Tired of Bengaluru traffic? Man’s Rs 3 lakh solution to daily commutes wins praise online

A Bengaluru man has found an unusual way to deal with the stress of daily office commutes in the city’s notorious traffic: he bought a second-hand car for Rs 3 lakh to avoid worrying about scratches and dents on his Skoda Slavia. The man’s account, shared on social media, has drawn attention from fellow motorists, with several calling his approach a smart way to navigate Bengaluru’s congested roads.

The idea was put to the test when an autorickshaw scraped the front bumper of his used car at a Silk Board signal. Rather than getting into an argument with the driver, who appeared to expect a confrontation, the man said he simply gave him a thumbs-up and continued his journey.

“An auto-rickshaw scraped my front bumper today at Silk Board signal. The driver looked terrified, expecting a fight. I just gave him a thumbs up and drove off,” the man wrote.


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Why he bought a second-hand car for daily commutes

The man explained that his decision followed his company’s return-to-office mandate. Unwilling to take his Skoda Slavia into Bengaluru’s chaotic traffic every day, he bought a 2015 Maruti Suzuki Celerio from Cars24 last month, describing the vehicle as a car he could use without worrying about everyday wear and tear.

“After the company mandated WFO, I refused to bring my new Slavia into this mess. Picked up a 2015 Celerio from Cars24 last month just to use as a sacrificial lamb for the daily commute. Paint is already faded, AC works fine, and I've dented it twice,” he said.

Calling it the best Rs 3 lakh he had spent, he recommended that other commuters consider using an inexpensive car for routine office travel rather than exposing their preferred vehicles to the risks of city driving.

“Best 3 lakhs I've ever spent. Highly recommend getting a trash-tier appliance car for office runs,” he added.

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Bengaluru traffic: Social media users share their own experiences

The man’s approach resonated with other car owners, some of whom shared their own experiences of driving in congested traffic without worrying about minor damage.

One user said they had been driving a nine-year-old Audi like a Maruti, adding that other motorists had scraped or hit the car and sometimes driven away in fear. The user said they had learned to laugh off such incidents, estimating the cost of repairing each affected panel at Rs 5,000.

“9 year old Audi. I drive it like a Maruti. No worries. People scrape, hit get terrified or even ran away fast. I just laughed. 5k per panel. Just a bad day. Enjoyed every minute of driving fearlessly except for the first six months,” the user wrote.

The commenter added that the car had become practical for more than just commuting, saying they sometimes used it to carry plants, a bicycle, farm produce and fertiliser.

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Another user called the Bengaluru man’s decision “the smartest way” to handle the city’s traffic, suggesting he keep the Slavia for more enjoyable drives while using the Celerio for daily commutes. A different commenter said driving a small, inexpensive Maruti car could offer a sense of freedom during city journeys.

A third user described having two accidents involving their Skoda Slavia over the past two years, one affecting the left fender and the other the right rear fender. The user said both incidents were caused by other people and admitted to strongly disliking driving in Bengaluru traffic, adding that the man appeared to have made a smart choice.

Another commenter pointed out that some motorists who drive on the wrong side or try to intimidate others while driving larger SUVs may back off when they realise the other driver is not concerned about scratches.

The discussion highlights a familiar dilemma for city commuters: whether to use a more expensive car for everyday travel or opt for an older, cheaper vehicle that makes minor damage less stressful. For these motorists, accepting the possibility of scratches and dents appears to make daily driving less nerve-racking.

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