Drive My Car: The Beatles: Aesthetics Lyrics.
YouTube Video: Lyric Hub.
Saying Hello, Goodbye to the Car:
Cuboid Cefiro
This car of mine
No slow poke now
I never want to part with her you see
This little car means a heck of a lot to me*
After 10 years exactly, at the end of May 2016, my faithful 2300 cc steed will finally be silenced in the scrapyard. Can you imagine a beautiful Japanese Cefiro built in 2006, complete with the latest features that only some cars have today, being towed away to be crunched and crushed into cuboid?
I know I shouldn't be writing about cars but I am totally devastated that I have to lose $14,000 (scrap value) and pay another $25,000 (current prevailing COE price) to use my own car for another 5 years. $40,000 is a lot of gas. And the Cefiro has done only 90,000 kilometers. It hasn't seen its day yet.
Having taken the bus, taxi and MRT I find it truly convenient to take public transport but only if it is during retirees' hours from about 11am to 3pm. Try taking a bus outside those hours and you're done for.
Also during a rain-storm at the bus-stop without an umbrella. Or try to queue for a taxi at Orchard Road on a week-end. Or ride the train, which can be squeezy. I'm missing the car already.
And missing the music with it. The stereo set in the car is a simple one. Nifty though with four fabulous speakers and two twitters near the windscreen. There's a ten-piece CD changer in the boot and a GPS screen in front.
Children's Choice
While driving I am only interested in listening to music from the 50's, 60's and 70's. And the radio station is stuck at 90.5FM. Reminder for Brian Richmond. And I know you read my blog often :>).
So here goes. When my grand children were between the ages of 4 to 8, they love songs by The Blue Diamonds like Bebek Angsa and Summer Holiday. Then Ob-La-Di-Ob-La-Da by The Marmalade and Don Spencer's Fireball XL5.
Paul Anka's Diana was a must with The Beatles' Hello, Goodbye and Joseph and His Technicolor Dreamcoat with emphasis on, Any Dream Will Do. The youngest enjoyed Fraulein and Little Dutch Girl.
Strange but true; never once did they fall asleep listening to the selection. They remember the track number of each song and the efficient Kenwood stereo never missed its cue playing CD's that the kids pushed into its mouth. We hardly used the changer.
Creditable CD's
For my own driving entertainment, The Eagles Greatest Hits, Queen with Jewels, Neil Diamond's Gold Selection, Johnny Lion and The Jumping Jewels CD Selection and a mixed bag of choice 60's Indonesian guitar group instrumentals from Larry Lai.
The song change occurs only on occasions when CD's are replaced with a new selection. Then my son's Dire Straits: Money For Nothing with Sultans Of Swing sticks in the player for months.
Lately experienced rhythm guitarist, Michael Bangar gave members of the group a CD called, Elvis Presley: Artist of the Century with a BMG/GSM/RCA label. Disc One has Presley's usual hits.
Disc Two was a surprise. Songs like: Like A baby, That's Someone You Never Forget, Down In The Alley, Run On, Tomorrow Is A Long Time, Stranger In My Own Home Town and After Loving You. Thank you Mike for the CD. Bet readers never heard the songs?
Cherrio CarSo good bye dear car. Had wonderful and comfortable rides these ten years, providing much space for the kids to topsy-turvy in the back seat and scream with Elvis in the front.
Want readers to know Singaporeans' heartaches with their cars. And balancing the mind with songs in their hearts, every driving day, to keep the sanity intact.
You drive don't you. Stories to tell?
*This Car of Mine: The Beach Boys.
Drive My Car - The Beatles Video by: DrHooty911
Images: A Private Collection
There are 100's of car songs. Below is the longest list I've seen:
http://www.calif-tech.com/blog/carsongs.html
My advice is pay the extension for another 5 years since the condition of your car is still good n only 90,000 km. You can't get one that big n spacious especially when you have a big family with grand kids and is convenient to have a car cos it's with your own timing. And also in case of emergency, you dont have to wait for public transport. Also you can still get back COE on pro-rata of remaining period.
ReplyDeleteThank you for good advice sir. But there's no pro-rata. No getting back anything. Like I wrote, the music lightens the heartache.
ReplyDeleteBut it's been a breeze with the car.
A hard decision to make and a big sacrifice because of the COE. Luckily at least to cool off the sentimental loss (music). There are no two ways about it.
ReplyDeleteHa, ha, good to know.
ReplyDeleteA read writes from not too far away:
ReplyDeleteVery good read. My sympathies on your predicament. Someone faced this dilemma recently. He bit the bullet, took the scrap money and topped it up for a small runabout - thus cutting running cost. But that's because he has trouble walking so public transport is not an option. Best wishes.
PS Don't mean to rub salt in your wound but we drove our trusty Volvo 940 for close to 20 years here and it was still going when we got tempted by a sexy young thing. :>)
Ooh so touching chief! BTW, did you retain your registration car number? Of course in remembrance of her dedicated decade of faithful service! Cannot keep her physically but you can her 'soul' in your new car.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for taking the trouble to write a paragraph each to reply. I guess the topic has hit the hearts of some.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, the authorities have made full use of the heavy taxes we pay by building proper infrastructure for cars to run around fairly well on our roads. Furthermore the tiny space we are in is a problem. Money is one curb.
I guess like Rickie said, there are no two ways about it.
Shall we discuss car music now?
Dear Andy,
ReplyDeleteI was lucky to have the privilege to ride in your sedan recently before it goes to the scrapyard unless you choose to extend. All of us face the same dilemma of either scrapping or extending for 5 years. It is a personal choice but most car owners will choose to scrap and get a used car if not a new one. Maybe we have to rely on public transport and if in need will look at car-sharing option which is the new thing to come by soon.
Yes like you, music in the car used to be from Gold 90.5 or otherwise there were CDs with at least one of them by our local 60's artists. The other songs are mainly hits by the Hollies, Herman Hermits, Rolling Stones, Beatles, Shadows music etc. Sometimes I also do listen to popular Mandarin songs.
Hi Andy,
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your car. It is indeed a beauty. A real shame. ;-(
Hope all is well with you and yours.
FACEBOOK LIKES:
ReplyDeleteJOHN CHER
RANDY LEE
ATHENA BAGANI
THOMAS GWEE
ANDY NG
Peter Cheong
ReplyDeleteIt's v painful to say gd bye to yr car aftv10 yrs of love n care. A well maintained car easily lasts 15 yrs. Now it costs a bomb to get a replacement. The coe should stretch to 15 yrs.
Andy Young
ReplyDeletePeter Cheong yes, totally agree. It should be, seeing that we all look after our cars so well. It is frustrating now that my present car has only 2 more years before the BIG CRUNCH. Sigh! Thanks Peter for your valuable comment and suggestion.
Andy Young
ReplyDeleteParting with a car when it's 10 years young and still going steady, is truly a heartache. Share my past journey... And it's happening again soon in 2026 when I have to pay a hefty sum again for another 5 or 10 year term?
Foo Jong Fook
ReplyDeleteAndy Young ,
You have said it right. Many cars at 10 years are still good for many years to.come.
Many years ago I was driving a 5 years vehicle. My friend from India asked me the age of the car. I told him and he replied that your car looks like new.
With the exhobitant cost of car ownership, it just doesn't make sense to own one. But I still notice many cars are parked whole day without moving an inch.
Andy Young
ReplyDeleteFoo Jong Fook hi, thanks for your feedback. Yes, I am one owner who hardly drives the car but need it because of its convenience. I guess we have to pay much for this.