Things to note when buying a COE car

[Prostcode]

Think COE cars offer some very good value for money rides, not to mention unique as well. I chose this route because of the latter reasoning. Am currently driving a 25 year old Toyota but I'm not going to pretend that it's as problem free & as reliable a new car! Believe me, I've had my fair share of problems:

 

1) Electronics / Wiring is all over the place so the Lights, Radiator Fan, Starter don't always work

2) Wiring to the fuel pump has given out a few times already; car stalled by the roadside, need to tow back to workshop!

3) Weak Ignition causes difficulty at cold starts

4) Oil leaks in bearings, oil pan, cam-gears oil seal has gone as well

5) Most rubber bushings have worn off and been replaced

6) Steering geometry was off and has since been replaced with new linkages and bushings

7) Spare parts are expensive and a total nightmare to find! No more original parts exist for this car.

8) Camber was set for drift and had to be reset

9) Interior was horrible and had to be completely stripped out and re-upholstered

10) Body had a bit of a problem with RUST (this is something you must be very careful about when buying old cars).

11) Spent 3 months in the workshop for a full de-rusting. Followed by another 2 months in the paintshop.

 

The list goes on. So if you don't have the patience or the passion for old cars and all their quirks, STAY AWAY from them. If however you do, then you will enjoy the whole restoration process and all the frustrations that come along with it. There's nothing quite as satisfying as making an old car roadworthy once again and save it from the scrapheap.

 

I think that Singaporean lacks love for their cars, they sell them within 5 years of ownership. They value the 'face' or status cars can give them as individuals, without feelings for the car at all. As such, the cars in Singapore though shiny & new mostly lack this intangible quality known as "character". Unlike some cars in the US/Europe that have been handed down through the generations, from father to son; Now these are cars that have bags & bags of character, and though they may not neccesarily be immensely expensive, they still turn heads and never fail to put a smile on the faces of petrolheads the world over.

ABSOLUTELY!!!

[Adrianli]

My very first car was a COE car. I changed the following while it was with me.

 

1) Brake master valve

2) Coolant hose

3) Drive shaft

4) Radiator fan motor

5) Entire aircon system(evaporator, condenser, compressor, filter drier and piping)

6) Windscreen

7) Leather seat

8) Timing belt

9) Clutch

10) All belts

11) Wheels and tyres

12) All Light bulbs

13) Radiator thermostat

14) Spark plug gasket

15) Solar film

 

Unresolved when scrapped

1) Leaky engine

2) Speed limited to 100kmh

[Roh96]

Now my current 2002 Toyota Corolla (Hiporolla G9) ride is so well maintained & I know every single wear & tear parts that was changed periodically at the reasonable mileage of use, to keep my ride in tip-top condition!

 

All thanks to the great workshop (www.riverviewauto.com.sg) that I knew around 1/5 yrs after I bought my ride brand new in 2002!

 

 

From your nick, i recall reading your posts in Toyota Forum. Are you the one who install a sunroof in the G9? U didn't change your car during the recent low COE?

[Doosan]

very good objective and goal in every day life......keep it up bro.

 

i like ur spirit, n over period of time by gaining knowledge of car that comes by definitely benefits u

[Doosan]

i think the setback is we dnt hv the luxury of parking lot for car wit xpired coe 2be parked in public carpark, unless u hv private garage to store it.

 

local cars run active 1Oyrs + 1Oyrs (some paid 5yr coe), wat to do !

[Hermitage]

i think the setback is we dnt hv the luxury of parking lot for car wit xpired coe 2be parked in public carpark, unless u hv private garage to store it.

 

local cars run active 1Oyrs + 1Oyrs (some paid 5yr coe), wat to do !

 

Hmmm...should be OK lah. Like me, park in MSCP no problems at all what. As long as got shelter from the elements, it's OK lah !

 

[RayTravis]

 

Hi all.. Thanks for ALL THE kind experiences..

Really learn alot from all..

 

These are the qns that were on my mind before..

 

1) COE or PARF far more worth it? (cause i like the old civic model hashback and the new hashback one but price wise.. SIAO!)

 

2) The cost of maintenance to keep it moving everyday..

 

3) The risk of it breaking down in the middle of the road..

 

4) The knowledge to know what to change... <<-- STILL DONT KNOW MAN!

 

number 1 to 3 are answered...

 

only number 4... MUST LEARN from experience i guess..

 

Well, cause of my LOVE, im prepared to get it.. Hopefully i get a good one..

