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The Motor Traders Association could soon be the Minor Traders Association if the number of members keeps falling. The Motor Traders Association of Singapore (MTA) is a grouping of new car distributors and some commercial vehicle dealers. Its membership has been sliding over the years and the latest to leave its fold is Borneo Motors Singapore (BMS) - the distributor of Toyota, Lexus and Hino - leaving it with 26 members. With BMS's exit at the end of this month, Singapore's top three brands - Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Toyota, in that order - will not be part of the MTA. Critics now question how MTA can continue to be relevant. "MTA is supposed to be the voice of new car sellers. What is the point if it does not represent the majority of the industry," asked the director of a brand who left MTA a few years ago. Based on last year's total vehicle sales of 34,090 units, MTA members accounted for 46 per cent of total market share (this number is made up of 22,472 new cars, 8,128 commercial vehicles and 3,490 taxis). If BMS sales are excluded, this proportion drops to 32 per cent, or barely a third of the market. Volkswagen will then be the biggest brand left in MTA. Last year, VW was Singapore's No 4 make. BMS declined to comment when contacted. But there is speculation that its departure is largely symbolic, one that signals its displeasure with the association. "The annual membership fee is only $1,500, so it's definitely not about the money," said the head of a luxury dealership. "It is probably to make it clear that they do not see the value of MTA membership." In recent months, some complaints about the MTA included how it appears to champion the causes of only its committee members, and the inability to present members' views and appeals to the government, especially after the recent radical changes to the motor trade, such as the loan curbs and certificate of entitlement tweaks. The luxury dealership head recalled that when the vehicle financing restrictions were introduced last year in February, the Singapore Vehicles Traders Association, or SVTA, whose members are mainly used car dealers, immediately met to craft an appeal to the government. The result was the lifting of loan curbs for 60 days to allow members to clear their stocks of second-hand vehicles. But, according to the luxury dealership head, the MTA was reluctant to intercede when approached by some members for help to lobby the government to soften the impact of the loan curbs. Senior MTA committee members could not be contacted for their views. But one industry veteran defended the MTA. "To be fair, it does not have an easy time," he said, explaining that this is because MTA members have conflicting interests. "It is difficult to function as a cohesive organisation because not every brand is impacted by the same issues, such as engine output or emissions," he added. "So there is no unified voice, unlike used car dealers who do not have brand loyalty and can talk about common problems such as policy and financing as a group." Source: http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/premium/top-stories/toyota-distributor-borneo-quits-motor-traders-body-20140319

I bought a Toyota Wish from Borneo Motors a couple of months ago. The salesman offered me the standard AIG Auto Protector policy (supposedly "comprehensive"), which I took as using some other insurance would incur a penalty. This seems to be fairly standard practice among many dealers, including ADs. I saw this letter published in the newspaper a few days ago (I think it was on 2nd June): In case it isn't clear, the writer (Tan Siak Khian) is claiming that there are clauses in this standard policy that exclude coverage for unnamed passengers falling outside the age range 16-65 (meaning the young and the elderly) and also passengers who are intoxicated (meaning that if you are the designated driver ferrying a drunk passenger around, that passenger will not be covered in the even of an accident). I checked my own policy yesterday, when I was relatively free. I've attached a photo of the offending section. It appears the letter writer was spot-on in his observation (look at parts d. and e.). I'm now worried about the implications of this contract on coverage for my 12-year old child and my elderly parents. Does this mean I can't safely carry them in my car anymore? I've never heard of "named passengers", but does AIG expect me to nominate them personally to ensure coverage? My sales guy at Borneo was of little help - I asked him to clarify this a few days ago, but he has yet to respond. BTW, my father's Nissan Note from Tan Chong was also insured under this AIG scheme, and that also has weirdness - he tells me the policy only applies if he (the driver) is under 65, but he did declare his age correctly at the time of application (and they approved it!). I don't think any of our other policies (with other insurers) have these issues. I'm making this post to advise others to read through their policy terms very carefully, and if possible, share what they find. I'm also asking for advice about my options. I believe I can cancel my AIG policy and get the remaining premium, but there's always a penalty for early cancellation. Do you think that I should be able to make a case for waiver of this penalty given the (in my view) unjust clauses embedded in this contract? Also, I wonder if this legal language falls afoul of the Motor Vehicles (Third-Party Risks and Compensation) Act (CHAPTER 189)? Quoting, Interestingly, the Act talks about the liability of the user, but does not directly address the liability of the insurer? Or is that implied since the Act is about insurance anyway?

Toyota has issued a massive recall involving 7.43 million cars, trucks and SUV due to a faulty power-window switch that runs the risk of catching fire. It is the largest recall since over 12 million vehicles including some Lexus models were found to have faulty accelerator pedals in 2009 and 2010. Fortunately, no death, injuries or accidents have been caused by the issue although the faulty switches could emit smoke. Nearer to home, Borneo Motors, the distributor of Toyota cars in Singapore, commented that 15,000 Toyota vehicles here are affected. A total of 14 models are involved in the recall and in Singapore, the affected models are the RAV4, Vios, Camry and Altis. The problem is caused by improper application of lubricant during the assembly process. The fix would involve putting heat-resistant grease on the switches or replacing them altogether. The recall is a blow to Toyota, which had just only reclaimed its world

For those who are considering the latest Toyota Wish that was recently launched from Borneo Motors, there might be some things you should take note before you sign on that cheque book. Although the Borneo Motors (BM) Wish does come with seemingly better interior equipment, when you go chassis deep, it might be a different story. The BM Wish might come with higher quality leather and a high-end audio system but transmission wise, it is equipped with a 4-speed automatic while the Toyota Wish 1.8X from the Parallel Importers (PI) is equipped with a silky smooth 7-speed CVT gearbox. The engine in the BM Wish might have a higher capacity but it produces less horsepower than the PI Wish. The torque figures are a little higher though not significantly so. The 200cc difference in capacity has a great impact on the Wish