A Hyundai Santro was the first ever vehicle that I owned, when I was just making my mark in Mumbai. I’d won first place in a reality show hosted by STAR, and friends had encouraged me to buy a car, saying that I would need one to attend work meetings and appointments. I have always been clear about buying petrol cars, as they offer better pick-up and make less noise than a diesel car. The Santro was one of the best budget cars I could find about five years ago. The sunroof was the clincher. A car with a sunroof for under ₹5 lakh was a dream buy. I imagined peaceful, breezy drives on Marine Drive.
Yet, the memories surrounding my first car are rather unusual. Many friends had compelled me for a treat after I’d bought it; we drank so much that I had to get my car washed over three times. Since then, I have been particular about not letting my friends drink or smoke inside the car.
In a few months, I stopped getting work too. I was struggling for survival, paying a high rent, and had to ask my parents for money. In barely 15 months, I had to sell it.
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I was dejected for a few days, but I had no option. I was watching a film at a mall once, when I spotted the same car that I’d sold to a dealer. I waited for the car owner to arrive, and requested him if I could drive the car within the parking premises. He obliged and I went back happy. For the next four years, I only used an auto.
The absence of ownership hurt me a little, but I realised that I had to be adaptable to survive. Today, I don’t mind if I have to take an auto or a cab to go to work.
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A first car is always like first love: you only keep upgrading later in life! I was always flustered by the little things: why is there a scratch here, why is this making more of a noise than it should?
I was always in the driver’s seat, and very uncomfortable sitting behind. Things like routes, speed, driving calibre made a difference.
Technically speaking though, I was riding before I was driving: I rode an LML Vespa, followed by a motorbike, but the concern I had for my Santro, I don’t think I had before; nor do I have for any of the vehicles I have bought after.
As told to Srivathsan Nadadhur