“Have they completely lost it?”: Redditor says young people are buying ₹70–80L Mercedes cars with ₹2L salaries

A Redditor recently shared the common tendency of young people buying a Mercedes car worth ₹60 lakh to ₹80 lakh with a ₹1.4 lakh to ₹2 lakh monthly income.

The viral Reddit post about Mercedes purchase

“People are buying ₹70–80L Mercedes cars with ₹2L salaries. Have they completely lost it?” he captioned the post.

The Redditor said that individuals made down payments of ₹7 lakh to ₹9 lakh and financed the rest through loans.

The post’s author recounted a visit to a Mercedes-Benz showroom, where he learned that buyers earning ₹1.4-2 lakh of monthly income are purchasing vehicles priced at ₹60-80 lakh.

“Signing up for a seven-year slavery contract just to look rich — this isn’t ambition anymore, it’s financial self-sabotage disguised as YOLO,” the post read. 

People are buying ₹70–80L Mercedes cars with ₹2L salaries. Have they completely lost it?
byu/Sailing_Catamaran inCarsIndia

Also read: PM Modi launches Rs 35,440 Crore two major farm schemes, also inaugurates projects worth over Rs 5,450 Crore (startuppedia.in)

Netizens respond

The Reddit post went viral immediately, with users sharing their experiences.

One user said, “Our maid’s son got a job as a salesman with a ₹20,000 salary, and in his first month, he paid ₹15,000 as a down payment for a Royal Enfield Meteor 350. They didn’t even have a fridge or a cooler at home.” 

Another user added, “Same thing happened with our maid’s son. He first bought an iPhone, then a ₹2 lakh bike. I guess it’s their decision.” 

Referencing economist Abhijit Banerjee’s work, another user remarked that individuals surviving on the poverty line often spend extra income on what they consider luxury goods. 

“There’s a thing called generational wealth,” one user wrote, explaining how some young buyers come from financially secure families and don't need to prioritise savings.

Another user shared that many young professionals live with their parents, spending on luxury commodities: “Food, housing, and utilities are taken care of. They could invest, sure, but many choose to spend it on themselves instead.”

Also read: Bira 91 founder Ankur Jain details fundraising efforts as 250+ employees seek his removal over unpaid salaries (startuppedia.in)