A Malaysian woman’s query on Threads recently went viral after she asked which continental car would suit her potential RM6,000 salary.
“I’m in a dilemma. If my salary has reached RM6,000, should I go for the 320i G20 or A180 W177?”
She added that she is currently driving her father’s Honda Civic FE and hopes to upgrade her lifestyle by owning a continental.
She also shared that her current commitments are just her PTPTN loan and postpaid bill.
“I can manage the monthly instalments, but I’m just worried about the maintenance.”
However, Malaysian netizens on Threads was quick to give her a reality check on the cost of maintaining such cars.
“You can’t afford either with just RM6k salary,” one user bluntly commented.
Another advised her to simply stick with the Civic and restore it: “Set aside the amount you would have paid as an instalment. These days workshops can’t easily rip you off because of Shopee and ChatGPT. Plus, if you have a friendly mechanic, you can even buy parts online and they’ll install them for you.”
Others warned that maintenance would easily overwhelm her income. “With RM6k, just stick to a Myvi or something below RM500 a month. Continental cars need TLC, and since you’re a woman, you’ve got to pick whether to pamper yourself or the car,” one joked.
Another user broke it down more seriously: “On RM6k net, your safe car budget should be around RM900–1.2k a month. BMW or Mercedes instalments are way above that—you’d need at least RM10k net and above. Even if you live with your parents, it’s still smarter to save for emergencies or a house deposit rather than sink all your cash flow into a depreciating luxury car.”
After weighing the flood of advice, the woman eventually conceded, announcing she would go for a Proton S70 instead.
