Bought at a high with a newborn, no regrets on the need, some regret on timing. Here's my honest take: COE is driven by quota supply and demand, and nobody can reliably time it, people have "waited for it to drop" for years and paid more later. If you genuinely need the car now for a young family, the convenience and safety with a toddler has real value that a spreadsheet undercounts. But go in with eyes open: buy the most sensible car you can, not the biggest, because a high COE plus a pricey model plus financing is brutal. Consider a used car with COE already paid down, or a category A model. And run the true monthly cost, COE amortised, petrol, insurance, parking, ERP, servicing, before you commit. If the numbers stress your household, a car-lite year with occasional Grab and rental for big trips might beat drowning in a depreciating asset.