Which COE car should I buy?

[keechiu]

hi all. I'm looking to buy a COE car. my budget is $40 to $45. I don't mind getting a car with a few years COE left and then renew it for another 5 or 10 years depending on the durability of the car etc. I was hoping to get advice as to which car I should purchase and what should I be wary of. If you were me, which of these 5 cars would you consider buying. If you have a preference out of these 5 cars I've listed below, please also state what changes I need to do to the car and the rough pricing for them at the workshop. If you feel that there is another COE car either Audi, BMW or Lexus on sgcarmart that I should look at instead, please provide the link. I am open to suggestions. Thank you all. 

1) Audi A4 2.0A TFSI (COE till 10/2024)

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=914799

2) Audi A3 Sedan 1.4A TFSI Ambiente

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=933358

3) Lexus IS250

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=940232&DL=1000

4) BMW 3 Series 320i (COE till 12/2023)

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=936256&DL=2349

5) BMW 5 Series 523i XL (COE till 10/2022) @$29,999

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=942128&DL=3804
 

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[DylanChen]

all the coe cars u mention, cant renew anymore. 

 

[Ct3833]

24 minutes ago, keechiu said:

hi all. I'm looking to buy a COE car. my budget is $40 to $45. I don't mind getting a car with a few years COE left and then renew it for another 5 or 10 years depending on the durability of the car etc. I was hoping to get advice as to which car I should purchase and what should I be wary of. If you were me, which of these 5 cars would you consider buying. If you have a preference out of these 5 cars I've listed below, please also state what changes I need to do to the car and the rough pricing for them at the workshop. If you feel that there is another COE car either Audi, BMW or Lexus on sgcarmart that I should look at instead, please provide the link. I am open to suggestions. Thank you all. 

1) Audi A4 2.0A TFSI (COE till 10/2024)

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=914799

2) Audi A3 Sedan 1.4A TFSI Ambiente

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=933358

3) Lexus IS250

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=940232&DL=1000

4) BMW 3 Series 320i (COE till 12/2023)

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=936256&DL=2349

5) BMW 5 Series 523i XL (COE till 10/2022) @$29,999

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=942128&DL=3804
 

@RogerNg_185295 @Victor68 @MarkHotchner @Qaz20 @bearbearbear @No_worries @Hamburger @Blueray @Samlimlp @Rickster @CloudWan @Passion @M3ngl4ng @inlinesix @Bjory @Fatfatpanda @littlecar @kobayashiGT

4 out of the 5 cars you mentioned are 5 years COE car, you cannot renew them any more, you are left with choice number 2 only.

Your preference in the size of the car from compact  A3 to mid size 5 series,  do you have more specific size that you prefer to or for what purpose? 

Audi might be more difficult to find spare part locally due to the smaller marker share, this is not so much  a problem when a car is still fairly new but not when a car is 5 years after its COE renewal,  unless you are prepared to source some of the unavailable parts from overseas. 

[Blueray]

of the 5, I would choose 4), the 320

good enough for 2 pax transport. 4 pax may be a bit of a challenge.

i assume the mileage is genuine. speedo have been in business for some time so not a fly by night outfit. 

not a fan of the light-coloured seats though. 

[Vinceng]

@keechiu

You shd look at annual dep rather than purchase price.

This 1-owner BMW 520 is good value at about $6,600 p.a. after you bargain it down to $60K, with 9 years left to use.

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=928157&DL=2563

[Hamburger]

520i 4 pot is a no no. 

523 IL6 is less troublesome and a better ride. 

[Watwheels]

You have no prior experience on car ownership and the first thing you wanna buy are these used luxury cars?

LoL...prease dont do it.

Cannot just look at the price tag and ignore the rest. You will blow your budget many times over. This is not a home appliance you are buying. You need to feed it, insure it, pay taxes, pay for inspection annually and do repairs. For luxury cars the parts and labour can be quite ridiculous. You will definitely not be prepared for what is coming.

Honestly, you got to aim lower.

Edited November 8, 2020 by Watwheels

[Albeniz]

13 minutes ago, Watwheels said:

You have no prior experience on car ownership and the first thing you wanna buy are these used luxury cars?

LoL...prease dont do it.

