Josh L

Just wondering if there are any owners from Singapore on the BBS.

I see quite a few each time I'm there, and wondered if any would like to say hello when I'm there in either July or August.

Josh

Dave T-S

There's certainly RT - he normally lurks in the Drivetrain section

Josh L

Ta Davina,

I should have realised that you know everyone

Gladys

RT

YES here I am!! Will certainly bring you down to our local mod shops if you're interested... Ping me here when your dates are fixed!

Josh L

Wotcha!

I'm always surprised how many performance cars I see when I'm in Singapore, considering the limited opportunities to use them, and it would be very interesting to meet you, and see what's available to you out there.

It's mainly holiday, but I've got a bit of business to deal with on the way out, so I'm not sure how much time I'll have. However, I've got another 4 or 5 days there on the way home in early August. Maybe we could arrange to meet up then.

I'll mail you off the BBS with the dates I'm in town.

Josh

mutant_matt

Never mind the opportunities, what about the cost????

Matt

Katana

Guys here's a few words in Malay to help you comunicate to them:

Palui = smart
Kau mahu lawan saya kah? = Hi, how are you?

Lets see if any Malay speaking scoobynetters here can guess where my accent is from.

scooby555

Would it be Oxford ???

RT

Well, the cost of car ownership and usage is certainly high. But pple tend to forget the other benefits of living in Singapore. GST/VAT is 3% (going up soon) and Income Tax is way way below what Europe has (topmost bracket is only 22%, most of us pay between 5-10% on a college graduate's salary). So it almost evens out...

As for usage, the speed limits aren't any lower than in other countries for the same types of road, and most drivers tend to extend it a little (~20%). This is "tolerated" by the police unless you're doing stupid things. Our only gripe is that the authorities don't take "mods" well at all, they claim "everything" must be "original". But the double standard is, they close an eye to sports rims and stuff like that. Its a long battle being fought.

Guess the main frustration is the lack of scenic long drives. For that, we have to cross the border into Malaysia. There are 2 or 3 tracks within a day's driving which are very popular with the local chaps (F1 track Sepang is one of them).

Cheers.

lokokkee

Katana, you must be joking - "Kau mahu lawan saya kah? = Hi, how are you?" is you wanna fight/race with me?
Josh, if you have the time and suitable car, the Sepang F1 circuit in Malaysia is only about 4 hours' drive (considerably more if you stick to the posted speed limit on the motorway) away from Singapore. Free practice track day entrance on weekends is about 25-40 quids (forgotten exactly) and eat your heart out people, 97 Ron Super is 25 p/litre.

Josh L

RT,

You don't have to convince me of the benefits of living in Singapore. I've been going there regularly for about 10 years or so, and it's my favorite city in the world. Having said that, I can't stand the taxis. It's that ringing noise when they get the limit. It drives me absolutely bananas.

I can't beleive what you say about cars supposedly being original though. Turning a blind eye doesn't come close. I don't think I've ever seen a standard car in Singapore!

You haven't got an email address in your profile, so could you email me so I can pester you when I arrive

Lokokkee,

As we're only over for about a week or so in total this year, I haven't really got time to visit any Malay circuits this time.

Cheers

Josh

[Edited by Josh L - 6/13/2002 8:15:25 AM]

RT

Josh, I will drop you a mail.

Well, "your car must be original Sir" comes up when you get pulled in for an apparently illegal exhaust job. Even if you put a STI rear box (supposedly OEM) on a standard WRX, you're liable for a big fine. Know several people to whom this has happened...

DavidRB

I like those "floating" hubcaps where the central panel stays still as the wheels go around. Anyway, they all spoke English when I was there...

RT

Haha, and when those hubcaps don't work real well, they continue spinning when the main wheel has stopped!

Josh L

They're a great way to put additional advertising on the taxis though. You just have to remember not to look at them swaying, or you start to feel sea-sick

But on the subject of mods, half the cars I've ever seen out there have wheels the size of Belgium, usually with the most highly polished finish they can find. Particularly popular on Mercs I seem to recall.

Josh

Brian Swan

Lokokkee,

How on earth can you afford a Scooby in KL?

I look like moving to Kelang long term in a few months and initially thought about taking over my STi5 until i found out there was no way around the 170+10% Import Duty.

Needless to say, it's now up for sale. I don't want a Proton so what else is what can be done whithout spending a fortune? I've been over a couple of times now and it seems to be the normal thing to to is buy a cheap type can and mod it until not a single thing of the original remains.

mutant_matt

You could always get a motorbike

RT

Well, its not quite half the cars... but by far, big rims seems to be the most popular mod.

Prob cos the Merc owners can't find any other parts to fit on their ultimate status machines.

Josh L

I never thought of that.

Half is a slight exageration, although the size of the wheels wasn't, but the point is that the percentage of modified cars (even if it is just rims) seems much higher than here.

Make the look positively blind to the 'standard' rules. Having said that, it's actually good to see so many more people trying to make their cars a little more individual than we have here.

Josh

Katana

I'm cruel ain't I?

lokokkee

Brian, being in the stock market at the right time helps a lot in paying for a car with minimum 180% import duty. A turbo Scoob is still manageable, but a STI will have to be a private import and the subsequent service and parts problem. If you are moving to Malaysia, the easiest way to get a "cheap" performance car is to get a Proton and graft a Mit. Evo front half to it. The latter comes in as "spare part" in a half-cut and attracts only a much lower duty of 25% + sales tax. In case you are not aware, a Proton is a rebadged Mit. Lancer, albeit with only FWD. I have come across many of these hybrids on the road through my rear view mirror and usually move to the side thinking it is a real Evo (a Turbo Scoob must show some respect), only to find after they passed that it is a Proton (the boot and tail-lights are different) with probably only an Evo bumper bought cheap from a scrapper. Alternatively, one can always strap on a turbo kit to a Proton 1.8 DOHC model (base 140 bhp) and go from there. Another way is to get some 'connections' in Malaysia to import your STI for you at a much reduced duty.
Katana, your name sounds Indonesian. You are wicked, not cruel.

Katana

555, I come from lots of different places. Don't you find it a tad bit strange that a 24 year old like me can look so young. You see, there can be only one...

edit ~ does my name not give you a hint what I really am?

[Edited by Katana - 6/12/2002 8:32:54 PM]