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Advice on purchasing COE cars (Z4)


NeverLucky88
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16 minutes ago, shrjun said:

Full of advertisement posts by various kinds of ....werks only 🙄

Haven't logged in to the forum for a long long time.

FB Group is still ok.

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When you are looking at such a car, first and foremost if you can afford the initial payment (downpayment, insurance and maybe you have to put aside like $5K for repairs?) then you can go for these cars. The road tax is a gradual increment don't think of things that haven't happened also lah.

When you are buying such car, it will never make economical sense one. It's all emotional.

Only ppl who buy MPV are evaluating with economics. 😂

Is definitely a good car. But I am not a big fan of 2 seats coupe/convertible. 😂

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2.5L road tax of $2700 is not that high, but that's subjective to individuals

There will be many wear & tear parts to replace for a COE car (Higher costs for Continental), which you have to be prepared for. I would set aside a budget of 10-20k repair for year 11 to year 20

The cost of acquisition can be attractive @ only $10 - $11k depreciation, but it's the overall running costs you should take note of

As a first time car owner, you may want to have a good gauge of the fuel consumption, insurance premium, repair costs, road tax etc before committing

 

Ask yourself: Do you just need a zippy 2 door sports car or do you need the badge as well? No doubt the E89 Z4 is beautiful (I love it too) but that's not the only option

E.g MRS, MX-5, Fairlady (350/370) which may have similar depreciation but a lot more easy to maintain

Edited by Aventa
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Having driven COE car and I can tell you that you really cater a sum of money for part replacement. I was 2nd owner for 6yrs before deciding to renew it for another 10 years. Never lapse any servicing and replace worn parts promptly. Did an overhaul on suspension parts and engine mounting right after renewal. 

I remember that I always get heart attack during every servicing session. Wksp will call and say this and that need to replace, here is leaking, this part is not looking too good, blah blah blah..

To be fair, those parts that were highlighted were never replaced repeatedly during the span of my ownership. And the car had never failed me before or left me stranded. 

Finally sold it when it was 13.5yrs old as I saw the part replacement nv seem to end. Gotten good trade in price since I renewed it for 10yrs. 

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32 minutes ago, Optramagnum said:

Having driven COE car and I can tell you that you really cater a sum of money for part replacement. I was 2nd owner for 6yrs before deciding to renew it for another 10 years. Never lapse any servicing and replace worn parts promptly. Did an overhaul on suspension parts and engine mounting right after renewal. 

I remember that I always get heart attack during every servicing session. Wksp will call and say this and that need to replace, here is leaking, this part is not looking too good, blah blah blah..

To be fair, those parts that were highlighted were never replaced repeatedly during the span of my ownership. And the car had never failed me before or left me stranded. 

Finally sold it when it was 13.5yrs old as I saw the part replacement nv seem to end. Gotten good trade in price since I renewed it for 10yrs. 

What car was it. Sometimes the brand and model makes a difference. 

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Least of your concerns road tax will be. Insurance you must be aware, my young padawan. Maintenance, then comes. Taken a beating, most old sports have. Visits to workshop, many you will make.

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8 hours ago, NeverLucky88 said:

Good day everyone,

I'm looking to purchase my first car. Have been driving the family car on and off but now i've decided to buy my own. Been driving for around 4 years now.

I'm currently looking at the BMW E89 Z4, which has a depre of roughly 11k/yr. I have no plans to have kids anytime in the near future and it's a car that i really like. The only concern i have is the road tax for the 6 cyl 23i. At the 15th yr, it amounts to an astounding 2.7k/yr. With that in mind, does it ever make sense to purchase a 2.5l COE car? Or do i just play w it for a few years then sell?

I have also looked at the 2.0l turbo variant (20i), but being a newer model, it costs way more than the 23i (around 14k/yr depre).

If it doesn't make sense to purchase a 2.5l COE car, what other options do i have? I have previously also shortlisted the 320i coupe (underpowered and heavy) and e250 coupe (hearsay FC is below average). Budget is around 80-85k. All suggestions all welcome, thanks in advance!

If you have another family car to drive and don't mind frequent downtime at workshop to replace wear and tear parts, why not? 

You seems very concerned with higher road tax and FC, do your maths before you commit. I think noone should spend more than 20% of their income on transport, it is really an expense item.

 

Edited by Voodooman
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8 hours ago, Rickster said:

I guess you're quite young still and without family commitments?

If I'm in your shoes, I'd suggest you go for your first choice and get what you really want. Primary reasons being:

  1. You're looking at a used car - that means you'll probably be looking at a more linear depreciation. Meaning, you can sell the car after 6 months or a year without losing thru your pants.
  2. You're young and no commitments, don't waste your life. YOLO

Caveat is that I'm assuming that you are able to responsibly, from a financial perspective, afford that car of your dreams.

Oh ya, remember to get SGcarmart warranty coverage or any other form of warranty that used car dealers can offer for that car! It'll save u more than a penny!

I'm 26 this year, no family commitments in the near future. Yup i understand that it's a big expense but i can still afford it responsibly, no need to eat grass after purchasing the car. Thanks for the advice! But seems like the general sensing from the members is that i will spend a fortune in the workshop after getting the car.

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6 hours ago, PSP415 said:

NeverLucky88, like that how? In car ownership, it is good to always have some luck. 

😂🤞Dun kill me. 

Go for the Z4.

Road tax is the last thing that should bother you. Its incredmental tax is not something that can't be saved thru cutting down on purchasing some branded stuff, eating out less at restaurants or eating out at all, bread and water. Pls know that I am assuming alot of stuff here ya. I assume too that you are younger than me ( no surprise) and you have a good taste in cars. 

