Went to Renault with my parents, to retest drive the car. Feels responsive, and definitely more powerful than previous drive.

 

In the end, Clement booked the Cafe colour for the basic Fluence.

We went home to rest, then went out to the Car@Expo show to negotiate with May.

We booked the Soul Red Mazda.

3rd generation 2014 Mazda 3; 1.5L SkyActiv-G I4 petrol 118hp

It’s great to get into a Mazda again after 23 years.

It’s time to chiong hard to get more projects.

—Alex —

is it the right time to buy a new car? I ask myself this question umpteen times the past quarter.

The COE game is new to me, complicated by jargons like COE rebate level and top-up.

fast facts would be the wish is expiring in June, baby is arriving any time in April and unlike other office workers, Alex needs a presentable car for his business and getting around to meet clients. In this sense, the car is for the family and a tool for his trade. Perhaps even an investment.

Uber and Grab / SMRT entering the COE market this year to do the private car hire rental pushed Clement to make a decision to buy now, expecting the COE to not drop, at least not this year. To these companies, the car is just an equipment, they have to buy to do business and then just pass the cost to the consumer. The Minister has supported this sector saying it helps to ease the supply crunch at peak hours – sounds like the government would not be stepping in to regulate anytime soon. Uber is also providing financing, and that makes the car feasible to the group of people who got their Coe cheap ten years ago and could have had problems renewing or getting a new car otherwise. For this, I’m upset with the government and private car hire companies. Fighting with private users for an open bid item like the COE.

And so it is, I gave the green light to proceed to buy the new car at the guaranteed COE level and exit this game, for the next ten years.