Owning a car in HK

5755 Views 23 Replies 13 Participants Last post by Marzzzzzz, Sep 4, 2015

Manila-X

Discussion Starter · Apr 10, 2006

True that HK has one of the most efficient and reliable transportation systems in the world, in fact you even need one. But there are still some who still buy and own cars especially the upper class who buy luxury cars like Rolls Royce or even a Ferrari.

Have a car in HK can sometimes be an advantage but it also has alot of disadvantages like the high price of gasoline, expensive parking rates and many more. In fact alot of car owners in HK live in prime areas where public transportation isn't a problem.

Is it because of material status why some residents would buy a car even if they're middle class?

What do you think?

1 - 20 of 24 Posts

hkskyline

· #2 · Apr 10, 2006

Even the middle class can afford a car. A parking spot isn't as expensive as in the past and it's much easier and perhaps cheaper for a family to drive than to take a bus to the country park or shopping mall. Many malls offer free parking with minimum spending.

superchan7

· #3 · Apr 10, 2006

A car is good for trips to remote areas, as well as reliable transportation in emergency.

Unless everything in your life is within walking distance, a well-planned car ownership is usually beneficial. As said, HK's middle class has no problem affording a car, even the lower-middle class can do well with used cars. I know plenty of less-wealthy people have multiple cars, too.

However, cars are very alien to the mentality of the average urban HKer. I know students who moved to California a year ago, and they haven't even begun to think about using a car!

Rachmaninov

· #4 · Apr 10, 2006

Sometimes it's just for showing off, but obviously owning a car (or cars) has its merits.

Manila-X

Discussion Starter · #5 · Apr 10, 2006

I mean HK isn't a big place and you can get around the city with public transpo itself. Besides, your car won't be effective in the mainland since they drive in the right side of the road!!!

Rachmaninov

· #6 · Apr 10, 2006

Mainland China is one place that I will never travel to by car.

hkskyline

· #7 · Apr 10, 2006

Road trips to the mainland are not popular or cost effective. A package tour to cities in Guangdong is usually very cheap.

spicytimothy

· #8 · Apr 10, 2006

automobile ownership, I believe, is really just a symbol of wealth in HK... There's really no need for a car in HK.. yes there might b parking for malls, but for most other places it is parking HELL... u can literally go around and around the blocks for hours and STILL not find a spot.. remember that old Sam Hui song?

like everything else in life, u COULD buy one, but SHOULD u? in HK, i think the answer's no.

vvill

· #9 · Apr 11, 2006

owning a car IS expensive in hong kong. fuel for a start is expensive (almost comparable to the UK)... also... not to forget about the insurance, licence renewal fees, tunnel fees... blah blah blah... (you also have to take into account that public transport is VERY CHEAP in hong kong when compared with other cities - london's currently charging 3 pounds (45HKD) for a single subway journey)

vvill

· #10 · Apr 11, 2006

i also won't say that many middle class family can afford owning a car either... they surely can afford buying one... but i'm not sure about the 'owning' part.

if you look at the carpark price for most middle-class residential estates in hong kong, they're actually very expensive when compared to the price of each apartment. say laguna city in lam tin, the average price for a carparking space is about 400,000-500,000 while the cheapest apartment there is around 2,100,000 (that's like 20% of the price of an apartment).

Rachmaninov

· #11 · Apr 11, 2006

O well... i'm definitely not rich but we own two cars?

Manila-X

Discussion Starter · #12 · Apr 11, 2006

vvill said:
owning a car IS expensive in hong kong. fuel for a start is expensive (almost comparable to the UK)... also... not to forget about the insurance, licence renewal fees, tunnel fees... blah blah blah... (you also have to take into account that public transport is VERY CHEAP in hong kong when compared with other cities - london's currently charging 3 pounds (45HKD) for a single subway journey)

It is but there is still a sizable no. of car owners in the territory.

But having a car would be handy if you happen to live in far flung areas like Shek O or Fairview Park.

_00_deathscar

· #13 · Apr 11, 2006

Rachmaninov said:
O well... i'm definitely not rich but we own two cars?

You live in Jardine's lookout, you own two cars, and you're not rich?

Next you'll be telling us you live in a US$100m mansion on the Peak, own 4 Rolls Royce phantoms, 3 Mercedes Benz's, 4 Lamborghinis and an Enzo Ferrari but you're not rich.

Admit it - you're rich.

Manila-X

Discussion Starter · #14 · Apr 11, 2006

_00_deathscar said:
You live in Jardine's lookout, you own two cars, and you're not rich?

Next you'll be telling us you live in a US$100m mansion on the Peak, own 4 Rolls Royce phantoms, 3 Mercedes Benz's, 4 Lamborghinis and an Enzo Ferrari but you're not rich.

Admit it - you're rich.

To me, it doesn't matter if you're rich or not. What matter if you have a good attitude or not.

Anyway, as for my family, we don't even own a single car, we just commute. And for HK, it's not worth getting a car but the city still hold the record for having the most Rolls Royce ownerships

vvill

· #15 · Apr 11, 2006

and rach, you have a GRAND PIANO as wellllllllllll!!!! EH HEM EH HEM!!!!!!!!

superchan7

· #16 · Apr 11, 2006

Car ownership in the villages is relatively high (resident parking doesn't cost much if anything at all) because of the remote location. The obvious exception is the absolute poorest of the village population who live isolated lives.

The village where I live is lucky to be right next to a public transport interchange (KCR West Rail's Yuen Long Station). People can cycle or even walk to it.

ricz

· #17 · May 27, 2006

Though many people live in areas where its reachable for public transport, but dun forget there r many residential areas such as Mid Levels, Island South, Peak and New Territories(mostly upper middle class areas) where it is still essential to travel to work and school by car. However i do agree the cars in Hong Kong is a status-related product, most cars in the city r big and are of the top brands, Hong kong people treats their cars like their own child, therefore u seldom see any dirty and old cars unlike most cities in N. America or Europe.

hkia

· #18 · May 28, 2006

I'm totally for people in HK to use public transportation. If I had any say, I'd raise auto tax, gas tax, insurance, registration fee, etc.

That said, I also like driving.

Magic Night

· #19 · May 28, 2006

I agree 100% with WANCH, I promote anti-automobilism in HK & encourage more people to take the public transit, new KCR lines are going through a debt atm.

Syd-Hk

· #20 · May 28, 2006

i'd rather pay and use a taxi.

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