I guess when you first heard me say "Mr. 90," you probably thought, "Oh, it's old," or "Classic," or something that feels outdated—even though you didn’t know what it was, am I right? Hehe.
Well, Mr. 90 is actually the first car my parents could afford. It’s a Mazda MR90 sedan that was once intended to become Indonesia’s national car but failed because it lost out to the Kijang. Back in the 1990s, the Mazda MR90 was categorized as a luxury car due to its classification as a sedan.
My father bought this car second-hand for around 12 million rupiah when I was 12. It was in decent condition mechanically, but the paint wasn’t shiny or as good as a new car. Still, it wasn’t bad either. However, when my dad first drove it home, someone called it a “broken car,” lol. In a way, they weren’t entirely wrong, but it’s all about perspective, right?
Everything was fine until we tried driving it to another city, about two hours from home. That’s when the engine started overheating. After that, we were often panicked and afraid every time we got stuck in traffic. We became extra cautious about traveling to the city center, always choosing less crowded times. But, of course, unexpected situations still happened.
As we used the car more, other problems appeared. For example, the car wouldn’t start when it was hot; it had to cool down first. Sometimes, it would break down entirely.
My father would always say, “Someday, you should learn how to drive. That way, if the car breaks down, you can handle the steering while I push.” But at the same time, he never actually let me try. He’d always say, “After I fix this part... after this part feels better... after this, after that... then I’ll teach you.” I think most fathers want their children to be strong and independent, but they also worry and want to make things as easy as possible for them.
I vividly remember the moments when my father would open Mr. 90’s hood and try to fix it on the side of the road—whether under the blazing sun or in the pouring rain. I also remember every place we had to stop because of car trouble: sometimes in the city center, parked beside the street watching the traffic jam until it eased up, or in the hills, where we rested and enjoyed the view while fixing the car. These moments, surprisingly, have become some of my most cherished memories.
Every time we traveled, besides bringing snacks and love, we also had to bring tools and a full set of workshop equipment, haha.
Over time, we learned a lot from these experiences, and now Mr. 90 runs comfortably. Even the engine sounds smooth. Since then, I’ve affectionately called the car *Mr. 90*. It may be old and once had a lot of issues, but it carries countless family stories and has existed longer than I have. I want to keep it authentic and special.
Another memory I’ll never forget is when my father asked me to hold a flashlight while he worked on the car. “Aim the flashlight properly! Here, not in my face!” he’d say. In those situations, you really shouldn’t argue, or he’ll take the flashlight and try to manage everything himself. I often felt useless, haha.
One time, I helped him using my phone flashlight while chatting with my friend. A neighbor passing by saw this and laughed. My father noticed I wasn’t focused, and, well, you can guess what happened next, lol.
Luckily, my dad graduated as an automotive engineer, so he could fix the car himself.
For anyone considering buying an old car on a budget, here’s a little advice: make sure you know how to fix minor problems. Always sending the car to a workshop will cost a lot. Alternatively, join a car enthusiast community for guidance and support.
Good luck, and see you next time!