Anyone kind enough to tag along and do a quick check for me just in case? hehehehe..

 

 

[Swataction]

actually i am also keen to buy a year2000 BMW 318 with renewed COE. any bro here have experience with old beemer? are the maintenance and repair costs high?? pls share ur views and experience. thanks.

[Hermitage]

Hi all.. Thanks for ALL THE kind experiences..

Really learn alot from all..

 

These are the qns that were on my mind before..

 

1) COE or PARF far more worth it? (cause i like the old civic model hashback and the new hashback one but price wise.. SIAO!)

 

2) The cost of maintenance to keep it moving everyday..

 

3) The risk of it breaking down in the middle of the road..

 

4) The knowledge to know what to change... <<-- STILL DONT KNOW MAN!

 

number 1 to 3 are answered...

 

only number 4... MUST LEARN from experience i guess..

 

Well, cause of my LOVE, im prepared to get it.. Hopefully i get a good one..

Anyone kind enough to tag along and do a quick check for me just in case? hehehehe..

 

Mate, I wouldn't mind following you down but I myself am not sure what to look for! Some 2nd hand dealers are very sneaky, i.e. they cover-up all problems with cheap and quick fixes so they can sell the car fast. These never last long and the new owner has to bear the burden of relpacing whatever parts that failed, it could get very very expensive!

 

Example, dealer covers up a 'beyond repair' rusty chassis with putty & a fresh shiny paintjob. Looks good for now, even experts won't be able to see the underlying rust monster! In 1 - 2 months, the monster emerges and the new owner is left with a derelict car that no one wants

 

Best advice? Buy direct from an owner you personally know as a friend, or even an acquaintance. Someone who you meet at the workshop who wants to sell his/her car is even better...can check with mechanic on the condition of that car If all else fails, bring a trusted mechanic along to thoroughly 'bio' the car before you commit anything!

 

 

[Hermitage]

actually i am also keen to buy a year2000 BMW 318 with renewed COE. any bro here have experience with old beemer? are the maintenance and repair costs high?? pls share ur views and experience. thanks.

 

Hi! A gentle word of warning...In case you didn't know, you are now 'piggybacking' someone else's thread! This is not good unless of course bro RayTravis, the Thread Starter (TS), gives his permission

 

Anyway, to answer your question, old beemers are relatively troublesome. Auto gearbox could go at any time, this can get REALLY expensive! Wear & Tear parts that need to be replaced are also expensive. Air-conditioning problems could be expensive. $$$ is the key to BMW ownership!

[Sky61]

Think COE cars offer some very good value for money rides, not to mention unique as well. I chose this route because of the latter reasoning. Am currently driving a 25 year old Toyota but I'm not going to pretend that it's as problem free & as reliable a new car! Believe me, I've had my fair share of problems:

 

1) Electronics / Wiring is all over the place so the Lights, Radiator Fan, Starter don't always work

2) Wiring to the fuel pump has given out a few times already; car stalled by the roadside, need to tow back to workshop!

3) Weak Ignition causes difficulty at cold starts

4) Oil leaks in bearings, oil pan, cam-gears oil seal has gone as well

5) Most rubber bushings have worn off and been replaced

6) Steering geometry was off and has since been replaced with new linkages and bushings

7) Spare parts are expensive and a total nightmare to find! No more original parts exist for this car.

8) Camber was set for drift and had to be reset

9) Interior was horrible and had to be completely stripped out and re-upholstered

10) Body had a bit of a problem with RUST (this is something you must be very careful about when buying old cars).

11) Spent 3 months in the workshop for a full de-rusting. Followed by another 2 months in the paintshop.

 

The list goes on. So if you don't have the patience or the passion for old cars and all their quirks, STAY AWAY from them. If however you do, then you will enjoy the whole restoration process and all the frustrations that come along with it. There's nothing quite as satisfying as making an old car roadworthy once again and save it from the scrapheap.

 

I think that Singaporean lacks love for their cars, they sell them within 5 years of ownership. They value the 'face' or status cars can give them as individuals, without feelings for the car at all. As such, the cars in Singapore though shiny & new mostly lack this intangible quality known as "character". Unlike some cars in the US/Europe that have been handed down through the generations, from father to son; Now these are cars that have bags & bags of character, and though they may not neccesarily be immensely expensive, they still turn heads and never fail to put a smile on the faces of petrolheads the world over.

 

 

bro,u driving the 80s celica done up at kian teong?? i totally agree wif ur last paragraph, i like cars wif character, not ur usual run of the mill types that u see plenty on the road.

