‘Why should I pay for a car I won't use?' — Singaporean upset after parents ask him to pay for family car's COE

Independent Singapore

2 days ago

SINGAPORE: A young Singaporean who only recently started working took to Reddit to ask if it was unreasonable for him to refuse to contribute to his retired parents' car expenses.
Posting anonymously on the r/SingaporeRaw forum, the user shared his confusion and frustration after his parents asked him and his sister to evenly split the cost of the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) for the family car.
'I think it's crazy to be spending more than half of my assets for something I don't even want, and I thought the question itself is kinda outrageous,' he wrote. 'The thing is, both my sis and I don't have driving licenses yet, plus I believe that a car is a luxury item in Singapore, not a necessity, so I don't even want to buy a car for myself in the future in the first place, much less pay for a family car.'
When he tried to express his concerns, his parents pushed back. 'When I told them this, they mentioned that they paid for the previous and current car, and how much they 'need' it.'
However, the user felt this was more of a lifestyle choice than a true need. 'I think it's a privileged mentality because I don't recall the last time they took the MRT or bus. And also if they really need it, I thought, just rent a car – it's so much cheaper and we won't have to pay for insurance, maintenance, etc, or just use Grab.'
The user ended his post by asking others in the community, 'Do any of your parents also ask you to split for the family car, especially when you just start working? And do your parents even ask you such a thing?' 'They're basically handicapping your future…'
Many Redditors who responded echoed his disbelief. Several commenters said they, too, would find such a request unfair.
One said, 'This is ridiculous. Your parents want to purchase a car for their own usage and they are asking you and your sister to pay even when ya'll don't have a driver's license yet. This means you lose out even more. They probably got too used to having a car to transport themselves around, and now, when they can't afford it after retirement, they're getting y'all to share the costs.'
Another commented, 'No. That's selfish of them. They're basically handicapping your future just so they can continue enjoying having their own vehicle.'
A third added, 'Typical sinkie parents who believe that the children are an extension of their resources. They see children as a safety net for their incompetence.'
Still, some Redditors in the thread felt the user should try to understand his parents more.
One Redditor shared a similar experience from a few years back, writing, 'My parents asked that my three siblings pay for the COE for the old car as well. All of us had already moved out. Each of us forked out S$15k for the S$45k COE then. This was about seven years ago.'
Although the Redditor admitted they weren't entirely pleased with the arrangement, they chose to pay without protest.
'I wasn't thrilled about it, but I paid. I just thought of it as a one-time payment for my uni fees since my parents paid for it.'
'At the end of the day, just think back to the money your parents had spent on you. If it's comparable (to your end of the cost of the car) and if you can afford it, pay up to maintain family bliss. Else, move out and make a clean break.'
In other news, a woman was surprised when a man she went on a first date with asked her to send him money via PayNow for dinner, several days after they met.
She shared her experience on the r/askSingapore forum on Saturday (May 31), explaining that she had agreed to meet the man, who is in his 30s, after they had developed a good connection through their conversations on a dating app.
Read more: Woman says she's 'bewildered' after man asks her to 'PayNow him' for their first date dinner
Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)