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2020 Sad to say tampered mileage cars still exist


TheCarDealer
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Having talked to a couple of car dealer acquaintances before, they generally tell the same tale about the used car buying population in Singapore and how honesty doesn't quite pay - yes, these sounds like excuses and justifications but there's also more than a pinch of truth in it:

  • Buyers expect used cars to look shiny and new so instead of presenting a car with door dings, minor scratches and such, it gets sent off for a cheap putty and paint session for a few hundred dollars, otherwise punters just walk right past. First impressions matter. 

 

  • There are enough foolish buyers to trust the numbers on the odometer. Despite micro-clues to the contrary, they will buy the 80,000km car rather than the 240,000km car, same model, same price, same everything else. Dealers taking in cars on trade actively discard any evidence of service records to the contrary. Ever wonder why 90% of used cars out there have an empty glove compartment?

 

  • A single window service reminder decal could probably be just that - a decal with a few handwritten numbers about as legitimate as the odometer. 

The upshot is, car dealers put cars on the lot that they know people are looking for. Not just make and model at the right pricing, but presented in the right condition even though it may be rotten inside.

 

The old adage, "We buy junk and sell antiques" holds true here......

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11 hours ago, andrewyewkc said:

If there is a way for LTA to make money for providing this service, there is a small chance that they will do it. Otherwise it is trouble they would want to avoid.

Have, charge whoever who wants to use the service a maybe $10 fee lor. Just like how we get charged with using ACRA to find out additional details of a company.

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4 hours ago, Karoon said:

Of course it is. Local prosecutors can find many sections to park under Cheating.

But which gahmen agency wanna do it? Enforcement is a cost centre, not a profit centre...

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4 hours ago, Macrosszero said:

Having talked to a couple of car dealer acquaintances before, they generally tell the same tale about the used car buying population in Singapore and how honesty doesn't quite pay - yes, these sounds like excuses and justifications but there's also more than a pinch of truth in it:

  • Buyers expect used cars to look shiny and new so instead of presenting a car with door dings, minor scratches and such, it gets sent off for a cheap putty and paint session for a few hundred dollars, otherwise punters just walk right past. First impressions matter. 

 

  • There are enough foolish buyers to trust the numbers on the odometer. Despite micro-clues to the contrary, they will buy the 80,000km car rather than the 240,000km car, same model, same price, same everything else. Dealers taking in cars on trade actively discard any evidence of service records to the contrary. Ever wonder why 90% of used cars out there have an empty glove compartment?

 

  • A single window service reminder decal could probably be just that - a decal with a few handwritten numbers about as legitimate as the odometer. 

The upshot is, car dealers put cars on the lot that they know people are looking for. Not just make and model at the right pricing, but presented in the right condition even though it may be rotten inside.

 

The old adage, "We buy junk and sell antiques" holds true here......

Which car dealers you talk to?

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I heard our 2nd hand cars are exported to neighboring countries like Thailand for 3rd hand use. I cannot imagine the real mileage of the cars they are driving then.. 

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Another trick used by dealers in tempering the mileage.

A 7 yr old car is put up for sale

Serviced for the first 3 yrs at agent, with mileage at 45,000 in 3rd year (average 15,000km/yr).

Gets sold to a 2nd owner who is in sales and drives a lot or even used for Private Hire. By the 7 year, mileage is 200,000km and serviced at outside workshops.

Dealer will adjust mileage to 90,000km and send to agent to service. And declare in the ad that it is agent maintained with "genuine" 90,000km mileage.

I know because my car dealer friend does that and it's an industry norm.

 

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LTA just need to require seller to declare mileage with photo of odo before transfer and make it an offense for tampering or falseful declaration.

Just a simple eService away.

But like many have said, no money no talk?

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18 hours ago, Soya said:

But which gahmen agency wanna do it? Enforcement is a cost centre, not a profit centre...

Whichever that gets to collect the fines. The complainant don't even need to engage a lawyer. Just make a police report if the used car he paid for is suspect.

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6 minutes ago, Karoon said:

Whichever that gets to collect the fines. The complainant don't even need to engage a lawyer. Just make a police report if the used car he paid for is suspect.

The police will refer you to another govt body  

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37 minutes ago, Karoon said:

Whichever that gets to collect the fines. The complainant don't even need to engage a lawyer. Just make a police report if the used car he paid for is suspect.

Hahahaaa.....so much faith in polis. Neighbours harass each other for years oso they dunno what to do....

Odo tampering they ask u go look for LTA

LTA ask u go to toothless tiger

Toothless tiger ask u join their membership and they write letter 

After used car dealer ignore letter, toothless tiger ask u to engage own lawyer

After u spend $$ engage lawyer, used car dealer ignore again

Then u run to MP cry farder marder

MP ask to go to polis

Polis then ask u go to LTA

Think u get the idea by now....

 

 

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7 hours ago, Vinceng said:

Another trick used by dealers in tempering the mileage.

A 7 yr old car is put up for sale

Serviced for the first 3 yrs at agent, with mileage at 45,000 in 3rd year (average 15,000km/yr).

Gets sold to a 2nd owner who is in sales and drives a lot or even used for Private Hire. By the 7 year, mileage is 200,000km and serviced at outside workshops.

Dealer will adjust mileage to 90,000km and send to agent to service. And declare in the ad that it is agent maintained with "genuine" 90,000km mileage.

I know because my car dealer friend does that and it's an industry norm.

 

 

so easy? 

AD never check ?

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2 hours ago, Soya said:

Hahahaaa.....so much faith in polis. Neighbours harass each other for years oso they dunno what to do....

Odo tampering they ask u go look for LTA

LTA ask u go to toothless tiger

Toothless tiger ask u join their membership and they write letter 

After used car dealer ignore letter, toothless tiger ask u to engage own lawyer

After u spend $$ engage lawyer, used car dealer ignore again

Then u run to MP cry farder marder

MP ask to go to polis

Polis then ask u go to LTA

Think u get the idea by now....

 

 

By the time some gov body is able to shine some heat on that used car dealer, it closes shop and the same boss open another one at the SAME location using a different name! 

This is common practice also

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4 hours ago, TeamAMG69 said:

 

so easy? 

AD never check ?

I doubt Ad would have the time to verify the mileage of every car sent to them for servicing 😁

Do you know that for popular makes like Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Kia, Hyundai etc., the AD services an average of 150 cars a day?

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Highly doubt any action will be taken by the government on tampering of mileage, until the time when there a series of accidents related to non-replacement of parts due to faked mileage.

Government tends to be reactive rather than proactive. Must wait for something to happen, then it's justified to take action.

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33 minutes ago, Vinceng said:

I doubt Ad would have the time to verify the mileage of every car sent to them for servicing 😁

Do you know that for popular makes like Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Kia, Hyundai etc., the AD services an average of 150 cars a day?

wow !

Hi Bro,

thanks for the reply... just curious 

then any way to tell if a car is showing real mileage ?

or other ways to tell if car mileage have been "corrected" ?

cheers

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1 hour ago, Vinceng said:

I doubt Ad would have the time to verify the mileage of every car sent to them for servicing 😁

Do you know that for popular makes like Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Kia, Hyundai etc., the AD services an average of 150 cars a day?

Even if they encountered a discrepancy - what would they do?

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