Mat: "Hey Dol, nice car, where did you buy it from?"
Dol: "Thanks, bought it from the Pasar Malam lah that day."
In a sign of the times, a total of 12 car dealers have set up "showrooms" at the festive Bazaars and Pasar Malam all over Geylang Serai. Where people usually get their break fast food and festive clothing, Malays are proudly signing away ten-year loans under the very same tents.
In an article published by The Sunday Times on September 23 2007, it was reported that car salesmen there are laughing all the way to the bank from the unexpectedly brisk business, thanks to the Malay crowd who are attracted to the $0 and $1 drive-away deals.
One of them is Mr Adrian Toh, 40, manager of Sport Auto which carries the Chinese brand Geely. He sold more than 50 cars in just the first week of setting up shop at the bazaar.
"I was only hoping to sell enough cars to cover the rent initially, but the overwhelming sales took me by complete surprise", he bemuses. His bazaar stall is selling twice as many cars as his permanent showroom at Ubi.
Another pleased car salesman is Mr Don Tan, 28, manager of Teck Wei Auto Trading.
"The grand scale of this bazaar is drawing such large crowds that we're selling three times more cars here than at our permanent showroom in the Malay Village over the same period of time", exclaims the happy salesman.
One of the proud owners of these Pasar Malam cars interviewed is Madam Ida Rohana, who admitted that a new car was not on her shopping list when she visited the bazaar. However that did not stop her from leaving Geylang Serai the proud owner of a Geely CK car that cost her $42,999.
Earlier this year, I wrote a piece regarding Malay Money Habits in The Bankrupt Mat. Do have a look at it.
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Car dealers who set up shop at the bazaar at Geylang Serai have certainly hit the jackpot. But the same can't be said for buyers who may have difficulties repaying the car loan instalment payments later down the road.
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