A Malaysian man who recently joined the insurance industry found himself in financial trouble after being pressured by his team leader to buy a second-hand Mercedes-Benz worth RM120,000—only to later be unable to afford the car’s maintenance.
According to an anonymous post shared on the Facebook page “暴走员工 Boom Go Employee,” the man’s university friend entered the insurance sales field late last year.
Bought a used Mercedes under pressured
He joined the insurance industry in December. Thankfully, he didn’t try to recruit me or sell me anything. From what I saw, he was always attending training and company events—looked like he was doing pretty well,” the post read.
However, just three months into the job, the friend was reportedly told by his team leader that he needed to upgrade his vehicle to a more “presentable” car, since he would often be meeting clients.
Under pressure, the man decided to purchase a used Mercedes-Benz C200, priced at RM120,000, despite only earning RM4,000 to RM5,000 per month.
“In sales, they’re often brainwashed into thinking that the car you drive equals your reputation. The more expensive the car, the more clients will respect you.”
Required RM4k in service maintenance
Unfortunately, just a month after buying the car, the team leader who encouraged the purchase left to join the real estate sector.
Worse still, the Mercedes soon required RM4,398 in repair work—an expense the man had not anticipated.
The poster added that the friend recently asked to meet up for a casual chat, but it turned out he was actually looking to borrow money to cover the car service maintenance.
Netizens reaction
The story quickly went viral online, sparking heated discussions. Netizens criticized the man’s decision, saying he had brought the problem upon himself by prioritizing image over financial reality.
“Just because you can afford to buy it doesn’t mean you can afford to maintain it. Buying is just the beginning — maintenance is the real cost that adds up over time. Right now, things aren’t like how they used to be. If another MCO (Movement Control Order) happens, you’re screwed. It’s best to drive something you can actually afford.”
“Just take Grab — wait for my driver to come pick me up 😝. Every day I get to ride a different car, don’t need to find parking, drop off right at the entrance, and no need to worry about maintenance.”
“Adults should be responsible for their own actions. At least he came running to you for the car servicing money — taking responsibility for his own car. 🤣🤣”
