Singaporeans in the UK?
Discussion
Hey all!
I seem to be the only Singaporean in the UK on PH, I'm wondering where the rest of you are! Please reply if you're here, maybe we can do a meetup or something in London. I had to go through so much to finally own a car here in the UK, would love to hear your experience if you have one here too!
M
I seem to be the only Singaporean in the UK on PH, I'm wondering where the rest of you are! Please reply if you're here, maybe we can do a meetup or something in London. I had to go through so much to finally own a car here in the UK, would love to hear your experience if you have one here too!
M
Hey!
Yes, a huge factor is the price. We're taxed insanely in Singapore. At current rates cars in Singapore are about three times as expensive as cars here, that's a general 'conversion'. Plus we don't really get many old cars to savour because they are always scrapped after they reach 10 years of age!
I now drive a Mk2 Golf GTI 8V. Learnt my lesson when I bought it on the spot and then having to spend thousands of quid later in repairs. But the car runs fine now and I'll be doing my MOT in a few weeks. Hope it passes because I just brought it on a 1000mile trip and it's making a few strange noises.
The story continues because I'm still hunting for cheap(er) insurance! I've been paying a ridiculous premium so far but it seems the story is bleak for a foreigner with no NCB living in the UK for the first time. Just wished there are more flexible insurers out there willing to take into account personal circumstances.I've tried nearly every insurer there is to call!
Yes, a huge factor is the price. We're taxed insanely in Singapore. At current rates cars in Singapore are about three times as expensive as cars here, that's a general 'conversion'. Plus we don't really get many old cars to savour because they are always scrapped after they reach 10 years of age!
I now drive a Mk2 Golf GTI 8V. Learnt my lesson when I bought it on the spot and then having to spend thousands of quid later in repairs. But the car runs fine now and I'll be doing my MOT in a few weeks. Hope it passes because I just brought it on a 1000mile trip and it's making a few strange noises.
The story continues because I'm still hunting for cheap(er) insurance! I've been paying a ridiculous premium so far but it seems the story is bleak for a foreigner with no NCB living in the UK for the first time. Just wished there are more flexible insurers out there willing to take into account personal circumstances.I've tried nearly every insurer there is to call!
Yes Price in the UK is much better than Sing or Malaysia, I'd say x3 is about right, and old cars rust like hell in the UK so its not such an option as it is in Malaysia.
But when my ex wife went to the UK they allowd her NCB from overseas, (but it was a European Country she was from) ask if the will give you a reduction for your Singapore NCB.
Insurance is the big issue in the UK, for some reason it is worse than the rest of Europe, but they do pay out, maybe too easy and that why it is so high, at least that what the article in the Daily Telegrath says.
But when my ex wife went to the UK they allowd her NCB from overseas, (but it was a European Country she was from) ask if the will give you a reduction for your Singapore NCB.
Insurance is the big issue in the UK, for some reason it is worse than the rest of Europe, but they do pay out, maybe too easy and that why it is so high, at least that what the article in the Daily Telegrath says.
yup, you can definitely transfer any NCB from Singapore to the UK and most insurers will recognise it as there are only realy 3 or 4 car insurance companies in Sg and they are all multinational.
Also have you converted to a UK license yet?? (you don't give up your SG one, just get a UK duplicate one) this will make things much easier too. I assume that you have some sort of residency in the UK (Student / Employment visa etc) otherwise it doesn't matter what you do, it will be expensive!
The cost of cars is definitely one thing i do miss from the UK, but the petrol prices, parts and labour etc are rather nasty!
I know a few Singaporeans in and around London, but they are not realy into cars, ex Ah Lian friends of my wife, more into Sloane Street and Regent Street than Park Lane or "down the Arches" )
Also have you converted to a UK license yet?? (you don't give up your SG one, just get a UK duplicate one) this will make things much easier too. I assume that you have some sort of residency in the UK (Student / Employment visa etc) otherwise it doesn't matter what you do, it will be expensive!
