car - what can I expect for S$2000

[ian 66]

I am arriving in Singapore in a couple of weeks time to start a new job.
Part of the deal is a car allowance up to a max of $S2,000 per month.

I thought it would be a simple job to do a search on the internet to see what type of vehicle I could get for the money. This proved not be the the case, I am totally frustrated and given up the search.

Can anyone advice what they think I could lease for the money or direct me to a website that could help.

We have three young kids therefore looking for something that can take 2 adults and 3 kids seats. I would also take something that is not brand new if it means getting a better vehicle.

[Mad Scientist]

Have you tried going for long term leasing with rental car companies? You should be able to get a decent car with the amount.Try this company
http://www.sanstours.com/
Alternatively if you are staying here for more than a year. Considering buying second hand ones and that amount that is allocated will do just fine with the monthly HP.The only snag is you need to pay a some deposit of the car and the balance with the finance company.
OR come over here and settle down. Feel the transport system which is VERY GOOD and not that expensive. Cab, bus, trains will be more than enough for that amount for trasnport.
Many with five in a family DOES NOT OWN a car at all in Singapore.
Firstly it is expensive, heaps more. Secondly public transportation is so good you hardly need one except going over to Malaysia once awhile
Thirdly everything is close by whether you live up North , South , East or West ,it does not matter

[ian 66]

I totally agree with your comments on the quality of the public transport in Singapore. We have been there many times before and always found it excellent.

The new job I am starting in Singapore includes a leased car so I would be crazy not to accept it. I have already asked about a car allowance instead of the leased car but that choice is not there. Basically it is the leased car or nothing.

[sundaymorningstaple]

I would tend to disagree, allowance or no. I quit driving here as I found by the time I got to work in the mornings and got home in the evenings I was so aggro due to the bulk of the idjits out there on the highway, that I would have HBP and just generally in a bad mood for the rest of the morning or evening. Eventually, I sold both of my cars and opted for public transport. Been happier for it ever since. If they are giving you an allowance of 2K/mo use 1K for transport (lots of taxi's every month at that amount and use the other 3K every quarter for a nice regional holiday for the family.

[Strong Eagle]

I would tend to disagree with SMS. I lived without a car for 5 years, then bought one 2 months ago. Although I still ride my motorcycle a lot, a car opens up a lot more options... especially when it is raining, you have a lot of baggage/parcels, etc.

[x9200]

Owning a car can be a bit convenient in some situation but how frequently such situations happen? So far I always have managed to arrange everything either using the motorbike or by a cab/store delivery if more bulky or more items. Owning a car is always nice but I see not objective reasons to have one.
Perhaps there could be such reasons if one have small children.

[Mad Scientist]

Since you have been here many times b4 and the company you are working has set the guideline; lease car it will be. Try the company I posted to you b4. If they cannot help, try hawk or orix.

[ian 66]

Perhaps I shouldn't have used the word "allowance". As part of the job I am likely to make quite a lot of trips over the border therefore the company will include a leased car as part of the package but also as an essential tool of the job.
The S$2,000/month is the max they will stump up for the car (unfortunately if the car I pick costs less then I don't get to keep the diference).

With the cost of cars being so crazy in Singapore I was a bit concerned that the S$2000/month (which would be a excellent amount in almost any other country) might not get a good quality large family car.

[missis]

Depends on what you class as a large family car. We got a small 4-door saloon for 1200/month which suits us with our one child (his bike will fit in the boot for example) and there's room if we have one more. You could probably get a decent estate (wagon) for that. Maybe not a Land Cruiser! Just do a search on the Internet "car long-term lease singapore" - that's what we did. Try the big names too, they are just as competitive as the local dealers, especially for a long-term lease.

[vivienshoshanna]

having a car is not that easy. I guess..

[FlyingScotsman]

Perhaps I shouldn't have used the word "allowance". As part of the job I am likely to make quite a lot of trips over the border therefore the company will include a leased car as part of the package but also as an essential tool of the job.
The S$2,000/month is the max they will stump up for the car (unfortunately if the car I pick costs less then I don't get to keep the diference).

With the cost of cars being so crazy in Singapore I was a bit concerned that the S$2000/month (which would be a excellent amount in almost any other country) might not get a good quality large family car.

I know nothing about having my own car here so can't advise WHERE you get it, just that you SHOULD get one if you have kids. Public transport is a NIGHTMARE for shepherding kids around, bus drivers would rather see you on your bum on the floor than safely seated. Buses and trains are frequently over-crowed IF you can get on them. Taxis, whilst cheapish, have NO CHILD SEATS. There seems very little awareness for kids seats here, you only need to look out the bus window to see toddlers standing up in the front of the car and the bigger kids in the back. An adult holding an infant while strapped in the front seat is NOT sufficient protection for a young child. Anyway, if I am wrong about the kids seat thing, I would be delighted to know as I am expecting a visitor with a baby and I am concerned about even getting from the airport in a taxi.
Good luck!

[sundaymorningstaple]

Yet, '000's of kids here are transported around daily in those buses, trains & taxis and I'll warrant that the injury rate is less than most any other country. Lot's of fender benders but not nearly the dearth of serious injuries you would think, listening to some here.....

For the life of me, I don't know how I managed to raise two kids all these years using public transport. Don't know how durain manages it either. Actually there are quite a lot of us that manage it without a lot of moaning and complaining. Course, if you WANT a car, then you can come up with all kinds of "reasons". I actually sold both of my cars shortly after my first was born and haven't owned one since and she's 26 now. And most of the buses were even aircon then and the MRT was in it's infancy without a whole lot of lines/stations like today.

[Mad Scientist]

Please do not post twice on the same thread. The moderators does not like it

[sundaymorningstaple]

[revhappy]

Well if you love driving then nothing else matters. I love driving and I used drive in bumper to bumper peak traffic in bangalore for like 3 hours a day where the average speed is about 20 kmph. That too in a manual car. But still that was the most exciting part of my day. I used to look forward to going to office only so that I could drive. I used to drop my wife whose office was way past my office and then I used to come to my office.


For me if you give me a choice, stay right next to the office and walk to office or stay 20 kms away and drive. I would gleefully accept the latter


Now that I am in Singapore, I cant afford a Car but my motorcycle has more than made up for the loss of driving. My wife works in Ang Moh Kio and we live in Tampines. I daily go and fetch her from Ang moh kio which is like 15 kms away and she will have to change 3 buses if she were to use public transport. So win win for both me and her.

The pleasure of riding at 100 KMPH on TPE is something that I am never gonna miss for the anything in the world