Future of Car Parks:Mechanical Parking VS Surface Parking Preference.Which is Better?

[wenqing]

Just want to seek opinions on future of car parks in Singapore.

Many agents told me the same thing.

The future of Singapore Car Parks will be mechanical parking and surface parking (including multi-storey car parks) will be slowly phased out and be extinct in Singapore.

When I go showflats, I realised many developments are offering mechanical car parks these days.

Agents to told me shopping malls, public car parks, HDB car parks all will become mechanical in future. This is due space constraints.

I thought my agents are working as fortune tellers as part time jobs as I had my doubts.

I did not park mechanical parking before but being machines, the wear & tear will cause more problems than surface parking in future.

Breakdowns and jams in mechanical parking can be a nightmare I suppose like ordinary elevators.

What are your thoughts and preference in car parks ?

Which do you think is better ?

Does type of car parks play a role in the decision to buy the development ?

[hopeful]

for the same area, which one can park more cars?

[wenqing]

for the same area, which one can park more cars?

I suppose is mechanical parking or else developers will not introduce this type of parking.

Main reason is save lots of space more than surface parking.

Many agents told me it is the trendy thing and it is a lifestyle privilege.

I did not know car parks also is part of lifestyle and privilege and branded.

[hopeful]

I suppose is mechanical parking or else developers will not introduce this type of parking.

Main reason is save lots of space more than surface parking.

Many agents told me it is the trendy thing and it is a lifestyle privilege.

I did not know car parks also is part of lifestyle and privilege and branded.

Sure, look at Hamilton Scotts. the good thing is the car park is in front of your unit. the bad thing is you have to pay for car park space (i think).

I think there was another KL condo that has same feature.

[teddybear]

Mechanical car parks - Save space for developers to build to sell for more $$$, shift the cost of maintenance to you owners! Win-win for developers!

Wait till a person and his/her car get trapped in that car lifts at night when there is no mechanical car-park technician to come to rescue (as if getting trapped in a passenger lift is already not bad enough, see Nex Shopping Mall). In such situation, even if you are $BILLIONAIRE so what? Offer the mechanical car-park technician $1m to get him wake up from his sleep and free you?

The future of car parks will become all Mechanical car parks only when all those property owners are so stupid to buy such projects!

So can't understand why have people buy such Mechanical car park projects. Take lift need to wait for lift, take car lift also need to wait for car lift. They are the type who enjoy waiting?

Just want to seek opinions on future of car parks in Singapore.

Many agents told me the same thing.

The future of Singapore Car Parks will be mechanical parking and surface parking (including multi-storey car parks) will be slowly phased out and be extinct in Singapore.

When I go showflats, I realised many developments are offering mechanical car parks these days.

Agents to told me shopping malls, public car parks, HDB car parks all will become mechanical in future. This is due space constraints.

I thought my agents are working as fortune tellers as part time jobs as I had my doubts.

I did not park mechanical parking before but being machines, the wear & tear will cause more problems than surface parking in future.

Breakdowns and jams in mechanical parking can be a nightmare I suppose like ordinary elevators.

What are your thoughts and preference in car parks ?

Which do you think is better ?

Does type of car parks play a role in the decision to buy the development ?

[DC33_2008]

How fast can the car be parked? Not sure if this is the bottleneck with all wanting to park or leave the carpark during peak period.

[Geylang OKT]

Save space. Think build a landed property as opposed to builing a condo on the same site

[hyenergix]

Mechanical carpark is very slow and breaks down quite often if not maintained well. I will not go for projects with mechanical carpark. Covered surface carpark at ground level is still the best.

[zzz1]

The more parts and components, it is more borne to breakdown and maintenance. Plus the start up cost is built in the selling price…For commercial building, where the tenants are a lot, it may make sense for mechanical parking For a condo, how many unit for a condo will be ? developer will maximize the area to sell more unit…

Normal parking just walk to your car, and move off…that easy…

I don’t think a mechanical parking has any selling value to me.

[hopeful]

............

Normal parking just walk to your car, and move off…that easy…

I don’t think a mechanical parking has any selling value to me.

in hamilton scotts, your guests can admire your car. hope nobody accidentally press the gas pedal while up in the sky, like a few cases that happened in MSCP.

I would suggest to the developer to make a turntable in the car porch. so the car can spin round and round to the "aahhhhs" of your guests.

[jencrs]

Covered surface carpark at ground level is still the best.

You prefer that to underground? Assuming no flood problems.

[zzz1]

in hamilton scotts, your guests can admire your car. hope nobody accidentally press the gas pedal while up in the sky, like a few cases that happened in MSCP.

I would suggest to the developer to make a turntable in the car porch. so the car can spin round and round to the "aahhhhs" of your guests.

Hee hee…..It is the mechanism that impressed the guests, I would preferred that the car that make the impression.

Yes,. Safety is a concern too…

[hyenergix]

You prefer that to underground? Assuming no flood problems.

