Beyond sticker shock: Running costs first-time car owners must consider
04 Aug 2022|12,722 views
For most of us, buying car is the second most expensive purchase after acquiring a home.
If it's your first car, then the outright cost is undoubtedly higher, since you don't have an existing vehicle to sell or trade-in to offset the price. However, the outright purchase price and subsequent monthly payments aren't the only expenses you need to factor in. Whether you've bought a new car or used one, there are numerous other related costs that come with vehicle ownership.
Here's what else you must consider.
Insurance
Let's say you're a 30-year old single male who's had a driving licence for five years, and you plan to buy a brand-new Toyota Corolla Altis. The car will not be registered as an off-peak car, won't be modified, and will be driven between 12,000 and 18,000km annually.
According to Direct Asia, comprehensive insurance for a brand-new Toyota Corolla Altis Classic will cost $2,201.17 a year, or $168.39 a month. If you choose the least expensive, third-party only policy, the yearly premium is $1,385.52 or $115.43 monthly.
As new cars are bundled together with insurance, these figures should give you an idea of what to expect.
Road tax
Road tax and car insurance go hand-in-hand. You need to renew your insurance before you can renew your road tax. That can be a hefty sum to cover.
If we take the comprehensive insurance plan mentioned just now, you'll be paying $2,942.17 annually - just for insurance and road tax.
Season parking
That may not seem like a lot until you multiply those amounts by 12. For sheltered carparks, that works out to $1,320 a year. Surface parking will cost you $960 annually.
Now, let's say you will own the car for five years. In that time, you would have spent $6,600 for sheltered season parking and $4,800 for surface parking.
CashCard top-ups
Having a car means you will drive after work and on weekends for errands, groceries, and etc. For argument's sake, let's say you put $200 in your CashCard monthly.
Head over to Sgcarmart's Carpark & Parking Rates Guide to get a better idea of how much you'll need to budget.
Fuel
The Corolla Altis has a stated combined fuel economy of 15.6km/L. Not everyone can consistently achieve or better than figure, so let us assume, with traffic conditions, you average 12km/L.
At 12km/L, you will need 1,250 litres of petrol to cover 15,000km. RON 95 petrol at time of writing is $2.94 per litre before discounts.
Using these figures, your annual fuel bill would be $3,675.
ERP
To get a more exact figure, you can calculate your ERP cost by following this link to the Onemotoring page with an interactive map. You can click on the individual gantries to see how much ERP is levied at various times of the day.
Budgeting between $50 and $100 a month for ERP is a safe bet for most drivers, though.
Maintenance & servicing
Bear in mind, however, that not all maintenance packages will result in free servicing, especially not when wear & tear parts need to be replaced. Labour charges may also apply.
After the bundled package runs out, a visit to the authorised dealer for regular servicing every six months could cost you between $200 to $300. You can check out third party workshops, which typically charge a lot less.
Some dealers offer owners the option of purchasing pre-paid maintenance packages. After paying the upfront fee, you'll be entitled to a set number of service visits, plus other benefits such as discounts on parts and labour.
Miscellaneous charges
You can't escape paying for car grooming, even if it's just a monthly visit to the petrol kiosk car wash. Even if you DIY (which will save a big bundle), you still need car shampoo, a bucket, a mitt and a drying cloth.
Other issues that could arise include random repairs for dings and scratches, new tyres and replacement battery.
Cost rundown
To sum up, here are the running costs you could incur in a year of car ownership. This is only a ballpark figure, and remember, it does not include the monthly payments for the vehicle itself.
| Expense | Cost |
| Insurance | $2,201.17 |
| Road tax | $741 |
| Season parking | $1,320 |
| Cashcard | $2,400 |
| Petrol | $3,675 |
| ERP | $1,200 |
| Miscellaneous expenses | $1,200 |
| Total | $12,737.17 |
Looking for more information about car ownership? These stories may interest you
Buying a car: What to look out for during your test drive
Buying one of these cars is cheaper than a short-term rental
EV ownership costs in Singapore
Buying car insurance and used car warranty in Singapore
Ultimate guide to car insurance in Singapore in 2022
For most of us, buying car is the second most expensive purchase after acquiring a home.
