Rental of Hyundai Starex from SG to MY - anyone tried before?

[Atrecord]

22 hours ago, Buadongdong said:

I remember the pickup point was at Caltex station beside City Square mall. The return is the same, stop at CS mall and they collect car to drive back.

In terms of features, all pretty standard. Radio, disc player, they have a screen at the back but not working. Strong and cold aircon and large spaces adds to the plus points. The 2.5 Diesel engine has lots of torque and overtaking isn't really and issue except the brakes feels a bit insufficient for the large and heavy vehicle.

how did you make your way to the pickup point leh? Did you take public transport in, or got other arrangement to bring everyone/everything in?

[teomingern]

On 11/30/2020 at 3:31 PM, Atrecord said:

Yup, we all hope that things will return to some form of normalcy sooner rather than later -- which is contingent on having a viable, effective, cheap and easily accessible vaccine. 

The virus is taking its toll on all fronts, takings lives, vanishing jobs, closing businesses... it's a tough time for everyone...

Yeah... I feel very sad every time I walk into my regional shopping mall and see more and more shops shuttered... sigh...

[teomingern]

On 12/1/2020 at 8:54 AM, Buadongdong said:

Hi Bro, I did my trip in 2018 and rented a Starex as well. Its a comfortable drive and car is powerful enough to do the road trip with ease. The only drawback is that the car faces a lot of wind resistance when on NSHW and if the wind blows sideways, sometimes the car will sway slightly. Other than that, all is good. I attached my trip history and cost for your reference.

Thanks bro... appreciate your digging this up... gives me some idea about the indicative costs... how did you cross the border bro? Cos the car pick up was in JB... my problem is moving a large group across the border efficiently with the lowest possible cost...

[teomingern]

On 12/1/2020 at 10:59 AM, Si4dr said:

It was mean for short term business trip. You can find more info here:

https://safetravel.ica.gov.sg/

 

Thanks for the links... doesn't apply to me though... but much appreciated...

[teomingern]

On 12/1/2020 at 3:31 PM, Weez911 said:

If can travel freely, Malaysia will be the last of my options. 

I rather go Niseko now, or Whistler, Switzerland, France, Italy ski resorts. I don't even mind going to Denver. 

If not for skiing, there will be 200+ other options/locations to choose. 

What a weird thread.

Ha ha ha... sorry... my pockets not as deep as yours... got to tailor a large group holiday according to my means... so Malaysia is very decent already... and I grew up holidaying exclusively in Malaysia cos my family wasn't rich enough to travel overseas by plane... plane tickets were prohibitively expensive when I was a little boy... unlike now with plenty of budget options... even so, with 7 in tow, the tickets will be a huge expenditure that I have to consider carefully... especially to Whistler or Niseko... which I have been to myself, personally before I got married... hee hee... bachelor easy lar...

[teomingern]

On 12/1/2020 at 2:56 PM, Tohto said:

For this type of big van, turbo-diesel will be a better engine choice.

Like in Taiwan, airport transfers sits in those VW Transporter vans, so effectless inside and cruise comfortably on the highway.

Yup... the Malaysia Starex are all 2.5 L turbo diesel... driven one before up to Cameron Highlands... actually drives well... comfortable seats... but that was 2013, so should improve with newer models?

[Buadongdong]

14 hours ago, teomingern said:

Thanks bro... appreciate your digging this up... gives me some idea about the indicative costs... how did you cross the border bro? Cos the car pick up was in JB... my problem is moving a large group across the border efficiently with the lowest possible cost...

I actually took train in to JB. once out of the train station, CS mall is just mins away. so i walked to the Caltex station which is prob just 5-10mins away. Alternatively, you can drive your car to their original office pick up point and save the pickup/return fee. You can park your vehicle at their location(open air) until you are back. After you pick up the vehicle, then go to a convenient place (in jb) to pick up the rest of your family.

Edited December 3, 2020 by Buadongdong

[teomingern]

2 hours ago, Buadongdong said:

I actually took train in to JB. once out of the train station, CS mall is just mins away. so i walked to the Caltex station which is prob just 5-10mins away. Alternatively, you can drive your car to their original office pick up point and save the pickup/return fee. You can park your vehicle at their location(open air) until you are back. After you pick up the vehicle, then go to a convenient place (in jb) to pick up the rest of your family.

Woah... train... that's an idea... but with 3 kids in tow... means must take MRT to Woodlands and board from there... with luggage and prams... not for the faint-hearted... 

[Buadongdong]

29 minutes ago, teomingern said:

Woah... train... that's an idea... but with 3 kids in tow... means must take MRT to Woodlands and board from there... with luggage and prams... not for the faint-hearted... 

You can always take a grab to Woodlands Train checkpoint. Then it wont be so tough on you and your spouse. Alternatively, like I mentioned, you can drive in and park your car there when you pick up the vehicle. Leave it there for the duration of the rental and collect your car when you return the rental. Then you save on renting the baby seats as I trust that you have your own baby seats in your car.

[teomingern]

3 hours ago, Buadongdong said:

You can always take a grab to Woodlands Train checkpoint. Then it wont be so tough on you and your spouse. Alternatively, like I mentioned, you can drive in and park your car there when you pick up the vehicle. Leave it there for the duration of the rental and collect your car when you return the rental. Then you save on renting the baby seats as I trust that you have your own baby seats in your car.

