The RM120K Reality Check: When Your Insurance Job Dreams Meet Mercedes Maintenance Bills

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Meet our protagonist: a fresh university graduate who dove into the insurance industry last December.

Three months in – technically just one month full-time after doing part-time initially – his team leader dropped some “wisdom” on him: You need a car that commands respect when meeting clients.

Translation: Your trusty Myvi isn’t going to cut it anymore.

So, what does someone earning RM4,000 to RM5,000 monthly do?

Naturally, he sets his sights on a 2017 Mercedes C200 priced at RM120,000.

Because nothing says “I’ve made it” like German engineering on a Malaysian salary, right?

The Tea Session That Tried to Save Him

His friend – the one sharing this story – tried to be the voice of reason during what should have been a casual tea session:

Friend: “Dude, your Myvi is fine. Why change?”

Insurance Guy: “I meet clients all the time. Need to give them confidence.”

Friend: “Is your insurance income even stable yet? You’re moving pretty fast.”

Insurance Guy: “Average RM4-5K monthly, not bad.”

Friend: “Your car payments and petrol alone will be RM2K monthly. That’s before maintenance.”

Insurance Guy: “I live at home, it’s fine. The car is a money-making tool.”

The friend, having owned a Mercedes before, tried one last warning: “Mercedes maintenance is genuinely expensive. My previous Merc averaged RM1-2K per service. I sold it before the warranty expired and switched to Mazda.”

Spoiler alert: The warning fell on deaf ears.

April Arrives, Reality Bites

Fast forward to April. Our insurance agent finally gets his Mercedes. His leader, perhaps sensing the writing on the wall, jumps ship to property sales in May.

June rolls around, and the C200 is due for its major service.

The bill: RM4,398.

Suddenly, that “money-making tool” needed its own financial rescue mission.

The new Mercedes owner found himself asking friends for service money because – plot twist – he hadn’t budgeted for maintenance costs.

His reasoning? “Such an expensive car should definitely go to the original service centre.”

Fair enough, but expensive principles require expensive budgets.

The Comment Section Delivers Some Hard Truths

The story struck a nerve online, with commenters serving up their own brand of tough love:

“Many people are like this – they want to look good upfront but don’t think about the costs behind. Some even plan to borrow money from friends. Treating friends like ATMs.”

“Earning RM4-5K and daring to buy a Maserati – that’s real talent.”

“Adults need to take responsibility for their actions. At least he came to you for service money, taking responsibility for his car.”

“If you can’t break through yourself, you’ll end up breaking yourself.”

The Sales Game: Where Image Costs More Than Income

This isn’t just about one guy and his Mercedes dreams. It’s about the pressure cooker environment of sales jobs where image often trumps financial sense.

The pressure to project success through luxury purchases is common in many professional environments.

But here’s the thing about “fake it till you make it” – sometimes you end up faking yourself into debt.

The friend sharing this story wasn’t trying to shame anyone. His final thoughts were surprisingly measured: “I’m not suggesting this approach. Mercedes maintenance is genuinely expensive, but you need to weigh it yourself. If you buy it, just call me.”

Every ambitious professional faces this crossroads: invest in your image or invest in your stability.

The Mercedes owner chose the image, and while the jury’s still out on whether it’ll pay off in the long term, that RM4,398 service bill was definitely a wake-up call.

Sometimes, the most expensive education comes with leather seats and a three-pointed star on the hood.

READ MORE: Former World No.1 Malaysian Badminton Star Loses RM285K On Range Rover In One Year

READ MORE: ‘Engineers Can’t Drive National Cars’ – The RM3,500 Mistake

READ MORE: Young Man Forced To Get A Honda With RM1,500 Salary

READ MORE: Man With RM5,400 Monthly Salary Tries To Buy RM260k Mercedes, Uses Wife As Guarantor

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