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Testimony of a Young Person Who Swapped a New Motorcycle for a 2015 Prisma Reveals How High Payments and Doubling Interest Rates Turned a Dream into a Financial Nightmare.
Last year, the vehicle financing market in Brazil recorded an unprecedented expansion in the last decade. More than 7.2 million cars, motorcycles, and heavy vehicles were sold through credit.
This volume represents an increase of 20.4% compared to 2023, with an addition of 1.22 million units.
The performance was driven both by consumers seeking to achieve the dream of owning their own car and by workers who saw motorcycles as an alternative for mobility and income.
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However, the statistical growth contrasts with stories of regret and indebtedness, revealing the other side of this financial choice.
The Dream That Turned into a Nightmare
Among the cases circulating on social media, one particular testimony has caught attention due to its confessional tone. It is about a young person from the channel Telinho Alegre, who decided to finance the car of their dreams — a 2015 Prisma — and saw the achievement turn into a financial nightmare.
He shares that, at 19 years old, he had an almost paid-off new motorcycle but decided to trade it in to enter into financing.
The initial enthusiasm quickly transformed into debt. With the motorcycle as a down payment, he financed around R$ 36,000.
The amount, spread over 36 installments, jumped to R$ 60,000 due to interest. The monthly payment came to R$ 1,733 — an amount exceeding the minimum wage.
The young man acknowledges that he was driven by emotion and status. “I wanted to take a step larger than my leg. I didn’t think about the future; I thought I could handle it.”
The Bill That Doesn’t Add Up
Difficulties began when health problems forced him to leave his job, reducing his income from around R$ 4,000 per month.
The alternative he found was to work as a rideshare driver. But the reality was harsh: in the city where he lives, Uber does not generate enough income, and the pothole-riddled streets increase vehicle maintenance.
The burden of the payments added to other unavoidable expenses. According to him, just the IPVA cost R$ 1,230 in 2024.
What is most distressing, he reports, is the difficulty in getting rid of the car. Since the vehicle is financed, reselling or transferring it to another buyer is almost impossible. “It’s like I’ve locked myself inside the car with the key outside. It feels like a financial prison,” he compared.
The Lesson Learned in Pain
Today, regretting his actions, he views the situation as a premature learning experience. “At least I learned at 21. I don’t want to go through this again in the future when I have a family or a child. I will never finance anything in my life again,” he stated.
He is still trying to sell the vehicle but complains about the outrageous offers from dealers, who only offer R$ 5,000 to take over the debt. “I’ve already paid almost the amount of the Fipe table for the car, which is R$ 42,000. Now what’s left are the interest charges. It’s infuriating.
Between Numbers and People
The contrast between the growth of financing and the bitter experience of indebted consumers exposes a dilemma.
On one side, credit drives the automotive industry, stimulates dealerships, and ensures access to vehicles. On the other, without financial planning, it can trap families in long-term debt.
More than just numbers, stories like his highlight the importance of reflecting on the impact of financing on family budgets. After all, while the indicators of B3 celebrate records, many Brazilians continue to wake up every day with the weight of payments that consume a significant part of their income.
Tenta uma revisional, tem também a Trie renegociação. Boa sorte!