Is now the right time? Financial readiness score — emergency fund, debt, salary ratio and opportunity cost.
Large purchases have an opportunity cost: money spent on a depreciating asset is money not compounding in investments. The 50% annual salary rule and emergency fund check are the two most important filters.
When emergency fund ≥ 3 months, no high-cost debt, and purchase is less than 50% of annual take-home salary. For depreciating assets like electronics, never take a loan — pay cash only.
Financially, waiting only helps if you will save specifically for the car. Prices rarely fall significantly for popular models. The better question is: can I afford the total ownership cost (EMI + fuel + insurance + maintenance) without dropping my savings rate below 20%?