Looking for a car on a tight budget

[Shinylord]

Hi , a newbie to this forum , mind i ask wat kind of car is gd for one hu havent have any experience in owning a car before but needed to rn as im expecting a newborn child soon and on a tight budget due to the economic. If this would help , my budget is ard 5xk. 

[Angcheek]

18 minutes ago, Shinylord said:

Hi , a newbie to this forum , mind i ask wat kind of car is gd for one hu havent have any experience in owning a car before but needed to rn as im expecting a newborn child soon and on a tight budget due to the economic. If this would help , my budget is ard 5xk. 

Toyota ... 😄 get a 2nd hand , many in the market. After that change tyre to min 16inch. 

Small family get vios . Cheap maintenance. 

Unless ur job very stable or u have thick thick cash , else go for > 5yr old car . Keep the spare for baby power , or can donate some to me pls. 

😁 then i can sing hallelujah

Edited July 7, 2020 by Angcheek

[Shinylord]

46 minutes ago, Angcheek said:

Toyota ... 😄 get a 2nd hand , many in the market. After that change tyre to min 16inch. 

Small family get vios . Cheap maintenance. 

Unless ur job very stable or u have thick thick cash , else go for > 5yr old car . Keep the spare for baby power , or can donate some to me pls. 

😁 then i can sing hallelujah

Which used dealer might u suggest to get it from , been going through the forum seem like is hard to find a trusted one 😞

How much would the maintenance cost and if possible may i know roughly hw much will an insurance cost to owning such a car

Well im bringing a stable income of ard 1.6k after cpf deduct if that helps but yes gotta keep some spare for baby power, diapers etc 😅

[Angcheek]

48 minutes ago, Shinylord said:

Which used dealer might u suggest to get it from , been going through the forum seem like is hard to find a trusted one 😞

How much would the maintenance cost and if possible may i know roughly hw much will an insurance cost to owning such a car

Well im bringing a stable income of ard 1.6k after cpf deduct if that helps but yes gotta keep some spare for baby power, diapers etc 😅

Dont buy any car .... buy milk powder✌ else ask @BabyBlade give u free ride 1😆 

Anyone can give free milk ? 😄

 

[Shinylord]

If only it was possible to get a free stuff , life would be much easier 😅 but in all seriousness , i just need the car as it an easy transport for me to bring wifey ard for the check up etc due to the covic situation , tbh i feel uneasy letting her take any form of public transport in the current state she in

[Carbon82]

9 hours ago, Shinylord said:

Hi , a newbie to this forum , mind i ask wat kind of car is gd for one hu havent have any experience in owning a car before but needed to rn as im expecting a newborn child soon and on a tight budget due to the economic. If this would help , my budget is ard 5xk. 

Starts with a 5 - 8 year old small car such as Honda Jazz / Fit, Suzuki Swift, Perodua, Kia Picanto, etc. to have a feel of car ownership experience. Budget aside, how much down-payment are you prepared to make? 

8 hours ago, Shinylord said:

Which used dealer might u suggest to get it from , been going through the forum seem like is hard to find a trusted one 😞

How much would the maintenance cost and if possible may i know roughly hw much will an insurance cost to owning such a car

Well im bringing a stable income of ard 1.6k after cpf deduct if that helps but yes gotta keep some spare for baby power, diapers etc 😅

I am not belittling you, but a take home pay of $1.6K nett is barely enough to cover vehicle related expenses, which includes but not limited to the following:

• Monthly installment (~$500)
• Road tax (~$500 p.a.)
• Motor insurance (~$1500 p.a.)
• Petrol bill (~$150 p.m.)
• Parking charges (~$150 p.m.)
• ERP charges (~$50 p.m.)
• Routine preventive maintenance (~$500 p.a.)
• Adhoc repair and replacement (~$500 p.a.)

The above are just a very high level estimate for your consideration. I would suggest taking grab or taxi for your wife's medical appointment. Save the hard earned salary for your child. 

 

[BabyBlade]

2 hours ago, Carbon82 said:

Starts with a 5 - 8 year old small car such as Honda Jazz / Fit, Suzuki Swift, Perodua, Kia Picanto, etc. to have a feel of car ownership experience. Budget aside, how much down-payment are you prepared to make? 

