Search the Community

Hi All, Was wondering is it good to buy this imported used bmw Z4. New car from PM will cost close to 200K http://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=26780&DL=1059 Other question that I have in mind. - any quality workshop in singapore to service beemer? Not just service but also change of parts and repair if got electronic problem. - what will the insurance cost for someone in early 30 yrs old with 20% NCV?

Hi i saw some vehicle in carmart that is significantly cheaper than same model / year vehicle. Stated as imported used, i understand that it is previously used in another county BEFORE the reg date in Singapore, other than that is there any other non benefit i should watch out for in such vehicle? I understand spare part difference may be possible also but the imported i am looking at is japan made thus its likely to be the same compared to a conti as conti have a lot of different variants. I calculated that i should benefit more from the lower buying price thus lower downpayment, lower monthly installment, less paid for interest also. Vehicle is stated with a additional info of : Additional Imported Used Vehicle. Eligible for PARF rebate. Please correct me if i am wrong. Thank you.

http://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=444498&DL=1353 Was browsing sgcarmart n saw tis CTR. Curious y the omv so low.... But at 10k depre looks like a gd buy, but rear boot slack spoiler... Cld it be suffered serious accident from behind hmm...

Juz curious, anyone bought one of these b4? http://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/listing.php?CAT=20 Is the 10-yr COE valid from the time it's registered in Sg or from the original date of registration overseas? Eligible for full parf rebate?

Am thinking of getting another secondhand car which is a parallel import. Does anyone know if it can be sold and exported out after 10years of COE? I dont think i will renew COE for this one. Thanks

Always been a fan of the GTRs. However, the absurd prices of cars nowadays would definitely make a first hand one seem a little outta reach. Just stumbled upon this, and for only USD$20,000, we can get an exact replica in terms of power and handling!! http://www.topgeartvseries.com/nissan-gtr.php Only question is, are we allowed to ship this in at all?

Will easing up in cost further lower price of cars imported from EU? http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1243082/1/.html

Hi to GPS owners, I have searched around MCF a little and very few topics answered my question. Why do so many of my friends buy GPS from overseas like US and hand carry back? Why do so many of us buy via Vpost? Local sets are more expensive I assume but what other factors are there? I can buy a cheap United States garmin but when I went to garmin.com.sg for map download, it says only sets bought from local authorised sellers can download. So whay do people avoid local sets? Thanks in advance folsk

Powerful car but the outlook of the car has nothing to WOW about. Its a 3.8L.

There has been a lot of advertisements in the Classified ads for this particular BMW coupe and the price is really ATTRACTIVE. Some of them are going as low as $138k with guaranteed COE. Does anyone have any experience with this particular model and do you think it's a good idea to get it from PI ? I know the 320 engine isn't really that good but 138-142k for a BMW coupe is really enticing.. haha

Hi, I reside in UK and interested in buying 2 new cars, one would be mid-segment car and another one would be high-end. However, i heard that buying a parallel imported car in UK is cheaper than buying a car from UK. Is that true? If yes, before buying a car i have following queries: 1) What are the problems/challenges i might face in UK in case i buy a parallel imported car? 2) What about the warranty, service and maintenance of the parallel imported car? Does local authorized company dealer would service my car? 3) On an average, approximately what would be my cost saving (in percentage) in case i buy a parallel imported car? 4) How much time will it take in the delivery of parallel imported car in UK? 5) Can i buy any car through parallel import in UK or is it only selected models are available (such as Toyota, Honda etc.)? 6) What is the reason that parallel imported cars in UK are cheaper than local ones? Is it like suppliers earn lower margins? 7) From where can i buy parallel imported cars in UK? Is it local dealer or any other party would supply the car to me? 8) Just for the sake of my knowledge, if i say that 100 cars are imported in UK every year, approximately what is the percentage share of parallel imported cars in total UK import of cars? I just wanted to know how big is the market? Am i falling into 'masses' or 'classes' for buying parallel imported car? :) Please someone help me on this so that can i can decide on it immediately. Thanks, Manu

Read today ST (Asia Column) and was ........... MY police had stated that the recent boar heads found thrown into the mosque were imported from outside their country ........ . They are asking those dealers to come forward for informations on strangers buying imported boar heads from them. Donkey years ago, I used to hunt wild boars at their rubber plantations and now "Boar" heads imported ???????

Seems like it... Honda CRZ Hybrid 100K range i believe...

as above...

