Last year, BMW introduced its Access by BMW car subscription service in the United States, and while it’s still in its pilot phase in Nashville, Tennessee, the company has now expanded the service to Singapore. The island nation is only the second market globally to offer it, and the first in Asia.
Operated by Sime Darby Services, the system works in a similar fashion to that in the US. Customers can sign up for free online, and once they subscribe to a car they will have to pay a one-time, non-refundable S$1,000 (RM3,000) activation fee on top of the cost of the subscription. They can choose between one-month and three-month tenures, and they can switch models at any time.
Unlike in the US, there aren’t any tiers in which you can freely switch between the available models in that price bracket; instead, BMW charges the customer based on the specific model. Although the company offers a range of models and variants, there are currently four vehicles listed on the website.
The cheapest is the X1 sDrive18i SUV, priced at S$2,600 (RM7,800) per month, or S$2,500 (RM7,500) a month with a three-month tenure. The larger X3 sDrive20i is offered at S$3,388 (RM10,200) monthly, while those who crave more in terms of performance can opt for an X3 M40i for S$4,600 (RM13,800) per month. Alternatively, the 520i Sport sedan is offered at S$3,788 (RM11,400) per month.
Once you subscribe, the chosen vehicle will be delivered right to your doorstep will a free tank of petrol, and the car will be collected from you at the end of the subscription. There’s also no mileage cap (again, unlike the US), and the cost of the subscription includes comprehensive insurance, maintenance, roadside assistance, road tax, GST and a replacement vehicle should the subscribed vehicle require repairs.
Of course, there are terms and conditions. Users will have to pay for their own fuel, and they are also not allowed to drive into Malaysia. Those who wish to drive over here will be able to obtain a rental car from BMW, at an additional cost.
Closer to home, Renault is already offering a subscription service that starts from RM1,299 a month for a Renault Captur, while GoCar’s offering is priced starting at RM1,600 a month for a Nissan Almera. Would you use such a subscription service? Sound off in the comments after the jump.
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I guess its reasonable to pamper yourself with X3 M40i for RM13,800 one month. I can take the performance horse go balik kampung during bulan syawal Raya. even better if can split the lease with a few member2 kamceng…
Dont hav to wori abt Maintenance, depreciation, mthly instalment, sambung bayar etc. the rest of the time, i’d make full use of my cubchai around kolumpor, lrt dan grab lerr. i can saved and own my 1st home property too. Cerdik kan?
I think it would work for a small amount of customers….a very small amount. I’m usually away for work for weeks and home for a few weeks so these kind of working style would be suited for subscription whereby a customer won’t need a vehicle sitting at home doing nothing while he’s away but when he’s back for the limited time he has, he can then subscribe for a vehicle for the weeks or months that he’s at home.
shud sewa one BM car, when my mak mertua come visiting my kids at school holiday. when she balik kampung, she happy and proud to share my success with makcik2 bawang. i have made it in the city, all the while my own persona 2007 parked the other end my taman hse
Once this comes to Malaysia, habis lah. Now already we have the highest tarik baliks and sambung bayars in the world because so many want to balik kampung to show off to Opah they have made it in Bandar and they are making big bucks.
Then after few months, banks tarik balik their cars or they looking for sambung bayar.
With this scheme, it would be abused in Malaysia
How will it be abused?
seems like the perfect scheme for people who cant commit long term.
having an on-demand car provider like SoCar and Go Car negates the need for a 2nd car. i use the service for 2-3 weeks at a time when my main car is in repairs (it’s an old BMW). save me money as i don’t need to maintain a seldom used 2nd car.
well said bro. myself leased a CX5 during the long raya haji weekend, my inlaws loved it =)