I am not belittling you, but a take home pay of $1.6K nett is barely enough to cover vehicle related expenses, which includes but not limited to the following:

• Monthly installment (~$500)
• Road tax (~$500 p.a.)
• Motor insurance (~$1500 p.a.)
• Petrol bill (~$150 p.m.)
• Parking charges (~$150 p.m.)
• ERP charges (~$50 p.m.)
• Routine preventive maintenance (~$500 p.a.)
• Adhoc repair and replacement (~$500 p.a.)

The above are just a very high level estimate for your consideration. I would suggest taking grab or taxi for your wife's medical appointment. Save the hard earned salary for your child. 

 

Second this. Taking Grab a better option if COVID-19 is one worry. Wear a mask + a face shield. Wind down the windows. Sanitize your hands. Have to factor in lots of other cost for the car, on top of what's already needed for the baby. A cheaper secondhand car have to consider reliability issues, cost of repair, going to the workshop now and then. Good luck and stay safe.

[Watwheels]

Given your financial situation, my suggestion is do not get a car or a used car. It will add to your financial burden. Use taxi, Grab, BlueSG etc. Plan ahead on your appointments and trips to minimise unnecessary expenses on travelling. You will need it to raise your baby.

Good luck.

[inlinesix]

In case of the car was involved in an accident,  insurer assessed to be total lost or owner has to top up minimum 5k to repair. 

You will be stuck in a situation:

1. Pay 5k to repair the car; or

2. Redeem the loan before scraping the car.

Think about that.  There are enquiry on those questions in MCF.

[Silverkris]

I will also advise not to get any cars at the present moment. Unless your savings is thick, else the down-payment and car insurance (both need to be upfront) will wipe off most of the savings which your baby will need in the upcoming months (checkups, vaccinations, milk powders, diapers, etc).

Wait till end of year to assess your situations, then if by then you find that you really need a car, of course we will help you with more suggestions then.

Enjoy your new fatherhood life without worrying about the finances for now! Cheers.

 

[Colin03]

Absolute TRUE. $ on hand is far better than having a 4 wheelers in the car park. Plan a longer travel timing by public transport else Grab. Happen you really need a day car - can consider Blue SG rental. Happily 3 persons travel round singapore .

Hope u have a wonderful fatherhood coming up.

You only need to consider again once a daily travelling by the baby is needed.

 

[Josephthm]

Assuming you only have 1.6k per month for your household expenses, that is extremely tight if you want to have your own car in singapore.. running costs alone is abt 300 to 500, not including monthly installments. so if not absolutely necessary, I would strongly recommend taking other forms of transport for time being. 

[kobayashiGT]

12 hours ago, Shinylord said:

Hi , a newbie to this forum , mind i ask wat kind of car is gd for one hu havent have any experience in owning a car before but needed to rn as im expecting a newborn child soon and on a tight budget due to the economic. If this would help , my budget is ard 5xk. 

If you just want 4 wheels and fuss free, maybe you can consider the Perodua Bezza.

Is priced at 55K now.

Downpayment - 20K?

Monthly - $500ish.

Engine is from Toyota/Daihatsu

For a sedan, it has ample boot space.

https://www.sgcarmart.com/new_cars/newcars_overview.php?CarCode=12007

[badlammy]

May be discouraging but do take the feedback positively. I seriously believe the wave of recession has yet to hit.

If you do wish to experiment, try to rent and see how well you can cope for a month. There is cost down the drain of course, but you get convenience and experience.

[Cheefarn]

10 hours ago, Shinylord said:

Which used dealer might u suggest to get it from , been going through the forum seem like is hard to find a trusted one 😞

How much would the maintenance cost and if possible may i know roughly hw much will an insurance cost to owning such a car

Well im bringing a stable income of ard 1.6k after cpf deduct if that helps but yes gotta keep some spare for baby power, diapers etc 😅

Not to be a wet blanket bro, but based on what you've stated, even a 9 yr old beat up clunker will be beyond your financial means. Please see below

-   A new child put alot of financial strain to both your finances. With the wuhan virus not going away anytime soon, and SG economy will tank even further once companies finishes burning handouts from gov. And that can be as soon as next month. I am sure u can see how many shops have went belly up since the beginning of Phase 2, esp shops and biz in the town area.

