag combination: If a car has a spotless, recently valeted interior, a brand-new gear knob and pedal rubbers, no service book (or a book whose last entry is years old), and an odometer showing a round number like exactly 50,000 km — these signals together are strong indicators of odometer manipulation. Each signal in isolation is explainable; all four together warrant extreme caution.
Flood-Damaged Cars: India's Hidden Epidemic
India has seen a sustained run of catastrophic urban flooding over the last decade. Chennai in 2015, Kerala in 2018, Hyderabad in 2020, Bengaluru in 2022, and nearly every monsoon season bringing localised flooding in Mumbai, Gurugram, Noida, and Patna. Each flood event generates thousands of water-damaged cars, most of which are cosmetically cleaned and re-entered into the used car market — sometimes into different states where the flood event is less known.
Flood damage does not announce itself immediately. A flood-affected car may run normally for six to twelve months after the event — long enough to pass the customary 2-3 month test period that most buyers intuitively apply. The real failure cascade begins 12-24 months later, as connectors corrode, ECUs develop intermittent faults, airbag sensors fail to trigger correctly, and the cabin begins to emit a mildew smell that no amount of air freshener suppresses permanently.
Buying a flood-damaged car in India has three specific downstream consequences. First, comprehensive insurance renewal becomes complicated — if the insurer's own assessors identify flood history, the policy may be restricted or refused. Second, major repair costs are unpredictable because flood damage affects multiple systems simultaneously; one ECU replacement leads to another discovered fault, then another. Third, the car's resale value collapses — any subsequent buyer who runs a proper inspection will identify the flood markers and offer accordingly.
Higher-risk registration states for flood-damaged cars: Tamil Nadu (2015, 2021, 2023 floods), Kerala (2018, 2019, 2021), Telangana/Andhra Pradesh (Hyderabad 2020), Karnataka (Bengaluru 2022), and Maharashtra (Mumbai recurring). Cars re-registered from these states into Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, or Madhya Pradesh without a documented reason deserve heightened scrutiny on the flood-damage checklist. The registration history is visible on VAHAN. The 12 Questions to Ask a Used-Car Seller guide includes a full flood-history questioning framework for sellers.
AI vs Physical Inspection — Which Is Right for You?
Both AI and physical inspections are legitimate tools — they operate at different stages of the buying process and serve different purposes. The practical question for a first-time buyer is not which one to use, but when to use each.
| Factor | DIY Inspection | Physical Inspection | AI Vahan Inspection (₹249) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | ₹549 - ₹5,000+ | ₹249 |
| Turnaround | On-site, real-time | 2-3 days (booking required) | 90 seconds |
| Location coverage | Wherever you can travel | Serviceable pin codes only | All of India |
| VAHAN data pull | Manual, separate step | Sometimes included | Included, automatic |
| Odometer cross-check | Requires expertise | Included (physical) | Age + wear analysis |
| Flood / accident history | Easy to miss | Physical markers checked | Photo-based analysis |
| Model-specific known issues | Requires forum research | Depends on technician | Auto-researched, per model |
| Under-bonnet mechanical check | Requires expertise | Comprehensive | Engine bay photo analysis |
| Brake / suspension check | Test drive only | Physical lift inspection | Not covered (photos insufficient) |
| Best used at | First visit, any car | Before final payment | Shortlisting (any car, any stage) |
The practical recommendation for a first-time buyer evaluating three to five cars: run a ₹249 AI Vahan Inspection on each shortlisted car. Eliminate cars with significant flags. Book a physical inspection — ₹1,500 to ₹3,000 — on the one or two finalists before final payment. The total cost for this two-stage process is ₹2,500-₹3,500 on average, against an average purchase price of ₹5.5 Lakh. That is 0.05% of the purchase value for a structured risk mitigation process. By comparison, a single avoidable repair on a concealed fault costs 3-20 times that amount.
