Last week, a younger cousin called to ask about my experience buying a car. He said he was thinking of putting money down on a four-seater. I asked how far his home was from his workplace, and he casually replied: “About 3 kilometers. But all my colleagues have cars, so I want one too.”
His story reminded me of myself two years ago, equally excited and eager to not fall behind my peers without thinking about what would happen after buying a car.
I bought my first car, priced at nearly VND800 million (US$30,400), when I was 30. On the day I received it, I felt overjoyed that I finally owned a “big asset.” I had thought that commuting would become easier, that my family would travel more often and that my life would be more comfortable.
Reality, however, turned out to be the opposite. Two years later, looking at the odometer, I was startled to realize that I only drive the car two or three times a month. At one point, even the service technician jokingly asked if I had used the vehicle at all.
I live in a crowded inner-city area. Every time I drive, I waste so much time and money dealing with parking, traffic jams, maintenance, insurance and annual taxes. Meanwhile, riding a motorbike or booking a ride-hailing service is faster and more flexible. Hence, I just use my motorbike for work on weekdays and take taxis for longer trips on weekends so I do not have to bother with looking for a parking space.
My car mostly sits idle in the parking lot. Every month, I still spend several million dong to maintain it despite using it just a few times. I ask myself whether I really need a car, or if I bought one simply because I thought I should have one at this age. I feel like it has even become an invisible financial and psychological burden.
I shared my entire story with my cousin. I did not tell him not to buy one, because everyone’s needs are different. But I did remind him to ask himself how often he would be using the vehicle and if he really needed it since his home is only 3 kilometers from work and he rarely travels far.
I hope my story offers another perspective to those considering buying a car. Think carefully about how often you will actually use it before deciding. Buying a car is easy, but maintaining it and truly making good use of its value is what requires careful thought.
*This opinion was submitted by a reader. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.
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