im here in Taipei for 11 more month with my wife and son. i think during weekdays we will manage with public tranportation+ scooter just fine. we like to travel and the main reason for car is traveling outside of taipei at weekends. i have a parking spot in my building. is it worth it to buy a car for this purpose and in 11 more months sell it)? how much should it cost to rent one (simple small one) on weekwnds? do you know maybe a particular cheap and reliable car rental agancy?
thanks
How much money have you got? Is your wife Taiwanese?
It’s going to cost you a lot to buy or rent for 11 months. I’d put the feelers out with her family if she has any here, and try to borrow one.
Otherwise, a rental would be a better bet. Chinese whispers will soon tell any prospective buyer you’re leaving the country and need to get shut, they’ll then pull your pants down on the price. Renting takes out the guesswork.
i would need to rent just in weekends. how much should it cost to rent a car for weekwnd?
From a normal rental company anywhere from 4~6 thousand for the two days.
This is why I am trying to compete with NT$10,000 cars per month.
You are looking at $6,000 for a weekend from a decent hire company which would buy you all the taxi rides, high speed rail tickets and cozy hotels you could eat. Forget about it.
Unless you really don’t have time to look after your car I don’t think long term hire would be cost effective. If you rent for 11 months at (say) $10k/month then you have spent $110k which would buy you a low end car in decent condition. If you buy a car for $100k, allow $25k for insurance, tax and maintenance then sell it for half what you bought it for you still only spent $75k total.
I would not budget less than $100k for buying a car unless you got really lucky and a relative was selling. How well you would come out of such a deal depends on your negotiating skills at both ends. Could be a decent move since you will then have your own car for weekday emergencies and so on.