It's not that hard to open a Pte Ltd in Singapore

[PNGMK]

I was quoted by XXX a fairly steep fee for opening a Pte Ltd.

To do it myself (on the admittedly godawful ACRA partner website) took about 30 mins and a LOT less money.

I know these guys have to make money but.... if you're a PR or a SC you can do it yourself in no time.

[nakatago]

I was quoted by XXX a fairly steep fee for opening a Pte Ltd.

To do it myself (on the admittedly godawful ACRA partner website) took about 30 mins and a LOT less money.

I know these guys have to make money but.... if you're a PR or a SC you can do it yourself in no time.

I think it stems from the distaste for manual or 'menial' labor and associated tasks and opportunistic tendencies.

E.g. married couple, no children, housewife...still hires a maid.

[x9200]

I was quoted by XXX a fairly steep fee for opening a Pte Ltd.

To do it myself (on the admittedly godawful ACRA partner website) took about 30 mins and a LOT less money.

I know these guys have to make money but.... if you're a PR or a SC you can do it yourself in no time.

I think it stems from the distaste for manual or 'menial' labor and associated tasks and opportunistic tendencies.

E.g. married couple, no children, housewife...still hires a maid.

I think this is all about the same: not taking the risk or a disbelief they could do this.
I just fixed my motorbike where 3 different mechanics from 3 different shops claimed it was something else to what I said it was. Finally the last one suggested to replace the whole part what I found silly. It took me ca 30 mins to fix it. Admittedly I did this sort of things when I was 14 but they were damn motorcycle mechanics earning their livings this way. I don't think they were afraid of manual or 'menial' labor.
Tthe issue was trivial and I gave them all the information to came up with the right solution.

[nakatago]

Not necessarily fear but just the tendency not wanting to sweat the small stuff.

My flash (camera) wouldn't fire. Took it to a repair shop, got told he'll need to replace the whole board at the cost of half of what the flash did. Found an electrical engineer online who repairs gear on the side, he replaced a chip AND fixed one of my lens at the third of the cost.

New HDB. Multi-switched lights was wired in this complex manner that don't make sense. Moving day, I was rewiring the switch myself as a handy man was doing last minute repairs. I was needed elsewhere and left the switch. The handyman "took care" of the wiring and made it even more complex and made less sense.

I got diagnosed with RSI. Speaking with therapist. She just told me to alter my lifestyle (for the worse, mind you) instead of just prescribing therapy to fix my hand (which by the way got better with therapy BUT without following her life changing suggestions).

Probably similar thinking why a tenant agent is needed when there is already a landlord agent. Or why people litter but the streets are still very clean. "Don't bother me with minutiae, just take care of it" and people thought they could make lots of money because people are too lazy to take a close look at things. Eventually trickled to lazy thinking--the first solution is the correct one because I don't want to think things further. People always wanting a shortcut or got over reliant the fact that someone else will always take care of it.

How f***** up is that?!

[x9200]

Yeah, but in my case they did not know what was the problem so they couldn't know if this was a quick or laborious fix. I don't think it was about sweat.

What is a clear tendency around is to replace something if possible even if it is perfectly fixable. They earn surely better money for selling parts then fixing them.

Still I think they just replay what they know without giving the problem any more profound thoughts.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Still I think they just replay what they know without giving the problem any more profound thoughts.

They learn "regurgitation" in school where everything only has one single answer according to their book. The fact that the book may well be incorrect or that there are multiple solutions never occur to them.

[x9200]

Still I think they just replay what they know without giving the problem any more profound thoughts.

They learn "regurgitation" in school where everything only has one single answer according to their book. The fact that the book may well be incorrect or that there are multiple solutions never occur to them.

You know what was it? A brake piston stuck in the caliper. And I told each of them, listen, I had this problem earlier this year and I "fixed" it spraying our good Indian friend (WD40) on the piston every single day for one week. Still, all of them could only came up with the idea that this was the brake pump at the handle bar.

I took the caliper out, cleaned it with petrol, applied grease, push the pistons in and out few times and it worked like a charm. And I did it with the wood clamp because I did not have anything else.

This is actually one of the most tiring thing about Singapore that you have to do everything by yourself or you are in a serious risk of getting f*d, this or that way.

[PNGMK]

Still I think they just replay what they know without giving the problem any more profound thoughts.

They learn "regurgitation" in school where everything only has one single answer according to their book. The fact that the book may well be incorrect or that there are multiple solutions never occur to them.