The walls of underground carpark have to be waterproofed, else they will crack and leak. In addition, you need heavy duty ventilation system to keep the carpark cool plus the chance of ponding during heavy rain.

[Wild Falcon]

Hey, don't confuse mechanical parking with parking your car right at your house to admire hor like Hamilton. Mechanical parking is the type u see in Japan - you can't admire your car - it is stored in a storeroom kind of box with cars stacked very close to one another and dun need to build ramps and roads in the carpark and thus save space. U bring your car into a cargo lift. And the cargo lift slowly deliver your car to storage. It's quite slow and often breaks down. Once break down - that is it. Singapore is not that land scarce lah. Its definitely faster and more convenient if you could just step into your car and drive off. There are already some apartments in Katong area with mechanical parking because there is no land for anything to begin with.

Sure, look at Hamilton Scotts. the good thing is the car park is in front of your unit. the bad thing is you have to pay for car park space (i think).

I think there was another KL condo that has same feature.

[sh]

Mechanized parking is normally used when there is no choice, usually in very small plots of land. Eg Robinson suites. The lots are so small that you do not get much space left after fitting in a ramp to get up and down.
On the issue of waiting time, look at it this way: the time you spend driving up the ramp, finding a lot, walking out of the Carpark, walking back to find your car, getting out of the Carpark etc, is probably the same amount of time spent waiting for the system to park and retrieve the car. It’s just that we do not perceive it as waiting while we are going through the process.

[Geylang OKT]

One good example is the M-Park @ Club Street (opp Far East Square)

[marktkt22]

If it breakdown, your day r screw. I avoid mechanical carpark projt, which are mainly mm units

[hopeful]

mechanical carpark usually has how many lifts?
any standard ratio? like 2 car lifts for 50 parking spaces?

[Wild Falcon]

I don't which condo u stay but for many condos with basement carpark, u just have to take the lift down to the basement, walk to your car (park near lobby) and drive out. I think only 1-2 minutes. In the case of a mechanised car park, u need to take a lift down, walk to the retrieval zone , key in the lot number, queue for your turn (assuming your neighbour is in front), wait for the lift to retrieve your car and after the car comes down, it has to turn around at the turntable at a snail pace if you've seen it before. After that, then u can get into the car, start the engine and queue to get out of your car park. Surely this can't be the same speed?

Mechanized parking is normally used when there is no choice, usually in very small plots of land. Eg Robinson suites. The lots are so small that you do not get much space left after fitting in a ramp to get up and down.
On the issue of waiting time, look at it this way: the time you spend driving up the ramp, finding a lot, walking out of the Carpark, walking back to find your car, getting out of the Carpark etc, is probably the same amount of time spent waiting for the system to park and retrieve the car. It’s just that we do not perceive it as waiting while we are going through the process.

[sh]

I don't which condo u stay but for many condos with basement carpark, u just have to take the lift down to the basement, walk to your car (park near lobby) and drive out. I think only 1-2 minutes. In the case of a mechanised car park, u need to take a lift down, walk to the retrieval zone , key in the lot number, queue for your turn (assuming your neighbour is in front), wait for the lift to retrieve your car and after the car comes down, it has to turn around at the turntable at a snail pace if you've seen it before. After that, then u can get into the car, start the engine and queue to get out of your car park. Surely this can't be the same speed?

Don't know? just speculating....

But been to some multi-storeyed carpark where you go round and round looking for a lot.... and round and round back down again.... especially the HDB ones....

[Condo Kaiser]

I for one would definitely prefer the mechanical carparks. (provided it doesn't break down)

But only concern is that if people get too used to the help of machines, no one would know how to park a car normally.

But most singaporeans don't know how to/refuse to park their cars properly anyway. Everyone seems to think they drive a Hummer and require 1.5 lots.

[Geylang OKT]

I definitely, totally, irrevocably, abhor mechanical car parks

[med80009]

What if i left something inside the car and just want to quickly grab it... sounds a little inconvenient...

[romeo]

we r first world country.. we just abolished tv n radio licenses.. n we r land scarce.. yup we r heading mechanical parking.. lolz

[Geylang OKT]

Are you guys property agents trying to sell mickey mouse apts with mechanized carparks?

[pod]

I remembered I went viewing at a mm unit in telok kurau... Agent kept avoiding my qns about carpark. Until I found out later its mech cp system. Hahahaha....

So ya... its in telok kurau now.... slwly but surely... it will be a "hit"

[devilplate]

maintenance cost cud be quite high.....

shd set min 500sqft....den dun have this kind of problem liao as developer cannot squeeze out so many units on a small piece of land

[Condo Kaiser]

Agree with 500 sqft. Anything smaller should be banned or attract a higher tax/stamp duty.

I think HSBC don't even loan to applications for units smaller than 500 sqft. They deem it to be too risky.

Studio units needs to be 500 sqft and up,

[kane]

if the machine breaks down like the lift, then you got to take the taxi??

[Geylang OKT]

Honest mistake, let's move on