Cars in Singapore

tobester · Post by **tobester** » Mon, 31 Oct 2005 11:11 pm

Hey

question, I have heard that personal cars are not really needed in singapore, would you say this is true is the local transport really that good?

what is the general cost of private cars are they expensive to put people off? and what about tax or insurance?

I will be working at the airport with my family at home so can I get there easily on the MRT or will I need the car, if i do can the family get around OK and safely in taxis etc??

thanks

Tobester

Scorpion · Post by **Scorpion** » Mon, 31 Oct 2005 11:42 pm

Hi tobester,

Am not sure about the car prices here, but road taxes and daily parking fee are quiet high.

I do work in the airport the local transport is good either by train or taxi. Should be reach'n there within 30-40min.

cheers

Vaucluse · Post by **Vaucluse** » Tue, 01 Nov 2005 10:21 am

Taxis are clean, safe and roomy - also they don't rip you off - although some taxi-uncles talk tooooooo much, but that's not hazard

Scorpion · Post by **Scorpion** » Tue, 01 Nov 2005 11:17 am

Vaucluse wrote:Taxis are clean, safe and roomy - also they don't rip you off - although some taxi-uncles talk tooooooo much, but that's not hazard

of course some drivers talk toooo much but faced with more stiff faced drivers make me feel frightened..

like they working for army r .. !!!??

dot dot dot · Post by **dot dot dot** » Tue, 01 Nov 2005 11:31 am

Cars may be 'need to have' in most countries in the world, but certainly it is a 'nice to have' in Singapore.

Prices are actualy going down continuously, but that certainly doesnot mean they are really that affordable. Expect to pay about S$70K - 80K for a midrange Japanese medium size car (Toyota Corolla) to around S$100K for premium sized Japanese car (Toyota Camry) or about S$130K - 180K for the BMW / Mercedes kind of brands in medium to premium range.

This is including the COE (certificate of entitlement), which is a 10 year cert, that makes cars so expensive here. Now this COE is dropping all the time, as there are more and more being issued by the government.

Then there is your road tax, which is based on the volume of the engine, a 2.0litre car will cost you around S$ 1500 per year on road tax. Insurance to be added, about S$ 2000 per year, depending on history records and size of car etc.

Petrol here is around S$ 1.60 per litre for 95 octane.

Parking is expensive in downtown area, bit less in the suburbs, but still it will add quite a few to the monthly bills for the luxury of a car here.

MRT, cabs, busses are cheap, really cheap.

So it will be a matter of willing to pay premium money for the luxury and supposed freedom to own a car...

Eric

yoongf · Post by **yoongf** » Tue, 01 Nov 2005 4:42 pm

It's good to confirm which part of the airport is your workplace.

If it's the main passenger terminal, the MRT station is there. If the workplace is around cargo terminal complex, it's quite an isolated place.

tobester · Post by **tobester** » Tue, 01 Nov 2005 5:28 pm

Thanks all

yoongf, I am likely to be working with SIA and am not sure where they are based at the airport, can you help?

how reliable is the MRT?

thanks

tobester

Saint · Post by **Saint** » Tue, 01 Nov 2005 5:42 pm

tobester wrote: how reliable is the MRT?

It will be like nothing you've witnessed before for reliability, it puts the western countries to shame

yoongf · Post by **yoongf** » Tue, 01 Nov 2005 10:26 pm

SIA staff are located all around the airport, being the national carrier. But their HQ is located at the Cargo complex area, and that's where most of the SIA office staff are located.

If your new place of work is "Airline Road", that is the Cargo Complex area.

Whether a car is needed really depends on the expected lifestyle. Car or no car, it's still a very livable place. Don't worry too much over this car issue, come here first, then make a decision on getting the car.

tobester · Post by **tobester** » Tue, 01 Nov 2005 11:49 pm

Thanks for the info Yoongf

Tobester

Scorpion · Post by **Scorpion** » Wed, 02 Nov 2005 2:09 am

yoongf wrote:It's good to confirm which part of the airport is your workplace.

If it's the main passenger terminal, the MRT station is there. If the workplace is around cargo terminal complex, it's quite an isolated place.

Yup like yoongf mentioned, if you are working in the main terminal 1 or 2 or inside the line maintenance then the MRT is best for you. Its very reliable.

If you are put up at the Cargo terminal or SIA training center then need to depend upon buses or taxis.

Mostly cargo terminal is for the SIA Engineering company staff.

cheers

yoongf · Post by **yoongf** » Wed, 02 Nov 2005 10:13 am

Hmm..

The bulk of SIA office staff ( Snr Mgt, HR/Finance) are in Airline House, within the cargo terminal complex.

tiki · Post by **tiki** » Wed, 02 Nov 2005 1:45 pm

Working in the Airline House area is quite a hassle when it comes to the bus. Everybody's rushing to get on as there are only limited number of buses there. But you reckon, your company might provide transportation to the nearest MRT?

I'm a 'fatboy'...

Vaucluse · Post by **Vaucluse** » Wed, 02 Nov 2005 2:06 pm

I'm a 'fatboy'...

So much for the 'All Blacks' vision of you . . .

tiki · Post by **tiki** » Wed, 02 Nov 2005 4:43 pm

I'm only AllBlack-ish on the field...I ride my 'fatboy' for other purposes. Hear me Rev...

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