Looking to buy first car for work. Eyeing Aveo5 or Merc 200E but need advice

[lyw24]

Hey all, I'm looking for my first car due to the nature of my job (Travelling to different places a day to visit clients)

Things I look out for (Ranked from top to bottom)

1. Budget specific for car: 10k-15k (I have set aside 1.5k a mth for all the car expenses)
2. COE duration: I want a 3 year COE car preferably (But now I can't find any such cars within my budget), will make do with 2 years COE. Why 2-3 years is by then I will decide whether to change career or not (Which may not need a car)
I'm not particular about features or accessories, as long I can drive safely with the car.

Currently eyeing these cars:

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=1069137: Chevrolet Aveo5, I think I can renew COE for this car after it expires right?

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=1058804&DL=1000: Mercedes-Benz 200E, the low price make me question the reliability of this car, and if I'm not wrong, the COE of this car cannot be renewed anymore?

Any recommendations/ advice? Or any other things I should look out for when I get a car?

[Mkl22]

16 minutes ago, lyw24 said:

Hey all, I'm looking for my first car due to the nature of my job (Travelling to different places a day to visit clients)

Things I look out for (Ranked from top to bottom)

1. Budget specific for car: 10k-15k (I have set aside 1.5k a mth for all the car expenses)
2. COE duration: I want a 3 year COE car preferably (But now I can't find any such cars within my budget), will make do with 2 years COE. Why 2-3 years is by then I will decide whether to change career or not (Which may not need a car)
I'm not particular about features or accessories, as long I can drive safely with the car.

Currently eyeing these cars:

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=1069137: Chevrolet Aveo5, I think I can renew COE for this car after it expires right?

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=1058804&DL=1000: Mercedes-Benz 200E, the low price make me question the reliability of this car, and if I'm not wrong, the COE of this car cannot be renewed anymore?

Any recommendations/ advice? Or any other things I should look out for when I get a car?

If you want to try these soon to be scrapped coe cars. Then my advice is to get the more popular models. At least new or even used parts will be more readily available. 
the merc is too old in the tooth. Sure to have left over crap from the more than 6 owners that you have to clean up. Not worth sinking any money in. 
the aveo parts might be a problem. They sold fairly well in the past but many have been scrapped and thus the current stockist also will not carry many parts. 

get a more popular car. 

[PSP415]

56 minutes ago, lyw24 said:

Hey all, I'm looking for my first car due to the nature of my job (Travelling to different places a day to visit clients)

Things I look out for (Ranked from top to bottom)

1. Budget specific for car: 10k-15k (I have set aside 1.5k a mth for all the car expenses)
2. COE duration: I want a 3 year COE car preferably (But now I can't find any such cars within my budget), will make do with 2 years COE. Why 2-3 years is by then I will decide whether to change career or not (Which may not need a car)
I'm not particular about features or accessories, as long I can drive safely with the car.

Currently eyeing these cars:

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=1069137: Chevrolet Aveo5, I think I can renew COE for this car after it expires right?

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=1058804&DL=1000: Mercedes-Benz 200E, the low price make me question the reliability of this car, and if I'm not wrong, the COE of this car cannot be renewed anymore?

Any recommendations/ advice? Or any other things I should look out for when I get a car?

Both cars' COE cannot be renewed upon expiry. 

Why Mercs? 

Why Chevrolet? 

Besides the budget part, why did u consider these cars? 

Pls share. 

Stay safe 

Cheers 

[Alg]

57 minutes ago, lyw24 said:

Hey all, I'm looking for my first car due to the nature of my job (Travelling to different places a day to visit clients)

Things I look out for (Ranked from top to bottom)

1. Budget specific for car: 10k-15k (I have set aside 1.5k a mth for all the car expenses)
2. COE duration: I want a 3 year COE car preferably (But now I can't find any such cars within my budget), will make do with 2 years COE. Why 2-3 years is by then I will decide whether to change career or not (Which may not need a car)
I'm not particular about features or accessories, as long I can drive safely with the car.