Parallel importers use revised rule to bring in high-end cars at cheaper prices TALES of used cars passed off as new are rather old. But now, some parallel importers are declaring new cars as used - in what could be attempts to benefit from a revised ruling that inadvertently leads to lower taxes for imported second-hand cars. Last September, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) lifted a barrier on imported used cars when it ruled such vehicles are eligible for scrap rebate, like new cars. The rebate, paid by the Government to the owner if he scraps the car before its 10th year, can amount to several hundred thousand dollars for some cars. Since September, about 60 imported used cars have been sold here, including a Rolls-Royce, Honda NS-X sports car and a stretched Chrysler limousine. Many more are on sale now. But industry sources said some of these are actually in showroom condition, but declared as 'used' to attract lower open market value (OMV). OMV, determined by Singapore Customs, is the rate on which car taxes are based. Hence, the lower a car's OMV, the less tax it attracts. Importers are able to sell such a car more cheaply, and often still enjoy a healthy profit. Parallel importers who bring in cars this way focus on high-end models, because used cars from overseas are liable for a $10,000 special tax. One popular import is the Nissan GT-R sports car. The average OMV for parallel-imported new GT-Rs is $80,000, while a subsidiary of authorised Nissan agent Tan Chong has brought in cars with OMVs of $115,000. Now, a 'used cars' advertisement on car retail website sgcarmart.com lists a GT-R that is less than five months old and which clocked only 138km. That's less than some brand new cars found in showrooms here. Its advertiser claims its OMV is $65,000, and is asking $258,000 for it - about $22,000 less than brand new parallel imports and $72,000 below Tan Chong's. One trader said the OMVs of some GT-Rs brought in this way are much lower. The development may pose yet another challenge for authorised agents who have been losing ground to parallel importers. Motor trader Karsono Kwee, 60, who lost 5 to 10 per cent of Porsche sales to parallel importers last year, said: 'It's beyond our control. We can't compete with them because our OMVs are much higher.'' Mr Kwee added that some parallel importers are enjoying fatter margins than authorised agents because of their lower OMVs. Mr Eric Chan, 39, Mercedes-Benz general manager at multi-brand agency Jardine Cycle & Carriage, reckons consumers who buy low-OMV cars because they are cheaper 'do not know that they are buying at a disadvantage''. He pointed out that a low OMV also means a low scrap rebate. For instance, an eight- month-old Mercedes SLK200 with an OMV of $26,000 would fetch a rebate of $13,000 if scrapped just before its 10th year. On the other hand, a brand new one from Cycle & Carriage would attract $25,000. Another example: an 18-month-old BMW 730Li with an OMV of less than $30,000 would fetch $15,000, versus $44,000 for a new car from BMW agent Performance Motors. But car buyers shrug off the difference. Asked if he would buy a 'used' GT-R with a low OMV, enthusiast Kevin Kwee said: 'As long as the price is right and the annual depreciation is right, it's okay.'' A leading parallel importer said he is aware of the new goings-on. 'Some of the OMVs of these so-called used cars are less than half the OMV of a new car,'' he said. 'If this carries on, I don't know how the rest of us are going to continue our business.'' More People Drive Imported Car

Message REMOVED by Gadgeter.

New rule makes them eligible for scrap rebate but $10,000 surcharge stays MOTORISTS looking to buy mid- to high-end marques, but do not mind a used car, will have more and possibly cheaper models to choose from, with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) liberalising the import of cars. Changing a regulation put in place in the 1970s, the LTA said yesterday that used cars imported into Singapore will now be eligible for a scrap rebate - which can amount to several hundred thousand dollars for top-end cars like Lamborghinis and Rolls-Royces. Owners get the rebate or preferential additional registration fee (Parf) if they de-register their cars before the 10th year. The rebate can be used to offset taxes for a new car. The LTA's new rule takes effect from Sept 1, and applies to vehicles no older than three years. One other rule affecting imported cars stays unchanged however. Importers will still have to pay a $10,000 surcharge for used cars, on top of all the usual taxes and the certificate of entitlement (COE) required for owning a car here. Mr Neo Nam Heng, president of the Automotive Importers and Exporters Association - a body for parallel importers - cheered the move. 'Used Ferraris, Porsches, BMWs, Mercedes, Lexus - we will start bringing them in soon,' he said. 'We have been lobbying for this for five years,' he said, but added that 'we will keep convincing them to remove the $10,000 surcharge'. Parf benefits were introduced more than 30 years ago to keep the vehicle population young. But imported used vehicles were not eligible - to prevent a population explosion of cheap cars in the pre-COE days. Mr Neo said the latest move will allow car dealers to source for used cars from overseas markets. Imported used cars are likely to be cheaper than local used cars too because they will have a far lower open-market value - on which all car taxes are calculated. But because of the $10,000 surcharge, it is likely that only mid- to high-end used cars will be imported. Each imported used car will be registered using a COE lasting 10 years. But if the owner wishes to enjoy the scrap rebate, he must scrap the vehicle before its 10th year, starting from the time it was originally registered overseas. Even so, he gets a rebate on the unused portion of the COE. Will car buyers go for imported used cars? Traders think so, especially when they can have a used vehicle that is less expensive than a second-hand buy here, and which has a fresh 10-year COE attached to it. And to address concerns of 'buying blind', without knowing the car's history, potential buyers can have the cars checked by vehicle assessors. Enthusiast Kevin Kwee, 37, said: 'It's good news. But sourcing for a quality car with low mileage may be a problem. Average mileage in many markets tend to be higher than Singapore's.' Dealers of new cars were less cheerful. 'This will increase the demand for COEs, and put upward pressure on premiums,' said Motor Traders Association president Michael Wong.

Since CA is just a good for nothing blood$ucker. I guess most owner won't be going to CA for servicing, then why pay for warranty? Why isn't there any parallel imported skoda?

See this link to MIW. http://content.miw.com.sg/...ar_auto_20031114.asp Well not exactly sole imported. It is a feature on the Starlet.

ani1 here have gt ani idea of the pricing?