E60 for Singaporeans
02-16-2004, 06:42 PM
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Originally Posted by zag' date='Feb 16 2004, 08:27 PM
eggz, looks like you have the sport steering option!
eggz
02-16-2004, 06:45 PM
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Originally Posted by 530i' date='Feb 16 2004, 08:59 PM
eggs u hv identical car to mine..cept mine is black in black out...also i hv the logic 7...otherwise our cars r mirror image..
sick of waiting really...but will let u guys know...
sick of waiting really...but will let u guys know...
eggz
02-16-2004, 07:51 PM
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My Ride: e60 530i - SOLD!
Originally Posted by eggz' date='Feb 16 2004, 09:42 PM
[quote name='zag' date='Feb 16 2004, 08:27 PM'] eggz, looks like you have the sport steering option!
eggz[/quote]
Good choice! I was using the M3 steering on my previous 320i. kinda missed the meaty feeling.
I think it will cost more (may be about $1K) to change as accessory.. coz of the airbag module.
02-16-2004, 09:05 PM
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oh yes i hv adaptive...also lowered suspension...
now i m only waiting for bluetooth to b enabled...i want to buy a camera fone to go wif it...kiasu, kiasi..kenna langa can take foto! hehehe
now i m only waiting for bluetooth to b enabled...i want to buy a camera fone to go wif it...kiasu, kiasi..kenna langa can take foto! hehehe
02-16-2004, 09:30 PM
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Originally Posted by 530i' date='Feb 17 2004, 12:05 AM
oh yes i hv adaptive...also lowered suspension...
now i m only waiting for bluetooth to b enabled...i want to buy a camera fone to go wif it...kiasu, kiasi..kenna langa can take foto! hehehe
now i m only waiting for bluetooth to b enabled...i want to buy a camera fone to go wif it...kiasu, kiasi..kenna langa can take foto! hehehe
If only more E60 owners can put pressure on PML to speed up the approval and allow folks to have this option. I'm tempted to write in to IDA to ask what's taking them so long. Seems ridiculous since people have been using handsfree bluetooth head sets in their cars for the longest time.
eggz
02-19-2004, 10:35 PM
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Despite Uncertain Times, Singapore's Love For Cars Grows
SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Singapore is one of the world's most expensive countries for car ownership, but the city-state's auto showrooms these days bristle with customers willing to pay for a car the price of a house in other countries.
Despite the high prices, an uncertain economy and near-record joblessness, Singapore's love for cars continues unabated. Last year, dealers sold 81,000 new cars, 29% more than in 2002.
Easier finance rules and the government's willingness to open the roads to more cars means more will be sold in 2004 than last year and at prices much lower than in past years, dealers and analysts say.
As growth in Singapore's car population in 2004 is expected to still be below the government's annual 3% cap, the government can auction at least 30,000 more Certificates of Entitlement, or COEs, over the next few years.
The COE is a similar to a license that gives its buyer the right to purchase a car and often costs as much as the car itself. More COEs means increased supply, which puts COE premiums, and in turn car prices, under pressure.
The Motor Traders' Association of Singapore, whose members are the main auto distributors in Singapore, is also hoping for another bumper year, as economic growth gathers pace.
"We're hoping for a bigger market this year," said the association's president, Chia Yong Sian, adding demand so far this year is "certainly" encouraging.
Car dealers like Borneo Motors, which distributes Toyota Motor Co. products declined to comment as did Jardine Cycle & Carriage Ltd. (C07.SG), which sells Mercedes, Kia and Mitsubishi cars.
Status Symbol
A car in Singapore is as much a mode of transport as it is a status symbol. With Southeast Asia's highest standard of living and income, Singaporeans aspire to the five "Cs" - cars, condominiums, credit cards, cash and country club memberships.
"It's one of the five C's. Do or die, Singaporeans feel they need to own a car. It's one of the goals to achieve for a household," said Song Seng Wun, an economist at G.K. Goh Research Pte. Ltd., who refuses to buy a car because of the high prices.
A standard 1.6-liter Toyota Corolla costs as much as S$75,000, while a Mercedes E-class can cost as much as a quarter of a million Singapore dollars - enough money to buy a house in Australia.
In contrast, the same models can cost about half that in the U.S. and about 30% less in neighboring Malaysia.
The reason Singapore's car prices are sky-high is because the government caps the number of vehicles plying the country's 3,144-kilometer road network, inflating the total price. The government also discourages car-ownership because the city-state has an extensive mass-transit and bus system for its 4 million residents to use.
Cheaper Financing
But the government had a change of heart last year when Singapore's economy was reeling from the SARS outbreak and the U.S.-led war in Iraq. Joblessness hit 5.5% and the economy shrank by 3.7% in the second quarter.
Last April, the Monetary Authority of Singapore in a surprise move lifted the 30% minimum down-payment rule for the purchase of a car and increased the loan repayment period. Banks can now finance the entire purchase for up to 10 years.
"With the relaxed financing rules, it's now more worthwhile to buy a new car than a secondhand, plus you have the added security of warranties," said a dealer who sells sports utility vehicles made by a Ford Motor Co. (F) associate.
"The combination of low interest rates, and the aggressive push by banks ultimately make cars more affordable than in previous years, and brings that dream closer," G.K. Goh's Song added.
Last April was also when Singapore's interest rates, particularly for car loans began to fall, triggering demand. From as high as 4% four years ago, interest rates for a car loan have dropped to as low as 2.2% now. In Malaysia, banks charge 4% for a five-year auto loan and 7%-8% in Australia.
The changes last year meant that cars became significantly cheaper to buy. For example, the highly popular 1.6-liter Honda Civic now costs about S$82,500, compared with S$102,000 four years ago. A newly launched 2-liter Nissan now goes for just above S$100,000, while the previous model was sold for about S$150,000 in 1999.
