In her candid TikTok post, the lady explained her excitement when she bought the car—a significant milestone for many young people, especially when it’s the first vehicle. She had high hopes of enjoying her investment and planned to keep it for a while, but things quickly took an unexpected turn. After six months of driving the car, she decided to exchange it for a newer model. That’s when the surprise hit her.
“I couldn’t believe it when they told me the value had dropped so much. How does that even happen in just six months?” she said, clearly frustrated in the video. Her emotions were evident as she narrated how the dealership informed her that the car’s resale value was now less than half of the original price she had paid. She noted that the dealership offered her £3,000 as the trade-in value, leaving her to cover an additional deposit to finalize the deal for the new car. “It felt like I was being punished for buying a car in the first place,” she added, shaking her head in disbelief.
Despite feeling blindsided by the drastic depreciation, she explained that she decided to go ahead with the trade-in because she was determined to upgrade to a better car. “It just didn’t make sense for me to keep it anymore,” she shared, mentioning that she hoped her new car would retain its value longer.
As the TikTok video gained traction, viewers flooded the comments section with their own thoughts, ranging from sympathy to advice:
- “This is just brutal! Cars lose value the moment you drive them off the lot, but this is extreme,” one user wrote.
- Another commented, “I’ve been there! My car’s value tanked after just a few months too. Dealerships really take advantage.”
- Others were less sympathetic, with one viewer saying, “This is why you research before buying. Some cars depreciate faster than others.”
The woman’s story also triggered debates among car enthusiasts and financial experts who weighed in on the matter. Some noted that specific car brands and models are notorious for losing value quickly, especially in competitive markets like the UK. Others emphasized the importance of considering long-term costs when purchasing vehicles.
Throughout her post, the TikToker remained transparent about her feelings, admitting that the experience taught her to think differently about future purchases. “If I had known this would happen, I probably would’ve made a different choice,”