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Members I may not be the most experienced driver but I would like to share some tips on getting a 2nd hand vehicle. I have seen multiple discussion all over the place that give good advice on getting a decent 2nd hand vehicle. One key theme I noticed is the shifting of the blame to the dealer. The dealer should bear some responsibility for getting you or persuading you to purchase that lemon, but as a buyer, you should bear more responsibility for not doing your due diligence. If the deal is too good to be true, think twice. I have my fair share of bad experience with preowned vehicles but I learnt my lesson. I have listed down some pointers to note when you are looking at 2nd hand cars. It is certainly not extensive, and it is not entirely scientific, but I hope these are areas potential buyers can consider. Please feel free to add-on and correct me. 1) Do not trust STA reports Dealers will convince you that you should send the vehicle for STA inspection, or send to AA for inspection. Although these agencies could give a decent physical assessment of the vehicle for possible signs of accidents the vehicle had, they would not be able to detect odometer tampering, suspension problems, air-con problems, potential "Check Engine Light" problems. 2) Dealer's inconsistencies in their Ads Look at all the dealer's ads. Did you notice only some of their ads have that "STA Rating: B"? Some dealers boast they sent their (some) vehicles for STA inspection. But, why didn't they send all their vehicles for STA inspection? Why are they trying so hard to convince you to buy that B rated vehicle? 3) Dealers did not insist you must use a bank/finance institution of their choice Dealers proudly proclaim buyers could seek their own loans from financial institutions. Is there a problem? Was this dealer black listed by financial institutions? Usually dealers will die die want to earn commission from loans, no matter how small the amount is. 4) Ask for better offers for Car loans Dealers often insist you must take get a loan through them. I had experience of dealers insisted I take their in-house loan of 3.xx%. I walked away. They called me and suddenly offered local banks for 2.xx%, I declined, but finally, they gave final offer of 1.xx% from another financial institution. But I was so turned off, I declined them. 5) Please research on the dealer before making your way down Please search on the dealer before making your way down to view the vehicle. My Car Forum and Hardwarezone have good posts on the dealers with bad reputation. 6) The Number of ex-Owners matters A 4-year old car with 3 ex-owners. But the car is decently priced and it looks very well maintained, and the mileage is low. Is it an ex-rental or PHV car? Or the car got problem? 7) Test drive the car [Comments Needed] If the dealer insist you must pay deposit before you test drive, walk away. Be bold and suggest that you should drive out to the main road. But to be fair to them, if you just passed your TP last week and 19 years old, do you think they will be generous to you test drive their car? If dealer say you can only test drive in car park, walk away. I have encountered dealers who were very confident to let me drive the car around the neighbourhood and onto main roads. Things to note while you are test driving: a) Turn off the radio, turn off the air-con, wind up the windows, listen for weird noise from the vehicle while you are on the road. b) When you have stopped at the traffic lights, is the idling speed rough? Is there sudden rough idles while you are waiting? c) Go over those car park small humps at low speeds, did you hear weird noise coming from the back? d) When the car is stationary, make yourself comfortable into the back seat, don't go into the back seat timidly, just go straight in and sit down, did you hear weird sound coming from the suspension? 8) Dealers offering you "in-house warranty" and free servicing from their in-house workshop when... ...when the vehicle is not even 5-years old and the mileage is low? Is it because the mileage is damn high and odometer has been tampered hence warranty not covered by auto makers? Usually relative "new cars" should still have engine warranty by auto makers. 9) Ask the dealer whether the odometer has been tampered Of course they will say no. But some will challenge you to call up the service center if the vehicle is relatively new. Take up the challenge. You will be surprised and may find yourself a good deal. 10) Call up Service Center after you seen the vehicle You will know the car plate number after you seen the vehicle. If the car is relatively new (i.e: 3 year old or less), call up the service center to check for last service date and mileage. But be reasonable lah... if the car's current odometer is 40,000 KM, and the last service date is 3 months ago with logged mileage of 34,000 KM, this discrepancy is logical. Try...call up service center to find out the last service mileage is close to 130,000+ KM but the odometer reads 40,000+ KM.... 11) Car's colour don't match the colour specified in Log Card Was the car involved in an accident previously? 12) Excessive deposit Some dealers ever asked for $5,000 deposit. That's not very reasonable. I believe $1,000 or $2,000 is a decent amount. 13) Push for Immediate Transfer Some dealers could transfer the ownership to you on the spot, while some would ask for 3 working days. Although Sales agreement stated the date and time of transfer, but as long as the vehicle is not officially transferred to you, the dealer could use the vehicle as a collateral. If they default payment, the debtors could hunt down your vehicle. Always chase for the transfer to be done ASAP. Usually dealers who could transfer the ownership to you on the spot are those with deeper pockets. They could transfer ownership to you because they have paid for the vehicle in full from the finance institution; while those dealers who need a few working days are actually sorting out the paperwork with the finance institution in the background because the dealers don't own the vehicle. 14) Don't be hooked by Car's beautiful exterior and Clean interior The odometer might be tampered. Think of a hot woman who had multiple cosmetic surgeries and solid breast implants but she is formerly a man. Always call up service center if the vehicle is relatively new. 15) <Members, please add on...> 16) <Members, please add on...>