Browse RC-verified used cars on VahanBazaar
Listings where the RC has been verified against VAHAN data — seller details, ownership count, hypothecation status confirmed before listing.
How VahanBazaar's AI Vahan Inspection Works
The AI Vahan Inspection is built for buyers who want a structured, data-driven first pass on any used car before committing to a physical inspection or a purchase decision. Here is the exact process:
Step 1 — Enter the registration number. The system pulls the full VAHAN RC record: registered owner name, owner count (1st, 2nd, 3rd+), vehicle class, fuel type, engine and chassis numbers, insurance validity, fitness validity, hypothecation status, and any blacklist or RC suspension flags. This data cross-check alone eliminates a substantial share of problematic cars — those with active hypothecation, suspended or blacklisted RCs, or ownership count mismatches against the seller's claim.
Step 2 — Upload 8 required photos. Front, passenger side, rear, driver side (the four walkaround angles), engine bay, boot, odometer with engine running, and front seat interior. Up to 4 optional tyre close-ups are also accepted for tread depth and DOT manufacture date analysis. Each photo is sent to the AI with a photo-type-specific analysis prompt — the side profiles are specifically interrogated for panel-to-panel colour mismatch and alignment gaps; the engine bay is analysed for fluid quality signals; the odometer reading is extracted and cross-checked against age.
Step 3 — Model intelligence. The AI uses grounded web search to research common issues, documented recalls, known failure points, parts availability, and real-world fuel economy for the specific make, model, and year in the Indian market. A buyer looking at a 2020 Maruti Swift AMT gets specific known issues for that variant (AMT actuator reliability, infotainment interface glitches) rather than generic used car advice.
Step 4 — 12 inspection questions. Based on the VAHAN data, photo observations, and model intelligence, the report generates 12 questions to ask the seller — each with the ideal answer, the red-flag answer, and the rationale. These questions are tailored to the specific vehicle, not a generic template. The full framework behind these questions is explained in the guide on DIY vs Mechanic vs AI Inspection: Which Should You Use?
Step 5 — Negotiation guidance. The report summarises all flagged observations with a suggested negotiation approach — which issues justify a price reduction, by how much, and what seller responses are acceptable versus red flags that warrant walking away.
The report is generated in approximately 90 seconds and costs ₹249. It is a one-time report — the photos are analysed and discarded, not stored. There is no subscription, no upsell, and no verdict on whether to buy. The decision remains the buyer's; the report arms the buyer with facts that the test drive cannot provide.
What This Means for First-Time Used Car Buyers
The structural problem facing first-time used car buyers in India has not changed in two decades: the seller knows more about the car than you do, and some sellers exploit that information gap. What has changed is the accessibility of tools that close that gap rapidly and at low cost. A physical inspection service in 2018 cost ₹2,000 and required a 3-day booking window. Today, a ₹249 digital inspection delivers VAHAN data, photo analysis, and model-specific risk factors in 90 seconds — from wherever you are, on any car, before you have even met the seller.
For a first-time buyer, the inspection is not a luxury add-on to the buying process. It is the mechanism by which a buyer without mechanical knowledge, without a mechanic friend, and without prior used car buying experience can systematically surface the hidden faults that the test drive conceals and the seller will not voluntarily disclose. The five areas covered — odometer genuineness, engine condition, electrical systems, body and paint, and AC health — are precisely the five areas where undisclosed problems create the largest post-purchase repair bills.
The numbers are straightforward. The average used car in India costs ₹5.5 Lakh. Industry estimates put 40% of those cars as carrying unreported issues. Spending ₹249 on an AI inspection and ₹1,500-₹2,500 on a physical inspection for the finalist car is ₹1,749-₹2,749 of risk management on a ₹5.5 Lakh decision. No first-time buyer should skip it. The guide on 12 Questions to Ask a Used-Car Seller provides the complementary questioning framework that pairs with the AI inspection to give you a complete pre-purchase due diligence process.
