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A Kenyan man has narrated how he purchased his first car at 23, just immediately after campus.
As per his narration on the Money254 platform, the unidentified man revealed that owning a car was his first life goal, given the freedom and convenience it comes with.
His dream became a reality in 2015 when he purchased his first car, a 2001 Toyota Vitz, from a family member at a cost of Sh300,000.
He added that he had just landed his first job and his seller allowed him to pay the Sh300,000 in installments of Sh20,000 per month, since he wasn’t financially fit to clear the entire amount at once.
“When I finally landed my first job, I did not dream of designer clothes or exotic holidays. I dreamed of owning a car. My own car, and true to the word, I bought my first car – a pink 2001 Toyota Vitz in 2015 from a family member. I was fresh from campus and eager to start my journey as a car owner,” he stated.
As a pensionable employee earning a monthly salary of Sh50,000, paying the installments was easy as he did not have many responsibilities.
“I was only 23 and had become a dad, but making the payments was easy because I lived with my parents, and my daughter’s expenses were minimal,” he added.
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Things took a different turn in 2017 when he was involved in a road accident. The car was badly damaged and was in constant repairs which affected his finances.
“I was sandwiched between two matatus, and my car was badly damaged. My insurance company refused to cover the repairs, citing the involvement of public service vehicles (PSVs) as a complication. I was young and inexperienced, so I footed the Shh74,000 repair bill out of pocket. This setback disrupted my repayment plan,” he said.
He added that after the accident, he would spend around Sh6,000 monthly on maintenance alone. As such, he reduced his repayment to Sh15,000 to cope with everything else.
Things, however, continued to deteriorate, forcing him to sell the car, which was now taking the biggest chunk of his finances.
“By early 2018, I was overwhelmed. The car had become a liability, and I was sinking deeper into debt. I made the painful decision to sell it for Sh250,000—a throwaway price. I used 60% of the proceeds to clear the remaining balance with my relative, and I stabilized for a while.”
Things started to get better, and with a pay rise, he started saving towards the purchase of another car, a dream that came a reality a year later.
The man revealed that he pay was increased to Sh70,000, he set aside 80 percent of his salary to a car fund and lived on the bare minimum.
“I walked over 2km daily to save on bodaboda fare. This time, my monthly budget was Ksh10,000 — including rent, food, transport, and my daughter’s upkeep. This is when I lived in a single room to maximise on savings,” he explained.
With Sh580,000 savings and a Sh250,000 boost from his mother, he purchased his second car, a Honda Civic Hybrid, in late 2019.
“The Civic served me faithfully for two years, and with it came lessons no one teaches you upfront — comprehensive insurance, regular servicing, and smart car care. Things I wish I knew back in my Vitz days. It wasn’t just a car. It was a classroom on wheels.”
He later sold the car and downsized to a second-hand Toyota Axio, bought for Sh800,000.
“Now it’s 2025. I’m 33. The Civic has a new owner, and I’ve since downsized to a second-hand Toyota Axio, bought for Sh800,000. It’s simpler, but it fits where I am now — a little older, a bit wiser, and still moving forward,” he added.
