[dr.aviansh]

Okay, this might be a little emotional thread. But I feel every car enthusiast has a soft corner for atleast one of his rides and so do I.

The first car bought for me by my dad was a ZEN ESTILO. Inspite of being a hasty driver, that particular car was driven by me with utmost care. I used to go to school in that car. My friends there used to recognise that car. Trust me, a school guy having his personal car was quite a thing back then.
I used to go to my coaching in that car and me and my best friend, Ritwij, whom I lost last year in an accident used to bunk classes, have fun in that car.



Once, I had to meet my love interest near her tuition to meet her. Later she admitted that she had a gut feeling that I would be there waiting for her. But when she couldn’t find my Red Zen Estilo, she was disappointed, unaware that I had got my mum’s car that day. Soon when we got committed, our first date was in the very same car, the first time my heart was pounding with love and all those blushing moments. We used to roam around in this car and she too preferred this car over our other cars because it was special for both of us.



In 2011, I got admission in my MBBS college in Bhopal. When I cleared my first year exams, dad sent her to me there. It was one of the first cars in our hostel, so many long drives with my college mates were done in that car.







In 2014, Ritwij got committed with a girl in Bhopal only, so he started visiting us in Bhopal. I used to pick him up at the station, third wheel with the couple on their dates and after dropping the girl home, we used to drive to places in Bhopal. It’s a very beautiful city, the VIP Road which runs across the length of the lake was one of our favourite routes.

After 7 years of usage that little babe had covered around 1,60,000 kms. Dad got a Grand i10 CRDi sent over to me in Bhopal and she was sent back to Delhi as she had become troublesome.





The last time I drove her was during my vacations when I was in Delhi. On my last day in Delhi, I knew I’d be seeing her for the last time. So I took her for a spin, held her steering very tightly as if I was holding her hand.

A few weeks later, just the night before my Paediatrics final exam, Dad told me that she was SOLD. Obviously, I couldn’t study that well but I managed to slip through.

Last year, I came out of a mall in Delhi and it was late night. Despite not wearing my spectacles, when I saw her from a distance, my inner gut feeling was sure that it’s my car only.
I went close and indeed it was my car. I immediately burst into tears and all those memories flashed in my mind again. My car, my best friend, my love, my childhood, all of it. I touched the bonnet with my fingers, driver side door handle, wing mirror, all those places where the driver’s hands go more often. My parents were just looking at me but I was in some other state :





IT WAS LIKE I WAS LOOKING AT MY OWN REFLECTION OR A PART OF ME ONLY. WE WERE NEVER SEPARATE. ALL WHAT HAD BEEN MISSING FROM MY LIFE WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.

[v12]

I just spotted our 2000 Toyota Qualis last week and was thinking of starting a similar thread. Glad you started it. Over the years, we have spotted some of our cars / bikes - some in good condition / some in average. Will dig out some pics and post it.

[iliketurtles]

I totally get where you're coming from, it's stupid to have an emotional connect with an inanimate object, but we can't choose what makes our heart revv that bit harder.

This might count as cheating, but I'll go on nonetheless. I sold my Jetta in December 2018, and a few months later not-so-distinguished BHPian Tanveer_2558 saw her roaming on the Nashik highway and sent me these pics. You can say it brought back a memory or two for us for sure, because that car was a big part of what got us in touch, and was just a wonderful car to own. I pined for it slightly like I would an ex.

Note how the got BHP sticker still adorned its derriere. Also note the horrendous plates on it.


In frame: my old steed and Tanveer's abba jaan. Not in frame: his wistful smile as they passed it by.

Sometimes, a blast down memory lane can be such a wonderful thing...

[WhiteSierra]

Nice thread. We never sold our cars which are mechanically fit, we sold only accident / totaled vehicles and the ones which were plagued with endless issues which cannot be repaired at all, they finally ended up in a scrap yard. (Tata Estate, Opel Astra and Skoda Octavia TDI Mk1.


But I totally understand your feeling Aviansh, when I went abroad for higher studies, I really missed my Sierras. After completing my studies and working for couple of years, I returned back to India and the first thing I did was, I restored my Sierra completely as it was neglected by my folks because of other modern cars in the family. I posted regarding the same here. here (Which of your cars do you love the most?)

It feels special to see your car in person after a very long time.

[arun_josie]

Whenever I spot a grey Dzire (first gen) or white Linea in bangalore, the first thing I do is to check the number plate. Because these were my previous cars and unfortunately I am yet to spot them.

[Mr.Boss]

Linea - I saw in Olx. Outside looked clean but I could fine few panels were repainted, interiors were not so good. No much feelings.

Baleno - saw how I don't want to see her again.

This is how I sold


and this is how I saw recently

[condor]

I did spot our old 2000 pre-V2 Indica once. I was wondering how much had it run, and Tata at that time had a facility to check the last service date. When I checked it, the car showed the last service to have been done at a little more than the 2L mark. It was a quiet satisfaction that the car ran that long.

Also brought back some memories - like driving it home after delivery, the fogging I experienced that day.

