[LEA69]

Well, you can keep cars up until they are 5 years old (when bought from new) then you either sell or keep it & pay an added levy on top of your annual tax to keep an 'older' car on the road. So on top of the $900 you'd pay for tax for the Hyundai Excel, you'll pay an added tax on top of that (like $5000) to keep the car for another 5-10 years.

Hence, like Japan, Singapore will export a lot of their older cars over to places like Australia, where we buy them a heck of a lot cheaper.

2nd hand car market is big, but the same tax levy applies. You dont have to bid so much on the 'COE' anymore but rather, have to fork out the annual tax plus the 'older' car levy every few years. So you might buy a 5 yr old Excel for $40,000 but spend $3000 a year to keep it on the road.

I cant be quoted exactly on prices but it's thereabouts. I had a look on an official AA website and as of March 2007, a new 1.6litre Toyota Corolla sedan will set you back $59,000 including the COE.
So maybe the hyundai Excel will be about the same price... well, i mean the Accent... as Excel is no longer a current model.

[LEA69]

Still a lot of money though....especially when locals there earn aroudn the same amount as the average Aussie. They are just in-debt a lot more and for longer!

Singapore = approx size of Melbourne city and makes up of 4 million people. It'll take approx 50mins from one end of the island to the other end!
Who needs a car??????!!! JUST WALK!

[astra]

Originally Posted by LEA69

Who needs a car??????!!! JUST WALK!

easier said then done if you don't live in a metropolitan city area

[eml]

Originally Posted by LEA69

...especially when locals there earn aroudn the same amount as the average Aussie. They are just in-debt a lot more and for longer!

on a take-home/net basis, this may be true. gross salaries area about twice here in aus vs sing but their tax rates are minute compared to the ones here.

[astra]

relativity

[1q2w3e4r]

Originally Posted by astra

relativity

I don't follow, what does the relative motion of light, space, time and gravity have to do with it?

[astra]

i meant, it is all relative... more taxes here, but we get payed more... less taxes there, but they get payed less... see my point?

[1q2w3e4r]

I do when you use the right word with the right meaning

[CaptOz]

Originally Posted by LEA69

Dont complain about Aussie prices people!!

My parents reside in Singapore. Dad bought a new Audi A4 for $185,000 Singapore Dollars... but mind you S$1 is AU$1.3 approx. So not much of an exchange rate.

It's all about the tax to keep the numbers of cars down in the tiny island country. A stock Hyundai Excel in Singapore will set you back $70,000 AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS!!!!!!

If you didnt know (a bit of a culture/ history lesson here), one has to 'bid' to own the 'title' to a car in Singapore. The car itself (take the Excel for example) is only worth $14,000. But, you have to bid against others who want that same car for the title to own it. This bidding can go up to the tens of thousands of $, and you end up paying $50,000-$60,000 for this 'title' and add the price of the car $14,000 on top of it. This 'title' is known as COE - Certificate of Entitlement'.

What I paid for my E90 is biscuits compared to my dad's stock Audi!

Plus, in Singapore, you pay road tax not like here in Melb (which is an annual fixed amount of $570) based on the cc's of your car. You want a massive 6litre V8 engine, you pay $2500 in tax... but a 1.5l excel, you pay $900 in tax per annum.

Makes sense though, charge those who can afford to buy bigger/ more expensive cars more tax than those who choose to buy a small get around car who pay less tex.

Comments?

I have a very good friend who lived in Singapore and he said exactly that too Lea.

I guess Australia fit somewhere in the middle.

Cheers.

[BMW //MPOWER]

Originally Posted by LEA69

Still a lot of money though....especially when locals there earn aroudn the same amount as the average Aussie. They are just in-debt a lot more and for longer!

Singapore = approx size of Melbourne city and makes up of 4 million people. It'll take approx 50mins from one end of the island to the other end!
Who needs a car??????!!! JUST WALK!

You forgot one thing though Lea, Singapore is a Communist (now i'm not saying this as a derogatory comment, they actually are) country. So i wouldn't exactly put them into the same basket of comparable countries such as the US, UK and alike.

[CaptOz]

Originally Posted by BMW //MPOWER

You forgot one thing though Lea, Singapore is a Communist

[astra]

read after the bracket CaptOz

[eml]

Originally Posted by BMW //MPOWER

You forgot one thing though Lea, Singapore is a Communist (now i'm not saying this as a derogatory comment, they actually are) country.

Originally Posted by astra

read after the bracket CaptOz

in what sense is Singapore a communist country? welfare? draconian laws? am curious.

[noidea]

Why Singapore have a high tax rate on car is fully understandable because if the car is cheap in singapore then the entire island will occupy by cars. So no complaint abt the high car price in singapore. So compare the price with singapore to Australia is completely irrelevant.

[CaptOz]

Originally Posted by eml

in what sense is Singapore a communist country? welfare? draconian laws? am curious.

I think Chairman Mao once visited Singapore once on a holiday. That’s the only reason I can see.

Originally Posted by noidea

Why Singapore have a high tax rate on car is fully understandable because if the car is cheap in singapore then the entire island will occupy by cars. So no complaint abt the high car price in singapore. So compare the price with singapore to Australia is completely irrelevant.

I guess it is relevant if you are there on a working Visa from Australia. Quite a shock. To compensate somewhat, the Income Tax rate in Singapore is very low compared to Australia. Plus as an added bonus, Singapore is a brilliant launch pad for Aussie ex-pats to visit neighbouring southeastern countries.

Cheers.

[BMW //MPOWER]

Originally Posted by noidea

Why Singapore have a high tax rate on car is fully understandable because if the car is cheap in singapore then the entire island will occupy by cars. So no complaint abt the high car price in singapore. So compare the price with singapore to Australia is completely irrelevant.

Singapore is a communist state, like China, Nth Korea, sorta like Russia, just a much more moderate and less sadistic version of one.

[VGR00]

Cars might be expensive but public transport is good and cheap (inc taxi's)

[astra]

Originally Posted by 1q2w3e4r

I do when you use the right word with the right meaning

i make stuff up when i haven't had enough sleep

[CaptOz]

Originally Posted by astra

relativity

Originally Posted by 1q2w3e4r

I don't follow, what does the relative motion of light, space, time and gravity have to do with it?

Originally Posted by astra

i meant, it is all relative...

First it’s Albert Einstein to blame and now you're bringing my Auntie Joyce into it.

Cheers.

[eml]

Originally Posted by BMW //MPOWER

Singapore is a communist state, like China, Nth Korea, sorta like Russia, just a much more moderate and less sadistic version of one.

still don't get why you consider it a communist state ...

[BMW //MPOWER]

Originally Posted by eml

still don't get why you consider it a communist state ...

Well we are a capitalist democratic country, like the UK & US etc...
They are not...
It's pretty simple really.
Ask any of the locals what happens if they say anything publically that is anti-govt or something, they disappear with unbelieveably quickly! It's just that things like that aren't publicised, as the govt sensors the media over there among other things.

[astra]

Originally Posted by CaptOz

First it’s Albert Einstein to blame and now you're bringing my Auntie Joyce into it.

Cheers.

ke? who's joice?