The cost of cars is definitely one thing i do miss from the UK, but the petrol prices, parts and labour etc are rather nasty!
I know a few Singaporeans in and around London, but they are not realy into cars, ex Ah Lian friends of my wife, more into Sloane Street and Regent Street than Park Lane or "down the Arches" )
Yeh Bing you are right 50K would be area problem in Londonm unless you already own a property, If you look at it
Uk Car Cheaper, Insurance crazy, petrol crazy, repair bills stupid, residual value low,
SEA Car expensive insurance cheap, petrol cheap, mechanic cheap residual value high.
The problem is when you first move here and find that you second hand 911 in the UK buys a Proton you get taken aback.
Uk Car Cheaper, Insurance crazy, petrol crazy, repair bills stupid, residual value low,
SEA Car expensive insurance cheap, petrol cheap, mechanic cheap residual value high.
The problem is when you first move here and find that you second hand 911 in the UK buys a Proton you get taken aback.
i try to explain to people new out here that car ownership in SE Asia is more like property ownership, and they are starting at the bottom of the ladder, a good example is ...
Pass your driving test and after a few years buy your first car (has to be aMerc Mersss) and get an A Class.
After 3 or 4 years you scrap that, and use the tax rebate to top up for a C class
After 3 or 4 years you scrap that too and get an E class, then an S class etc etc .... the car ownership ladder of Singapore.
Pass your driving test and after a few years buy your first car (has to be a
After 3 or 4 years you scrap that, and use the tax rebate to top up for a C class
After 3 or 4 years you scrap that too and get an E class, then an S class etc etc .... the car ownership ladder of Singapore.
Malaysia is like property because of the lengh of the loan, pass test borrow 50,000Rm over 10 years buy new Proton, I had a guy in work had 50K rm cash to buy a car, took him to look at a 944 for 40, (Ausi selling to go home, perfect car) could have had it for 35, but guy borrowed another 50K from his employer over 10 years to buy a V6 Perdana, his Dad thought it was agood deal, I could not believe that you would sell your soul to your emplyer for 10 years foe a Proton, and he wonders why he never gort a proper pay rise.
In Malaysia you see loads of Merc and New BMW's outside real bad houses, because people 'see' your car but not your house they go into debt.
In Malaysia you see loads of Merc and New BMW's outside real bad houses, because people 'see' your car but not your house they go into debt.
Yeah I'll try transferring the NCB from home, though I don't have much.
Yes I already have converted to a UK licence and yup, have a visa plus home ownership. Sadly insurance is still expensive.
I wouldn't say that residual values or insurance in Singapore is cheap - actually depreciation is heavy because the buying price is high to start with, and my insurance quotes in SG is just as high - it's just that I have family at home to bring the premiums down, me being a named driver.
Anyway, I need some advice about SORN guys.
I am intending to SORN my car from June-September as I will be in SG during that period and won't be using the car.
As I understand I can cancel my insurance during that period (thus saving me quite a bit of money) while my car is SORN - however I am finding the whole process very confusing and unnecessarily complicated.
As I still want to drive my car from now till 1st of June, I don't want to SORN my car till 1st of June, but I need to submit my application now if I ever hope to receive the confirmation letter within four weeks.
Does that mean I have to give up driving my car a month before 1/6/11 just to wait for the car to be 'legally' SORN so that I can cancel my insurance?
I was hoping just to declare SORN in advance from 1/6/11 onwards - but then I'd have to send in my tax disc together with my application now as well - which technically means I can't drive a month before my SORN starts. The DVLA will be the death of me!
Yes I already have converted to a UK licence and yup, have a visa plus home ownership. Sadly insurance is still expensive.
I wouldn't say that residual values or insurance in Singapore is cheap - actually depreciation is heavy because the buying price is high to start with, and my insurance quotes in SG is just as high - it's just that I have family at home to bring the premiums down, me being a named driver.
Anyway, I need some advice about SORN guys.
I am intending to SORN my car from June-September as I will be in SG during that period and won't be using the car.
