Mission and vision of owning a car
I got interested in owning a car after getting a driver’s license back then in 2007 just after finishing high school. I didn’t know it would take another 16 years to purchase a car. Back then my dream car was a Toyota Harrier, because of its shape that looked sleek. I preferred a white car and the harrier was a bit raised so I would be able to move comfortably without worrying about Nairobi’s uneven bumps.
In the year 2022, I no longer found Harrier being attractive. It looks too feminine for my taste, I now like bigger cars. I fell in love with Land Rover Discovery 4. This was now my dream car but it was very expensive to purchase and also the maintenance was expensive, unlike other Toyota cars. Land Rover Disco 4 has a manly appearance. What makes me like it the most is because it is big and I can use it for camping. In the second and third rows sit lie down completely so you can place your mattress there and sleep. Also, Discovery 4 has three sitting rows meaning I can carry my big family in it comfortably and it also has a sun roof on each of the three rows of seats.
I no longer wanted a white car but a black car is what got me excited. I could picture myself in a black Land Rover Discovery 4 with my arm on the window while driving. I used to tell my kids that when I bought my first car we would be taking many trips, exploring Kenya. At least then we would get the opportunity to stop at Mai Mau viewpoint and take a look. Have passed that place many times on public transport and never got a chance to stop there, because public transportation does not stop there.
Discover 4 was about 6.3 million in 2022 but in the year 2023, it became around 7.2 million because of the increase of taxes in Kenya and the dollar rise. Raising 7.2 million was not going to be easy for me, this is until I watched a channel called Conversation on YouTube. They advised you not to spend all your money on purchasing a vehicle even if you had the money, spend half of the money on the deposit, and pay the rest on installment that was their advice. With the rest of the money you had left you could start some business and it would assist you in paying the installments. This was perfect and so I decided to try this method of purchase.
We went with my brother to Mombasa to purchase the vehicle. In Mombasa, many vendors were recommending to buy Toyota land cruiser Prado. But my heart was settled on the Land Rover Discovery 4 despite the many issues I hear it has. Because I work from home I knew I was not going to be driving every day. The car was also going to be my project car; the plan was the day the engine piston gets damaged I would change it from a V6 to a V8 engine. The other project was to change its AC unit to a digital cluster. And since I do not move often it would not get damaged easily.
We got the car and brought it to Nairobi. The leather seats were comfortable and it had heated seats. It also had a screen at the headrest so my kids could watch movies when we traveled long distances. Land Rover Discovery 4 has air suspension thus when you are cruising you do not feel the bumps of pot holds. The ride is always smoother than a Land Rover Sports or Land Cruiser. Sadly, the air suspension and air compressor are what get faulty the most in Disco 4. The cost of changing all four sets is about Ksh 230, 000 but they do not often get damaged.
With German machines, you need to give them servicing on time. Unlike Toyota where you do not have to strictly follow the maintenance schedule. After purchasing the car and driving for a while in Nairobi I decided to take it home saw my mum could see it and bless the fruits of my work. The journey to Siaya was long because, for the first time, I stopped at Mai Mau viewpoint and took photos. This was an achievement because I always wanted to stop there. We then stopped in Nakuru at a mall and bought some KFC Streetwise 3 for lunch. Then we proceeded with our journey to Kericho where we bought some tea leaves before heading to Kisumu town. Bought some food stuff for my mum and fueled the car again because I do not trust the fuel in Siaya Town. Our drive to our home was smooth and we did not even notice the bad road because of the air suspension.
When we arrived home my mother was proud of me, though she wanted me to build a house first before I bought a car. I tried convincing her that a car nowadays is a necessity and I also need a car for my work. But a least she gave me her blessing and I got to drive her in a car that I own. This was also part of my dream that I wanted to come true.
I could have bought a car before because I had the money instead of buying a discovery but I did not want to buy a car that I did not want then again change. I would rather walk or use public means so I could save and buy my dream car. I now do not dream about owning a car and am working on owning a house. The call was to buy or build a house but am thinking of purchasing an apartment because of security issues.
The next car I purchase will be for my wife. She deserves to have her own car and be able to move around especially when am not around. Dreams do come true when you work on them.