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Due to the COE climate now, i'm looking at a used car instead of a new car currently due to limited budget.. Any advice from the pros here on what to look out for when i visit used car dealers? I might also look at buying directly from someone through an sgcarmart listing. Any tips before meeting an owner for a test drive?

First time buyer here! Been lurking around mycarforum and sgcarmart. Any tips and tricks i have to look out for and be aware of before i visit the showrooms?

Its February. 2nd month of the year. So many things happened. not going to talk abt virus so many threads already. Just wondering since this is a car forum, good year to change car? Does the uncertainty that lies ahead affects your car buying decision, PM Lee warns of impending recession, even risk of losing job in the event of the current global situation worsenin.. are we on a wait and see wad happens next attitude? do we see coe dropping? Wads the take for forum members here?

Hi bros and sis here. I'm looking to sell my car well actually toying with the idea for now. So I would like to ask if you are planning to sell your vehicle, which platform do you go to? I am not rushing to sell it so I am ok with the idea of selling it off myself even if it will take a little more time. I know that currently the ad fees for sgcarmart is now $58 till you sell off your car. I think it used to be $48 for 6 weeks only. $58 seems ok if it means being able to post till it's being sold. But, if it's unsold are you able to get back the ad fees? Haha.. And after sometime will my ads be pushed down by newer ads? Hope some bros can clarify some of my doubts as I think all of you are much more familiar with how the system works. Also.. Carousell has been my preferred platform to sell off my used stuff etc and it is relatively effective! I have seen many car ads on Carousell as well, and there is Carousell Motor. Carousell and Carousell Motor they are not the same platform? Do you need to pay to advertise there, and how does it work? Honestly I think Carousell is a good platform to sell of my unwanted stuff but not so sure about using it to sell my car. Lowballers, have to entertain messages on PM and honestly it looks quite confusing. For eg if i type Mitsubishi Lancer there are rental ads, car parts for mit lancer appearing etc. Are the younger generations using Carousell to sell off their cars now? Whats your preferred choice now?

Hi guys, My 10-yr old car is due in August, total mileage only about 107K. That is really low from what people tell me. If I buy a new car, the mileage will probably be even less since I take MRT to work to save on parking. The car is really only used for weekends, and occasionally to fetch my children from school. If you were in my shoes, would you buy a car or just take taxi when needed? I’m not thinking of renewing COE because my car has engine and gearbox problems already.

[extract] Singapore

Thanks to our unique tax structure, the car typically ranks as the second largest expenditure for the average Singaporean after their house. As the housing industry gears up for the CEA and a regulatory framework, it is timely to note that the car industry (both pre-owned and new) attracts an equally large number of grouses and could do with a regulatory framework of its own. The benefits to potential car buyers and sellers are too numerous to list. The framework would assist such consumers and prevent them from being exploited or cheated by unscrupulous companies. The most important task under the framework would be to provide a standard form sales and purchase agreement for vehicle sales. This is to prevent consumers (who are in the weaker position) from being subjected to onerous terms and conditions in the sales contract which companies put in for their own advantage. Critically, one clause must provide for the buyer to be able to rescind from the contract upon proving that there has been a crucial misrepresentation as to the car (mileage, accident record, servicing record etc) or upon proving that one has received a lemon car (for new cars). To give the framework teeth, there must also be a panel much like the Small Claims Tribunal where disputes over car sales can be heard quickly and without the need for lawyers. The other details can be worked out after consultation with the public, LTA and car dealers. To fund this framework, car buyers and sellers may have to fork out a larger sum in administrative or transfer fees when buying or selling vehicles. Alternatively, a portion of the taxes levied on cars can be diverted towards the framework. Fines and penalties imposed under the framework may also prove to be another source of financing the framework and body. From the perspective of car dealers, such a framework may initially seem like an onerous burden and disadvantageous to them. But they ought to adopt a long term perspective of matters and look at its potential benefits. The framework will only serve to benefit those honest and scrupulous car dealers. In the current situation, it hardly pays to adopt the best business practices. But, as the framework takes effect and weeds out the unscrupulous car dealers, honest car dealers will definitely find that they can seize a larger portion of the pie. Furthermore, as buyers have more faith in dealers under the framework, they would no longer resort to buying only from the most established dealers. Parallel importers and smaller players in the industry can give consumers an equal amount of confidence and do not have to suffer the ignominy of being tainted by the few black sheep in the market or the scare stories being bandied about. All in all, the car industry would become more vibrant. The regulatory framework can potentially create a win-win scenario for both car buyers and sellers and is, in my opinion, long overdue. What say you?

Not too long ago, I bid adieu to a faithful friend that has served me well as a mode of transport. As my friend drove me out of the dealer lot where it was hastily "abandoned", I couldn't help but feel a slight pang of sadness in my heart. As the deal was put together rather briskly and in a clinical and professional manner, I barely had time to register that I no longer owned it anymore. It might be something that pragmatic and utilitarian vehicle owners might not understand, but I genuinely believe that there can be a bond between a vehicle owner and his/her vehicle. Much like a family pet, a vehicle has often seen the owner through different milestones in his/her life. And unsurprisingly, there can be a whole host of memories both painful and jubilant associated with the vehicle or various parts of the vehicle. Perhaps that is why there are vehicle owners in their 50s who are still driving that very same car they sat in on their wedding day. It is like a different sort of photo album; triggering memories. Just thinking back now, I see how my ride was like a historical timeline of sorts, charting out major events in the past few years. I recall my excitement as a first time vehicle owner; barely able to sleep the night before I collected my ride. The silly things I bought to customize it. Learning about modifications and simply DIY. Queuing up to use the washing bay on the eve of special occasions. And then there are the personal events and memories that I think of by association when I think of the vehicle. Now, several months down, I am looking forward to collecting a brand new ride. But strangely, this time round, the excitement is tempered with a tinge of nostalgia. I guess saying goodbye never was easy. P/s: I decided not to post actual pictures for privacy reasons so all you get is a hint of what I used to drive.