Revealed: Final hour of COE bidding

Why big dealerships bid aggressively

Inside a big operation to secure COEs

Best time to buy a car in this environment

Why it's not consumer's problem when COE rises

Days of 5-figure COE prices over

Hear how the final hour of bidding for COEs can typically go, from a ex-motor trade insider.

Synopsis: The Straits Times offers expert insights to Singapore's mobility trends and the vehicle quota system, which includes the Certificate of Entitlement (COE).

There are two tender exercises for these COEs every month. It typically opens for three days, from noon on a Monday and to 4pm on Wednesday. But the bidding action only comes alive in the final hour or so, as more bids start to appear and the premiums climb. 

To help us understand what goes on behind the scenes in that last 60 minutes, ST’s senior transport correspondent Lee Nian Tjoe speaks with Mr Say Kwee Neng, who has been in the motor trade for more than 20 years.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:00 What goes on the final hour of bidding and who is typically left in last crucial 15 minutes of the bidding exercise

5:28 Three reasons why a dealership may be more driven to bid aggressively to secure COEs

7:45 "Inside" a big dealership: Setting up a wall of computers dedicated to securing COEs

12:45 Why motor dealers do not want to drive up COE premiums; best time to buy a car today?

17:10 Why it is "not the consumer's problem" when COEs rise

23:20 Say Kwee Neng: “There is no chance that COE premiums will come down. The days of a five-figure COE are well and truly over.”

Produced by: Lee Nian Tjoe (niantjoel@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Fa’izah Sani and Paxton Pang

Edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Follow COE Watch Podcast here:

Channel: https://str.sg/iTtE

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/iqW2

Spotify: https://str.sg/iqgB

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/iqgu

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Lee Nian Tjoe's articles: https://str.sg/wt8G

Follow Lee Nian Tjoe on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/iqkJ

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (new): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#coewatch

Hear how the final hour of bidding for COEs can typically go, from a ex-motor trade insider.
Synopsis: The Straits Times offers expert insights to Singapore's mobility trends and the vehicle quota system, which includes the Certificate of Entitlement (COE).
There are two tender exercises for these COEs every month. It typically opens for three days, from noon on a Monday and to 4pm on Wednesday. But the bidding action only comes alive in the final hour or so, as more bids start to appear and the premiums climb. 
To help us understand what goes on behind the scenes in that last 60 minutes, ST’s senior transport correspondent Lee Nian Tjoe speaks with Mr Say Kwee Neng, who has been in the motor trade for more than 20 years.
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:00 What goes on the final hour of bidding and who is typically left in last crucial 15 minutes of the bidding exercise
5:28 Three reasons why a dealership may be more driven to bid aggressively to secure COEs
7:45 "Inside" a big dealership: Setting up a wall of computers dedicated to securing COEs
12:45 Why motor dealers do not want to drive up COE premiums; best time to buy a car today?
17:10 Why it is "not the consumer's problem" when COEs rise
23:20 Say Kwee Neng: “There is no chance that COE premiums will come down. The days of a five-figure COE are well and truly over.”
Produced by: Lee Nian Tjoe (<a href="mailto:niantjoel@sph.com.sg">niantjoel@sph.com.sg</a>), Ernest Luis, Fa’izah Sani and Paxton Pang
Edited by: Fa’izah Sani
Follow COE Watch Podcast here:
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/iTtE" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/iTtE" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-12099">https://str.sg/iTtE</a>
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/iqW2">https://str.sg/iqW2</a>
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/iqgB" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/iqgB" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/iqgB</a>
Google Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/iqgu" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/iqgu" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/iqgu</a>
Website: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://str.sg/stpodcasts&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1604121592032000&amp;usg=AFQjCNF423GUSRs-f8wdi3ldSNpY72885g">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
Read Lee Nian Tjoe's articles:<a href="https://str.sg/wt8G"> https://str.sg/wt8G</a>
Follow Lee Nian Tjoe on LinkedIn: <a href="https://str.sg/iqkJ">https://str.sg/iqkJ</a>
---
Discover more ST podcast channels:
COE Watch: <a href="https://str.sg/iTtE">https://str.sg/iTtE</a>
In Your Opinion: <a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt">https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
Asian Insider: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa7">https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Health Check: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaN">https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Green Pulse: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaf">https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
Your Money &amp; Career: <a href="https://str.sg/wB2m">https://str.sg/wB2m</a>
ST Sports Talk: <a href="https://str.sg/JWRE">https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
#PopVultures: <a href="https://str.sg/JWad">https://str.sg/JWad</a>
Music Lab: <a href="https://str.sg/w9TX">https://str.sg/w9TX</a>
Discover ST Podcasts: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (new): <a href="https://str.sg/i44T">https://str.sg/i44T</a>
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2">https://str.sg/wuZ2</a>
Invisible Asia (9 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZn">https://str.sg/wuZn</a>
Stop Scams (10 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZB">https://str.sg/wuZB</a>
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuJa">https://str.sg/wuJa</a>
---
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#coewatch

Synopsis: Every month, The Straits Times offers expert insights to Singapore's mobility trends and the vehicle quota system, which includes the Certificate of Entitlement (COE).

Podcaster: Lee Nian Tjoe

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis & The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Synopsis: Every month, The Straits Times offers expert insights to Singapore's mobility trends and the vehicle quota system, which includes the Certificate of Entitlement (COE).
Podcaster: Lee Nian Tjoe
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis &amp; The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

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