[Omkar]

If one is good, two is better. In most cases, this logic applies, but is it the same with cars? No doubt cars have become an integral part of our lives and those of our families. They offer us the flexibility of mobility for daily commutes or weekend getaways with family. But what’s the magic number? With most people, one car makes a lot of sense, but it can also be significantly beneficial to add another one to the garage. Let’s explore some of the advantages of owning multiple cars in a household.

Convenience
In cases where multiple members of the family work at different locations, having multiple cars is very convenient for office commutes. A small hatchback for driving around in the city and commuting and a bigger car with a spacious boot for weekend trips is another combination that we see quite often. A bigger family will obviously have multiple cars for everyone to travel comfortably. Having a beater car in a house is also a common practice. Something affordable, easy to maintain, frugal and reliable makes for a good beater car.


Emergencies
I believe this is a major deciding factor when people get a second car in a household. With cars, there’s always a chance of something going wrong at the wrong time. So having a spare car so that you’re not left stranded in case of an emergency is a boon.

Practicality
While some may argue that taking a cab is just easier and convenient, it’s not always practical. Sometimes the waiting time is way too long, then you have random cancellations, and overall it can be of major inconvenience in time of need. The same goes for hiring a second car for long trips with a bigger family. It is feasible, but practically, you might face issues like the unavailability of, let’s say, a 7-seater at the last minute and you might have to settle for a smaller car.

Versatility
Practical cars in the garage make a lot of sense, but there’s more to life than just practicality. We have so many fun cars on sale, so why not have a second car that’s primarily for keeping the enthusiast in you alive? It can be an off-roader for your weekend off-roading events with friends or it can be a project car where you get to experiment with tuning. The possibilities are endless. People even buy their dream Porsche or a Ferrari and would still like to have something as practical as an Innova in the same garage.


Varied Requirements
Different types of vehicle combinations would be helpful in different situations. For instance, you can have an affordable automatic for your office commutes in bumper-to-bumper traffic and a manual for weekend fun drives. Having an AWD car in your garage would be preferable over a FWD car during the monsoon season.


Understanding cars better
No matter how many kilometres you have under your belt, every time you get on the road, you learn something new. Different types of cars teach you different ways of driving them. For instance, you wouldn't drive a powerful rear-wheel drive car the same way you drive a front-wheel drive budget hatch. With multiple cars, you learn new things about driving and the cars themselves. You’ll always be adding to your knowledge pool about cars and as enthusiasts, we’re always hungry for more.

Balanced mileage
With multiple cars in the household, you can balance the number of kilometres on all your cars. This will be helpful for you when you want to sell one of the cars as the mileage won’t be very high.


Longer life
In continuation to the previous point, with balanced running, no one car will be subjected to excessive wear and tear. Your consumable items like brake pads, clutch, tyres, mounts, bearings etc. will last longer. And without excessive load on your engine, its life would also increase.

Status symbol
For some families, having multiple cars is associated with their status in society.

[Omkar]

Now that we’ve seen the good side, let’s flip the coin and look at some of the disadvantages of owning multiple vehicles.

Increased costs
The most obvious disadvantage would be the additional costs involved. Apart from the initial cost of purchasing a new vehicle, there are recurring costs that you need to consider such as insurance, routine maintenance, repairs and even fuel.


Parking problems
This is relevant in cities where parking space is limited. You have to purchase additional parking space which further adds to your overall cost. You always have the option of parking on the road, but that comes with its own set of problems.


Left unused if mileage drops
With multiple cars in the garage, it’s crucial that you take care of them regularly. You need to monitor their health and keep them running. If not, this would lead to one or more cars being overused or left unused, both of which would defeat the purpose of owning multiple vehicles.

Cabs are becoming more accessible
With an increasing amount of startups and fleet operators entering the space, cabs, including EVs, are becoming more affordable and accessible. In some cases, this might make more financial sense than owning a vehicle.

Conclusion

It’s evident that owning multiple cars obviously has more advantages than disadvantages. In the end, it all comes down to the feasibility and requirements of a particular household. If it fits the budget and there’s a requirement in the household, no point in sitting on the fence. There’s also the option of leasing a car if you’re looking at short-term ownership of a particular vehicle. You can have multiple permutations and combinations based on your requirements and find the cars that tick the right boxes.

However, do keep in mind that you need to look after them or you will be giving up on all the advantages of owning multiple cars. The easiest way would be to keep a log of all the maintenance and repair work on each car and set prompt reminders for scheduled services and insurance renewals. Maintaining multiple cars in a household is not an easy task, and a whole different topic of discussion altogether. For now, do share your thoughts on owning multiple vehicles and how many vehicles would you like to have in your garage.

