Despite the persistent rain, many car showrooms in Leng Kee Road and Alexandra Road saw a surge in the number of visitors this past weekend.
The renewed interest in buying a new car was the result of a significant drop in certificate of entitlement (COE) premiums in the first bidding exercise of 2024.
Sales staff and managers were kept busy attending to customers and taking them on test drives beyond closing hours.
Mr Gary Quek, senior sales manager for Kah Motor, Honda’s distributor, told The Straits Times: “The number of visitors is definitely much better... at least three times more compared with a typical weekend in 2023.”
Mr Quek said that customers are timing their entry to buy a new car at the right price, especially before the Chinese New Year.
At the Toyota showroom in Leng Kee Road, there was a wait list just to speak to a car salesperson.
The Kia showroom across the road was just as busy, with a 45-minute wait for a 10-minute test drive.
The heavy showroom turnout was “not unexpected”, said Mr Ron Lim, head of sales for Tan Chong Motor, which distributes Nissan vehicles.
What caught car dealers by surprise was the sizeable drop in COE premiums in the bidding held on Jan 4.
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