Singapore is known for its transparent bureaucracy and well ordered general society. Part of this effective machine of daily life is the buying and selling of cars. Buying a car in Singapore is easy but quite expensive so there are a few things you must know before you lay out any money.
Check to make sure you can afford to not only buy but also operate a car in Singapore since the relatively small number of cars imported to the island nation drives up prices to international premiums. Then, you are responsible for purchasing a Certificate of Entitlement to register the car, which can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. Finally, you're also responsible for a hefty road tax and pricey insurance.
Head to a certified dealer in Singapore if you want to buy a new car and make sure that the dealer is willing to negotiate the purchase of the Certificate of Entitlement for you, since this will save you both trouble and money. If you agree on a price for the car with the dealer, close the deal, get your certificate and then register the car.
Check the status of the Certificate of Entitlement for any used car you might be and be very specific when you ask the seller what kind of certificate (5 year or 10 year) you're buying along with the car.
Get any used car checked out by an expert or by the Automobile Association of Singapore before you sign on the car sale.
Bring valid identity to the car sale and check the value of the car according to the Land Transportation Authority (LTA) by submitting the registration number of the vehicle for assessment. Then, pay the LTA's transfer fee to complete the transfer of the car from the seller to you.