My first "sports" car was a Suzuki Swift GTi. Yours is Z4. So, yes, go for it. 👍

I only have one simple request, if you bought one.

Live long... drive responsibly, dun drink drive and please buy one already with signal stick and use it. Always keep ego at home and bring brain out. 

That's like alot of requests. Nvm. Ride safe and stay safe. 

Cheers 

Thank you for the reminder! Cheers!

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5 hours ago, verramarc said:

if the road tax alone makes you to consider other cars.. then maybe you should not consider this COE z4.....

The road tax is not a deterrent but rather something that makes me wonder if it makes sense to pay for or are there better alternatives out there.

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5 hours ago, Stratovarius said:

i prefer the looks of the 325i or the 335i. the 325i is pretty decent in power and more practical. 

it's really up to you if purchasing a 2.5l make sense to your wallet. my colleague bought a coe 2.7 lexus before. one thing about coe cars is the dated interior., i cant stand those except for classic cars.

like others mentioned, the maintenance is probably something you need to do some homework. Many of these coe cars' problems are just patch here and there just to make it suitable for sale. so you gotta budget a healthy sum for the repairs. 

Thanks for the advice, cheers!!

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5 hours ago, Mockngbrd said:

NA, not much will go wrong with the engine if serviced properly / regularly. But factor in at least another 5k to fix up whatever wear/tear items on the car. The usual suspects are bushings, shocks, brakes, engine mounts, suspension mounts, engine bay plastic bits, etc. You don't need to do ALL at the same time but good to keep in mind. All parts are easily available to get in SG so no worries on that end, BMW parts do come with a slight premium over Japanese brands but tbh, it's not that bad (like Porsche parts). As always, send to a specialist workshop for a pre-purchase inspection and to understand the future maintenance issues involved, as well as what other wear/tear items will need fixing in future (steering pump/ac compressor/etc). (R2D ftw)

2.5L rd tax is not THAT high but is still quite a jump from a 2L lump. If I were you, I'd pony up the $ for the 2,0 turbo. That will be the sweet spot imo. Lower fuel consumption, lower front end weight, lower road tax and better drivability. The 2.0L Turbo will prob hold its value better than the 2.5 NAs as well. 

TBH, with the hype surrounding Jap sports cars now, even an MX5 is asking 10+k depre, so quite pointless. So there's not that many choices out there. Perhaps a Porsche 986 Boxster, but that's a totally different animal when it comes to parts/maintenance/insurance. 

I also had a BMW as my first car, an E36 318is Coupe. Loved it and it didn't cripple me. Just need to be more resourceful.  E89 is still a nice looking car. Have fun. 


 

Thanks for all the advice! Maybe a 2.0 turbo Z4 is a little too much to stomach for a first car...any other cars you would recommend? (2nd hand markets are crazy now hahaha)

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4 hours ago, Powxus said:

Just to share, I had a few friends who brought COE sports car and the car end up spending a lot of time in workshop. Do consider carefully, as the repair cost and the time spend between workshop may not be worth it.

Thanks for sharing, will do my homework first! Cheers!

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3 hours ago, Aventa said:

2.5L road tax of $2700 is not that high, but that's subjective to individuals

There will be many wear & tear parts to replace for a COE car (Higher costs for Continental), which you have to be prepared for. I would set aside a budget of 10-20k repair for year 11 to year 20

The cost of acquisition can be attractive @ only $10 - $11k depreciation, but it's the overall running costs you should take note of

As a first time car owner, you may want to have a good gauge of the fuel consumption, insurance premium, repair costs, road tax etc before committing

 

Ask yourself: Do you just need a zippy 2 door sports car or do you need the badge as well? No doubt the E89 Z4 is beautiful (I love it too) but that's not the only option

E.g MRS, MX-5, Fairlady (350/370) which may have similar depreciation but a lot more easy to maintain

Thank you for all the advice! I think the idea of a hard top convertible coupled with the looks of the E89 itself are the 2 major selling points for me. Thank you for your suggestions as well, will look into them. Cheers!

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3 hours ago, Optramagnum said:

Having driven COE car and I can tell you that you really cater a sum of money for part replacement. I was 2nd owner for 6yrs before deciding to renew it for another 10 years. Never lapse any servicing and replace worn parts promptly. Did an overhaul on suspension parts and engine mounting right after renewal. 

I remember that I always get heart attack during every servicing session. Wksp will call and say this and that need to replace, here is leaking, this part is not looking too good, blah blah blah..

To be fair, those parts that were highlighted were never replaced repeatedly during the span of my ownership. And the car had never failed me before or left me stranded. 

Finally sold it when it was 13.5yrs old as I saw the part replacement nv seem to end. Gotten good trade in price since I renewed it for 10yrs. 

Thank you for sharing your experience! Cheers!

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1 hour ago, Roborovskii said:

Least of your concerns road tax will be. Insurance you must be aware, my young padawan. Maintenance, then comes. Taken a beating, most old sports have. Visits to workshop, many you will make.

Hahahaha the dark side of the force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural...one of these abilities include making the money in your wallet disappear mysteriously...

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53 minutes ago, Voodooman said:

If you have another family car to drive and don't mind frequent downtime at workshop to replace wear and tear parts, why not? 

You seems very concerned with higher road tax and FC, do your maths before you commit. I think noone should spend more than 20% of their income on transport, it is really an expense item.

 

Do you mean it's likely going to be a burden given the trips to workshop? Would that be the same case for any other COE cars? Or is there a bad history with the E89 Z4s?

Hmm to me i'm just trying to strike a balance between needs and wants. I don't wish to burn my paycheck just to "realise my dream". But thank you for your opinion, i appreciate it!

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