Car Anniversary
Yesterday, my car and I celebrated our ‘Togetherness Anniversary’.
Six years back, on a balmy March evening, I had brought home the shining and spotless white Santro from its maaika, a leading Hyundai dealership in central Delhi. The smooth, power-windowed and power-steered Santro was a striking change from the old model Maruti that I hitherto drove. The pride on my face rivaled the smirk that the car’s frontage carried.
However, two days later we had significant adjustment problems, and I angrily sent it back to its showroom the airconditioner wasn’t functioning properly. The showroom assured it was a minor issue and refused to take it back; and promised that it would set the car right and it would never give trouble again.
Goodness knows what the mechanic spoke to the car huddled beneath the hood, but since then till today, the Santro has been a faithful and faultless partner, giving me no reason for any major complaint. If any, I think the Santro would have a lot to grumble against me since I have used, misused and abused it terribly, taking it over the most arduous and treacherous roads in the interiors of Western Uttar Pradesh; delaying its services way beyond the stipulated time frame; and, often not cleaning it for days on end. It does sometime give up and stand still, has a bit of more working to be done on it and, like an old matron, continues to squeak and whine, but overall it hasn’t deserted me especially when I needed it the most.
We have had several good moments together traveling the stretches of North India: from Jaipur, to Ludhiana, to Chandigarh to Shimla and now, of course, to Agra, Aligarh, Firozabad, Etah and Mainpuri. The 94,000-plus kilometers reading on the mileage meter is a silent proof of all these travels (and this despite the car staying virtually grounded while I did my stint in Nepal).
Last month I softened to its grumbles and spent a small fortune overhauling its machinery - replaced the brake disc, changed the shockers, gave it a brand new clutch disc and gifted it two new sturdy MRF tyres.
As an important anniversary gift, I also presented it with a brand new music system - a Kenwood CD-player with two rocking speakers and an immense clarity of sound - which has made the old and tired car look positively years younger.
Six years is a long period for a vehicle, and it is time for the car to retire. Several new car models have hit the road; even the Santro’s latest cousins are better looking and better performing. I am looking at options for a replacement, but one thing is sure - we will definitely not sell this one off. It will remain in the stables to be henceforth driven locally in Delhi, a proud possession to be given its due rest now.
My heartiest thanks to Hyundai and Santro for the wonderful car. The advertisement says ‘Santro waale hamesha smart’ and I agree the car is a smart machine, and has made me look smarter as well.
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March 22nd, 2007 at 9:55 am
Me First! =D
Yes… happy buddae to gaddi!
Race lagata hai kya?
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:17 am
aww..that was a sweet one.wish u and your santro many more years of fun-filled togetherness!!!
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:22 am
congrats…. whats it with men and their cars…..! they get so so attached to them!
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:41 am
Aap bhi Santro vaale !!!
so kal party sharty hue phir ?? aap, car aur ….
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:04 am
Apoorva - And this time, for the first time i reckon, GOLD aapka
Sure, race ho jaaye… i think the Santro has enough strength still left in it
Taarika - Thank u ji
Anks - LOL, dunno about that…but then they r worth attaching oneself to
Mehak - Toh aap bhi Santro waalein hain
Nahi no party…abhi Navratre chal rahein hai…party after that 
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:27 am
Gaddi saath nibha rahi hai … bahut hi badhiya tribute likha hai … I know Santro gives less maintainence troubles than other small car brands.
Post padh ket Mujhey woh Bullet ka advertisement yaad aagaya — Yeh Bullet Meri Shaan Manzilon Ka Nishan
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:40 am
Haanji hum bhi Santro waalein hain.
ohh haan mein toh bhool he gaye thee..Navratre chal rahe hai…toh SAB kuch bandh.
March 22nd, 2007 at 1:07 pm
Hi , came via Manish.
It is indeed a beautiful thanks giving to someone who can’t be aware of. Shows you tender heartness.
Me, never been a Hyundai customer (may be the day they entered India with SRK on their ads, i got biased, lol) but I do know that it is a good car and above all in typical Punjabi style ‘Dil aaya khoti te , taan hoor kya cheeze hai’!
Happy Motoring always!
March 22nd, 2007 at 5:30 pm
I knew it. DJ to santro wala hi hai
March 23rd, 2007 at 8:18 am
awwwwwwwwwww…I can SOOOOO relate to this.
Happy Anniversary to you and your car!! I have something to say about the passenger seat but I will keep mum!
Also, you havent replied to TWO of my emails..firstone I dont care..you can reply at leisure..second one???????????
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:12 am
reminds me of AB’s song…chal chal re chal meri ram pyaari…!!!
March 23rd, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Car Anniversary!!! :-O!!
The title says a lot
. Yet to read post…..
If I’m not wrong here I would like to mentioned the song -
“Ma ka pyar, bahen ka pyar, kabhi kabhi dulhan ka pyar… ” song from Khuddar.
Catch it later
March 23rd, 2007 at 5:35 pm
aaj kaunsi movie phir?
March 23rd, 2007 at 7:12 pm
Can you believe this….Namesake bangalore mein iss week nahin lage
(
March 23rd, 2007 at 8:38 pm
Like some other hubbys, you too gifted stuff to your sweetheart that would invariably be useful to you
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:45 pm
Car! bah!! Read ‘just married’ and said….woooooo…..but then, once again, hopes dashed to ground. DJ, am inventing a car-interior scented aftershave just for you. Mebbe that’ll get the romantical urges going, eh??
March 24th, 2007 at 9:36 am
Manish - Thank u ji
Yes , Santro ne bahut saath nibhaya…
Mehak - Toh phir aap bhi smart ho
Praney - A warm warm welcome to the blog
And thanks a ton…
Dhoop - Hmm, aur woh kaise?
Kaushi - Thank u ji
And the passenger seat is well used keeping odds and ends 
Waise, extremely tied up, but promise to do go over the mails in detail this weekend.
Jay - Ha ha, now it is really a rampyari…
Juneli -
Yep, the title says it all…
Taarika - ‘Twas Namastey London, and the review is up now
Mehak - Not even in Agra , though Fun Cinemas had shown its trailors a few weeks back. Anyways, I saw Namastey London - review up now…
Sugzter - LOL , true…
RS - Good to cya on the blog
Hope I can see u on ur own too…. LOL, Just Married is a movie’s name - as u wud hv found out - and nothing to do with my personal life… He he he , car interior scented after shave…good idea…
March 24th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
:) aap bhi Santro waaley, humari silver hai but it’s in jaipur waiting for us, Santro darling we are coming
hey happy car anniversary
March 24th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
Preeti - Mine is a white one
Thank u ji …
March 24th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
itne saare smart log ek hi jagah… good.. good
i miss my santro which is lying in its shed in delhi..