When one wins a game show, they might not know that those winnings come with a lot of stipulations.
For example, in the United States, one must pay tax on winnings. This not only applies to cash, but to other prizes like vacations and vehicles, as winners must pay taxes on the monetary value of any reward.
Additionally, there’s a chance that such a reward could bump a winner up into a higher tax bracket for the year, leading to more in taxes.
That said, there are also more “fun” stipulations when it comes to winnings. For example, after winning a 2024 Nissan Sentra on The Price is Right, TikTok user Samara Leilani (@samaraleilani) has been documenting the experience of actually getting the free car. This documentation started with her discussing the process of acquiring the car, then learning that she was not required to actually get a Nissan Sentra and instead had her choice of cars from certain manufacturers.
Now, she’s revealed that she decided on a vehicle—and it’s not a Nissan Senta.
Why did this winner swap her Nissan Sentra out for a Toyota Camry?
As she previously explained, Leilani learned that she had a choice of various car brands, as she was told that “the value of the Nissan Sentra just goes towards whatever car that you pick.”
Not knowing which brand to go with, she turned to TikTok. The answer from TikTok was nearly unanimous.
“Everybody’s like, ‘Look at Toyota,’” she recalls. “There was not a single comment that was telling me anything bad about Toyota or to honestly not even look at Toyota. Everybody was so pro Toyota.”
Toyotas are generally seen as reliable, with many mechanics listing them amongst their top lists of most trustworthy and long-lasting cars.
As a result of this advice, she went to the dealership and test-drove some Toyota vehicles, eventually landing on a 2025 Toyota Camry, to which she opted to add various extras like leather seats. As this was more expensive than the Nissan Sentra, she ended up having to pay an additional $15,138 to cover the price difference.
Was it worth it?
While this may seem like a substantial amount of money, Leilani states that the price is incredibly low for a new car, and, as a new driver, she’s happy that she chose to buy a car she loves and can depend on.
“[It’s the] perfect situation for me if I can pick what I want, and this car is going to last me forever because it’s a Toyota,” she explains. “I might as well get nicer options, because this way I can build my credit and just make payments until it’s paid off.”
In the caption, she adds, “Still absolutely worth it for my situation but I understand why this may not be worth it for a lot of people.”
@samaraleilani Replying to @carlos92261 Hope this clears up a lot of questions people are having about how much I have to pay for my “winnings”! Still absolutely worth it for my situation but I understand why this may not be worth it for a lot of people. #thepriceisright #gameshow #contestant #prize #newcar #2025toyotacamry ♬ original sound – Samara Leilani
Commenters share their thoughts
In the comments section, many users applauded Leilani’s decision.
“This was actually a smart move. Eventually you’ll want to trade her in and it’ll add more value with all the bells and whistles. Yes you only paid 15k but it’s still a 38k car, so when you do sell you’ll probably make a couple grand if not break even,” said a commenter. “Just keep an eye on mileage. If you treat her well you’ll have no problem pocketing a few bucks when you decide to trade up!”
“15k for a 2025 Toyota sounds like a no brainer to me!” added another.
“I had a Toyota Camry for my very first car and it was a GREAT car. NEVER did I have any issues with it. Someone hit me and totaled it which is the ONLY reason I’m not still driving it!” exclaimed a third. “Congrats!”
The Daily Dot reached out to The Price is Right and Leilani via email.
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