[Hermitage]

bro,u driving the 80s celica done up at kian teong?? i totally agree wif ur last paragraph, i like cars wif character, not ur usual run of the mill types that u see plenty on the road.

 

80s Celica?! Wow!! Does that still exist in Singapore? How I wish I were the lucky owner! What a beautiful car!

 

Unfortunately, I'm not the owner but my ride is rather cool in it's own way as well Here's a hint, it has those 80s pop-up headlights, and was a star in a popular movie/anime series!

[Tjy]

Hi! A gentle word of warning...In case you didn't know, you are now 'piggybacking' someone else's thread! This is not good unless of course bro RayTravis, the Thread Starter (TS), gives his permission

 

Anyway, to answer your question, old beemers are relatively troublesome. Auto gearbox could go at any time, this can get REALLY expensive! Wear & Tear parts that need to be replaced are also expensive. Air-conditioning problems could be expensive. $$$ is the key to BMW ownership!

 

am Driving a e36 bimmer. Honestly, I'm not a person who fancies old cars and have been driving brand new rides. Got this bimmer as a 2nd car... but fell totally in love with it.. eventually sold off my other ride. IF proper maintainence is done, I'd say cost is quite alrite though the parts are definately more expensive than jap cars..but what to do ? price to pay to drive a conti...

 

What I would say is that everytime u buy an old vechicle, set aside a sum of money for faults and breakdowns. Spend some money on maintainence and changing out those wear and tear parts.. Don't just believe what the Sales guy tell you, you've gotta bring it down to a mechanic to check... if the SE tell u " this car jus service, all the hose just changed.. .blahblahblah" , he might be trying to tell you :" this car SERVICED 20k ago (but considered JUST to the SE) .. and all the hoses were changed 5 yrs ago " ... giving a check and changing out watever is wearing out might be a Cheaper alternative than to wait till it breaks down.

 

Age of a car doesn't matter..It is whether you love the car anot...

[Hermitage]

am Driving a e36 bimmer. Honestly, I'm not a person who fancies old cars and have been driving brand new rides. Got this bimmer as a 2nd car... but fell totally in love with it.. eventually sold off my other ride. IF proper maintainence is done, I'd say cost is quite alrite though the parts are definately more expensive than jap cars..but what to do ? price to pay to drive a conti...

 

What I would say is that everytime u buy an old vechicle, set aside a sum of money for faults and breakdowns. Spend some money on maintainence and changing out those wear and tear parts.. Don't just believe what the Sales guy tell you, you've gotta bring it down to a mechanic to check... if the SE tell u " this car jus service, all the hose just changed.. .blahblahblah" , he might be trying to tell you :" this car SERVICED 20k ago (but considered JUST to the SE) .. and all the hoses were changed 5 yrs ago " ... giving a check and changing out watever is wearing out might be a Cheaper alternative than to wait till it breaks down.

 

Age of a car doesn't matter..It is whether you love the car anot...

 

Hiya Tjy ! The E36 is a lovely car! Almost got one myself, a 320 manual to be precise, but backed out due to unforeseen circumstances. Is yours the coupe, manual or something a little more sedantary? The E30 M3 is one of my dream cars as well! Outta reach of course...

 

Oh and great 1st post might I add...welcome to MCF!

[Tjy]

Sedan manual.. 1st post using this nickname, been a longlong time since i logged on and forgot the password for the previous 1.. didn't bother to try recalling it , easier to juz register a new 1 since my email changed as well ...

 

the e30s are extremely awesome car... it's a pity that the e30s and e36s are getting rare nowadays. would love to add a e30 convertible into my ownership ! but too bad.. lousy economy now..

[Prostcode]

80s Celica?! Wow!! Does that still exist in Singapore? How I wish I were the lucky owner! What a beautiful car!

 

Unfortunately, I'm not the owner but my ride is rather cool in it's own way as well Here's a hint, it has those 80s pop-up headlights, and was a star in a popular movie/anime series!

hehe. trueno AE 86 HACHIROKUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU~

[Little_prince]

levin??? retro cool!!!

[Keith976]

Hi bro, I see u like old cars with character as well! Do u keep in touch with fellow 86 owners as well? Might be easier to share resources, juz like wat I did.

 

There are some collectors of the 70's celica in SG, rarely see them on the rd. The car tat I really wish to see is the S240Z if there r any ard.

 

There shld be ard 6 original truenos on the rd, not sure how many levins converted, am I right?

Edited July 15, 2009 by Keith976