Worried about problems after buying a used car? The SAFE Checklist lets you better understand the car's condition before buying a pre-owned car.Vehicles are complex things. And for those who aren't familiar with cars, the car you've set your eyes on might just have underlying problems. There is only so much you can tell when you're viewing a car you want to buy. The engine bay might appear spotless, and the test drive - aside from the slight vibrations - went as well as you expected. But only after buying the car do you realise there's problems. The once spotless engine now has a leaky gasket requiring frequent oil top-ups, and the vibrations have gotten worse, no thanks to worn transmission mounts that have finally given way.This isn't uncommon, and we're sure you've heard stories. In 2019 alone, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) received more than 450 complaints pertaining to defective pre-owned cars. So how do you better understand your purchase, and the issues that might not be seen at first glance? Well, with the Standard and Functional Evaluation (SAFE) Checklist by CASE. By having the car professionally checked, it ensures that any underlying problems will be made known to you. Here's a step-by-step guide to buying your next car in confidence! 1. Find your dream car! Of course, the first step to getting a car is finding one. There are many ways to find a used car, and one of the easiest ways is to head to sgCarMart's used car listings. It is always a good idea to make a comparison, as well as finding out what are the hidden costs involved in buying a car, such as administrative fees. You can check out some tips on buying a used car here. But more than anything, it is always wise to find out more about the car's condition, or if any issues were fixed beforehand prior to the car being put up for sale. Once you decide on a particular car and are interested in finding out more about the condition of the car, you can proceed on to the next step. 2. Get a SAFE Checklist The SAFE Checklist by CASE is made for the evaluation of pre-owned cars. You can downloaded it here. With the SAFE Checklist, it will help you better understand the condition of the car from the dealer as well as a Professional Evaluation Centre. The Checklist will include two parts - Part A and Part B. Part A will be a declaration of the car's condition, while Part B will better help you understand what are the items that were checked by the Professional Evaluation Centres. 3. Get the dealer to check your car In Part A of the SAFE Checklist, the dealer will have to declare the condition to the best of their knowledge. This will include details such as warranty status and functional checks on its mechanical components, for instance the condition of the bodywork. The dealer can also highlight any problems from its own checks and attach it to the SAFE Checklist. It is advised that you keep a copy of this checklist after the dealer has completed it. 4. Send the car to a Professional Evaluation Centre After the dealer completes Part A of the Checklist, they will send the car for evaluation at a Professional Evaluation Centre. You can find more details of some of the Professional Evaluation Centres in Singapore within the SAFE Checklist Such an evaluation differs from the usual vehicle inspection. It is more thorough, and it gives buyers an objective understanding of the current condition and faults of the vehicle as assessed by a qualified individual of the Professional Evaluation Centre. Further checks will then be carried out on not just the vehicle's road-worthiness, but also to evaluate if there are any defects or mechanical problems - from leaks to missing components and even fluid levels. Part B of the Checklist is meant to help customers understand the evaluation report. If you have further queries on the evaluation, you can also contact the centres directly. 5. Compare and buy in confidence The SAFE Checklist offers you a better understanding of the car's condition. With it, you can make an informed choice when buying your next used car. It is an initiative by CASE to give you more information about the car that you're deciding to purchase, offering you more confidence. This little document can save you a lot of time and money in the future. The SAFE Checklist can be downloaded, here. You can find out more about the SAFE Checklist by CASE from their website, here. For your information: Brief guide on Lemon Law The Lemon Law was introduced in 2012 to protect consumers against defects of goods purchased. This law also covers pre-owned vehicles. If defects or issues arise six months from purchase, you could seek redress under the Lemon Law. The consumer may first ask the dealer to repair or replace the motorcar within a reasonable time period and without significant inconvenience to the consumer.If the dealer is unable to do so, the consumer can request a price reduction or a full refund if: i) the business did not provide repair/replacement within a reasonable time or without significant inconvenience to the consumer, OR ii) repair/replacement by the business is not possible, or is disproportionate in cost However, do note that for consumer-to-consumer transactions, such as purchasing your car from a direct owner or through a consignment agent, will not be covered. If you are facing issues with the pre-owned car you've just purchased, you can approach CASE for advice at its hotline 6100 0315, or website, here.

hi guys, greatly need help in identifying the below link, deposit only 20%? From calculation , roughly 18k depreciation but what is the hidden behind 20%? I have a ride which COE going to expire in May 2015 , possible to use (say scrape value) to trade for this car? http://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=445802&DL=1317

Planning to get a preowned unit of S350L.... anyone has any experience on what to look out for? thanx!

Hi All, Been thinking of the following.. With the rising cost in car ownership, is it still possible to own a 2L preowned car, at least 8 years COE left, with less than $900 installment a month? Taking full loan into consideration.

Hi Saab owner, I'm considering a used 2 yrs old Saab and wondering what are the usual repair for saab of this age? Heard that it's an unreliable car but somehow is captivated by Saab for unknown reason so hope any Saab owner here can enlighten me.

Apart from passions and jwwatch

Anyone knows the market value of an F355 Berlinetta or Spider? Seems like there's none for sale at the moment? Just curious