22.10.2026 10:43
Velat Ceylan, a 33-year-old construction worker earning minimum wage in Eskişehir, attracts attention with his luxury car, whose market value in Turkey reaches 9 million lira. Ceylan, who bought the vehicle from Iraq for 850,000 lira to realize his 12-year dream, lives in the same house as his friends and even cuts back on food expenses to cover the costs of his car.
Velat Ceylan, 33, who lives in Eskişehir, has not given up on the dream he has harbored for years because of his passion for cars. Ceylan, who bought the 5.7-liter V8 HEMI-engine car—whose market value in Turkey ranges between 8 and 9 million lira—from Iraq for about 850,000 lira, actively uses the vehicle not only on special occasions but also in his daily life. Stating that he has no other additional income and gets by on a monthly salary of 30,000 lira, Ceylan sacrifices many personal luxuries in his life to be able to feed this gigantic vehicle. The young man, who lives with his friends instead of moving into a place alone and cuts back on food expenses, says that despite all the hardships, he is living his dream.
Velat Ceylan, who says that citizens who see the car on the street think he is a contractor or a very wealthy person, emphasizes that he also occasionally encounters high-price offers at the repair shop. Stating that he has the vehicle maintained much more affordably through his own means, Ceylan says that he definitely does not consider selling his car and that he invites all curious citizens to his vehicle and takes them for a ride.
"I ALSO USE IT IN DAILY LIFE, I CUT BACK ON FOOD"
Speaking on the matter, Velat Ceylan said, "I currently work for minimum wage, but I am feeding such a monster and I also use it in daily life. I can barely manage; frankly, I can say I can't manage—I cut back somewhere somehow. I generally cut back on food. As for rent, thankfully, I am currently staying at my friends' house. If I lived alone in a house, there is no way—I could not use this car either on weekdays or at weekends. As I said, I earn a salary of 30,000 lira and I have no other income at all," he said.
"ITS PRICE IN TURKEY IS 8-9 MILLION LIRA"
Explaining the story of how he got his vehicle, Ceylan said, "Right now, the average price of a vehicle like mine in Turkey is between 8-9 million. I bought this one from Iraq for a price of around 850,000 lira. This was a dream I had had for 12 years; I made it come true. I also bought it under somewhat difficult conditions; I realized my dream, I held on to it by the edge. If I let it go now, I would see that as disrespect to myself. In the past, when I saw one, I would look from afar, light a cigarette, and sigh. Now I don't tell people, 'Don't come close, don't touch'; I say, 'Get in, if you want, come on, let's take a ride,'" he said.
"THEY THINK I'M WEALTHY"
Stating that those around him are mistaken, Velat Ceylan said, "People think I am very wealthy. I do elevator work at construction sites. But I am an ordinary person from the public."