I guess this is the forum group for us to moan. add in road tax - $5k ins-$6k coe annual dep- $6.5k car dep- 30-100kmassive! that's close to $50k a year no where on this planet is it that expensive to operate a car. Hk is pricey, but they dont have coe, 180% arf and their highest road tax is about S$1800 a year.
IMHO, present policy changes reek of communistic leanings ... & if that's where this country is headed ...
We do not have to visit a madhouse to find disordered minds; our planet is the mental institution of the universe. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe And in this case....our nation... The ones in the closet (cabinet) seems to have a sick satisfaction in making us live such terrible lives..
Well, the government doesn't want us to own cars & hog the roads but there's enough demand to keep pushing up the coe. Problem is our main public transport system, MRT is not providing the solution either, some corners are obviously cut to result in today's troubles. Yet, they are painfully slow in restoring peoples faith. The ex Ceo & management team should be grilled IMHO but someone took a fat goodbye cheque. Well Chinese has an old saying "The twisted lower pillar follows the bent upper pillar" Taking a taxi at peak hour can cost easily $30+ a trip these days so perhaps we should cycle? A society that's beginning to reverse it's quality & equality undoing what we've been striving for the last two decades. I thought we followed UK on most things in life but road tax is definitely not. They don't peg their tax towards engine size or Hp rating. Old cars passing certain ages are even exempted! The running cost of a 7000cc car is just S$800 on road tax & insurance a paltry S$3000 max for a 5yrs old RR, about 10 times lesser than us! Are we even 2 times richer than them? Still car ownership is a choice & we took it so guess we should reflect ourselves too. Mr minister took bus on 1st day of work to wayang perhaps the entire cabinet should do it every week like a white collared staff, going to work & going home, eating out like we Singaporeans do then maybe they can understand the life here & how to improve it. Oh & please leave your media alone & blend in rather than behaving like some tourists wearing garlands & giggling like Japanese school gals.
Even if the ministers actually use public transport and find out what a pain it is, not much will change. Why? Very simple. If the boss attitude since day one is to tax their way out of any problems, that is what they will do. When housing and auto demand is up, what's the solution, impose taxes. While the rest of us probably think that building more housing and roads, improving the frequency of trains, no of trains, more underpass or bridges for better traffic flow, the answer is the same =more taxes. To them it solves the problem plus bring in more revenue. Next issue is what is the criteria of selecting a minister. Scholar qualities, people on the ground like Ah Lian who understand how the regular joe lives is not qualified. Another criteria is to be a YES man. I fell off my chair when i heard the govt is going to buy buses for the buses company and help to fund part of MRT cost, it's a joke. We should head hunt the transport minister from Hong Kong, they don't have COE, car prices are lower, public transport more efficient. Fire that idiot that is running the transport ministry. These ministers are paid high wages, they only react when problem arises, they obviously don't plan as they invited more immigrants and they did not prepare by building more housing or transport infrastructure. I could have figured that out if i was a minister when my boss mandates immigration of 1 million plus more people. I want to clarify i am not against immigration as long as we are able to cope with it, we probably need it but it is embarrassing to see fellow singaporeans blame immigrants or foreigners for our problems. All of this drives me crazy as i see MY country going down the toilet. Sorry have to get this off my chest.
bro, the govt. clearly BELIEVES that screwing the "haves" will make the "have-nots" better off ... never seen such f***ed up logic ever before in my life ...
Yes, they'll do something. Increase bus fares! So lesser people take it Bro bro, you are pissed ^^ I was trying to be nice but you are quite verbal. Hehehee I do agree with you. SBS is a private holding company that made a S$235.6million profit in 2011 so why should the government take public funds to help them ease our problems? Oh wait, who owns SBS? Comfort Del-gro which is of course owned by Temasek Holdings. So S$1.1billion taxpayer's money given to SBS & buy buses but will that improve their services & improve people's life or just another opportunity to wash money? They can't even find enough drivers as it is now so maybe we'll have robotised buses that'll drive us S$1.1billion could fix that. Heck, it can also buy 1000 Ferraris & start a taxi company and there'll be no shortage of drivers for that Gus is right, Lim Jit Poh, Kua Hong Pak, Gan Chuay Kiat, chairman, deputy & CEO are all ex-top civil servants+govt/SAF scholars. Welcome to SBS Transit I have nothing against these good people, it's just how the government runs this country with it's complicated web of resources. So, like all good parents. Our kids will go to ACS, RGS & the like, pick up a couple of scholarships along the way & land themselves on higher floors of civil jobs then on board of corporates and if they're luckier, plucked for minister then I'll become a multi-million-dollar daddy. Oh wait, my kid didn't go into any of those schools. Crap! Where's that Restart button when we need it
logic does not exist ... they make enuf money without it ... so why bother with such "mundane" issues ...
