Sign in

‘We used to mock her car’: Man shares how his former manager’s old Santro taught him a lesson about wealth

A man recalled how his colleagues mocked his manager’s old Santro, only to realise they may have misjudged her financial choices.

Published on: Oct 3, 2026, 20:37:54 IST
Share
Share via
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
Copy link
  • copy link

A man’s story about his former manager and her old Santro has prompted people to rethink how they judge someone’s financial situation. What once seemed like an ordinary old car turned out to be part of a much bigger story about saving, investing and planning for the future.

Man shares financial lesson from his former manager. (Representative Image/Unsplash)
Man shares financial lesson from his former manager. (Representative Image/Unsplash)

Abhishek Singh, who was 22 when he worked with the manager at his first company, recently recalled how he and his colleagues used to joke about her ageing car. Years later, learning that she had retired at 46 made him look at those memories very differently.

“She always used to come to the office in a grey Santro, probably 12-plus years old, and it had a weird suspension issue. The car made a weird whizzing sound when starting off,” he wrote.

Singh said that around 5 pm almost every day, his colleagues would hear the sound as his manager left the office and would joke about her car.

(Also Read: ‘Almost on verge of hitting him’: Hyderabad techie says manager’s work pressure made him snap)

“People used to laugh around saying, ‘We don't know when she will retire this scrapyard junk,’” he recalled.

Years later, Singh learnt that his former manager had retired at the age of 46. That changed the way he looked at the situation.

“Looks like the joke was on all of us as she was saving and investing for her family's future, while we all were calling her a miser,” he wrote.

Singh said the experience taught him not to judge people based on the cars they drive.

“Since then, personally, I have decided never to judge anyone because of the car they drive, as that's what people choose to show the outside world,” he added.

Take a look:

Social media users share money lessons

The post also led to people sharing their own experiences with older cars and financial planning.

One user wrote, “I have been running a car for 16 years. I am 50. Gave it for servicing. Compressor issue, apparently.”

Another user had a different view, saying, “She could have retired when she was 48 and had a good life meanwhile by buying a slightly better car.”

Someone else simply wrote, “I am on the track.”

(Also Read: ‘They took my oats packet’: Mother praises Indian Railways pantry staff for preparing food for 2-year-old)

Another comment quoted the popular Hindi saying, “Kuch toh log kahenge, logon ka kaam hai kehna.”

(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)

  • Vaishali Kapila
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Vaishali Kapila

    Vaishali Kapila is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times Digital, where she covers internet culture, viral social media moments, human interest stories and workplace trends. She believes the best stories often come from ordinary experiences and everyday conversations. Through her stories, she aims to help readers understand not just what is trending, but why it matters. Vaishali has over five years of experience in digital journalism. Before joining Hindustan Times, she worked as a Sub Editor at NDTV, where she specialised in food and travel writing. Over the years, she has written and edited stories on recipes, nutrition, restaurants, destinations and travel trends, while building expertise in digital storytelling and audience-focused content. Today, her work spans topics including consumer issues, lifestyle, workplace trends and stories that reflect everyday life. She enjoys finding fresh angles, speaking with people and adding context that helps readers make sense of a story.Read More

Discover the latest Trending News, viral videos, social media stories and unusual events from India and around the world. Stay updated with the topics everyone is talking about.