If it's your first car, then the outright cost is undoubtedly higher, since you don't have an existing vehicle to sell or trade-in to offset the price. However, the outright purchase price and subsequent monthly payments aren't the only expenses you need to factor in. Whether you've bought a new car or used one, there are numerous other related costs that come with vehicle ownership.
Here's what else you must consider.
Insurance
Let's say you're a 30-year old single male who's had a driving licence for five years, and you plan to buy a brand-new Toyota Corolla Altis. The car will not be registered as an off-peak car, won't be modified, and will be driven between 12,000 and 18,000km annually.
According to Direct Asia, comprehensive insurance for a brand-new Toyota Corolla Altis Classic will cost $2,201.17 a year, or $168.39 a month. If you choose the least expensive, third-party only policy, the yearly premium is $1,385.52 or $115.43 monthly.
As new cars are bundled together with insurance, these figures should give you an idea of what to expect.
Road tax
Road tax and car insurance go hand-in-hand. You need to renew your insurance before you can renew your road tax. That can be a hefty sum to cover.
If we take the comprehensive insurance plan mentioned just now, you'll be paying $2,942.17 annually - just for insurance and road tax.
Season parking
That may not seem like a lot until you multiply those amounts by 12. For sheltered carparks, that works out to $1,320 a year. Surface parking will cost you $960 annually.
Now, let's say you will own the car for five years. In that time, you would have spent $6,600 for sheltered season parking and $4,800 for surface parking.
CashCard top-ups
Having a car means you will drive after work and on weekends for errands, groceries, and etc. For argument's sake, let's say you put $200 in your CashCard monthly.
Head over to Sgcarmart's Carpark & Parking Rates Guide to get a better idea of how much you'll need to budget.
Fuel
The Corolla Altis has a stated combined fuel economy of 15.6km/L. Not everyone can consistently achieve or better than figure, so let us assume, with traffic conditions, you average 12km/L.
At 12km/L, you will need 1,250 litres of petrol to cover 15,000km. RON 95 petrol at time of writing is $2.94 per litre before discounts.
Using these figures, your annual fuel bill would be $3,675.
ERP
To get a more exact figure, you can calculate your ERP cost by following this link to the Onemotoring page with an interactive map. You can click on the individual gantries to see how much ERP is levied at various times of the day.
Budgeting between $50 and $100 a month for ERP is a safe bet for most drivers, though.
Maintenance & servicing
Bear in mind, however, that not all maintenance packages will result in free servicing, especially not when wear & tear parts need to be replaced. Labour charges may also apply.
After the bundled package runs out, a visit to the authorised dealer for regular servicing every six months could cost you between $200 to $300. You can check out third party workshops, which typically charge a lot less.
Some dealers offer owners the option of purchasing pre-paid maintenance packages. After paying the upfront fee, you'll be entitled to a set number of service visits, plus other benefits such as discounts on parts and labour.
Miscellaneous charges
You can't escape paying for car grooming, even if it's just a monthly visit to the petrol kiosk car wash. Even if you DIY (which will save a big bundle), you still need car shampoo, a bucket, a mitt and a drying cloth.
Other issues that could arise include random repairs for dings and scratches, new tyres and replacement battery.
Cost rundown
To sum up, here are the running costs you could incur in a year of car ownership. This is only a ballpark figure, and remember, it does not include the monthly payments for the vehicle itself.
| Expense | Cost |
| Insurance | $2,201.17 |
| Road tax | $741 |
| Season parking | $1,320 |
| Cashcard | $2,400 |
| Petrol | $3,675 |
| ERP | $1,200 |
| Miscellaneous expenses | $1,200 |
| Total | $12,737.17 |
Looking for more information about car ownership? These stories may interest you
Buying a car: What to look out for during your test driveBuying one of these cars is cheaper than a short-term rental
EV ownership costs in Singapore
Buying car insurance and used car warranty in Singapore
Ultimate guide to car insurance in Singapore in 2022
Photos by Editorial Team
All Advice Categories
Related Motor Directory Categories
Tags
Products & Services
For Owners
Quick Links
About Sgcarmart