You see... my problem is that my car can't really fit everyone in... my wife and I and our two kids plus my wife's niece and and her kid... plus my mother-in-law... can't fit all the child seats plus adults into a saloon car... just impossible... plus the luggage as well... squeezing 5 in the rear of my car is not possible... ha ha... if we put all the child seats in the boot, there's no space for luggage and shopping... ha ha ha... so either

1) Take public transport MRT to Woodlands then KTM train to JB and lug only our luggage and strollers along plus rent child seats from the Malaysia car rental company

2) Or specially book an MPV taxi and lug all the child seats + strollers along (not sure if the MPV can take all or not) and then load everything onto the train after clearing customs with everything... faint...

3) Or have the rental car company drive out to Singapore to my home, put in all the child seats, load all luggage, the driver sends us into Malaysia and I take over in JB... and vice versa for the return trip...

[inlinesix]

Starex doesn't have a lot of boot space if all rows are used.

[ToyotaShuttle]

4 hours ago, Buadongdong said:

You can always take a grab to Woodlands Train checkpoint. Then it wont be so tough on you and your spouse. Alternatively, like I mentioned, you can drive in and park your car there when you pick up the vehicle. Leave it there for the duration of the rental and collect your car when you return the rental. Then you save on renting the baby seats as I trust that you have your own baby seats in your car.

Train is the best but difficult to get tickets sometimes.

[teomingern]

1 hour ago, inlinesix said:

Starex doesn't have a lot of boot space if all rows are used.

I need only 3 rows for my needs... so don't need the fourth row... mother-in-law in the front with me, my wife between our two kids in child seats, last row and my niece and her kid in the second row...

[Buadongdong]

2 hours ago, teomingern said:

You see... my problem is that my car can't really fit everyone in... my wife and I and our two kids plus my wife's niece and and her kid... plus my mother-in-law... can't fit all the child seats plus adults into a saloon car... just impossible... plus the luggage as well... squeezing 5 in the rear of my car is not possible... ha ha... if we put all the child seats in the boot, there's no space for luggage and shopping... ha ha ha... so either

1) Take public transport MRT to Woodlands then KTM train to JB and lug only our luggage and strollers along plus rent child seats from the Malaysia car rental company

2) Or specially book an MPV taxi and lug all the child seats + strollers along (not sure if the MPV can take all or not) and then load everything onto the train after clearing customs with everything... faint...

3) Or have the rental car company drive out to Singapore to my home, put in all the child seats, load all luggage, the driver sends us into Malaysia and I take over in JB... and vice versa for the return trip...

Bro, may I suggest the following for your consideration.

You drive in with your family to JB to pick the car. Your wife's niece+kid+MIL can take PT to JB CS mall to meet you as you go pick up the vehicle. The 3 of them can go shopping at the mall while waiting for u. So you just need to bring your family over in your own car.

[teomingern]

Ah... ha ha... problem is my wife's side is not Singaporean... they come from a village and speak no English at all... so I can't leave them alone at all... I can't speak much of their language either... so my wife has to be the translator and to teach them how to use modern amenities... I hope you get the idea that they're not independent at all... oh and they don't live here...

Edited December 3, 2020 by teomingern

[Shibadog]

3 hours ago, teomingern said:

 

3) Or have the rental car company drive out to Singapore to my home, put in all the child seats, load all luggage, the driver sends us into Malaysia and I take over in JB... and vice versa for the return trip...

if the rental company can't arrange pickup and drop in SG, then another option (at higher cost) is to look for those private cars that used to do SG-JB-SG transfer services. Last time many Starex/Alphard doing it. Price structure may be different by the time your trip materialises.

[teomingern]

1 hour ago, Shibadog said:

if the rental company can't arrange pickup and drop in SG, then another option (at higher cost) is to look for those private cars that used to do SG-JB-SG transfer services. Last time many Starex/Alphard doing it. Price structure may be different by the time your trip materialises.

Ah... yes... I think I am looking for these... I see many of them... but there was complains about them being pirate taxis... not sure got government clampdown or not... 

For this category, if anyone used before can share your experience? I'm concerned about insurance coverage... especially my own insurance... hopefully this type of rental is covered... from what I see on Carousell, they all seem to be registered companies...

[teomingern]

On 12/3/2020 at 9:11 PM, teomingern said:

Ah... yes... I think I am looking for these... I see many of them... but there was complains about them being pirate taxis... not sure got government clampdown or not... 

For this category, if anyone used before can share your experience? I'm concerned about insurance coverage... especially my own insurance... hopefully this type of rental is covered... from what I see on Carousell, they all seem to be registered companies...

Just reviving this thread cos going to embark on this trip next June... anyone has good companies to share for rental of a 12-seat Hyundai Starex, please share...

My needs are as follows:

1. 10 pax: 6 adults + 4 kids (3 need full sized child seat + 1 need booster)

2. 12 days: Ipoh/Cameron Highlands + Penang + KL

3. Two-way pick up and drop off in Singapore. 4.00 am.

Will post a field report once I get this done... need to plan ahead cos family members overseas need to make passport + take leave + buy air tickets + family care arrangements... so doing costing now and seeing how much I need to spend...

 

Thanks!