Odometer tampering cases on the rise here

[MacDuck]

Original article: http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC12...n-the-rise-here

 

 

By Sumita Sreedharan

04:45 AM Jun 21, 2012

 

 

SINGAPORE - When he first bought a second-hand Toyota Camry last July, he was told by the second-hand car dealer that it had been driven 60,374km. The car was brought to Toyota's authorised dealer Borneo Motors for servicing soon after, where official servicing records indicated the car's mileage was 140,056km instead.

 

"I was shocked to find out that the car's odometer had been tampered with by as much as 80,000km," said the buyer, who wanted to be known as Mr Aw as the case is pending before the authorities.

 

While such complaints appear rare compared to others lodged by consumers, more cases concerning odometer tampering have surfaced in recent years, according to consumer watchdog The Consumers Association of Singapore (Case).

 

Six cases of odometer tampering have surfaced this year, one more than the total number witnessed last year. There were nine such cases in 2010, and two cases in 2009.

 

With buyers snapping up second-hand cars in record numbers as a tight supply of Certificates of Entitlement makes new cars too expensive, some are concerned that odometer tampering may go undetected.

 

Accountant Charles Chong, 35, said the authorities should do more to stamp out odometer tampering.

 

"It is not only unethical for the car dealers to misrepresent the car, it is also a matter of safety," he said.

 

Mr Aw felt that most people with cars that are three years or older do not usually send their cars to authorised dealers for servicing, which means they would never know if they were cheated or not. The 32-year-old financial consultant has filed a police report against the second-hand car dealer and a police spokesperson said investigations are in progress.

 

If the dealer is aware that the odometer has been tampered with and fails to disclose, the dealer would be misleading the consumer and thus be in breach of the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act, said Case executive director Seah Seng Choon.

 

Case advises consumers to protect their interests by insisting that the car dealer produce a technical report on the vehicle from a reputable workshop to certify that the car is in good condition and that the odometer has not been tampered with.

 

According to Case, some of the common complaints against the motorcar industry include misleading claims, defective goods and unsatisfactory service.

 

There were 1,258 complaints against the general motorcar industry last year, an increase from the 1,232 in 2010. In the first five months of this year, Case has received some 741 complaints against the motorcar industry.

Edited June 21, 2012 by MacDuck

[Hamburger]

really......car buyers are so naive, suagu at best

[Soya]

haha....looks like the toothless tiger tai chi problem back to consumers by giving such impractical advice. they seriously think those ah beng scumbag dealers would do that??

[Alg]

Exterior polished swee swee, interior clean clean, mileage super low (owner 100th car, Dr car, maid car), engine n parts chui.

[13177]

really......car buyers are so naive, suagu at best

Agreed, cannot believe buyers would believe that a car which is 5 year old or more, mileage can be less than 100K.

[Shanhz]

the number of cases reported are small, not becoz there are few cases, but becoz most cases are difficult to prove. when i bot one of my previous cars, just listening to the engine and the belt squeak, i knew the mileage was >100k. but indicated was 55k. unfortunately, becoz PI car, no way to prove. also, i liked the car plate so i bot it despite knowing the odo was tampered with.

 

this case for our bro here was surfaced with real proof, becoz the dealer got complacent and never covered his tracks well. those who are experienced would never have tampered with an AD car becoz it is easily traceable, if it had been regularly serviced at AD. this practice will not go away, it will just be practiced more carefully. the authorities have to step in, if they want to show that they are doing work. (ie: GE2016 victory). suggestions posted here have made sense - renewal of road tax must record mileage of car.

 

with all due respect. TS shld have called BM before he made the purchase. that is what i always do, and always insist on getting AD car instead of PI car, so tat i can chk mileage.

[Maroon5]

when offenders can get away scot free, wats there to stop them? u send me lawyer letter, or Case letter, ask me go attend SCT, its not obligatory in the first place, jus ignore loh. even if u sue me, at most i close down the company and reopen another one. how difficult is that?

[Shanhz]

Agreed, cannot believe buyers would believe that a car which is 5 year old or more, mileage can be less than 100K.

 

i got a fren 3 yrs old car only 12,000km... serious.

home to work is 2km.

[13177]

i got a fren 3 yrs old car only 12,000km... serious.

home to work is 2km.

If your total mileage per day is less than 5km, and seldom use your car on weekends then maybe even when your car is more than 5 year old, mileage could be less than 100K. But dont think there is many such cases la.

[Lovemyride]

I think this problem is practised so widely in the industry that most 2nd hand car buyers know that most of the time, mileage is not accurate. So they will just buy the car and send for servicing to replace the wear and tear parts.

 

I think mileage is not so much of an issue as long as you send for checks, no accident, no expensive parts to replace like gearbox etc., you like the car, you can buy. I believe if you buy a 140k km car at 4 years old, you can drive until 350k km till its 10 years old, I think the engine will still be able to serve you well if you continue to renew the COE. Look at the mileage of the cars in other countries. It is all your regular preventive servicing that plays a part. Toyota would not design an engine that only allows you to drive 20k km per year or once your odometer hit 200k km, the engine just shuts off and tell you that it has reached the end of its life right?

[Soya]

i got a fren 3 yrs old car only 12,000km... serious.

home to work is 2km.

 

 

maybe ur fren oso temper wif his odo?

 

i had an opc once and onli drive it on weekends once in a while juz to keep the oil circulating and oredi i clock 9k in 1 year.

[Shanhz]

maybe ur fren oso temper wif his odo?

 

i had an opc once and onli drive it on weekends once in a while juz to keep the oil circulating and oredi i clock 9k in 1 year.

 

this car (3 series) belong to his wife and still driving.

the mileage is so low, he have to resort to using his wife's car during wkends to bring up the mileage. else even largi lower. imagine 2km*2*365=2,000km per year

his own car (e class) put at home during wkend to rest.

so when they go m'sia they take the low car (altho' a smaller one) so that it can clock more mileage.

[Luckcent]

Agreed, cannot believe buyers would believe that a car which is 5 year old or more, mileage can be less than 100K.

My car is already 7 years old and the mileage is only less than 75K nia.

[Ericongy]

i got a fren 3 yrs old car only 12,000km... serious.

home to work is 2km.

 

drive 2km + time to walk to carpark, + time to find carpark lot at destination.. blah blah...

y dun juz ask your friend to walk? its faster...

[13177]

My car is already 7 years old and the mileage is only less than 75K nia.

Real or bluff?

[13177]

drive 2km + time to walk to carpark, + time to find carpark lot at destination.. blah blah...

y dun juz ask your friend to walk? its faster...

Dont think walk 2km is faster. Usually it took me about 8-10 min to walk 1km, so 2km need about 20min?! Think drive faster.

Edited June 21, 2012 by 13177

[Luckcent]

Real or bluff?

Bought 2nd hand in 2010, checked with AD and mileage was 65k over and now 2 years

later mileage still low cos seldom drive.

[Ghostrider]

The advise give by CASE is talking C***.....

 

If I send my car for regular servicing at different workshop (or between 2 workshop)....how the hell can I prove to you that I service my car ? I don't keep all the receipts....

 

And lagi best...reputable workshop. Who is considered as reputable ? Are you saying that my workshop that is not in the list is a lousy workshop ? I think those not in the list will have a lot to say about that....

 

Need CASE to work....they toothless. Dun need them to say anything....ke kiang. Really a NATO organisation.