As I understand I can cancel my insurance during that period (thus saving me quite a bit of money) while my car is SORN - however I am finding the whole process very confusing and unnecessarily complicated.
As I still want to drive my car from now till 1st of June, I don't want to SORN my car till 1st of June, but I need to submit my application now if I ever hope to receive the confirmation letter within four weeks.
Does that mean I have to give up driving my car a month before 1/6/11 just to wait for the car to be 'legally' SORN so that I can cancel my insurance?
I was hoping just to declare SORN in advance from 1/6/11 onwards - but then I'd have to send in my tax disc together with my application now as well - which technically means I can't drive a month before my SORN starts. The DVLA will be the death of me!
You need to be carfull as the law is changing at the moment, and they are bringing in continuous insurance, but I understand you don't need to insure if you are on SORN even with the new law.
SORN starts from the 1 day of the month, so you need to do it on the last day of may to get june, if you try to do on 1st June you pay all of june. Rember if on SORN car must be off the road on privat ground, not just parked up.
SORN starts from the 1 day of the month, so you need to do it on the last day of may to get june, if you try to do on 1st June you pay all of june. Rember if on SORN car must be off the road on privat ground, not just parked up.
Thanks guys. I have called DLVA (thank goodness they are working on this Saturday of the Easter weekend) and cleared it up. I will declare SORN a week before I leave and cancel my insurance in that week. Phew!
So what's the story of you guys and how are you related to Singapore? I'm guessing some of you are Britons living in Singapore? How do you find it there?
Frankly when I first came to the UK it took a bit of adjustment, especially regarding public administration. But now it's feeling a lot better - maybe it has to do with the spring weather!
So what's the story of you guys and how are you related to Singapore? I'm guessing some of you are Britons living in Singapore? How do you find it there?
Frankly when I first came to the UK it took a bit of adjustment, especially regarding public administration. But now it's feeling a lot better - maybe it has to do with the spring weather!
Hey guys,
I'm also wondering if any of you had any experience converting your full UK bike licence to a SG Class 2. Is there any proof of ownership needed for a big bike here in the UK for the Singapore authorities to convert to a class 2? Currently I hold a Class 2B but I hope to take the full licence here and convert it when I'm back in SG!
I'm also wondering if any of you had any experience converting your full UK bike licence to a SG Class 2. Is there any proof of ownership needed for a big bike here in the UK for the Singapore authorities to convert to a class 2? Currently I hold a Class 2B but I hope to take the full licence here and convert it when I'm back in SG!
Hey guys!
Well I'm back from summer in Singapore and now it's time to re-tax & re-insure my car...
It's just constantly unbelievable how much I have to shell out for insurance for my car, so now I'm really trying to find a way around this.
- Has anybody ever tried to register the car abroad (in the EU) but driving the car in the UK? Say somewhere with lower taxes and cheaper insurance?
- Is anybody willing to be a supplementary driver on my policy which might lower my premiums?
- Is there a sort of insurance to take up where I can guarantee I will not claim anything but just to have cover for the sake of being legal?
Well I'm back from summer in Singapore and now it's time to re-tax & re-insure my car...
It's just constantly unbelievable how much I have to shell out for insurance for my car, so now I'm really trying to find a way around this.
- Has anybody ever tried to register the car abroad (in the EU) but driving the car in the UK? Say somewhere with lower taxes and cheaper insurance?
- Is anybody willing to be a supplementary driver on my policy which might lower my premiums?
- Is there a sort of insurance to take up where I can guarantee I will not claim anything but just to have cover for the sake of being legal?
XJSJohn said:
you will probably do better asking in general gassing rather than to a bunch of guys in Singapore 
anyway, don't know what you are grumbling about, cost me $3,200 in road tax and $2,100 in insurance for mine in Singa
You evil banyway, don't know what you are grumbling about, cost me $3,200 in road tax and $2,100 in insurance for mine in Singa
d - the poor guy will get eaten alive by the mob, and someone will probably hack his facebook account and get him deported!!Gassing Station | Asia | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff