The Waiting Game (Again) ⏳
After the Corolla left, I was back to square one.
Waiting for money to return.
Waiting for clarity.
Waiting for courage to try again.
But I didn't stop searching.
My OLX usage quietly overtook Instagram.
Every morning, night. between meetings, during lunch breaks.
Scrolling, Filtering, Comparing, Doubting.
Then, a few days later, a message from the same dealer.
Another car.
Honda City 2017 CVT.
He shared photos. It looked good.
I asked questions. He answered some. Promised more. And here's the thing, despite everything, I believed him.
Maybe I wanted to.
Over Budget. Again. 💸
My max budget was ₹5.5 lakhs.
This car? ₹6.5 lakhs to get it to Bangalore.
Out of budget. Again.
Another potentially wrong financial decision.
But I said yes anyway.
This time, I was slightly smarter(Maybe not). I told him:
I'll transfer only after the NOC is approved.
A few days later, NOC cleared. Car transported.
No magical feelings this time, excitement and anticipation.
Just... realism. I knew what cars cost now. I knew maintenance isn't easy. I knew nothing is guaranteed.
I went casually with my friend to collect it. No celebration. Just paperwork and keys.
The MG Road Silence 🚨
Initial drive felt smooth.
He had told me the known issues upfront, so I had set my expectations correctly. We drove through the city. Traffic. Signals. Slow pace.
Then we hit MG Road, core Bangalore. And in the middle of traffic, surrounded by autos and bikes and honking.
The car stopped.
No warning light.
No sound.
Just silence.
That sinking feeling again.
Somehow, we didn't block too much traffic. I quickly steered it to the side of the road, heart pounding.
Engine wouldn't start.
No idea what went wrong.
The urge to call the dealer and scold him was strong. But what would that change? Nothing.
No undo button. No return truck this time.
The Bonnet Lesson 🔧
I called roadside assistance. They said 30 minutes.
We waited. Nobody came. So I did something I had never done before. I opened the bonnet. Red liquid splashed across the engine. I had no idea what it was. So I did what my generation does - took a photo, sent it to a mechanic, and asked ChatGPT.
Diagnosis: Engine coolant leak.
The mechanic suggested a temporary fix:
Fill water and drive home slowly. Don't push it.
So I did. Filled water. Started the car. Drove carefully. Reached my room.
And that night, something shifted inside me.
Driving knowledge isn't enough.
If I'm going to own a car, I need to understand it. How it works. What breaks. What the warning signs are.
That MG Road breakdown wasn't just a problem. It was the start of my real education.
The Honda Service Spiral 🌀
Next morning, I took the car to the nearest Honda service center. They inspected it. Diagnosed the issue.
Coolant pump needs replacement.
Okay. Do it.
But the part will take 7 days to arrive.
I had plans. I was supposed to drive to Kerala. Give the car to a trusted mechanic back home. All of that - cancelled.
One week passed.
They replaced the part. Then another call.
Two more parts need replacement. CVT warmer and thermostat housing.
By now, patience was running thin. If I ordered original parts, another week of waiting. So I made a call. Ordered used spare parts from the scrap market. Told the mechanic to fit them.
It wasn't ideal. But I was done waiting. Multiple calls. Back-and-forth updates. Confusion. Tension. Self-doubt.
Finally, the car was ready.
The Highway Test 🛣️
Within a day, I left Bangalore. My flatmate joined me. We started early 5 or 6 AM and entered the Bangalore-Mysore highway.
I wanted to test the car properly. Understand its limits. In the city, everything felt smooth. CVT transmission. Sedan comfort. Quiet cabin.
But on the highway, as I pushed past 90 km/h The car started shaking. Not violently. But enough to notice. Enough to feel that familiar knot in my stomach.
Something is still not right.
But I controlled myself. My goal was simple: reach home.
I kept it under 80. Smooth enough.
We covered 400 km and reached Home by 4 PM.
Two Realities 🏠
My parents saw the car. Bigger than the Etios. Sunroof. Sleek design.
They loved it. But inside my head?
The same Corolla feeling was creeping back.
- Did I get scammed again?
- Does this guy even know how to check a car? Or did he know - and just not care?
I called my brother. Told him everything.
Then I called the dealer. He had his justifications. Some valid. Some lame.
We had multiple conversations. Finally, he agreed to cover repairs related to the jerking issue. As per his suggestion, I gave the car to a mechanic.
But by then, I had already started noticing more small issues.
Not catastrophic. But enough to increase suspicion.
And when trust breaks, even small sounds feel loud.
The Christmas That Wasn't 🎄
Repairs took another two weeks. I had taken one week leave during Christmas - not for mechanics, but for a short trip.
Instead, I spent that leave:
Visiting workshops.
Taking calls.
Waiting for updates.
Sitting in confusion.
Every day I asked myself:
Why did I rush?
Why didn’t I wait?
Was this ego?
Was this immaturity?
But once you enter a decision, you can’t half-exit it.
You either fix it. Or live with it.
Finally i got car.
I did a test drive. The car was more stable now.
But there was still something. After 130 km/h - I could feel slight shaking. Below that? Smooth. But that small imperfection was always there in my mind.
Driving Back Alone 🌙
Leaves finished.
Plans rescheduled.
Back to Bangalore.
I couldn't find a co-traveler for the return journey. So I drove back to Bangalore alone.
Just me, the highway, and 400 km of silence.
The car felt better. Not perfect - but mine.
Total spend so far: ₹6.8 lakhs.
And the 130+ vibration? Still there.
But somehow, I had stopped expecting perfection. I had started accepting the process.
And I was constantly listening.
Every sound.
Every feel.
Every minor change.
Owning a car changes how you hear silence.