Us Singaporeans are a car crazy bunch. Buying a car in Singapore is an expensive proposition. Driving a car too. And with the COE cuts translating into sky high (by recent years' standard) COE prices, car prices have rocketed further upwards.

But still we Singaporeans can't stay away from our cars. If we could afford it, we would almost certainly buy it.

A quick and unscientific survey of the multi-storey carpark in my estate reveals that the recent increase in COE has not dampened the car buying and upgrading spirit of the Singaporean heartlander. Competition for car park lots is intensifying and returning home after 9.30pm now means parking at the top few storeys. A quick glance around the car park reveals quite a few spanking new cars with spanking new plates indicating a very recent registration date. And the car mix is shifting away from bread and butter cars as more upmarket brands start making their presence felt. And, mind you, I stay in a less desirable (read poorer) part of our sunny island.

I myself am equally guilty. The high COE prices have not put an end to my plans to buy a new car to replace the one I sold off recently. It has merely made me adjust my expectations and forced me to look harder now that the cars I originally planned to buy are out of my reach. I have also decided to save a bit more to increase my budget. But it doesn't cross my mind for a second to abandon my car buying plans. Even though I could never drive to work (CBD). Even though I can use the family car on most weekends. There is no doubt I am car crazy.

So what drives us Singaporeans car crazy? Many of us have our own theories. But speaking for myself, my car is something of a passion or a hobby. I enjoy owning and driving cars. It makes me tick and motivates me to crawl out of bed in the morning to head to work. That is why I strive so hard to own one.

What about you, are you car crazy?