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Places To Rent A Car In Singapore For Your Johor Bahru Trips

8 Places To Rent A Car In Singapore For Your Johor Bahru Trips

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Qistina Bumidin •  Mar 11, 2024

Many of us love driving up to Johor Bahru for a quick getaway, but we all know that owning a car is a luxury not many of us have. We've rounded up a couple of car rental spots (car-sharing applications included!) which allows you to bring the car across the border! Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates:https://bit.ly/3LnFN1F

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1. Carro

Carro is Singapore's largest used car marketplace that offers a full-stack service for all aspects of car ownership - so you can buy, sell or even subscribe your car - entirely online! Yes, subscribe! What this means is that you get to own a car without the inconveniences of owning one. Let us give you an example: your subscription covers your maintenance, insurance, road tax and roadside assistance, and it's all handled by the team behind Carro - just worry about is your parking and fuel charges! Furthermore, you'll never have to worry about fluctuating COE premiums as well! And here's a unique selling point of Carro: you can switch up your choice of car every month. Honda this month, how about driving a Porsche Macan the next month? Since you have your own car, it's simply convenient for you to drive up north anytime you feel like it! There are some cons to this options - for starters, if you want to try driving a Porsche Macan, be prepared to pay high subscription fees every month - but if you frequently drive up to JB or the other parts of Malaysia, or simply use the car a lot to commute around Singapore, it might actually save you a lot more than renting or taking taxi rides!

Pros:

  • All-inclusive fee of maintenance, insurance, road tax and roadside assistances
  • Change cars every month
  • No loan or downpayment required
  • No long-term contract (can end subscription anytime with no penalty or fees)

Cons:

  • High monthly fees
  • Cars are subject to availability
  • Annual mileage cap

Suited for:

  • Frequent travellers to Malaysia
  • People who commutes by cars everyday

Click here for more informationWebsite |Facebook |Instagram

2. Cross-border taxis

You want the convenience of a car, but you don't have the license - why not let someone personally drive you there instead? You can choose your pick-up location at your own suited timing, or head to either Ban See Street Terminal, Changi Airport or Seletar Airport. You don't have to get off from the vehicle to clear immigration, AND you're not sharing it with anyone; so you do get your own seat ? While the cost is on the high-end of this list (approximately $60 per person), it's really handy if you're travelling with your kids or elder parents, who may find other modes of transport a tad too tiring and inconvenient. No additional charges are added; it's a flat rate. Once you're done with your activities of the day, head to Larkin Terminal and get a Singaporean cab back home!

Pros:

  • Trusted drivers
  • Convenient if you're travelling with a large family with kids and elderly
  • No additional charges after you book

Cons:

  • Can be pricey

Suited for:

  • Travellers with large groups
  • Travellers with kids and elderly

Where to book:

  • You can either call our local taxi operators: Comfort Taxi (6552 1111), Trans-Cab (6555 3333), Strides Taxi (6555 8888), Prime Taxi (6778 0808)
  • Or walk in to Ban See Street Terminal and wait for a cab there.
  • You can also check out SGMY Taxi Service. They do not charge extra costs after you've made your booking.

P.S. Prefer not to take a car? Check out 3 other ways you can head to JB instead here!

3. Ace Drive Car Rental

Ace Drive Car Rental offers some of the cheapest car rental services in Singapore, from $45 per day! They offer a wide range of self-owned cars for hire and handle all aspects of car rental insurance! All of their vehicles are also allowed to be driven from Singapore to West Malaysia, however there are some rules for you to take note of: (i) The rental rates will be 50% more and the insurance excess will be doubled. (ii) The insurance excess will be collected in full, either through credit card or cash. Please take note that cheques will not be accepted. (iii) Permission to drive to Malaysia is subject to approval and all payments must be paid prior to entering Malaysia. Failing which the deposit will be forfeited and/or additional charges will be imposed for recovering the vehicle. If you do face any issues, feel free to contact their 24-hour customer support for all problems associated with the car or the process of renting a car! One pro we think it's worth pointing out is that all of their Japanese cars do not have a mileage cap, so you don't have to worry about paying excess fees if you ended up driving beyond Johor ?

