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Considering a PA plate minibus


Darryn
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So I am considering to buy a Excursion Bus as my personal ride.

 

What can you tell me

1) Insurance - need public liability also right?

2) Parking fees for HDB?

3) Can be driven to Malaysia I know - but what is the process for this?

4) If get caught speeding, what is the fine like, and points? Cus will be vocational license right?

5) Once reach end of COE can renew or not? What is process like to buy new COE - considering 7 or 8 year old van, to keep purchase costs way low, then just inspect well and fingers crossed.

 

Am considering the Vito, also quite liked the fiat when I test drove - best thing about fiat was that seats could be lifted out to make cargo van (and could take out row by row, so could have 12, 9, 6 or 3 seater depending on needs).

 

 

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hmm. if i not wrong the insurance is not the normal ones. it will be more expensive as you are also buying insurance for the back passengers. :)

 

Yep -that's the public liability insurance. Must protect their hospital bills incase of accident. I just not sure of rate.

 

More concerned right now with how to get Malaysian permit - this would be the important thing. I go shopping Jay Bee most weekends. And then go long trips to Ipoh, KL etc etc.

 

I think next time my Wish cannot make it - me, MIL, wifey, maid, two ankle biters and luggage a bit much...

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(edited)

I like PA plated vans. Can use bus lane..

:D Yep - I tot of that one also [thumbsup] [thumbsup]

 

Very convenient also when want to cart whole family around - and fuel economy of diesel very good, still the same as what I am getting now (or better even)

 

But erp very very [knife][rifle]

Edited by Darryn
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Y not get a bigger MPV.. A van will never be as comfortable than a mpv.. Furthermore, it is difficult to obtain a license to go malaysia with a PA plate.. You need to prove that you have business dealings with company in Malaysia... Get a MPV like Toyota Alphard, Vellfire, Nissan Elgrand. If you need a mid size mpv then get those like honda odyssey or Toyota Picnic, estima or previa..

 

Furthermore, the interior of a van is not as good as a car.. The front legroom is not very good... The speed limit for van is lower.. In a event of crash, the people inside the van is more likely to substain more injuries than those in a car.

Edited by Detion
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Y not get a bigger MPV.. A van will never be as comfortable than a mpv.. Furthermore, it is difficult to obtain a license to go malaysia with a PA plate.. You need to prove that you have business dealings with company in Malaysia... Get a MPV like Toyota Alphard, Vellfire, Nissan Elgrand. If you need a mid size mpv then get those like honda odyssey or Toyota Picnic, estima or previa..

 

Furthermore, the interior of a van is not as good as a car.. The front legroom is not very good... The speed limit for van is lower.. In a event of crash, the people inside the van is more likely to substain more injuries than those in a car.

 

I do have business dealings with a company in Malaysia - a training institute.

 

Thinking of a van for a few reasons, but I have not prepared a full comparison yet.

1. Cost, I have looked at a few full size MPV - the one that attracts is the Voyager, current cost for a four year old is $60k, and the annual road tax is a real killer at $2,800 - but yes this is attractive.

2. Alphard, Estima, Elgrand I all dun like - and cost is an issue

3. Speed limit is a worry for me - dun know about this one

4. Oddy is a nice thought, but cost is high, and lack of split fold back row may well be a problem

5. Not worried about front leg room, mostly I am the only one sitting up front

6. I like the fuel economy of a diesel van

 

The biggest factor for me is that can get a van for around $20 - $30k, although I not yet inspect to see how good, where can get used full size MPV for this price?

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Bro,u make the right choice,Vito the best van IMO though,got power and comfort,diesel fuel economy :) [thumbsup]

 

I never drive yet, so after collect all data will have to try it out. Have tried the fiat and realtively speaking it was pretty good.

 

My FC sure want Auto - I will probably look for manual though....

 

that's if I don't decide to just flag the whole exercise and simply buy a roof rack for the Wish....

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which Fiat van you in?? Fiat Scudo or the large-Ducato??

 

i'm quite interested in the coming VW Transporter LWB for family use on weekends too...added boot space, wide interior, 2.0TDI 170bhp 7DSG gearbox...very relax!!

