Job Discussion Forums

[BellaBrunei]

I just wanted to reiterate what lacsap said.....watch out for the european cars. Also, there are a few suzuki grand vitaras floating around with peugot engines that are just TROUBLE. Make sure to check, the CfBT mechanic who approves cars before the loan is there to make sure they'll run, not to predict future problems and so may not mention things like "this engine will be a pain to deal with."

Also, for a 10 year old Suzi Vitara you are probably looking at $9000-$10000. If you were thinking of two cars, most people with only 1 teacher go for sedans or hatches because you are more likely to get 2 for the 10 grand. BUt if you have savings to top it up then get what you want!

Also, re buying new.....question for previous poster, how long will the banks give you if you get a loan? Only the length of your contract or would a teacher be able to access a 7 year loan? Just curious.

[zootalaws]

I've never bought a new car in my life, not about to start now

And I was talking about buying my own car - my wife will no doubt get a little shopping cart with her loan.

I don't mind a bit of work on a car- I am bringing two industrial-sized tool chests along with all my bits and pieces. I have managed so far with 5-yearly trips to the garage... no reason that should change now I have lots of time on my hands.

Anyway, the used car market is what it is and there will be what there will be - I will just have to root out the bargains which will keep me busy and out of my wife's hair!

[lacsap]

Car loans: Baiduri Bank will give you a loan over three years, even if you have only a one year roll-over contract. You usually have to put down a deposit of about 15 or 20% then you pay the rest monthly which you can do through an ATM. Forget HSBC, you have to jump through too many hoops. The dealer will arrange everything. Also, regarding that 200% tax on cars. That doesn't apply any more, it was something they introduced about 10 years ago, on cars over 4 litre engine size. It was therefore only on big Land Cruisers or similar. It was very unpopular and for a while the Toyota dealer didn't sell a single car in that range. It was quietly dropped. As far as I can see, new cars are more or less comparable to UK prices, although as I said before, it depends on the prevailing exchange rate, as to how it looks to someone coming from overseas. One thing is that second hand prices for Jap cars tend to bottom out, and then not go much lower. The reason is that it is easy and cheap to keep an old car on the road, so a 15 year old Toyota, is still perfectly viable as a car. It would never get through its roadworthiness test in the UK, but here, the test is far more cursory. It largely consists of someone looking under the bonnet, checking underneath the car, then giving you a pass certificate. There are plenty of cheap bangers around, but if you look and you know what you are doing, you can get a good car, relatively new, at a reasonable price.
It is a bit daunting coming in fresh, and the people with cars to sell know you are from CFBT, and know you have a loan to spend, so they are sniffing around when new teachers arrive. As always "caveat emptor". In your position, I would buy a cheap runabout fairly quickly, such as an old Hyundai, Daewoo or Kia for about $1000, and they are there if you look. Look around the small local workshops, ask around, avoid the bigger second hand dealers. You'll find something. If the cheapo car runs ok, then fine, keep it. You can't lose much. Some small workshop mechanics will even rent you a car cheaply for a while, after your CFBT car stops being free, and it's much cheaper than Avis.Then you have a bit of breathing space to look for something better. In the end everyone gets something reasonable. I run an old banger which just keeps going and going. Costs me the best part of nothing. Looks a bit scruffy next to the Mercs, Beamers and Lexuses (Lexi?) in the school car park, but so what. More fool them.

[BellaBrunei]

If I got a loan through Baiduri, does that mean having to open a proper account with them too? I could call them to ask but not keen on "the switchboard". HSBC took so long (it seemed to me) to get credit cards done I am not surprised loans are tricky. Breakdown last week might have tipped me over the edge with current car....although, it's probably a good idea to remember to put coolant in from time to time too. A newer car might not need as much TLC?

[zootalaws]

What is wrong with your car? What kind is it? How much do you want for it?

[lacsap]

Don't need to open an account with Baiduri. As I said, the car dealer will do it all, you just sign and hand over the cash deposit. The difficult thing is remembering to pay every month for three years. It's easy to do though as you can either pay at a branch of Baiduri or it's possible to do it through some of their ATM's with cash. They give you a little card with your payment details on it. Easy. Don't forget though that you can only have one loan per car, meaning you can't take the CFBT loan then top it up with a loan from Baiduri. It is in case you default, then who gets the car? When you have a loan on a car, even through CFBT, that is stamped on to the registration document, known as the "blue card" so you can't sell the car, if the loan is still outstanding. When it is paid off, that is also stamped into the blue card. If you have a Baiduri loan, they retain the blue card and give you a photocopy. When you do your road tax every year, you go and collect your card from Baiduri, give them a $50 deposit, then return it when you have done your road tax.
On that note, not sure I would recommend buying a new car before you have been here a while, say a year or so. You might not like it! Then you will lose a fair bit on the resale of a new car.
There is another option for those in the know. There are a couple of repo yards run by HSBC and one of the Islamic banks. They have a regular call for tenders on the cars which are often in reasonable condition, but also a few wrecks. Each has a reserve price, you go and bid what you think it's worth then you may or may not get the car. Strictly for those who know what they are doing and not for the Brunei novice. I'd still recommend touring round the small workshops, finding a tame mechanic and enlisting his help in choosing whatever car. Good luck.

[zootalaws]

Can you tell me where you go to look at the repo'd cars?

[lacsap]

Have a look at
http://www.hsbc.com.bn/1/2/personal/hfbn?WT.ac=BSB_060810_hfbn

or have a wander round the road between Kampong Katok and Kampong Mata Mata, you'll find it.

There's a Baiduri Bank one as well, go past the Drug Squad building, through Kg Katok, keep going for a while and look for a sign. If you reach the Agricultural research station, you've gone too far. Have a look at:

http://www.baiduri.com.bn/bfnc_location.htm

Must reiterate, not for the novice or the uninitiated. You've got to know what you're doing. The main second hand dealers often corner the market in these places. In the past, I have been outbid on a car, then seen it appear a couple of weeks later with a huge markup in a dealers place. Beware.

[BellaBrunei]

Zoots, I am not going to tell you that- people might read this and then not buy it when they see the ad on bobwhatson! Rest assured, whoever ends up with my car is not getting a lemon. I just do a lot of kms and need something with a few less on the clock. And I do forget to check the oil and coolant a lot so that's not exactly helping keep the old girl in tip top shape. But a normal person who is organised won't have that problem.

[gajackson1]

hiyas! ^^

(post edited because I essentially posted an identical link to someone above me. I'm currently looking for the SC & CitiBank tender info pages for you all, as well)

I also bank with SC, but I have NO idea how they are on loans/tenders. I am currently trying to track down info on the govt.-based auctions, as i know they do have them; if I find it out, and you all are eligible, I will let you know.

G.

[bruneiguru]

There are links to used car dealers in Brunei here. Be prepared to bargain

http://bruneiguru.com/showthread.php/24-2nd-Hand-Cars-in-Brunei?p=80#post80