You know what was it? A brake piston stuck in the caliper. And I told each of them, listen, I had this problem earlier this year and I "fixed" it spraying our good Indian friend (WD40) on the piston every single day for one week. Still, all of them could only came up with the idea that this was the brake pump at the handle bar.

I took the caliper out, cleaned it with petrol, applied grease, push the pistons in and out few times and it worked like a charm. And I did it with the wood clamp because I did not have anything else.

This is actually one of the most tiring thing about Singapore that you have to do everything by yourself or you are in a serious risk of getting f*d, this or that way.

The very old guys (50+) know this stuff. The young mechanics are lucky they know where the spark plug is.

[nakatago]

The very old guys (50+) know this stuff. The young mechanics are lucky they know where the spark plug is.

Like how it is with cooking, Singaporeans and proper Singaporean food.

[x9200]

The very old guys (50+) know this stuff. The young mechanics are lucky they know where the spark plug is.

Yes, all the 3 rather younger guys.

Earlier I "used" one 50++ in a shop off the Kalang Ave and I was very happy with him for 4 years or so but one day the owner of the shop changed (the old guy was just employed over there) - the son of the previous owner took over. On my next visit the first thing he did was to try to convince me that a few parts like water pump needs immediate replacement, plus I am almost sure he changed one of my brake disc to a damaged one also offering me some very "good deal" to replace it. I refused it and I could clearly see the old guy embarrassed for the whole situation. Not difficult to guess it was my last time over there. The pump works fine after another 4 years of running.

[PNGMK]

The very old guys (50+) know this stuff. The young mechanics are lucky they know where the spark plug is.

Yes, all the 3 rather younger guys.

Earlier I "used" one 50++ in a shop off the Kalang Ave and I was very happy with him for 4 years or so but one day the owner of the shop changed (the old guy was just employed over there) - the son of the previous owner took over. On my next visit the first thing he did was to try to convince me that a few parts like water pump needs immediate replacement, plus I am almost sure he changed one of my brake disc to a damaged one also offering me some very "good deal" to replace it. I refused it and I could clearly see the old guy embarrassed for the whole situation. Not difficult to guess it was my last time over there. The pump works fine after another 4 years of running.

PM me if you need a recommendation - I have a friend who does bike repair - bit of hit and miss (depends on his divorce court news and whether he is on his bipolar meds - you can tell by whether he believes he is the long lost sultan's half brother) and the location is impossible to find (in the jungles of Jalan Kayu) but he won't rip you off and actually does good work when he's running on all cylinders..

[bgd]

PM me if you need a recommendation - I have a friend who does bike repair - bit of hit and miss (depends on his divorce court news and whether he is on his bipolar meds - you can tell by whether he believes he is the long lost sultan's half brother) and the location is impossible to find (in the jungles of Jalan Kayu) but he won't rip you off and actually does good work when he's running on all cylinders..

You really shouldn't go into sales..

I too use an old guy (actually he's probably not much older than me ) but it's a little hit and miss. Small bikes are fine but not so good on electrics. Can get his hands on parts at wholesale rates and doesn't mark up so very useful.

Singapore is too first world now. Not that I've tried but I reckon Malaysia would be better for the common sense approach. Every kid with a scooter is probably a scratch mechanic.

In Cambodia a tuktuk driver showed be how he had turned his air cooled bike into a water cooled one by dripping water onto the cylinder head using bottle and tube. Ingenious.

[x9200]

My current mechanic (one of the mentioned 3) is a guy I know for close to 10y already and I am with him (on and off) because he is honest and never tried to rip me off. He is slightly younger than me and I am not 50 yet.

PNGMK, I will PM you. I think it's good to have a backup person.

[Strong Eagle]

I don't know how this thread turned into bike repair... and... Go Pa Guo at 10 Ang Mo Kio Ind Park 2A #05-11
AMK Autopoint, +65 64846033, looked after my Valkyrie very well... with reasonable prices... always kept replaced parts for inspection... and best of all, knows what he is doing.

[PNGMK]

You really shouldn't go into sales..

I too use an old guy (actually he's probably not much older than me ) but it's a little hit and miss. Small bikes are fine but not so good on electrics. Can get his hands on parts at wholesale rates and doesn't mark up so very useful.

Singapore is too first world now. Not that I've tried but I reckon Malaysia would be better for the common sense approach. Every kid with a scooter is probably a scratch mechanic.

In Cambodia a tuktuk driver showed be how he had turned his air cooled bike into a water cooled one by dripping water onto the cylinder head using bottle and tube. Ingenious.[/quote]


Oh the irony - I am in sales