The interesting thing is you pointed out i am vocal about it. I am not shy/afraid to state my opinion. I am a Singaporean citizen who has done his NS, pay more than my fair share of income tax and if for any reason i get harass if i am too vocal, than it's time to pack up. I am certain i will be welcome in many other countries. On the other hand, the sad thing is most Singaporean, especially the top executives/biz owners are afraid as they fear their biz/career may be affected. If we all remain a bunch of ***** we are headed for the toilet.
I think the PAP will paint me as some rich MF who drives a McLaren. Don't think that will sell very well. Successful/wealthy is not fashionable in Singapore. We are the ones robbing the others of bidding for their COE. The ones that drive up apartment prices.
Actually mate, look at tax rates in the UK, France, Australia. Add the social security system there... Personal tax rates are actually very reasonable here. It's more like they are just trying to alter spending to suit their own ideas of what people should spend on. Big brother is brainwashing us to spend less of our disposable income on cars. Think I should go back to watch collecting. Cheaper, less depreciation, less tax on it.
agreed that the tax rates here are reasonable ... BUT ... the level of taxes on cars is now insane ... stupid money ... also, making major policy changes to real estate dealings shakes ones confidence in the STABILITY of "long-term" policies in this or any other business ... how does a potential investor/entrepreneur make a business plan? not knowing whether policies will remain stable or can be turned upside down overnight?
You know what, me too! Was buying watches from US on ebay then realised that perhaps I should just buy one serious watch. A vintage Patek chronograph so I contacted my friend Rob in US and the Ref.130 starts from US$70K (got to give him boxes of watches in return ) which I think it'll match my classic car while driving & it just oozes class Besides, it increases in value or at least maintains ^^ but hardly depreciates. Problem is a classic Patek is like a classic Ferrari so if I get a chronograph means it needs something like a 250GT Image Unavailable, Please Login
When me & Gus stepped out of the casino, I saw this black sweeping roof car parked outside the Hotel de Paris & immediately knew it has to be something special so we ran over! Image Unavailable, Please Login
A lady was trying to hit on the handsome guy & yes, we have to admit, a thorough European playboy must have a Classic Ferrari no less! He was tall, blonde, English, handsome; the Bond kind. He's very kind indeed to our teenage-like enthusiasm so let us opened the door to oggle @ the cabin then went on to give a speech on the specs of the car but all I can remember is the top speed is 265km/h. This is a V12 GT back in 1960s! Oh well, the lady decided that she wants to go back with her friends so our guy left home empty handed A turn of the key & 2 secs before he fires up all 12 cylinders in a single crank! Epic. These cars uses Webers & not the easiest to start unlike our modern EFIs. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
John awesome story and pics. Really reminds me of the Nicholas cage comment whn he walked into the Ferrari dealership in Gone in 60 Seconds... Memphis: That's funny, my name's Roger... Two Rogers don't make a right. [laughs] Memphis: Roger, I have a problem... Roger the Car Salesman: Yes? Memphis: I've been in L.A. for three months now. I have money, I have taste. But I'm not on anybody's "A" list, and Saturday night is the loneliest night for the week for me. Roger the Car Salesman: Well, a Ferrari would certainly change that. Memphis: Perhaps, Mmmm. But, you know, this is the one. (pointing to a ferrari 355: the current model at the time). Yes, yes yes... I saw three of these parked outside the local Starbucks this morning, which tells me only one thing. There's too many self-Indulgent wieners in this city with too much bloody money! Now, if I was driving a 1967 275 GTB four-cam... Roger the Car Salesman: You would not be a self-indulgent wiener, sir... You'd be a connoisseur. Memphis: Precisely. Champagne would fall from the heavens. Doors would open. Velvet ropes would part.
