SingaporeMotherhood | Baby & Toddler
October 2017
Car Shopping in Singapore: Tips for New Parents with Baby on Board
Now that Baby’s on the way, are you thinking of buying a car for your family? Here are the most important factors for new parents to consider when car shopping in Singapore
Given the comprehensive public transportation options – and exorbitant car costs – we have in Singapore, many young adults don’t think about purchasing their first car till Baby comes along. Or perhaps that flashy two-door your boyfriend wooed you with is no longer practical now that he is the father of your child.
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However, choosing a new – or used – car, SUV or MPV to ferry around your precious bundle of joy requires more thought than just picking your favourite model or colour. We help you narrow down the criteria you need to consider when shopping for the perfect fam-mobile for your family.
Fitting Infant & Booster Car Seats
From the day you joyfully drive your newborn home from the hospital, the baby must be riding in a rear-facing infant car seat that is properly installed with the correct safety restraints. As rear-facing seats require more space than forward-facing ones, it’s best to take it along for test drives and ensure it can be properly installed in your potential four-wheeled baby.
As Baby transitions to toddler stage, the car seat can be converted to face forward. Older children below 1.35m in height must be strapped into a forward-facing car seat, and a booster seat or adjustable seatbelts should be used once they’ve outgrown the safety seats. It’s smart to ensure that any upgrades you get later on fit your vehicle as well.
Nitty Gritty Safety Features
As the above suggests, when shopping for a family car, the most important factor is safety. After all, you are now responsible for keeping this tiny little person safe. This means that running through the finer details of the specs list is essential. Make sure that it lists automatic door locks as well as child safety locks. It’s also important to have anti-pinch or auto-reverse windows which have pressure sensors. Driver-controlled window locks are a good to have as well.
Extra Cargo Space
Don’t forget to check out the capacity of the car’s boot. With a baby on board, it’s likely to be holding larger items such as baby strollers – make sure even the largest potential stroller fits. Even when your child outgrows a stroller, there could be a trike or two in your future. Don’t forget giant cartons of milk powder and diapers (cheaper in bulk!), shopping bags in general and luggage for the whole family.
New or Used?
We’d all love a shiny brand new car, but consider if this makes sense economically for you. Due to the COE system, cars in Singapore have a short lifespan. Their value depreciates as their COE gets close to expiry. So consider if you plan on only having the car long term, or only for a few years. For instance, will you still need it once your child starts taking the school bus to primary school? If not, you may want to consider a used car with about six or seven years left on its COE.
Buying Direct
If you’re planning to purchase a used car, here’s another savings tip. Why not buy direct from the seller? DBS Car Marketplace is the first direct seller-to-buyer used car listings site in Singapore.
Here’s what it has to offer:
✔ Car Budget Calculator – Enter your income and financial commitments into the online calculator, and get an immediate estimate on a suitable budget you can afford to spend on the car, as well as the loan amount you are eligible for. It will then show you a list of cars based on your budget.
✔ Largest number of used car listings – In partnership with sgCarMart and Carro, it contains over 3,500 direct-owner car listings for your browsing pleasure. Once you find a car you’re interested in, contact the buyer directly via the website to arrange for a test drive.
✔ Free paperwork – When you’ve shaken hands on the purchase, enjoy free services for car ownership transfer paperwork. Both buyer and seller will be fully guided on the process while having full control and transparency at every stage.
✔ Attractive car loan rates – Perhaps the best part is that it’s helmed by a bank. This means that you can benefit from special car loan rates. In fact, from now till 17 November 2017, enjoy an attractive rate of 1.99% p.a. (EIR 3.77% p.a. over a 7-year loan)* on your DBS Car Loan when you buy a car through the DBS Car Marketplace.
Time to go car shopping without actually leaving the house? Visit go.dbs.com/sg-dbs-carmkt4 to get started!
* Terms & conditions apply
This sponsored post was brought to you in collaboration with DBS Car Marketplace
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