Cannot just look at the price tag and ignore the rest. You will blow your budget many times over. This is not a home appliance you are buying. You need to feed it, insure it, pay taxes, pay for inspection annually and do repairs. For luxury cars the parts and labour can be quite ridiculous. You will definitely not be prepared for what is coming.

Honestly, you got to aim lower.

I am an old timer who have driven COE renewed cars for the past 22 years.

For 10year old car, I would choose 

1. Toyota Altis.

2. Nissan Teana 2.0 or

3. Mercedes E250.

I would even consider a W124!

Edited November 8, 2020 by Albeniz

[Vinceng]

Agree with @Watwheels, but didn't want to mention earlier as it may sound politically incorrect.

If @keechiu is first time car buyer, then he may want to consider these instead, all within $45K, and COE renewable again at its 20th year, with no PARF to forgo.

Perodua MYVI
https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=928774&DL=1000

Nissan Latio
https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=942138&DL=2049

Mazda 3
https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=913903&DL=1344

 

 

Edited November 8, 2020 by Vinceng

[Ct3833]

15 minutes ago, Albeniz said:

I am an old timer who have driven COE renewed cars for the past 22 years.

For 10year old car, I would choose 

1. Toyota Altis.

2. Nissan Teana 2.0 or

3. Mercedes E250.

I would even consider a W124!

Respect ! My Altis and E200 have completed 1.5years of coe renewal and are still going strong........so far. 

[601F]

From your shortlist it looks like you are set on premium brand cars.

Have you considered Merc? These 2 look quite decent. But Merc being Merc, they are expensive.

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=942825&DL=2282

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=935978&DL=1000

BMW wise, the one below looks like quite good value. A few k above scrap value and low mileage, single owner

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=938999&DL=3417

In my opinion,

Audi typically has lower cost and depreciation, but the dual clutch gearbox is problematic

Lexus has the best reliability, but typically big engines which mean higher fuel consumption and high road tax. Remember road tax increases once past 10th year

BMW and Merc are somewhere in between in terms of reliability 

Edited November 8, 2020 by 601F

[Albeniz]

10 minutes ago, Ct3833 said:

Respect ! My Altis and E200 have completed 1.5years of coe renewal and are still going strong........so far. 

If my nissan presea can last 20years, I don't see why altis and E200 can't.  They should be able to do better.

[keechiu]

2 hours ago, DylanChen said:

all the coe cars u mention, cant renew anymore. 

 

thank you all for your replies. i am unable to give you rep for the posts cos i've hit the maximum for the day. will do so when i am able to.

does this mean that once the COE ends I have to scrap the car?

2 hours ago, Ct3833 said:

4 out of the 5 cars you mentioned are 5 years COE car, you cannot renew them any more, you are left with choice number 2 only.

Your preference in the size of the car from compact  A3 to mid size 5 series,  do you have more specific size that you prefer to or for what purpose? 

Audi might be more difficult to find spare part locally due to the smaller marker share, this is not so much  a problem when a car is still fairly new but not when a car is 5 years after its COE renewal,  unless you are prepared to source some of the unavailable parts from overseas. 

i like the look of the A3 and I wouldn't mind the BMW 3 or 5 series. As long as its a COE car and I don't buy a lemon and have a reliable workshop to assess, advice and repair then that would be great. you made a great point regarding the availability of parts for a car 5 years after its COE renewal. so i should look for an Audi which is within or nearing its first 10 years? but my budget is between 40 to 45k.

2 hours ago, Blueray said:

of the 5, I would choose 4), the 320

good enough for 2 pax transport. 4 pax may be a bit of a challenge.

i assume the mileage is genuine. speedo have been in business for some time so not a fly by night outfit. 

not a fan of the light-coloured seats though. 

i'll definitely spray paint the car, change the seats etc but first I need to decide on a car 🙂

1 hour ago, Vinceng said:

@keechiu

You shd look at annual dep rather than purchase price.

This 1-owner BMW 520 is good value at about $6,600 p.a. after you bargain it down to $60K, with 9 years left to use.

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=928157&DL=2563

I'll look into this again. im just worried about the availability of parts and if the car is in need of serious repair. and I definitely need to know of a reliable workshop to advise me. 

1 hour ago, Hamburger said:

520i 4 pot is a no no. 

523 IL6 is less troublesome and a better ride. 

may i know the reasons for the no go for the 520i? thanks.

