Provided that cars in Singapore are notably higher than in other countries, Singaporeans’ love for the car is superior. There may be different reasons why people opt buying a car; some may use it for going to work while some for having road trips with their significant others and kids. If your purpose is the latter, picking the right family car is an important thing that needs to be thought of carefully.
With this, let Autoshield give you some tips on how to be smart in choosing the right car for the whole family.
1. Ask yourself whether your budget can afford a car
As mentioned, purchasing a car in the country can truly cost an arm and a leg, and this is not just an exaggeration. For example, if you’ve wanted to own a Toyota Corolla Altis, one of the popular car models in Singapore that costs more than S$100 thousand, about S$31,000 will be needed for the down payment. Not to mention the monthly installment fee that should be settled when you get a car loan.
Given the high amount of money that you will, having enough budget to sustain the monthly installments for the duration of the car really matters.
2. Safety should be on top of your priority
Since the car you’re about to buy is intended for having fun road trips with the family, one of the things that should be put on top of your priority is safety. Despite that the Singapore Government acknowledges the crash safety standards of European Union and Japan, it is still important to take into mind that not all cars which are put up for sale in the country may have been tested by reputable associations. That is why before taking the ownership of car you prefer, it is a must to verify with the car dealer or private seller whether the car has been tested. That way, your wellbeing, as well as the passengers’ while inside the car, will be guaranteed.
3. Get the best car insurance
In line with securing the safety of the driver and the passengers inside the car is getting the best auto insurance. In the first place, a cover letter from a motor insurance company should be presented if you’re planning to purchase either a brand new or used car. In addition, the Land Transport Authority also requires that all vehicles in the state need to be insured; except foreign owned cars like the embassy vehicle.
4. Choose the car that suits your needs
Every family is different from one another; some may only be composed of three members while others have multiple children. In this point, choosing a vehicle that can accommodate the size of the family that you have is vital. In some cases, there are families that do not only consist of human beings but also pets, so if yours belong to that statistics, might as well choose the car that can fit you, your spouse, kids, and pet(s).
In addition, make sure that the car you’re planning to buy can fit with the parking space that you have at home. Otherwise, you will have to pay for the parking rent, which will mean added expense.
5. Be aware of fuel efficiency and maintenance
Not all cars are made equal; each has its own features. When buying a car, whether it is for family use or just for your personal stuff, one of the things that you should be mindful of is the fuel and maintenance costs. Before getting the key to the vehicle you preferred, it is suggested to do research about the auto. Through that, you can analyze if you are going for a cost-efficient car or not.
6. Check on the “little things”
While the aforementioned are the major considerations that you need to take in mind, there are also these little things that also need to be addressed to make sure you’re opting for the vehicle that is perfect for the whole family.
–Air conditioning. Since the weather in Singapore is notably hot during most months of the year, getting a car with a good air conditioning can really assure a literally “no sweat” road trip with your family.
–Charging. Gadgets of all sorts (iPod, smartphones, camera, laptop) have been included in the essential belongings when traveling, especially during long drives. It keeps the kid away from having tantrums while it is also important when it comes to navigation. Given these, no matter how fully charged your gadgets are when you left home, it will be drained eventually. By this, make sure there are extra chargers and dual ports where you can recharge when needed.
–Comfortable and car-seat friendly vehicle. Traveling with kids is not an easy task, and it makes even harder when you’re in the wrong car. That’s why it is important that the vehicle you’ll buy have seats that are not only comfortable for the kids but are also high enough, where they can see the scenery out of the window. Better yet, choose the vehicle with purposely-built child seat attachment points.
When having a trip, whether it’s domestic or out-of-the-country, in addition to having your car insured, getting travel insurance is also a must in order to guarantee a hassle-free trip. In case you need help when it comes to any of the two insurances (car or travel), you can call Autoshield via our customer service hotline 6385 0777 or you can send us SMS to 8588 1688, 8588 9191, 8686 9991, 8688 9991, 8588 9991, 8866 9991, 8686 9991, 8668 9991.
