⁠’Having a foreign car is not for the weak’: 5 stories showing why ‘luxury’ isn’t always the best play

We often think luxury brands offer the best of everything, but is paying a premium price always worth it? It’s become a frequent social media point of contention.

Many shoppers have found that high cost doesn’t always mean high quality. From malfunctioning tech gadgets to poorly designed fashion items, luxury products can sometimes sorely disappoint.

In this article, we’ll explore five real-life stories from TikTok that reveal why “luxury” isn’t always the best choice, showing that sometimes, less really is more.

Bride-to-be says Jimmy Choo shoes broke after 5 minutes of wear 

TikTok user Michaela Dante (@michaelarose123) went viral after sharing her disappointment with a pair of $1,100 Jimmy Choo heels.

In her video, Dante explains buying the shoes to wear on her wedding day, and trying them on for “maybe five minutes.” However, she says they began to tear immediately.

When she tried to resolve the issue with Jimmy Choo staff, Dante claims the store’s reaction was “nonchalant.”

“If you’re charging $1,200 for a pair of shoes, it’s a big deal if they rip before you’ve even done anything in them,” Michaela states. She eventually received a replacement, but they too were damaged, despite having never been worn before. “I don’t want this pair of shoes anymore,” she says, frustrated.

In light of how viral her video went, Dante was finally able to get a refund after the president of Jimmy Choo reached out and apologized. They also offered her free replacements and other items from their store.

Tenant of ‘luxury’ apartment shows poor condition of pool

TikToker Lexie Firment (@lexiefirment), went viral by showing the poor condition of the pool area at her “luxury” apartment, where she pays $2,000 per month. 

Spoiler: It’s not as glamorous as it sounds.

In the video, Firment shows the disappointing state of her apartment’s pool area. “I pay 2k a month to live here and this is what my pool area looks like in my ‘luxury’ apartment,” Firment says, taking her followers on a tour.

First, she reveals “cigarette butts” littering the ground. Next, she shows toilet paper and beer cans scattered everywhere. Although she doesn’t show the pool, Firment describes it as “disgusting” with “feces” in it.

“And yet, they expect us to pay 2K a month and they keep raising the rent. Yay,” she says, flashing a sarcastic thumbs up.

In her caption, Firment writes, “Living in a luxury apartment and paying prices that are way too much for any salary range… this is not okay. This pool area has been disgusting for the last month. Nothing will ever be done about it. We have contacted management, and they do nothing. It’s gross to live like this and still pay a lot of money and have the possibility of rent increases.”

Woman says she regrets buying luxury car

TikToker Nachely Taveras (@727chely) posted a video expressing her regret over buying a luxury car, saying she misses her old Honda. Filming herself at a gas station, she shared her frustration with the high cost of filling up her Infiniti.

“Having a foreign car is not for the weak. Almost $5 per gallon for [expletive] gas. Huh?” she says. “Do you know how far $25 would take me in my little Honda?”

Taveras didn’t anticipate the extra expenses that come with owning a luxury car. Luxury vehicles often require premium gas, which is more expensive. “When I first got my car, I was putting the wrong gas in it, and my car was driving all weird and [expletive],” she admits.

In the video, she spent $25 for only 5 gallons of gas. “Nah cause $25 would’ve given me at least half a tank in my Honda that barely gave me a quarter,” she added in the caption.

Many commenters also related to her predicament. “You making me wanna keep my Honda,” one person wrote. 

Woman questions Louis Vuitton bag quality

A TikTok user, @ceo_ofthesoftlife, posted a video expressing frustration after her $2,800 Louis Vuitton bag started peeling.

She explained in a viral clip that despite taking good care of her bag for two to three years, the gold hardware began deteriorating.

“The zipper has completely changed color,” she noted, showing the damaged areas. She wondered why a $2,800 bag was falling apart so quickly, saying, “Why is my bag looking like it’s a $160 bag?”

Louis Vuitton’s care instructions advise keeping their products away from grease, cosmetics, and perfumes, which can affect the gold plating. Despite following these guidelines, @ceo_ofthesoftlife found her bag peeling.

After visiting the store, she shared, “They told me that if you’re constantly touching it, the peeling is inevitable.” Frustrated, she plans to demand a replacement, stating, “This is the second bag I’ve had to send back. WHY?”

Kitchen sink in ‘luxury’ apartment falls through countertop

TikTok user Mina (@ninaminaa) shared a shocking experience with her “luxury” apartment.

In the clip, Lina stated that after filling her sink with water, it collapsed into the cabinet below. “I’ve never in my life seen a sink fall through into the cabinet,” she said in disbelief.

Worse, the sink fell near an outlet under the sink, which she noted could have been dangerous. When she called emergency maintenance, she was told she had “too many dishes in the sink.”

“People are building these buildings way too fast,” she said, criticizing the poor quality of construction. 

In the comments, she shared that maintenance did come to repair the sink after several days, but it was still “shaking.” She decided to call the city for help, mentioning she had rental insurance to cover some costs.