A Singaporean In Australia

I think it may be time to get a second car. I couldn't leave the Missus at home without an emergency mode of transport. To be a both effective and efficient housewife, she needs to get around quickly. Money however, isn't a strong area about me at the moment so it is tricky to make decisions. We can go without it and move on. That was how we operate for almost two years. Or we can buy another 2000 bucks car, it seems like a workable option since Goldilocks has lasted a full year by now. It's depreciation may be high at $2100 per year for now but if that goes on for another year, it'll record a depreciation for $1050 per year at the end of next Autumn. 

No one else except Thusara is as cheap prudent as me. His $1000 Nissan March beats the daylights out of my bargain. Even so, he got rid of his other lemon and bought a very decent car for Angie, who grinned more beautifully than ever the last time our families met. There is little doubt a similar cool machine will bring the same big smile to Jen's face for many days.

Most of us set a budget at around $10,000-$15,000 for a 'decent car' here. The strategy appears similar - get something not too expensive but good enough to last many years. With no mushrooms found under the back seat. I wonder why I have never considered that at all, while everyone seems to be doing so. If I remember correctly, Grace drives a Rio that still smells new. E's family has a smashing Nissan, Joe & Samantha go for a really fine Toyota, Micky & Jac got themselves a big family car + that backup car at that price range in their Getz. Eugene's backup car was a Yaris, though his 'main car' looked really 'vintage' like Goldilocks, a 1994 Camry. Steph-Joni roar around in their Dora the Explorer not to mention Thusara, a new member of the club.

Well, if there are anything to get out of the wisdom of the crowd, I should be getting something around the $10,000-15,000 range and buy 'something that last.' Yeah, wish I got 10, 15k  of spare change. If I do, I can probably borrow a couple more from the Duchess of the Brook to buy a brand new Jazz like hers or a Mazda 3 like Pat. No, I won't be gunning for a Cooper like the King of the North. I know my limits.

One of Jen's "Car Rules" is that any car that we drive MUST HAVE 5 DOORS. I hate this rule but rules are rules. I think she will like power steering and an air conditioner to go along too. What? Are there cars which doesn't have either these days? Yes. There are still manual cars too, ladies and gentlemen. Prior to finding Goldilocks on Gumtree, I actually tested a Mazda 121 which didn't come with power steering. I didn't like it, because I couldn't perform full turns with one hand. So adventurous as I am, I will not consider a car without power steering. Regarding air condition - key in "Summer" at the search box of this blog and find out how much fun I had during Summer.

My favourite Renault Kangoo has 5 doors, technically at least. That will never work unless I convert one of these as my work car and relegate Goldilocks as the housewife transport. I can probably solve the equation with about $5-6k for a reasonably good condition Kangoo. Then tonight I saw this:

I am grinning idiotically now.

Let's just go to sleep and wake up with a memory reboot like always.