Currently eyeing these cars:

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=1069137: Chevrolet Aveo5, I think I can renew COE for this car after it expires right?

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=1058804&DL=1000: Mercedes-Benz 200E, the low price make me question the reliability of this car, and if I'm not wrong, the COE of this car cannot be renewed anymore?

Any recommendations/ advice? Or any other things I should look out for when I get a car?

Get a workhorse B&B car.

Altis, Vios, Lancer CS3......

[lyw24]

@PSP415 I didnt think of the brands, just focusing on the price point. Though I agree the Mercs was very sus so I wasnt inclined to get it.

Which popular work cards I should get?

Btw how would I be able to see which cars can get their COE renewed for 5/10 years?

[BabyBlade]

7 hours ago, lyw24 said:

Hey all, I'm looking for my first car due to the nature of my job (Travelling to different places a day to visit clients)

Things I look out for (Ranked from top to bottom)

1. Budget specific for car: 10k-15k (I have set aside 1.5k a mth for all the car expenses)
2. COE duration: I want a 3 year COE car preferably (But now I can't find any such cars within my budget), will make do with 2 years COE. Why 2-3 years is by then I will decide whether to change career or not (Which may not need a car)
I'm not particular about features or accessories, as long I can drive safely with the car.

Currently eyeing these cars:

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=1069137: Chevrolet Aveo5, I think I can renew COE for this car after it expires right?

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=1058804&DL=1000: Mercedes-Benz 200E, the low price make me question the reliability of this car, and if I'm not wrong, the COE of this car cannot be renewed anymore?

Any recommendations/ advice? Or any other things I should look out for when I get a car?

New thread good luck! For a first car around that budget or if you can increase it slightly I suppose safer choices maybe Cerato, Fit, even Swift. You can change your search criteria to PARF (less than 10 years) or if you're searching by COE cars (renewed COE), if it's been renewed for 5 years only, then you can't renew COE anymore.

[Kb27]

Buying old car ? Conservatively, better add at least $500 every month for breakdowns and repairs.

[lyw24]

@BabyBlade thanks for the clarification! 
what do you guys think of getting used COE car vs PARF car vs car leash vs daily car rental? Purely for work on weekdays.

[Ishiwgao]

4 hours ago, lyw24 said:

what do you guys think of getting used COE car vs PARF car vs car leash vs daily car rental? Purely for work on weekdays.

My opinion is if it's for work (you should clarify what type of work too though), then it needs to be reliable. You don't want a car that will break down before/halfway you're using it

So I'll personally put more money into getting a car that has less years on it's age (not COE car) over other things like performance.

but with a budget of 10-15k, as what others have asked, why are you considering getting a car instead of e.g. grab?

 

[ER-3682]

Rent a Car.

[neoki_29]

With the budget available, I would REALLY consider if I NEED to buy a car. If it is part of the job requirement as stipulated by the employee then I would consider a Fit, Altis or a swift. Most of these cars available in your budget are there in the used page section mainly for 1 reason, that they are not renewable after their existing 5 year COE expires hence the lower pricing. There are a couple in there now which will be renewable in a few months time but PQP is at $56k for cat A which if you take a loan for will be eating up majority or at least half of your monthly budget.

Edited February 20, 2022 by neoki_29

[Albeniz]

If you need to do sales; be on the road most of the time and cannot miss any client appointments, get a Toyota Altis.  Even if it is old, just invest some money into initial repair or parts replacement, it should be able to serve you for quite some time thereafter.

For me, I spend less than 1 hour driving everyday and park the car at work place and home for the rest of 23 hours, I can get any Japanese car.  Even if it breaks down or if there is a sudden oil leak, mine will happen at the carpark.

Speaking from an "expert" who has owned very old Japanese cars for the past 25 years.

The cars, new or old, will be alright if you treat them well.

 

[Ody_2004]

managing expectation is also important.. some cannot accept a little imperfection.. hiam here hiam there..

a used car or old car sure have some issue.. can one live with it? 

