A Story to Tell: VWs in Singapore

[agoh@sprynet.com]

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From: agoh@sprynet.com
Subject: A Story to Tell: VWs in Singapore
To: billyeo@pacific.net.sg

I recently took a trip to Singapore.  And it was interesting to see old (right-hand) VWs 
alive and well in that part of the world.  I guess the sunny tropical weather helps keep 
them in shape (no salt on the roads!).

The surprising discovery is how much they cost in Singapore!  An average VW would cost 
anywhere from US$10,000 to US$40,000!  Let me explain.  The country is actually a 26 
square-mile island with a population of 3 million people.  The island is well-landscaped 
and there are condos and nice buildings everywhere. It is also one of the most 
prosperous countries in Asia, and therefore, it is also one of the most expensive cities 
to live in.  Due to the dense population, the government has place economic measures 
that prevents the over-population and over-crowding of cars in the country.  Before one 
intends to buy a used or new car, they have to bid against other potential buyers (to 
the government) for a Certificate of Entitlement (COEs).  This gives you the right to 
buy a car.  Typically, COEs for cars for this size runs around $10,000 - $20,000!  The 
demand for old and new cars are high.  And subsequently, the sales prices for VWs are 
also pretty high, usually in the range of another $10,000 to $20,000.  This adds up to 
the average total value of VWs at around $20,000 to $40,000!

Due to the high value of the cars, all VW owners maintain their cars immaculately.  They 
all have great paint jobs, excellent chrome, and fancy wheels (Empi's are very popular). 
 It appears that most parts are supplied via the States.  In fact, most of the VWs i 
have encountered are near or at show-room quality.

Just a short interesting observation about our VW cousins who are helping to keep old 
VWs alive.....
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