A Malaysian man recently shared an online story about how a friend’s impulsive car purchase ultimately strained their friendship.
According to the post on XUAN, the friend earns RM1,900 a month, but after deductions like EPF and SOCSO, his take-home pay is around RM1,400–RM1,600. One day, he excitedly announced in their group chat that he planned to buy a car. While the group initially assumed he had carefully planned his finances, his response raised concerns: “As long as I can afford the monthly instalment, it’s enough,” he said, with the RM500 monthly payment taking up roughly a third of his salary.
His friends warned him about the hidden costs of car ownership, including fuel, insurance, road tax, tolls, maintenance, and potential fines. Despite the advice, he dismissed their concerns, insisting “Can one lah,” showing he was gambling rather than budgeting.
The real motivation became clear: his girlfriend had pressured him, saying it was embarrassing for a man not to own a car. Feeling pressured, he went ahead with the purchase. During a meal, he even asked friends to lend him money if he fell short, alarming the group, who feared they would end up covering his expenses.
Eventually, he bought the car, but the financial strain took its toll, and his girlfriend broke up with him. The friend’s impulsive choices ended the friendship, with the dinner where he asked to borrow money marking the final meeting between them.