[keechiu]

1 hour ago, Watwheels said:

You have no prior experience on car ownership and the first thing you wanna buy are these used luxury cars?

LoL...prease dont do it.

Cannot just look at the price tag and ignore the rest. You will blow your budget many times over. This is not a home appliance you are buying. You need to feed it, insure it, pay taxes, pay for inspection annually and do repairs. For luxury cars the parts and labour can be quite ridiculous. You will definitely not be prepared for what is coming.

Honestly, you got to aim lower.

thanks for the honesty. appreciate the advice and warning. 

1 hour ago, Albeniz said:

I am an old timer who have driven COE renewed cars for the past 22 years.

For 10year old car, I would choose 

1. Toyota Altis.

2. Nissan Teana 2.0 or

3. Mercedes E250.

I would even consider a W124!

🙂

1 hour ago, Vinceng said:

Agree with @Watwheels, but didn't want to mention earlier as it may sound politically incorrect.

If @keechiu is first time car buyer, then he may want to consider these instead, all within $45K, and COE renewable again at its 20th year, with no PARF to forgo.

Perodua MYVI
https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=928774&DL=1000

Nissan Latio
https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=942138&DL=2049

Mazda 3
https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=913903&DL=1344

 

 

sure, i'll look into it.

56 minutes ago, 601F said:

From your shortlist it looks like you are set on premium brand cars.

Have you considered Merc? These 2 look quite decent. But Merc being Merc, they are expensive.

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=942825&DL=2282

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=935978&DL=1000

BMW wise, the one below looks like quite good value. A few k above scrap value and low mileage, single owner

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=938999&DL=3417

In my opinion,

Audi typically has lower cost and depreciation, but the dual clutch gearbox is problematic

Lexus has the best reliability, but typically big engines which mean higher fuel consumption and high road tax. Remember road tax increases once past 10th year

BMW and Merc are somewhere in between in terms of reliability 

fantastic analysis. wonderful points from everyone. I guess I'll have to go back to the drawing block.

[601F]

6 minutes ago, keechiu said:

I'll look into this again. im just worried about the availability of parts and if the car is in need of serious repair. and I definitely need to know of a reliable workshop to advise me. 

 

Have a look at this article. There are places like VICOM, STA that can help to evaluate the condition of your car before buying

https://www.sgcarmart.com/news/writeup.php?AID=529&GASRC=sgcm

[Ct3833]

10 minutes ago, keechiu said:

 

fantastic analysis. wonderful points from everyone. I guess I'll have to go back to the drawing block.

You certainly should, dont fall into impulsed buying.

by the way, all the 5 years COE cars have to be deregistered once the current COE is expired, they are no longer eligible for COE renewal. 

[ER-3682]

American Youtube Mechanics always said Older BMWs are Endless Money Pits,get a Toyota or a Honda.

[kobayashiGT]

11 hours ago, keechiu said:

hi all. I'm looking to buy a COE car. my budget is $40 to $45. I don't mind getting a car with a few years COE left and then renew it for another 5 or 10 years depending on the durability of the car etc. I was hoping to get advice as to which car I should purchase and what should I be wary of. If you were me, which of these 5 cars would you consider buying. If you have a preference out of these 5 cars I've listed below, please also state what changes I need to do to the car and the rough pricing for them at the workshop. If you feel that there is another COE car either Audi, BMW or Lexus on sgcarmart that I should look at instead, please provide the link. I am open to suggestions. Thank you all. 

1) Audi A4 2.0A TFSI (COE till 10/2024)

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=914799

2) Audi A3 Sedan 1.4A TFSI Ambiente

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=933358

3) Lexus IS250

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=940232&DL=1000

4) BMW 3 Series 320i (COE till 12/2023)

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=936256&DL=2349

5) BMW 5 Series 523i XL (COE till 10/2022) @$29,999

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=942128&DL=3804
 

@RogerNg_185295 @Victor68 @MarkHotchner @Qaz20 @bearbearbear @No_worries @Hamburger @Blueray @Samlimlp @Rickster @CloudWan @Passion @M3ngl4ng @inlinesix @Bjory @Fatfatpanda @littlecar @kobayashiGT

I would rather get a Mercedes. The realiability is much better than the bimmers and audi.

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=937928&DL=1000

It may look dated inside, but I think the exterior is a classic.