While lower interest rates and easier borrowing terms will continue to drive sales in 2004, the vehicle population growth may still not reach the 3% cap as the number of cars scrapped at junkyards or sold overseas, continued to exceed the number of new cars.
In 2003, 110,000 cars were de-registered, compared with sales of 81,000 new cars. On average, however, the vehicle population has increased by about 2.2% annually over the past 10 years.
The decline last year reflects the fact that Singaporeans are updating their cars more often, creating new demand.
"People are buying new cars to minimize their depreciation costs. With the COEs much higher a few years ago, the cars they bought then have higher depreciation costs," said another dealer who sells mainly Japanese-made cars.
She said car owners now tend to want to replace their older cars after three years, just after warranties expire, and many prefer to scrap or export their old cars instead of reselling them in Singapore.
SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Singapore is one of the world's most expensive countries for car ownership, but the city-state's auto showrooms these days bristle with customers willing to pay for a car the price of a house in other countries.
Despite the high prices, an uncertain economy and near-record joblessness, Singapore's love for cars continues unabated. Last year, dealers sold 81,000 new cars, 29% more than in 2002.
Easier finance rules and the government's willingness to open the roads to more cars means more will be sold in 2004 than last year and at prices much lower than in past years, dealers and analysts say.
As growth in Singapore's car population in 2004 is expected to still be below the government's annual 3% cap, the government can auction at least 30,000 more Certificates of Entitlement, or COEs, over the next few years.
The COE is a similar to a license that gives its buyer the right to purchase a car and often costs as much as the car itself. More COEs means increased supply, which puts COE premiums, and in turn car prices, under pressure.
The Motor Traders' Association of Singapore, whose members are the main auto distributors in Singapore, is also hoping for another bumper year, as economic growth gathers pace.
"We're hoping for a bigger market this year," said the association's president, Chia Yong Sian, adding demand so far this year is "certainly" encouraging.
Car dealers like Borneo Motors, which distributes Toyota Motor Co. products declined to comment as did Jardine Cycle & Carriage Ltd. (C07.SG), which sells Mercedes, Kia and Mitsubishi cars.
Status Symbol
A car in Singapore is as much a mode of transport as it is a status symbol. With Southeast Asia's highest standard of living and income, Singaporeans aspire to the five "Cs" - cars, condominiums, credit cards, cash and country club memberships.
"It's one of the five C's. Do or die, Singaporeans feel they need to own a car. It's one of the goals to achieve for a household," said Song Seng Wun, an economist at G.K. Goh Research Pte. Ltd., who refuses to buy a car because of the high prices.
A standard 1.6-liter Toyota Corolla costs as much as S$75,000, while a Mercedes E-class can cost as much as a quarter of a million Singapore dollars - enough money to buy a house in Australia.
In contrast, the same models can cost about half that in the U.S. and about 30% less in neighboring Malaysia.
The reason Singapore's car prices are sky-high is because the government caps the number of vehicles plying the country's 3,144-kilometer road network, inflating the total price. The government also discourages car-ownership because the city-state has an extensive mass-transit and bus system for its 4 million residents to use.
Cheaper Financing
But the government had a change of heart last year when Singapore's economy was reeling from the SARS outbreak and the U.S.-led war in Iraq. Joblessness hit 5.5% and the economy shrank by 3.7% in the second quarter.
Last April, the Monetary Authority of Singapore in a surprise move lifted the 30% minimum down-payment rule for the purchase of a car and increased the loan repayment period. Banks can now finance the entire purchase for up to 10 years.
"With the relaxed financing rules, it's now more worthwhile to buy a new car than a secondhand, plus you have the added security of warranties," said a dealer who sells sports utility vehicles made by a Ford Motor Co. (F) associate.
"The combination of low interest rates, and the aggressive push by banks ultimately make cars more affordable than in previous years, and brings that dream closer," G.K. Goh's Song added.
Last April was also when Singapore's interest rates, particularly for car loans began to fall, triggering demand. From as high as 4% four years ago, interest rates for a car loan have dropped to as low as 2.2% now. In Malaysia, banks charge 4% for a five-year auto loan and 7%-8% in Australia.
The changes last year meant that cars became significantly cheaper to buy. For example, the highly popular 1.6-liter Honda Civic now costs about S$82,500, compared with S$102,000 four years ago. A newly launched 2-liter Nissan now goes for just above S$100,000, while the previous model was sold for about S$150,000 in 1999.
While lower interest rates and easier borrowing terms will continue to drive sales in 2004, the vehicle population growth may still not reach the 3% cap as the number of cars scrapped at junkyards or sold overseas, continued to exceed the number of new cars.
In 2003, 110,000 cars were de-registered, compared with sales of 81,000 new cars. On average, however, the vehicle population has increased by about 2.2% annually over the past 10 years.
The decline last year reflects the fact that Singaporeans are updating their cars more often, creating new demand.
"People are buying new cars to minimize their depreciation costs. With the COEs much higher a few years ago, the cars they bought then have higher depreciation costs," said another dealer who sells mainly Japanese-made cars.
She said car owners now tend to want to replace their older cars after three years, just after warranties expire, and many prefer to scrap or export their old cars instead of reselling them in Singapore.
02-23-2004, 09:11 PM
#247
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I have a set of wheels n tires style 123 with pirelli p-zero rosso rubber for sale(bought from PML). I have used them for 3 mths and wanted to change to a bigger set. Wheels is in good condition (used 19" before so have been extra careful with big wheels!!!!!). There is a slight scratch on the edge of one wheel(not very noticable) and willing to let go at reasonable offer. Brand new set will cost you SDG5000+ 
----->SDG3700. What say you