A new Kia car buyer learned the hard way that demanding particular options for a vehicle can often pigeonhole you into a high monthly payment.
TikTok user Angelina (@angelina.m.23) received a mixed bag of responses after she revealed that, between car insurance and monthly financing payments, she’s shelling out over $1,050 a month for a Kia K5.
Many of the replies from other folks on the platform were not kind, stating that her post was a shining example of a car salesman fleecing yet another customer.
Angelina writes in a text overlay of her video, which begins with a survey of the interior of her vehicle: “Having a $750 car payment w/ $320 insurance at 19 because I wanted red leather seats, 0 miles, and a car of the year.”
Numerous commenters lambasted Angelina’s decision to dump so much money into a brand-new vehicle, especially just because she was particular about the interiors. This type of criticism seems par the course for car-related posts uploaded to TikTok, like this one shared by a Chevrolet dealership employee who mocked men in their 20s for picking one of two cars once they start making a bit of money.
In an article published by CNBC featuring financial advice from “self-made millionaire and best-selling author David Bach,” he says that purchasing a “new car” is “the single worst financial decision millennials will ever make.”
He explained the lack of fiscal intelligence that is involved in purchasing a new car and why it’s such a bad choice from an economic and values perspective. “Most people borrow money to buy that car…why would you borrow money to buy an asset that immediately goes down in value by 30 percent?” he said.
So what should folks do instead? Purchasing an extremely cheap, high mileage “beater” vehicle can quickly turn into a money pit situation, leaving commuters either stranded on the side of the road or stuck with exorbitantly high repair bills. This is especially true if you purchase brands that mechanics say to avoid like a chicken salad sandwich left out in the sun.
Suppose you’re looking for a commuter vehicle that’s going to be a reliable ride. In that case, you’re probably better off sticking to car brands that have been consistently praised for their durability, such as Toyota and Honda (not that there aren’t other manufacturers that are recommended by industry experts either).
Also, if you’re buying a used car, you’ll probably want to make sure that it was properly maintained, too. Like the same CNBC piece states, vehicles newly off of leases will more than likely fit this bill. They are usually heavily discounted, and, per typical lease terms, are around 3 years old and under a specific mileage count. Because leases often come with heavy fines if there’s any damage done to a vehicle, drivers will usually take extra care in ensuring that their whips are returned to the dealership in pristine condition.
@angelina.m.23 her name is patunia 3.0 #kia #2024kiak5 #k5 #foryou ♬ original sound – 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞 𝐀𝐛𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡
In the comments section of Angelina’s video, however, one person said that with the amount of money she is forking over for her vehicle, she could’ve easily bought a BMW instead of a Kia. “750 for a Kia might as get a base 340i better then that,” they wrote.
The TikToker responded that she preferred the Kia to the popular German luxury automaker: “neh i like this better.”
Another commenter agreed with Angelina, writing, “I just got a kia k5 too im so in love with it.”
Still, others poked fun at her.
“Salesman went home laughing that day,” one viewer wrote.
Another worried about Angelina’s financial state: “All these teenagers flexing getting into debt for a car like people will respect them for it.”
Someone else simply said, “Over $1,000 a month for a non luxury car is bananas.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Kia via email and Angelina via TikTok comment for further information.
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