I have been dreaming of a big car for years now. Three,
maybe four. Each year I would tell myself that if I saved just that much more
this year, I would buy a fancy car next year. Each year I found a reason to
delay gratification.
This year finally my old car has begun giving trouble. I
am compelled to buy a new car. I test drive all the fancy ones I can think of,
analyze financing options, read all reviews I can google. Finally I go ahead
and buy - the most value for money car. The vehicle for the mass market.
Effectively postponing my dream for a few more years. Why is this? Buying a
reasonably expensive car won't put me in penury. It won't make me think twice
before living like I already do - buying the stuff I do or eating at the places
I want or going for the holidays I do. Why then this hesitation to splurge?
I think I define security by the money I have been able
to salt away. Not for me confidence in my abilities to struggle along. Not for
me a belief in tomorrow. I live and die by my excel sheet which tracks, super
methodically, my finances. This is pathetic. Unfortunate, but true. I know of
few people who are as systematic about this thing. Perhaps this is good.
Perhaps my future will be nice and comfortable, or my kids will live well.
Or perhaps they won't care. Perhaps they won't want my
money. Perhaps I will be too old to enjoy anything but sunlight and free
television. Perhaps I will die reasonably young. All this will be for nothing.
A waste.
Can I change my thinking? Or is it too late?
4 comments:
Maybe the reason you aren't going for that expensive car is that you don't REALLY want it ? You probably associate a fancy car with increased headache and tension of maintenance and security more than the pleasure of driving n owning it. I do.
Maybe these desires for luxurious items are a manifestation of the default settings of social conditioning. We are "supposed" to want them and then feel wrong/kanjoos/under-ambitious for not going after them.
My biggest struggle these days is to motivate myself to make money (given that current lifestyle is taken care of). I try to create materialistic targets but fancy holiday, jewelry, car etc. somehow just don't fit the bill.
I think you may be right, MJ! But sure feels good to think of myself driving an X5 or a 6 series :-)
I have been reading this blog for some years now and I value your views and opinions.
When I read this blog post in May, I felt curious to know what car is it that is the "most value for money car."
Now that I am looking to buy a car myself and find myself knee deep in tiring research, I thought I should emerge out of my lurker-dom and ask you directly what car is it that you bought that you think is the most value for money car in the country.
Thanks
Dear Shiv Bhakt,
I was looking for a large car, which could ferry around 6 people at a time intra city. The wife was dead against sedans, so we were considering only SUV-type cars. Within that, the Innova seemed like a good purchase, but we finally settled on the Maruti Ertiga ZXI model. Most value for money car in its segment (I dont really consider the Scorpio, Xylo, Safari etc in the same segment because somehow I dont think they are meant for leisure / pleasure travel; also we did not like the heavy handling of a diesel vehicle).
The Ertiga got delivered recently, and we have been on a long 400km trip in it. Happy to report that it is a great car, in terms of comfort, handling and fuel efficiency, though the last row is not really for adult seating.
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