Pros:

  • The car can be delivered or collected anywhere within Singapore
  • They provide a complimentary (free of charge) additional second-named driver provided that a valid driver licence is presented upon booking confirmation.
  • All of their Japanese cars do not have a mileage cap

Cons:

  • You need to be at least 23 years old with 3 years of driving experience (drivers who don't meet this criteria might be considered on a case-by-case basis)
  • You need to pay security deposit depending on the model of car you choose.
  • The majority of their Luxury Cars have a mileage cap. You must pay if you need extra mileage.

Suited for:

  • Day trips to JB
  • Semi-frequent travellers (i.e. travels to JB once or twice every month)

Read here for more FAQs on short-term car rentalsWebsite |Facebook |Instagram

4. Sgcarmart

Sgcarmart is everything you need in relation to cars - from purchasing new or used cars, renting to selling, buying car products, and tons of helpful reviews online. What makes Sgcarmart stands out from the rest on the list is that there's tons of options for you to choose from when it comes to renting cars. You can choose the length of your rental period, the vehicle you wish to choose, fuel type and even the requirements you're looking for such as $0 deposit, driving to Malaysia, or if you're under 23 years old! While the car rental prices seem affordable at first glance, there's actually a lot more hidden costs involved! For example, a quick scroll through a number of short-term car rentals under the 'Drive to Malaysia' tag show that you do need to pay extra to do so. However, their fees are relatively affordable - just remember to read through reviews of the place you're renting your car from ?

Pros:

  • Offer a variety of options such as $0 deposit
  • You can rent a car if you're under 23, or if you're a P-plate driver.
  • Wide variety of options from different companies at competitive prices for you to choose from - mid-range to luxury cars are available as well!

Cons:

  • Many rental places charge more for drives to Malaysia. Some also only limit cross-border drives to Johor Bahru only. Do read the fine print before renting!

Suited for:

  • P-plate, under-21 and under-23 drivers
  • Semi-frequent travellers (i.e. travels to JB once or twice every month)

Check out the options for short-term car rental here!Website | Facebook | Instagram

5. BKW Rent-A-Car

Another car rental spot for you to check out is BKW Rent-A-Car. Offering new and used cars in excellent condition, this company is well known for its efficient customer service, contactless pick-ups that are conveniently located from selected MRT stations all over Singapore, and pay-per-use rental rates. What's interesting about BKW Rent-A-Car is that you can use the car for commercial uses such as GrabCar or NinjaVan for hiring rewards as well! ? Do note that they do have a limited range of cars that are allowed to drive into Malaysia. According to their website, most of the Economy Sedan, Economy MPV and Standard MPV are allowed into Malaysia. The system via their BKW app will let you know if you can drive into Malaysia by providing you with an option to select Malaysia Entry. Due to insurance policies, the following limits of cars allowed into Malaysia apply:

  • 1.6CC & 2.0CC – Up to KL only
  • MPVs – Up to Malacca only

Pros:

  • You don't have to pay a deposit if you use your credit card.
  • The cars are available islandwide at multiple locations nearby selected MRT stations through contactless self pick-up, which saves you the hassle of going to traditional car rental companies at a specific time; the keys to your car are located in the glove compartment to the left of the steering wheel. The car will be unlocked via the BKW app.
  • No stickers on the cars - it's like as if you own the car!
  • You can pay only what you need with daily rental rates starting from

Cons:

  • Limited cars available to drive into Malaysia - you have to check via the BKW app or call their customer service for more information.
  • Limited mileage cap on cars that can drive into Malaysia (beyond JB)

Suited for:

  • Short day trips to JB
  • Those who prefer to collect and drop their car at locations to their convenience.