-  There is a distinct possibility that we will be forced to Lock-down again after the election. The number of infections has shot up noticeably these few days due to the relaxed measures, and they are all in the community! We have even inter transmission in schools. You have to realize the current false sense of optimism was created by MIW so that they can shove the election thingy down our throat. The COVID 19 infection rate and scale has yet to subside in SG, and not by a long shot. And when we enter Lockdown 2.0, do u think our MIW will continue to give rebates and $$ to us and biz? Think about it. It is projected that up to 200000 sinkies may be out of job by the end of the year. 

-   Back to cars. Best guess is you can only afford those 8-9 yr old cars. Unless you know any friends or relatives who are selling theirs, buying these clunkers off any random used car dealers is a really bad idea. Buying a mileage altered car is almost a given. There are no laws in SG to deal with this scam, so its very popular among used cars dealers. And then there is a danger that u may pick up a hastily repaired crashed car, flooded cars etc.

-  It is very likely you'd need to fork out a sizable sum of money to repair the car before u can drive it on the roads safely. Mind u, at such age, things such as engine mounts, shocks/springs, gearbox would be worn out. And these parts are expensive to replace! 

-  You have to factor in fuel cost, parking, insurance, road tax and other misc costs in addition to your car repayment. Sorry bro, but your $1600 salary can't get u anywhere. 

Please consider taxis and PHV rides if you are not comfortable with taking public transport. You need all the $$ u can find for your new child. The 1st 10 yrs will be the most crucial time for a child upbringing.  You can always buy a new car after that. Hopefully you will have a better job that offers better pay at that time 

From my experience, you need to have a monthly household income of at least $10k to be able to afford a new 1L-1.6L econo box comfortably, and I stress the word comfortably . This is SG for you bro. 

 

[Colin03]

Happen you really buy a car - look out for part time delivery over the weekend/evening period to help cover some costing.

Bezza can consider a good car with a bigger boot for your baby stuffs / delivery items too. But do take note that the AD is very rigid on the pricing and freebies. The insurance about 2K  yearly for 0% NCD and loan must be min 50%  of the purchase price. 

[Mockngbrd]

You come online to find validation for u to buy a car? 
 

Quote

Well im bringing a stable income of ard 1.6k after cpf deduct if that helps but yes gotta keep some spare for baby power, diapers etc 😅

 

1.6k bring home means monthly 2k?  Don't buy shit.

The only thing you should be aiming for now is a house first since u now have family. Don't be stupid and ownself kill ownself.  

How to buy car? Even stupid old Corolla like this.
https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=832682&DL=2026

Lai I help chu see why I say if you buy car you are stupid.

You also need ard 5k for initial downpayment and whatever fees and insurance. 

Every month also need to chut 400 for loan,
another 100 for petrol,
rd tax 92 a month,
parking HDB season monthly agar agar 100,
cashcard/outside parking when go gai gai, give you small small 30,
then set aside some $$$ for maintenance, give u easy easy also, 100 a month la. If you need to change tyre, prob another 500?
Also your car insurance, new driver, no NCD, give u 1k a year bah. 
Your monthly outlay easy easy monthly for a lok lok car is around 800-900 liao.

Your take home 1.6k effectively wiped out half. You left with 700-800 dollar to support your daily makans, and now got newborn. You makan what? Everyday eat cai png for lunch on workdays also $4-$5? 1 month 80-100 liao, haven't even count dinner. Ok la, dinner cook at home, need to buy groceries, chut another 100 a month. Now left with $500-$600 for your family/newborn duties. You got set aside $$$ for income tax and all your baby medical/clinic fees? All these is without going out for any outings also hor. You got car you won't go out gai gai? Confirm will right? don;'t forget, a car loan is also ard 5-7 years of being tied down. 


Don't be stupid.  But hor, I say so much. I think you will still go buy and think you can do simi grab hitch to offset your car.  So I wish u all the best.
 

Edited July 8, 2020 by Mockngbrd

[Philipkee]

21 minutes ago, Cheefarn said:

 

From my experience, you need to have a monthly household income of at least $10k to be able to afford a new 1L-1.6L econo box comfortably, and I stress the word comfortably . This is SG for you bro. 

Not really true. It also depends on how big is the household.

But yes it is expensive. Question for TS is that will in parents and in laws and spouse be chipping in? Or it's all TS? If it's all TS, best not to buy a car.  If the in laws/ parents/ spouse will sponsor the down payment plus chip in on and off for milk powder, can consider a new attrage or Perodua bezza.