“Over a car?”: An influencer purchased a custom Mary Kay Cadillac. One of her haters called the dealership afterwards to confirm—the shocking message goes viral
An Ohio car dealership found itself in the middle of unexpected drama after selling a custom Mary Kay Cadillac to a TikToker.
Marina (@elvislover1973) shared in a recent video that she had just visited Oaks Automotive, where she bought the pink, custom Mary Kay–branded Cadillac.
“You're looking at the owner of a Mary Kay car. I knew I was going to get it as soon as I saw it,” she said in her post. “It says Mary Kay all over it, and it’s in pink.” Marina couldn’t hide her excitement, saying the car felt perfect for her—stylish, compact, and different from the SUVs she usually drives.
She admitted the purchase was a break from her norm. Usually, she sticks to older or quirkier cars, but this one stood out.
“I can’t wait to show you. I felt so good leaving the dealership,” Marina said.
The video quickly took off, racking up more than 5.1 million views by Friday. But not everyone was celebrating her new ride.
What happened?
In a follow-up post, Oaks Automotive revealed that one of Marina’s supposed followers wasn’t thrilled about her purchase—so much so that they called the dealership to complain.
“We sold our Mary Kay Cadillac to a very nice customer… I guess someone that follows her was not too happy about that,” the dealership wrote in the text overlay of its TikTok.
The video then cuts to a recorded phone call between a dealership employee and a woman who said she had been saving up to buy that exact 2015 Cadillac. When told it had already sold, she broke down in tears, venting that it wasn’t fair that an “influencer” got the car instead.
@oaks.automotive @marina Thank you for your business. Someone was not too happy about you buying that car from us lol. We wish you a long and happy life!!! #dealershiplife #carsoftiktok #dealership #carsales ♬ original sound - Oaks Automotive
“She’s never had to work for anything in her [expletive] life,” the woman fumed. “I hope she dies.”
The dealership staff were audibly stunned after the call ended, one of them blurting out, “What the [expletive]?” The clip, which has now amassed more than 4.9 million views, left viewers equally shocked.
Why do influencers get free stuff?
While many influencers get free products or sponsorships from brands, Marina’s pink Mary Kay Cadillac wasn’t one of those deals—she paid for it herself. Still, her story highlights a broader reality of influencer culture and why brands are so eager to hand out freebies to creators online.
Given their reach, offering free products to influencers is an effective way for brands. By providing them with items that become post or casual mentions through strategies, a trusted creator can carry far more weight than a traditional ad. Sending out “PR packages” is a business move, not a gift—it’s a bet that the influencer will showcase the item to thousands, sometimes millions, of potential customers.
For influencers, there’s value too. Free products keep their content fresh, help them stay on top of trends, and give them something new to talk about with followers. It’s also part of building relationships with brands that could turn into paid partnerships down the line.
That’s why so many people assume influencers never have to pay for anything. But Marina’s experience is a reminder that not every viral creator is getting special treatment.
In her case, she said she saw something she liked, bought it, and then shared it with her followers. The fact that her excitement turned into a viral moment—and stirred jealousy in the process—says a lot about how blurred the line between influencer and consumer has become.
Viewers couldn’t believe the audacity of it all
After watching Marina’s video—and then the auto shop’s clip exposing a jealous follower—commenters were stunned that someone would go to such ridiculous lengths to hate on her.
“There’s no way this is real,” one woman said.
“This HAS to be a joke,” another insisted.
“OVER A CAR??? Bless her fr,” a third added.
"This has to be a prank, man, what?” someone else chimed in.
Many sided with Marina, saying the anonymous caller’s bitterness only made them happier that she got the car. “
"I’m glad she didn’t get the pink car, all that hate in her heart,” one person wrote.
Another laughed, “All I heard was Marina got the Mary Kay car.”
A third cheered her on: “Ayeeee go off, Marina.
Others worried for Marina’s safety, urging her to stay alert in case the woman took things further.
“Protective order,” one commenter warned. “Right now.”
Another told her, “Marina, be careful though, fr.”
A third joked, “Marina, please do not post no more accomplishments cuz that individual may try to destiny swap lmaoo.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to both Marina and Oaks Automotive via a TikTok comment.
The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s newsletter here.
Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.
The post “Over a car?”: An influencer purchased a custom Mary Kay Cadillac. One of her haters called the dealership afterwards to confirm—the shocking message goes viral appeared first on The Daily Dot.