 

applying for use in Msia quite difficult though...must go custom tell them that you have some business dealings in Malaysia or a self-own registered company there...

 

70kph limit here is low, but silence the limiter, and you'll be able to drive as fast as a car (100kph)...just don't let the TP catch you la...

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So I am considering to buy a Excursion Bus as my personal ride.

 

What can you tell me

1) Insurance - need public liability also right?

2) Parking fees for HDB?

3) Can be driven to Malaysia I know - but what is the process for this?

4) If get caught speeding, what is the fine like, and points? Cus will be vocational license right?

5) Once reach end of COE can renew or not? What is process like to buy new COE - considering 7 or 8 year old van, to keep purchase costs way low, then just inspect well and fingers crossed.

 

Am considering the Vito, also quite liked the fiat when I test drove - best thing about fiat was that seats could be lifted out to make cargo van (and could take out row by row, so could have 12, 9, 6 or 3 seater depending on needs).

 

Point 4 no problem, speeding enforcement by our TP is very lax to the point of non-existance. Serious speaking, I'm considering getting a 2nd hand van for this point. Cheaper to maintain in the long run and less heartache when dents start appearing.

Unless you're ferrying people commercially and that is your full time job, you should be still using your normal driving license.

 

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I like PA plated vans. Can use bus lane..

 

Quoted from somewhere else but still relevant here.

 

But Judge Gwee pointed out that what Mohd Adam had failed to do was to read the whole of the explanation, which stated that "vehicles other than public transport buses (omnibuses)" were not allowed to use the bus lane during restricted hours.
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which Fiat van you in?? Fiat Scudo or the large-Ducato??

 

i'm quite interested in the coming VW Transporter LWB for family use on weekends too...added boot space, wide interior, 2.0TDI 170bhp 7DSG gearbox...very relax!!

 

applying for use in Msia quite difficult though...must go custom tell them that you have some business dealings in Malaysia or a self-own registered company there...

 

70kph limit here is low, but silence the limiter, and you'll be able to drive as fast as a car (100kph)...just don't let the TP catch you la...

 

Don't have a van yet, I did like at the Fiat minibus, quite liked it, but dun remember which model (was a 12 or so seater)

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Speed limits can be a concern also.. I think its max 70. But you still can go at the speed limit of the cameras at highways.. It captures the object moving and not the sticker at the back lol.

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oh i didn't know that the speed camera on highways don't factor in the 70kph for goods vehicles...

 

Excursion bus has the most expensive insurance, and can only be registered under a tour company...

 

Private bus must be registered under a company, used to fetch workers/ employees only. at least 10 person from the company must contribute CPF to the van monthly instalments...

 

Private hire can be registered under company or private name, as long as the driver has a vocational license ($42 registration fee and must attend 8 lessons)...can be used like a taxi...up to driver to charge passengers, though there's a limit i think...

 

i hope this helps...

 

typical insurance for 10-12pax PA bus is around $2400-2800 per year...excursion bus easily more than $3600 each year as can travel to malaysia too...and the speed limit there is 90kph, much faster than the 70kph we have here...

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Just like TS, I have been toying with the idea of getting a minibus.

For myself, personal use MPV, for business to operate SG-Genting route.

Was looking at OPEL Vivaro, Merc Vito, Fiat Ducato, VW Transporter, etc.. Most of these should have diesel turbo with good pulling power.

I had taken a look at the interior for the Vivaro during the previous car shows, okay quite decent. I believe the others would be better or at least same standard.

 

Due to financial concerns, this idea did not move on yet.

 

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Quoted from somewhere else but still relevant here.

 

But Judge Gwee pointed out that what Mohd Adam had failed to do was to read the whole of the explanation, which stated that "vehicles other than public transport buses (omnibuses)" were not allowed to use the bus lane during restricted hours.

 

 

 

All CB , PA ,PB ,PC , PZ etc. plate are consider public transport buses , they are allowed to use bus lane but cannot stop (@ bus stop) to align passengers.

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