As my car's COE wind down, the stubbornly high price of a new COE bugged me for a long while (See here). Since last year, I attended the motor show and visited several showrooms to test drive various models. Keeping in mind there would be no new registered ICE cars after 2030, I had to make a decision. One of the EVs I tried almost convinced me but the price was still a hurdle. Eventually, it came down to a few points; a SUV/MPV with decent bootspace, no odd colors, no engine capacity bigger than 2000cc and an annual depreciation of $20000. New or resale didn't matter. The Toyota Noah and Honda Stepwagon were strong contenders but my wife disapproved. One morning, I was browsing through the webpages and saw a secondhand Audi Q3. I hadn't considered it before and called to make an appointment for viewing. The salesperson, J, gave a good introduction and we sat in the car, fiddling the buttons while stating my requirements. I liked it yet in terms of quantum, it caused me to hesitate. We continued exploring other cars and came across a high spec BMW X3 within my budget. Every box was ticked but if only for its reputation. More than two hours passed and I was ready to leave. Walking towards the lift, out of the corner of my eye, a new car parked into the lot that was empty an hour ago. Oh, it was a Mercedes GLB, likely beyond my affordability and since no information sheet was available, I requested more from J. Turned out this was the 200 Sport variant that just arrived, still unadvertised. I might as well looked at its interior for reference. As J flipped multiple sheets to find its price, I was quite impressed by the condition and feel. Finally, he quoted me a depreciation of $22500. My heart flinched, it was out of reach. Never mind, he said, let's try to work something out. We took it out for a ride and he was inspecting the car, like me, for the first time. This felt right at home. Then we sat down and he wrote out the numbers. Given a small discount, trade in and a year's warranty, I decided to just YOLO. It's living out a little dream albeit with a cost. I'm so excited and can't wait to get driving, so what if it's only a few more years. Meanwhile, I bade a sad goodbye to my trusty X-trail who accompanied my family for the past 9 years and 8 months. It carried baby seats, stroller, golf bags, fruit boxes and the occasional Christmas tree without fuss, never gave a problem or let me down.
The National School Games have reached its conclusion this year. My youngest son was heavily involved after being a substitute the previous season. I didn't manage to catch all his rugby games and relied on a supportive parent's recordings for highlights. Generally, he's become a dependable team member known for quick recovery pace and often brave in his tackles. Well, I think his speed is thereabouts and can improve, however I am delighted by his courage when taking opponents down, often much bigger and many of whom play for clubs. It pleases me to watch his development, even his former coach (who is now a rival) was surprised by the unexpected transformation. Let's see in two years, with more training, how his broadening shoulders and increasing height will make him a menace on the field.
Tip: Shirakabegura Kimoto Junmai, soft apple and very dry, pair with oily fish
