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

What's on your mind when you saw your old car on road or when you saw it on SG CAR MART used car listings? For me, first question: "Wa lao eh...how much mileage the dealer tampered?"

A friend of mine gonna caught. What's the penalty? And yes he has regretted his actions.

I was wondering how prevalent the practice of tampering with car speedometers is these days. I traded in my nine year old ride to a dealer and I'm pretty sure(90%) that I saw it for sale online, but with the mileage counter adjusted downwards by almost 100k.

If cannot afford, dun drive!!! SINGAPORE: More motorists have been caught tampering with their parking coupons. And most of the offences are committed in housing estates. This is according to figures by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). The HDB caught 400 offenders last year, compared to an average of 150 between 2007 and 2011. The URA caught more than 1,500 offenders last year, compared to an average of 800 between 2007 and 2011. The authorities say tampering with coupons is tantamount to cheating. Those who are caught are liable to fines of between S$80 and S$300.

Just thinking about this issue which is becoming or have become a common source of unhappiness to many "new" 2nd hand car owners. The main reason i see why dealers and/or even some savvy owners want to tweak their odometer reading is so that potential customers will think the car they are keen to buy is newer or still new despite it's age, hence need not be worried or have to fork out a hefty maintenance sum so soon or at all. Personally, i think the following may deter, but probably unable to totally eradicate this problem/bane unless more enforcement methods used - 1. Dun buy a ride unless u have verifiable evidence of actual mileage. Eg. Service records from AD or workshop where ride was serviced. 2. If suspect that mileage is tampered or not so sure, ask either for better discount from selling price or to be inspected at own mechanic. Sometimes, high mileage does not necessarily mean problematic if the previous owner has taken time and $ to replace wear and tear parts. 3. In car sale agreement, insist that car dealer gives a warranty that should the mileage be found to have been tampered within 3 months from date of collection, an amount of $xxxx be paid, whether the car dealer is aware or not aware about the tampering. Basically, these documentation/black and white will be the tooth that Case can use. As i see at this point, many of the complaints brought up to Case are made weak because there is no solid evidence to point or put the onus on the car dealers to acknowledge responsibility for odometer tampering. Whether the car dealer honours the agreement is subject to the severity of the complaint. I rather keep making it troublesome for these dishonest car dealers to open/close shop or have a possible bankruptcy charge over their heads to make them clean up. On enforcement, i was thinking along the line of lta making the manufacturer come up with tamper proof odometer or lta have a type of seal that prevents tampering. But this may translate to more fees or a fee which i know, open doors for plenty of kpkb too. This thread for constructive discussion/further suggestions and no need to bring in politics or grandma or grandpa also (kpkb)..... If this topic is a repeat of other threads, my apology Mods, please delete. Safe ride Cheers

TODAY paper page 14........15th Jan 2010. Four Singaporeans were charged yesterday, with two of them fine and jailed for tampering with thier fuel gauges. The men, all in thier 30s, were the first to be charged this year for the offence and had been arrested within the span of one and a half hours on wednesday morning. At about 12.30am, Raymond Foo Yong Meng, 32, was caught at the Woodlands Checkpoint. His car fuel gauge indicated the tank was full but a close check showed the reading should have been at the one-quarter mark. It was believed that he used a remote control to adjust the gauge. Half an hour later at the same checkpoint, Muhammad Shaiful Ismail, 30, was caught with a tampered fuel gauge and the remote control device used for the deed. At about 2am, Benjamin Giam Kok Meng, 36, and Ang Kok Tong, 31, were arrested for similar offences. Muhammad Shaiful and Giam both pleased guilty to not having the minimum amount of fuel - a three-quarter tank full - when attempting to leave Singapore, as well as giving false information to officers. They were each fined $500 and jailed two weeks. Court proceedings are ongoing for the other two cases. Last year, Singapore Customs prosected 24 persons for tampering with fuel gauges, up from just four in 2008.

Saw a group of parking wardens surrounding a car at a URA car park near CBD. Subsequently two stayed behind till the drivers came back and was caught red handed. Good luck to them. One was a new car some more, SJZ Hyundai. Got money buy car no money to park

Man threw away three chances to come clean on 3/4 tank offence, fine $500 and jail two weeks 1 Andreas had three chances to come clean that he had insufficient motor spirit below the three-quarter tank mark. In all three times, he maintained to the officer who checked him that his fuel tank was full. Therefore, for failing to have the minimum three-quarter tank of motor spirit in his vehicle