Website |Facebook |Instagram

6. TribeCar

There's not many car-sharing companies in Singapore that allows you to drive into Malaysia - TribeCar is one of the three which does! Tribecar has the most diverse fleet of vehicles for rental including motorcycles, vans and lorries. Vehicles come in three different classes – Economy,Standard, Standard+ and Car Club – to suit the needs of different drivers. You can also use their cars for commercial usage and there are over 950 vehicles islandwide! ? They charge per hour as well, however if you're planning to take a TribeCar to JB, there are four important requirements to take note of:

  • You must book a minimum of 24 hours
  • You will be charged a 30% surcharge on top of rental fees
  • Pre-authorisation hold of S$200
  • Adding the option of Entry to Malaysia while extending your trip is not permitted.

Furthermore, there's only a limited amount of vehicles under the category Economy Sedan and Economy MPV are allowed entry into Malaysia. These cars are also allowed up to West Malaysia and/or no further than Kuala Lumpur. However, prices are still quite affordable for a Sedan as seen by this screenshot below!

Places To Rent A Car In Singapore For Your Johor Bahru Trips

Pros:

  • One of the few car-sharing companies that allows drives into Malaysia
  • Affordable (i.e under $100 at least for a sedan)
  • Conveniently located near MRT stations for easy, contactless pick-ups

Cons:

  • Point A to Point A (i.e. you'll need to return your TribeCar at its original parking location)
  • Must book a minimum of 24 hours if you drive into Malaysia

Suited for:

  • Those planning to stay overnight in JB

Website |Facebook |Instagram

7. WhizzCar

WhizzCar is a subscription-based platform, each of which offering different types of benefits based on your needs. The most attractive plan would definitely be the Whizz-Ezzy which is perfect if you're an occasional driver (i.e. one time usage per month or even lesser). Whizz-Ezzy don't even require to pay a registration fee, or a monthly membership fee at all - if you only plan to visit JB once every month but the thought of scrambling through endless options just exhaust you, you can simply open your app and choose a car! ? However, do note that if you do wish to drive a WhizzCar to Malaysia, it's only subjected to successful application and prior approval. Furthermore, there's an extra surcharge of 50% on usage rates, and you'll need to reserve the car for at least 24 hours. Nevertheless, if you're an occasional driver, it's still worth checking this out since it may be comparably cheaper! Plus to sign up with WhizzCar, you have to be at least 21 years old and have just 1 year of driving experience, a rarity for many car-sharing platforms in Singapore! ? Pros:

  • Their Whizz-Ezzy package doesn't require you to pay membership fees, monthly fees and commitment fees - you can simply use any of their cars once a month!
  • You only need just one year of driving experience; other car-sharing platforms require at least two.

Cons:

  • If you do wish to drive into Malaysia, you'll be subjected to a 50% surcharge on the usage rates.
  • You must book the car for at least 24 hours.
  • Excess liability for Malaysia usage is double that of Singapore usage
  • Member must obtain approval from WhizzCar before driving to West Malaysia.
  • Limited distance allowed and limited cars available for Malaysia drives.

Suited for:

  • Overnight stays at JB
  • Occasional drivers

Website |Facebook |Instagram

8. DriveLah

DriveLah is hailed to be the largest peer-to-peer car-sharing community in Singapore. Unlike other car-sharing platforms with a fixed cost structure, the rental costs for DriveLah vehicles vary widely across different models - some can start as low as $50/day to as high as $500/day! However, what makes DriveLah stands out from the other two car-sharing platforms mentioned above is that you won't be asked to pay a surcharge at all! Many of the cars, however, has a limited mileage, so do check beforehand if you're planning to travel beyond JB.

Pros:

  • No surcharge for drives to Malaysia
  • You get to meet the owner of the cars themselves, and liaise with them personally
  • Some offer delivery of the cars at your convenience

Cons:

  • Prices are on the high-end, even for mid-range cars such as a Suzuki or Honda
  • You must book the car for at least 24 hours if you're driving to Malaysia.

Suited for:

  • Working adults
  • Those planning to have overnight stays in JB

Website|Facebook|Instagram

We hope this guide will help you make the best decision the next time you're planning a quick getaway to JB ? If you're looking for activities to do in JB, check out the articles below!