A 27-year-old Malaysian man took to Facebook to explain why he is driving a 21-year-old Proton Saga.

His Aug. 5 Facebook post has been met with widespread approval -- and it has nothing to do with owning a Malaysia-made car:

The math of owning an old car in Malaysia

In his post, Ken explained his rationale for keeping his 1999 Proton Saga Iswara 1.3 Aeroback instead of just buying a new car.

"Owning a car in Malaysia can be extremely expensive considering the price of a new car per average monthly income ratio," he explained.

He estimated that "it is easily over RM500 per month for the upkeep of a new car in Malaysia even if it is an entry-level car".

This works out to about S$163 a month.

In contrast, the average upkeep of his Proton Saga is around RM300, including fuel, maintenance, and other random repairs.

This works out to about S$98.

To pay RM3,600 (S$1,177) annually to keep his old car running without repairs every month is affordable, he reasoned.

Car belonged to grandfather

Ken wrote that he received negative feedback when he first started driving the old Proton Saga as it looked beat up.

The old car belonged to his grandfather, and it was left in a neglected state for a year in 2016 before Ken took over and restored it.

Did not have to take bank loan

Ken also revealed that he is glad he did not take up a bank loan just to buy a new car, or else it would set him back RM500 (S$163) a month, without factoring in the cost of fuel and insurance.

He reasoned: "My current income is eligible to sign up for a RM50,000 to RM60,000 car loan from a bank but why spend so much per month to pay for a new car that I use as a daily point A to B transport?"

Moreover, the value of a car depreciates very quickly.

Ken wrote: "Say if I buy a car for RM60,000 under a nine-year loan, by the time I finish repaying the loan, the car is probably worth only RM20,000 by then."

"RM40,000 lost in depreciation and I have not even factored in the amount that I've lost in paying interest rates to the bank."

Save more

Instead of being out-of-pocket and pledging to a loan commitment, Ken can save extra money to give to his family, or save up for a property, by just driving the old Proton Saga.

This is despite him looking like the "sad poor guy" driving a hand-me-down car, while his peers drive a new ride.

And even though he has been told that an old car might not be safe, Ken said the car's performance and safety should not be doubted just because it is old and made in a different era.

Ken wrote: "Some will even say that I am risking my life because of the poor safety features in this car. Hmm, does that mean that motorcycle riders are battling against life and death daily as they ride out?"

"Or maybe your parents or the older generations are risking their lives too during a few decades ago when they are driving cars like this?"

Previously, Singaporeans laughing at themselves for buying expensive cars:

All photos via