Buying COE Car To Start Driving Again

[13177]

12 minutes ago, Threeleggedman said:

More than 10 years. She's only touch the wheels of my car less than 3 times. I need to clarify, the worry is she may turn poorly and damage the bumper etc. Definitely not referring to car accidents on the road. I won't let her go on the road unless she can handle it. Maybe start off with driving around the neighbourhood to do gorceries, buy food. It will help her since I can't carry too many stuff while using crutches.

Turning poorly etc and dents the bumper and scratches the car body is very common when driving, whether it is a man or woman. So many times just have to close one eye esp if the person driving and estimation skills not very good. Lol.

Actually even driving around the neighbourhood also consider driving on the road liao. If the person cannot handle it, even drive the car out of the parking lot might also have problem.

[Threeleggedman]

17 hours ago, PSP415 said:

Can I ask why she needs to start driving now as in, you are planning to let her drive henceforth once she gained sufficient confidence? 

If she needs to start with a smaller car, what if she still can't have confidence in your bigger, entry level conti later? 

Can rent a small car for say 2 or 3 months first? At best maybe $3k rental and set aside $2k for insurance excess? No need to worry about car park or road tax or repair or maintenance? 

Just my tots. 

Stay safe 

Cheers 

It's just revisiting getting her to drive. Something we have discussed for awhile. 

Rental may be an option but let me work out the sums. Thanks for the suggestion:)

[Threeleggedman]

17 hours ago, Stratovarius said:

if you think spending that 10k to build up your wife's confidence on the road is worth it, why not?

IMHO, if she needs to drive every other day, her road confidence should build up fairly quickly. However, if she only drives once awhile, i think it might be more economical to just take your car.

I hope she will drive often so I don't have to be Grab. Some times I have to wake up at 5.30am to send her to work by 7am, go home then go out and pick her again at 11.30am on weekends. Quite tiring. Sometimes, it's the other way round. I need to be at work by 8am so she is in office by 7am though she starts at 8.30am. 

[Threeleggedman]

17 hours ago, Voodooman said:

Yes, if you can afford it. Do it. Why not get a 3 years old car if this is for 1-2 years.  Someone takes big depreciation hit for first 3 years of ownership and when you sell it, the loss is more managed. Repair and maintenance cost are also more predictable than a COE car.

Went through the same.

Wifey not comfortable driving my car for years and I became the grab driver for the entire family.  Now, she goes everywhere but sadly, I am seeing my MIL a lot less these days.  Biggest regret! 😂😂😂

I am happy for you. that's a positive outcome to me at least. But won't be getting a newer car, partly due to cost, partly we want to share my car eventually, more economical.

[Threeleggedman]

15 hours ago, Turboflat4 said:

Would suggest save money on car and use private instructor with model somewhat similar to your car. You can negotiate the rates since she's already a qualified driver. 

I know she's been through a driving centre, but you get more flexibility with a private instructor in deciding what to teach, routes you want her familiar with etc. But must emphasise that they should teach parking by proper judgement not with little sticker aids etc. like for L drivers. 

I think Ubi driving centre has a comprehensive refresher so she's ok with it. Parking I can teach her. Think they have Honda Jazz as learner car. Need to check out further.

[Threeleggedman]

14 hours ago, Ct3833 said:

At the end she would still have to drive your car, and your car can be driven  by normal persons, then she should ideally start using your car instead. If you do not mind sharing how big is big and how powerful is powerful to a beginner? 

I drive a V40 1.5 with turbo. She was taken aback by the acceleration, very different from my old lancer. For her, I think it's to get a feel for driving first, less the fear of not being able to manage the power. She has drove a manual as a learner so she tends to think there's a clutch pedal below.

[Threeleggedman]

11 hours ago, Vinceng said:

The excess for rental cars start from $2,000 onwards.

Unless you purchase damage collision waiver, which will reduce the excess to $500 onwards.

Thanks for the heads up. I guess it will be even higher for her. I have a friend who was a pte hire driver. He paid 2k in insurance for a Jap car, 6 years old. Reason being he's a 'new' driver and first time car owner.

[Soya]

40 minutes ago, Threeleggedman said:

More than 10 years. She's only touch the wheels of my car less than 3 times. I need to clarify, the worry is she may turn poorly and damage the bumper etc. Definitely not referring to car accidents on the road. I won't let her go on the road unless she can handle it. Maybe start off with driving around the neighbourhood to do gorceries, buy food. It will help her since I can't carry too many stuff while using crutches.

10yrs is difficult to expect someone to gain confidence easily esp w more inconsiderate/impatient drivers on the road.

Might be cheaper and wiser to re-enrol her in driving school to see if she still has the knack/skill for it b4 buying a car just to practice

 

[13177]

20 minutes ago, Threeleggedman said:

I hope she will drive often so I don't have to be Grab. Some times I have to wake up at 5.30am to send her to work by 7am, go home then go out and pick her again at 11.30am on weekends. Quite tiring. Sometimes, it's the other way round. I need to be at work by 8am so she is in office by 7am though she starts at 8.30am. 

She dont take public transport at all?

