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Acquiring a car in Singapore

Driving in Singapore is so convenient and can save you a lot of time. This article discusses some ideas for acquiring a car in Singapore.

Buy or rent? 3 years or less : Don't even think about buying a car. Certificate of Entitlement (COE) premiums have already increased across the board.

Above 3 years : It will most definitely be better to buy or lease a car.

Tips for renting in Singapore

Who can rent?

You can rent a car in Singapore if:

You are a holder of a valid Singapore Class 3 or approved foreign license.
Some vehicle hire companies require the driver to be over the age of 24 and has a minimum driving experience of 2 years. Other companies have lower minimum age or experience requirements, such as age 18 or 21, and may require a large surcharge, and reduced insurance.

Features to look for

Air conditioning (it is safe to assume that all reputable rental companies will have airconditioning fitted in Singapore).
Manual or Auto. Most of the cheaper and older cars come with Manual transmission.
What insurance included in the price?
Is the Goods and Services Tax (GST) included in the price?
Can the car be driven across the border to Malaysia? Most major car rental companies allow their cars to be driven in Malaysia. A surcharge will require.
Is there a mileage limitation? Cars rented for driving in Singapore commonly have unlimited mileage. Cars rented for driving into Malaysia rarely do.
Is 24-hour Roadside assistance offered?
Safety features
Fuel economy
Maps or GPS navigation system. You may need to pay a small amount of fee to rent a GPS navigation system.
Pick up and drop off points. Some rental companies offer these service island-wide in Singapore free of charge.
Is cash card provided? You need one to pay for the toll fee (ERP gantry) in Singapore. Most rental companies offer cash card for sale.

Saving Money

Understand the full insurance cost. Often travel insurance can work out cheaper than paying the excess reduction insurance at the time of rental. If you already have travel insurance, make sure you don't pay for extra insurance that your travel insurance already offers.

Pickup or returning cars to airport or other locations often incurs an additional charge. Look for rental companies that provide these service free of charge.

Singapore car rental

Tips for buying

Many of these tips are true regardless of where you are looking to buy a car, but there are a concern specific to cars in Singapore that you should be aware of.

The Certificate of Entitlement (COE), instituted by the government of Singapore, is a program designed to limit car ownership, and hence, the number of vehicles on the country's roads. An restriction on car ownership is the requirement that motor vehicles more than ten years old, known as 'time expired' vehicles, must either be scrapped, or exported from Singapore, usually to neighbouring countries. So don't buy a car with only a few years left on it's COE!

Don't buy a car you have not test driven yourself for at least around the block. If you are too scared to drive it, ask the seller to take you on a short ride and tell him what you would like him to do: brake sharp, accelerate fast, etc.
Don't buy a car (from a private person) if you do not have at least some basic knowledge of cars and know what to look for.
Don't buy a car from a dealer unless he has a good reputation (ask him for feedback from his customers and check the Internet).
Don't buy a car that is leaking any fluid (black=engine oil/brake fluid, brown=engine oil/brake fluid, red=gearbox, green=radiator or other.), has an oily looking engine head or rust on important parts of the chassis such as the door areas, or near the suspensions.
Don't buy a car that has problems with the gearbox (automatic or manual) - this type of repair can be very expensive. Don't buy the argument that you will have to use overdrive or use neutral position when parking.
Don't buy a car that doesn't stop (SHARP!) when you want it to stop. Check all the car lights with the help of a friend.
Send the car for inspection.

About the Author

Triston Lai is an sales executive and freelance writer.

How many labor hours would you estimate to pull two car engines and and insert one?

I'm replacing my burned-out engine with one from my sister's car (which has too much other damage to be of any use, except for the engine). The mechanic's estimate on the labor hours seemed high to me. Basically, I need them to take the engine out of my car, take the engine out of my sisters car, and put her engine into my car. Nothing else.

There a lot more to a engine switch then you think. takeing wire off, gas line hose marking wires & hoses. trany work . If he has the hoist power tool that will cut the time down. You could get another bid on it. Most shop would not want to tough it, because they would ake no money on the parts.