Practical checklist for first-time buyers: (1) Run an AI Vahan Inspection on every shortlisted car before visiting the seller. (2) Use the generated 12 questions during your physical inspection visit. (3) Book a doorstep mechanical inspection (₹1,500-₹3,000) before final payment on the car you intend to buy. (4) Check VAHAN, echallan, and hypothecation status independently — all free, all take five minutes. (5) Never pay more than a refundable token advance before all documents are verified and the transfer is initiated. For RC-verified listings where the seller's ownership has already been cross-checked against VAHAN data, start your search at VahanBazaar's verified used car listings.
Ready to Inspect a Used Car?
Start with a ₹249 AI Vahan Inspection — VAHAN data, 8-photo AI analysis, model-specific known issues, 12 buying questions. 90 seconds. Anywhere in India.
Frequently Asked Questions
A test drive checks driveability — whether the car starts, steers, and brakes in normal conditions. It cannot tell you the oil quality, coolant condition, whether the odometer has been rolled back, whether the body panels have been resprayed after an accident, or whether the AC compressor is running on borrowed time. An AI inspection cross-checks the odometer against vehicle age and wear patterns, analyses engine bay photos for contaminated oil and coolant discolouration, flags panel mismatches indicating accident repairs, checks electrical systems including dashboard warning lights, and runs the AC system assessment. These are structural concerns that remain hidden through every test drive.
Industry experts estimate 15-20% of used cars in India may have tampered odometers. Mechanical rollback devices have largely been replaced by digital manipulation via OBD-II port devices, which leave no visible trace under the dashboard. The only reliable cross-checks are service record mileage entries, physical wear calibration (pedals, gear knob, steering grip, seat bolsters), and vehicle age-to-mileage plausibility analysis. A car driven an average of 15,000 km per year should show 60,000-75,000 km in four years — any significant deviation in either direction warrants investigation. An AI inspection cross-checks all three signals and flags discrepancies explicitly.
They serve different stages of the buying process. Use an AI inspection for first-pass filtering — when you are evaluating multiple cars and want to eliminate obvious problems before spending time on a physical visit. The AI Vahan Inspection pulls full VAHAN RC data, analyses up to 12 photos for visible issues, cross-checks odometer plausibility, surfaces model-specific known failure points, and generates 12 tailored inspection questions. Once you have shortlisted one or two cars, a physical inspection (₹1,500-₹5,000) is the right next step for an in-person mechanical check, including brake assessment, suspension check, and OBD-II diagnostic scan. The two are complementary — use AI for filtering, physical for confirmation before final payment.
Key physical signals include a musty smell in the cabin that air fresheners cannot fully mask; rust on seat-rail bolts, seatbelt pre-tensioners, and metal screw heads under the dashboard; mud or silt residue under the driver-seat carpet; white oxidation deposits inside the OBD-II port connector housing; and recently replaced carpet or mismatched upholstery that does not match the car's age. Also check the car's previous registration state — a car re-registered from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Karnataka, or Maharashtra shortly after a known flood event into a non-coastal state warrants heightened scrutiny. An AI inspection using all four exterior angles plus the interior photo can flag several of these visual signals.
Options range from free to several thousand rupees. DIY inspection using online checklists costs nothing but requires automotive knowledge most first-time buyers do not have. AI-based inspections like VahanBazaar's AI Vahan Inspection cost ₹249 and provide photo analysis, VAHAN data, and model-specific questions within 90 seconds. Physical doorstep inspections start at ₹549 (Droom basic check) and go up to ₹2,499-₹5,000 for comprehensive 150-300-point inspections from Ride N Repair, GoMechanic, and CarVaidya. The recommended approach for first-time buyers is AI inspection for filtering multiple cars, then a physical inspection before final payment on the shortlisted car — total cost typically ₹2,000-₹3,500 on a ₹5.5 Lakh purchase.