[Threeleggedman]

3 hours ago, Ct3833 said:

If she will to drive your car eventually,  she would  still have to overcome the acceleration problem. One reason she felt your car being too powerful could be due to the way the accelerator pedal is mounted differently from the car she used to drive before, more practice would fix that problem. Most conti car accelerator pedals are mounted with the hinge point below, but for Japanese cars,  the hinge point could be on top (refer to illustrations). The feel and control on the foot is very different , as a result, some practice might require before one could get used to it when one starts to switch to a different car initailly, nothing to do with power of a car.

Of course noted  that you have other considerations.

Thanks for the info. I will let her know. I don't use pedals so no difference to me. Haha

[Mkl22]

2 hours ago, 13177 said:

How come fender can gone? Lol. If scratches and dents are quite common la, even some guys their car also full of scratches and dents, due to poor estimation skills when parking and maneuvering inside carpark. As some carpark really have narrow and tight ramp. 

fender and bonnet gone cause accident la. usually follow too close or blur.

[13177]

16 minutes ago, Mkl22 said:

fender and bonnet gone cause accident la. usually follow too close or blur.

Must know how to regulate speed on the road, if not easy to get into accident.

[Lotr]

21 hours ago, Threeleggedman said:

Hi All,

I am thinking of getting a COE car with 1 year or less till scrap. The purpose is for my wife who has a class 3 licence to familiarise herself with driving again after attending refresher course at the driving centre. I have a car myself but she is not comfortable in handling it due to size, power and importantly, the modifications done for me to drive as a disabled driver (note: my car can be driven by a normal person as the pedals are intact and function normally).

The aim is to build her confidence and not worry about knocks. Eventually, she will drive my car when she needs to. The budget is below $10k and she has always wanted a Honda Jazz/Fit which is perfect for a starter car. I am ok to share the cost with her. Would this be a sound decision?

 

Thanks everyone in advance for your inputs:)

very good idea .. also applicable for older folks (aka me) with older kids who will be getting their license ... but only if I have the spare cash 

[Threeleggedman]

17 hours ago, Vinceng said:

I second your thoughts. It's quite  a waste of money to buy another car just for the wife to practise on. There's still the insurance, road tax and maintenance.

This is in consideration as well. Likely we will just pay the car in full, get 3rd party insurance cover. Maintenance will just be cheap oil changes to last 6 mths to a year. Road tax for 1.3l should be ok. Parking is the recurring cost.

[Threeleggedman]

4 hours ago, Ody_2004 said:

I have the same issue with wife driving.. Actually part of the problem is we guys love our wife too much.. I meant the one with 4 wheels! whahahahahahaha.. we too worried that it got knock bang etc which indirectly caused stress to wife (ya the one with boobs)..

Size is one thing a beginner/irregular driver fear.. Season guys the bigger the better! whahahahha.. so i got mid size sedan for her.. BUT then again.. women like to be DRIVEN.. so the car is enjoying more rest than me.

Now i got a COE Suzuki swift for my son and she drive it very rarely.. each trip less than 3 km.. yes to MARKET and back.. zzzzz.. and never with me in it because my mouth never stop scolding! 

So hoh if just wife drive is abit waste money to have 2nd car lah.. at least my Son trash the swift whenever he back from camp.. oh yes.. he really thrashed it abt 10 months back when he got his license for just 3 weeks! sigh.. btw car rental go for legal one.. those fly by night one if u get into insurance very dirty n messy..

BTW regarding the pedal yes bro Ct3833 is correct.. just to add on.. women love to hug steering wheel.. so they sit very near to it.. this position don allow then to proper flex their heal to control the pedals.. getting in the right sitting position is important..

I LOL reading your post. Swift is one we are considering as well. My wife doesn't hug the steering. She just has fear in the driver's seat. Different perspective so I always tell her the car is not that big like a lorry. Haha. I think she will drive once she gets the hang of things, just need to nudge her to make bold steps. That's just the way she is. 

[Threeleggedman]

4 hours ago, Lala81 said:

Not really.  My wife never touched a steering wheel since she passed her driving for 14-15 years. 
I let her practice in some ulu area in the daytime, then practice some parking at MSCP. Then she went SSDC for refresher. 

She even buang like 1 month into getting the car. But then shrugged it off. Now she's mostly safe lol (at least not to the  point i will raise eyebrows) 

That's what I did before I scrapped my old car. Nvr seen my wife smile so big when she took over the wheel coupled with fear. Now we are at the refresher phase. Hopefully she will be like your wife. Then I can experience being a passenger for the first time in my own car eventually. Haha

[Threeleggedman]

4 hours ago, Lala81 said:

If got children and need to ferry them around. The mothers sure will do it one lah.
If for other reasons... haha better don't buy 2nd car.

Lots of my friends wives drive simply cos for the convenience when having kids.

That's my selling point when we have kids in future. But sometimes she will say in jest kids are yours also so you ferry them to school and teach them. She's from NA stream and I am from JC. See what our education system is like. Hahaha

[Threeleggedman]

3 hours ago, kobayashiGT said:

Nice to see you back again sir! I think it is wise to get a COE car now. as the COE is relatively reasonable. Honda fit is a very good car. Got space, easy to manuver and park.

Thanks! I mainly browse without logging in. Haha. MCF is still best place to ask car related questions.