Renew COE: 5 Reasons Why It's Better Than Buying a New Car

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Is renewing the COE of your soon-to-be 10-year-old car better than buying a new vehicle? In this article, we’ll give you 5 reasons why COE renewal might actually be a better option.

Most car owners will ask themselves this question when their beloved metal steed nears its 10-year mark: “Should I renew the COE of my car, or should I buy a new vehicle?” Often than not, most individuals will choose to buy a new one. After all, who wouldn’t want to drive around in a brand-new car. However, with the rising costs of car prices, and the increase in taxes and surcharges, renewing one’s COE might actually be a more viable option from a financial standpoint.

If you’re still on the fence, this article will (hopefully) convince you to renew your COE instead of splurging on a new ride. In most cases, it’s always best to weigh out your options by examining your driving needs, condition of your car, as well as your personal income. Who knows, your trusty ride might still have a few good years left in her.

Without further ado, here are 5 reasons why renewing your COE might be a better option than buying a new car.

1. COE Renewal is More Affordable than Buying a New Car

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The most obvious reason why car owners are choosing to renew their COE instead of buying a new car is the lower upfront cost. Unlike buying a new vehicle—where you’d have to go through the whole COE bidding procedure and pay for the full price of a car, including car loan interest rate—COE renewal only requires you to pay for the Prevailing Quota Premium (PQP). This amount is calculated by the moving average of the COE prices in the last three months.

However, be advised; renewing your COE means forfeiting your PARF rebates, which could be worth a few thousand dollars. This PARF rebate, including the COE rebate, could be used to offset the price of a new car. To find out the PQP amount for the current month, check out the latest COE results.

Ultimately, car owners should decide if their current car is able to sustain them for the duration of a new COE period. There’s really no point in renewing a car’s COE if it’s already failing and you’re spending tons of money on repairs. As mentioned above, remember to weigh your options out; don’t simply renew your COE just because it seems to be the cheaper option.

2. You Can Renew Your COE for 5 or 10 Years

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Owners who choose to renew their COE have the option to extend it for five or 10 years. Before deciding on the length of the renewal, you should consider how much longer you intend to drive your vehicle.

As mentioned above, you will only need to pay for the PQP when renewing your COE. This amount will be cut by 50% if you choose to renew your COE for five years. This is obviously a more viable option for those who are not ready to commit to another 10 years of COE or plan to change the vehicle in the near future.

On the flip side, you won’t be able to extend your car’s lifespan if you’ve chose to renew your COE for five years. For 10-year COE renewal, you can renew it again (and again) once those 10 years are up.

3. You’ll Enjoy Lower Depreciation on Your Car

Vehicle depreciation can be rather difficult to explain; therefore, we’ve put together the following table to help you better visualize it.

Let's assume both vehicles are of the same price, make and model. For the COE and PQP values, we’ll use this month’s COE bidding results as reference.

As you can see, the annual depreciation for a new car is significantly higher than a COE renewed car. The reason mostly comes from the total cost of the new vehicle, which includes the purchase price of the car and the COE bidding.

For a COE renewed car, those amounts are not applicable because they have already been paid for. Only the PQP and PARF rebate that was given up will be calculated for annual depreciation.

Oh, and in case you weren’t sure, vehicle depreciation is the value that your car loses over time. Obviously, the lower it is, the better it is for you as a car owner.

4. You Can Take a 100% Loan to Renew Your COE

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In case you didn’t know, but you can actually take a loan from a bank or financial institution to renew your COE. Unlike a regular car loan (you can only get a 60-70% loan at most), you can get a 100% loan to fully cover your COE renewal. The loan repayment term differs depending on how long you plan to renew your COE. If you are renewing for 10 years, the maximum term is 7 years. For 5 years, the maximum term is 5 years.

If you are concern about the interest rates, don’t fret—because we offer a complimentary service (yes, it’s free) where we’ll help you find a COE renewal loan with the lowest interest rates.

Simply fill in your particulars and we’ll promise to get back to you in 24 hours. That’s right, we’ll do all the work for you!

5. You’re Still Eligible for COE Rebates After Renewal

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That’s right! Your vehicle may no longer be eligible for PARF rebates after renewing, but you’ll still receive COE rebates if you choose to scrap or deregister your vehicle before its new COE term is up. Similar to a PARF vehicle, the rebate amount depends on the balance of your COE term.

Here’s an example: if your car had its COE renewed for 10 years at $30,000 but was later scrapped at the 5-year mark, you’ll receive $15,000 back in COE rebates upon deregistration. Yup, even after renewing your car’s COE, it doesn’t mean your vehicle doesn’t have any value.

If you’re still unsure about whether COE renewal is right for you, click here to arrange for a FREE COE renewal consultation.

This service completely non-obligational. Not only will we help you weigh out the pros and cons of renewing your COE, but we’ll also help you find the lowest rates for your COE renewal loan. Speak to our friendly and knowledgeable consultants today!

Read more: 4 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Renewing the COE of Your Car

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