Currently own a Swift (2008) for 3 years.. nothing major just routine oil change brake clean etc.. don drive much for this car but guess the reliability is there. Old car can start can move can liao for me.. and of cos if you are a diyer will be good as for example recently change brake light bulbs.. park light bulb etc.. 

 

[Mkl22]

1 hour ago, Albeniz said:

If you need to do sales; be on the road most of the time and cannot miss any client appointments, get a Toyota Altis.  Even if it is old, just invest some money into initial repair or parts replacement, it should be able to serve you for quite some time thereafter.

For me, I spend less than 1 hour driving everyday and park the car at work place and home for the rest of 23 hours, I can get any Japanese car.  Even if it breaks down or if there is a sudden oil leak, mine will happen at the carpark.

Speaking from an "expert" who has owned very old Japanese cars for the past 25 years.

The cars, new or old, will be alright if you treat them well.

 

Some cars need to be treated with $$$$ 

that’s the main difference. 

[Watwheels]

Pls dont give him anymore advise. I have seen too many of such sales ppl come and go. Their job wont pay enough to help them keep their cars running on the road. His examples are so extreme that you know he dont have an idea at all what is car ownership in singapore.

To TS no offense but the reason to buy a car here is going to be, "you have lots of money, dunno where to spend". You cannot simply just look at the price tag alone. Do you know that a lot of car owners are running on the roads w/o valid road tax and insurance? These ppl cannot afford it and yet they want to cling onto their car. They will just dig a bigger debt hole they could never recover from. 

Take my advise. Find another job that doesnt require you to buy a car.

 

 

Edited February 20, 2022 by Watwheels

[tfrans24]

 

no to aveo, just buy any jap (or made in thailand) coe car, honda or toyota wont go wrong. 

[Ody_2004]

4 minutes ago, Watwheels said:

You cannot simply just look at the price tag alone. Do you know that a lot of car owners are running on the roads w/o valid road tax and insurance? These ppl cannot afford it and yet they want to cling onto their car. They will just dig a bigger debt hole they could never recover from. 

 

ya loh.. my son also living in fairy tale land.. KNN his Swift cost mostly i supported.. Insurance, Road Tax, Parking, Cash Card, Service+breakdown etc.. Can drive till cash card $0.93.. KNN.. i kan him till i tired..

[PSP415]

12 hours ago, lyw24 said:

@PSP415 I didnt think of the brands, just focusing on the price point. Though I agree the Mercs was very sus so I wasnt inclined to get it.

Which popular work cards I should get?

Btw how would I be able to see which cars can get their COE renewed for 5/10 years?

OK. If u are sincerely seeking advice, I hope you can discern the goodwill in replies from various ones here. 

1. Toyota Altis, Honda Fit, Suzuki Swift are perhaps within the budget set by you. Naturally, pls go for test drive so you don't buy one for parking only. 

2. If your work requires you to travel extensively, are you given reimbursement for parking and petrol?

Some companies give a monthly car allowance which covers parking and petrol. Some will need you to submit parking receipts and give you a petrol fleet card. 

This is an important component to car ownership. The other is car maintenance which if you dun take care, can mean you need to cough up blood, I mean, more money to resolve, the mechanic will be the happiest man then. 

Once a year, must renew car insurance and road tax (either every 6mths/or 12 months) 

Will the job be paying enough for such an upkeep? You dun want to be spending most of your hard earned on the car. 

3. Grab may not be suitable especially if you need to bring samples that may be numerous and heavy to lug around. Upfront payment each trip may be a strain for some. 

4. Rentals/leasing may work better. Slightly more per month ie you may consider one that's $1k to $1.2k monthly. That means you used up the budget of $10-12k in 10 months. 

But you need not worry about maintenance  costs, road tax and insurance of car. 

Petrol and parking costs will be your own. 

The other advantage is you can just return the car if you find the job not ideal. You need not worry about own car depreciation when u sell. 

Just sharing my thoughts. I see that the 5/10 years COE question has been answered by BB already. 

Stay safe 

Cheers