Pay for the Car, Cry for the Tax: Are We Paying Double Price for the Car?

You pay for the new car, but the tax bill? It’s enough to make you CRY.

Spoiler: It’s not quite double, but it’s a wild ride.

1. GST & Cess: The Tax Tag Team

28% GST + up to 22% cess (sorry, SUV fans!) can jack up the base price by nearly 50%. Your car’s rocking a tax glow-up before it even hits the showroom.

2. Road Tax: States Join the Party

From Himachal’s chill 5% to Karnataka’s brutal 20%, this one’s a state-sponsored wallet punch. Your car’s basically paying rent to roll on Indian roads!

3. TCS & Insurance GST: Extras That Burn

1% TCS on ₹10 lakh+ cars, 18% GST on insurance—every little “must-have” piles on the pain. safety bhi free nahi aati.

4. The Math Magic

A ₹8 lakh base price balloons to ₹13 lakh on-road (1.6x). Fancy a luxe ₹30 lakh stunner? Say hello to ₹53 lakh (1.8x).

Double? Not exactly—but your bank account’s still gasping!

5. Income Tax

Income tax (a tax on your personal or business earnings) doesn’t directly apply to the act of purchasing a car. However, other taxes and fees are typically involved when buying a vehicle, and your income or financial situation could indirectly influence the transaction (Govt. smirks from the backseat).

The tax bill’s got you bawling like a monsoon rom-com.