[Omkar]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line.

[fhdowntheline]

Without caring for political correctness, I would say if you like more cars and can afford to keep them ( without too much difficulty), why not? I have been a 2 car person more or less since 2012, save for a period of 2 years during the pandemic. In my case its been a hatch + sedan/ CSUV combination. I would ideally like to add a good AWD like the Jimmy, but am not sure where I would be able to park it( perhaps my parents house) . But then there would an inconvenience to the whole affair.

[SmartCat]

Biggest advantage of a 2-car garage is backup! Incase of a road accident (even at city speeds), your car will end up at the service center for a month. More if it is a major accident.

That's because a road accident might cause damage to plastic/metal parts inside the engine bay. And the dealership has to source smallest nuts and bolts too, else he cannot fix the bigger component. It does not make sense for body shop to keep inventory of these slow-moving parts, and has to order them. And that usually takes time.

[kiran_aithal]

We have 2 cars (at some point had 3) in the house. It was purely based on convenience and type of usage. X4 is for only for highways/long drives, Alto for anything within the city (ofc, shopping, school, running errands, etc). Can't imagine driving X4 in Bangalore traffic and, similarly, hard to imagine driving Alto in the highway (though did it once during an emergency).

[Kosfactor]

I always recommend people to keep only one car unless they have the need for two daily drivers.

Exceptions are toys and hobby cars, more the merrier.

A Jeep is a good toy , nice open top fun as well as a tool for transporting stuff that would dirty your primary car which you cannot pressure wash the interiors, it's also great for prospecting the country side.

[fiat_tarun]

My family has maintained a 2 car garage for as long as I can remember as both parents had to head in different directions and at different times for work, etc.

The same has carried over to me as well where I converted to a 2 car garage after marriage. Both, my wife and myself are not 2W people and hence the convenience and safety of a car was very important. Cabs / Auto / public transport unfortunately is not good enough to replace a car for daily travel.

While my second car was till recently a purely 'functional' Alto AMT, the opportunity came recently to swap it for a more fun car with character to keep company to my Ecosport.

[Eddy]

Use Cases specific to Delhi

1- Odd Even - Always helpful if you have an odd and an even numbered car.

2- GRAP Norms - My S-Cross (BS 4 diesel) is grounded. Thankfully a 2012 Brio (BS4 Petrol) is usable

Although these are temporary restrictions, the situation still gets on my nerves.

[Dippy]

My home has always had a two car garage for the longest time, and that happened after I started driving officially. Also with two drivers in the house, two cars makes the perfect use case for me.

My garage has seen everything from 2 sedans, a sedan and a hatch combo to now a hatch and a 4x4 off-roader.

I'm currently very happy with 2 cars. If I ever have a third car, I don't mind having an EV.

Voted for 2 cars.

[Captain Slow]

My ideal garage would be designed to house three cars:

The Garage Queen: This designated space is reserved for a meticulously cared-for vehicle, receiving the utmost pampering and attention. No expense would be spared in ensuring its pristine condition, Taken out only on known roads where I know parking conditions are optimal.

The Daily Driver: This spot is dedicated to the resilient daily driver, the car that endures the rigors of everyday use. It navigates through challenging roads, heavy traffic, and is even entrusted to drivers and valets. This vehicle proudly bears the scars of its adventures, showcasing its resilience and accomplishments.

Semi-Vintage Rare Car: Often referred to as my first car, this vehicle is also meticulously maintained and well-preserved.

[raptor_diwan]

Two!! there are basically two types. One's for the highway or when you need a special ride, and the other one's your city car. I don't really care about a few scratches in the city car, so having two just makes sense.

[Ays7]

We are a family of 7 folks and hence are a 3 Car garage, At the bare minimum, I would stick to two cars for a family my size. Voted Two. It is good to have 3rd car as a back up, but for our use case scenario, two cars have been adequate so far. Would I go back to being a single car garage? Not while I am with my extended family. If things change, and I am in a nuclear family, I wouldnt have hesitation going with just one car in my garage.

[Anijsh]

If more cars per family is driven by need, that's one thing. but more cars per family is driven by want/desire/just for driving fun/disposable income/'because one can'/status -> how about thinking of about carbon footprint being left on the planet. Disregard to this factor by society at large has already been instrumental in driving climate destruction.

Cheers

[Sahil]

The main reason one needs multiple cars today is the emergence of nuclear families. Especially in a city like Mumbai where space is limited, nuclear family set ups are fast emerging and usually not in the same building as the the parent family hence coordinating cars is a struggle. This can lead to far larger family feuds

IMO, ideally if budget permits, every adult needs a designated car. Kids below the age of 18 can share one amongst themselves or with a parent.
This is the secret to family success