Sunday, January 28, 2007

Should I get a car?

One of my new year resolution for this year is to get my driving license and I have recently enrolled into the driving school at Bt Batok. Its been quite an experience just enrolling. The curriculum is rather confusing and you have to attend lessons even for the basic theory test and even a mock test before you can actually sit for the real test. I am really looking forward to the practical lessons. I did try my hand on driving before, even had a chance to drive alone without any licensed drivers beside me. Of course, I ran into a gate and scrap the car as a result. Luckily the car was meant to be exported so no one found out my tiny accident. Heh.

Anyway, back to what I wanted to say tonight.

The reason why I am taking driving lessons and my driving license is cos I am contemplating on getting a car. My plan is to get my own car if I am not married by 30. Yes, I have already planned out a route for myself. A car first and then perhaps a house cos I want to have my own house, regardless of whether I have my own family. I think its most likely I will not have my own family, I just cannot imagine that I will have my own family, not cos I do not want it, but rather I do not see that day coming. I think I will be destined to live alone for the rest of my life. Anyway, I have even decided on what car I would like to get; a Toyota Vios or a Kia Picanto.

However, getting a car in Singapore is not easy. There are the installments, the insurances, road tax and worst of all the COE ie: the Certificate of Entitlement. There was an article in Sunday Times today talking about how more and more young adults, just starting to work are getting a car of their own. Some rich parents are even getting cars for their kids before they even got their license! Singaporeans are getting really rich...

The problem with getting a car is that you are basically throwing your money into a pit. The value of the car will depreciate the moment you buy it. At the end of it, you might even had to fork out money to sell the car!

So you ask, do I really need a car. To a certain extent. My office is shifting soon to a very deserted area. Cabbies do not even want to go to the area! I figured since I will be working late almost every night, I might as well arrange for my own transportation instead. And having a car just solve my problem. Besides this, I have gotten into a habit of taking cabs every where I go. With the increasing fare of taking cabs, it would be more economical to drive my own car instead!

Oh well, its still a long way to getting my license. I might as well use this time to earn as much money as I can and save as much as I can and decide on whether I should get a house or a car first. Whatever the case, its gonna be tough on my wallet.. Sigh....

4 comments:

rijac said...

with the hours you work, maybe it might be better to get an OPC so you can save a bit on the installments and roadtax etc.

Anonymous said...

Get a bf with a car.

Problem solved.

iRis said...

Car comes with installments, petrol and road tax. BF comes with childishness, farts, and worst of all, "wham-bang-thank-you-mdm-sex.

I think my life would be better off with the former category of irritations than the latter category of irritations. Thank you very much.

Details: said...

Get a car ONLY if you really really need it for your work and not to travel from point A to point B.

Getting different drivers (aka cabs) will be much cheaper per trip, and lesser problem and trouble too.

Do note that once you get a car, there is usually very little opportunity for you to turn back into the 'life' of no vehicle. :)