Buying a car in Singapore means a large deposit (and with the current COE the prices are even higher than normal). Why not lease a car instead. As expats we are never too sure how long we will be here so leasing a car is also a more flexible option. These car rental companies offer both short and long-term plans, so there’s something for every need. Here are some readers’ experiences.
Hertz Car Rental
Irshaad and Giao Hakim, Australian; Children: Zahraa and Nadiya
We’ve been living in Singapore for three and a half years, and I’ve had a BMW530i M SPORT from Hertz Car Rental for that whole time. Sharon, the Hertz representative, was so knowledgeable on all the cars that she helped us select a car that met all our family requirements. She is brilliant. I also like that the car offers us a smooth quiet ride, and it just keeps getting better.
The team at Hertz is always available, they go outside of just car requirements, and they’re ready to provide guidance and help to a new family in Singapore.
Singapore is a very easy place to drive in; there are just some differences in using hazard lights and indicators. As for my dream car, well, I’m a little past that phase – now it’s about what is good for my daughters as they come into their driving life!
6734 4646 | hertzsingapore.com
Carzuno
Peta and Mark Haworth, British; Child: Fraser
We’ve lived in Singapore for a year, and we’ve just recently started leasing a Toyota Corolla Altis. Having spent the last year using public transport, which is great here, we opted to lease a car as our son is now on his long summer school holiday and is attending camps all over Singapore. A car is easier and the Toyota was in the right price range, size and so on, for what we needed. The fact that you can lease it for just a month is great, as there’s no long commitment if it’s just needed for the short term. The car is easy to drive, fuel-efficient and so far very reliable.
We love the fact that the price at Carzuno includes everything and there are no hidden extras as you go through the process. The concierge service is done via a bot/messenger on the website, so all questions are answered really quickly. Better yet, the car arrived just seven hours after I ordered it!
Singapore isn’t a bad place to drive – it’s easier here than in London! Everything is well signposted and quite easy to find. My dream car used to be an Aston Martin DB9. These days, it’s one that is reliable and economical!
KINTO One
Yuta and Maiko Saito, Japanese; Child: Kanata
We’ve lived for one and a half years in Singapore. We’ve been leasing a Toyota Corolla Altis from KINTO since January 2021 – we chose it because Toyota is one of our most important business partners.
All the functions of the car are very smooth, and the experience of being able to own a car in Singapore (especially since I can take my son out to parks and beaches on the weekend) has been spectacular. The staff at KINTO are very supportive too; all the maintenance or technical assistance is communicated smoothly via WhatsApp.
Compared to Japan, the parking fees in Singapore are a lot cheaper. On the other hand, some of the drivers on the highways are more aggressive, so I need to be a bit more careful to keep my family safe.
As for a dream car, it would be nice to own a Harrier someday!
8876 1523, 9627 4356 (Japanese) | one.kinto-sg.com
Evergreen Rent A Car
Kevin and Jessica Tibble, British; Children: Ava and Sam
“We were in Hong Kong for eight years before moving to Singapore and have been here for nearly two years.
I’m used to driving in London and Hong Kong so Singapore is very easy. The roads are well maintained and signposts are clear. I’ve never had trouble finding a place to park and it’s usually not expensive. Just don’t rely on Google maps as it often takes you on strange routes!
About 18 months ago, we leased a new Toyota Vios from Evergreen. We chose it as we wanted reliability and we didn’t want to spend a huge amount every month. The other consideration was boot space; we knew we’d be using the car for days out so it would have to fit scooters, bicycles, picnic blankets and all the stuff you need for a family adventure.
The team at Evergreen are responsive, helpful and kind, and always ensure the car is in excellent condition. Any issues are dealt with quickly, efficiently and made as easy as possible for us. We’ve been really impressed.
Having a car makes Singapore instantly more accessible and gives us flexibility of diverting to a new park on the way home or going to the Zoo on a whim. We’ve been able to travel all over the island without having to worry about whether we’ll find a taxi at a particular time to get back. It’s also so much safer for the kids to travel in fixed car seats.
Our family’s dream car is a BMW Grand Tourer, but for me, it’s an Aston Martin!
6459 0990 | evergreenrentacar.com
ComfortDelGro Rent-A-Car
James Suhartono and Lena, Singaporean and Indonesian; Children: Derek & Isabel
“This is my second year of renting a Toyota Altis from ComfortDelGro Rent-A-Car. The Altis has good fuel efficiency, and it’s spacious. It easily fits four people, including the driver, with one baby seat for my young toddler, Isabel (1.5 years). It also comes with a nice boot space that can fit the stroller as well as other shopping bags and more.
My family and I are very comfortable with this car. The experience has been amazing since ComfortDelGro delivered it to us. The service from them has been wonderful from the beginning when I first inquired about renting a car from them. The Customer Representatives are very accommodating and detailed-oriented, and the process was smooth and seamless. Marie has been very helpful and Wallace especially will go above and beyond to assist me if there are any glitches regarding the car.
This is not forgetting their 24/7 Mobile Repair Team, who are always there should I face any technical difficulties. I remembered once I was working late, and the car’s battery decided to give up on me. I called the hotline and, in no time, the technician arrived to assist with the replacement of the battery. Also, when the car was due for service, there was ample notification given, and the replacement car provided was the same size or bigger than my current one.
Singapore is definitely an easy and car-friendly place to drive. The roads and highways provide islandwide inter-connectivity, and the highways are spacious, with up to five lanes. For a small country to be able to allocate such space is really astonishing.
As for a ‘dream car’, I’m not a car brand person, but I would say that a Toyota Harrier would be nice to have.”
This article first appeared in the August 2022 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe, so you never miss a copy!
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