[GrandTourer]

I spot my ex car almost every weekend, as my friend and fellow bhpian owns it now. I always feel good to see it being cared for so well whenever I see that car and sometimes drive it too.
Every time we plan any trip or drive, we end up talking about the memories created in that car without fail.

I'm on the left and bhpian iceman. in the middle in green. This is the most recent photo I have with the car, which is actually 2 years old.

[Plymouth_Fury]

My first car / first new car / car I paid for 100% was my beloved 2010 Ritz VDi black. I loved it to bits and took great care of her. This is the car I had most memories with, how I and my cousins enjoyed the turbo kick, first time long journey, visit to places I have never been before, late night city runs, family and close friends functions, my marriage, my kids coming home for first time, etc. This car has been with me through best days of my life.

I sold her in 2016, as I wanted a safer car now that my kids are travelling more often in the car. even after 6 years, my Ritz was showroom new inside & out.
I had tears in my eyes, when I sent her away for the last time.

Couple of years later I was on my way to friends place, when I saw a black Ritz couple of cars ahead. my heart started beating faster, somehow I knew this was my car. I rushed ahead to look at it, but after seeing it closer, I was praying it shouldn't be mine. it was in a pretty bad shape, abused and full of scratches & dents. When I realized it was indeed my car, I was sobbing. deep down it really hurt me, I felt if I still had her with me, she wouldn't be in that state, I felt I betrayed her and couldn't look at her again as she continued ahead leaving me behind. I couldn't eat or sleep that day, it was too painful.

It might sound too dramatic, but your beloved bikes/cars can do this to you.

[ninjatalli]

Don’t know if this fits the thread theme, but here’s the story.

Back in the 90s my dad had a Fiat that was our primary ride for more than a decade. Dad was in the public sector so he would get an allowance if he owned a car. Around early 2000, he moved to a M800 and sold the aging Fiat to someone in his office.


Nearly a decade later I was visiting a friend of mine in a different part towards the outskirts of the city and I found our old car, in ruins, parked next to a society - windows broken, no tires, most of the paint peeling off and rust all over. On inquiring around, found out the buyer of the car, had stopped using the car since a few years and was perfectly ok to let the car go to ruins. Apparently he was more than content getting the allowance and had no intention of updating the official record on the status of the car!

[fhdowntheline]

I did spot my Linea back in 2016, we were driving down the road near Wai, MH and were right next to the (now famous) Menavali -Nana Phadnavis Wada, when the maroon Linea T-Jet came tearing down from the other side, and we just got the glimpse of the number "MH12-HL XXXX" . And it was gone in a flash. I was glad to see it was being driven like it should !

[Guna]

Not exactly 'spotting' but I was informed about one of my ex car and I felt sad (this happened many years ago).
I had sold my Honda City (second generation) and I had almost forgotten about it. One day someone called me and informed that my car is met with an accident near Mangalore. Apparently the car was parked on the roadside and a truck had rammed in to it. Since nobody came to claim it, police did try to trace the owner and since the new owner had not transferred the ownership yet, they go my details. I was angry (and scared at the same time) that the car was still in my name but felt sad that the car had to be totalled.

[GTO]

I don't believe I have ever spotted an ex-car of mine and frankly, would be full of mixed feelings if I ever saw it again. For people like us, cars are family. If I saw an ex-car of mine, I sure hope it's parked (so I can see it properly) and perhaps even enjoy a small chat with the owner.

[Rajeevraj]

I maybe in the minority here, but for me my connection with the car is only when I am owning it, once it is sold, I don't have any feelings or thoughts for it and the focus shifts to the new car. To extend GTO's point above- I guess I don't see cars as a part of the family, maybe more like a friend(and not a very close one)-Once you move away from each other, you drift apart and are no longer in close touch. You see each other after a time also, it will be more of a hi-hello thing.

I have never seen any of my ex cars (and I sold 3 of them in Bangalore itself), but even if I do, I think for me it would just be a fun/coincidental thing that happened that day. It could be because I have not retained cars for very long.

I recently did find the 2nd key of the first car I owned 15 years back. So if I see it, I guess I can take a drive of it

[Durango Dude]

Originally Posted by dr.aviansh

Last year, I came out of a mall in Delhi and it was late night. Despite not wearing my spectacles, when I saw her from a distance, my inner gut feeling was sure that it’s my car only.
I went close and indeed it was my car. I immediately burst into tears and all those memories flashed in my mind again. My car, my best friend, my love, my childhood, all of it. I touched the bonnet with my fingers, driver side door handle, wing mirror, all those places where the driver’s hands go more often. My parents were just looking at me but I was in some other state :
IT WAS LIKE I WAS LOOKING AT MY OWN REFLECTION OR A PART OF ME ONLY. WE WERE NEVER SEPARATE. ALL WHAT HAD BEEN MISSING FROM MY LIFE WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.

Very beautifully written, Dr Avinash! I haven't met my ex-s till now, would like to meet them some day...When I meet them I'll definitely think of this post on TBHP.