PUBLISHED ONJuly 31, 2024 12:59 AMByChing Shi JieA man who bought a second-hand car has accused a used car dealer of selling him an "illegally-modified" vehicle, and that it'll cost him $25,000 to reinstate the car to its original condition.
The complainant, who only wanted to be known as Tan, told AsiaOne on Monday (July 29) alleging that car dealer Dream Drive had sold him lies by repeatedly assuring him that the 12-year-old Audi A5 is in its original state and legal to drive.
"They gave me their word, I trusted them," the 37-year-old, who is in the sales industry, said.
Tan, who paid $105,800 for the car, said that he is seeking compensation from the Small Claims Tribunals (SCT).
Tan said that he visited the dealer's showroom at Carros Centre on June 1 to look for a "safe and reliable" family car.
Despite noticing several issues, including "very dark" tinted windows that were "definitely not LTA-approved," he signed the contract and paid a $2,000 deposit on the spot.
Tan claimed that a salesman told him that the contract could be voided if a pre-purchase inspection (PPI) from a workshop of his choice identified major gearbox or engine issues to the car.
On June 5, Tan sent his car for a PPI to his workshop which found several "mechanical issues", such as a leaking coolant and gearbox, as well as parts that require replacing.
While he was quoted around $5,220 by the workshop, Tan said that Dream Drive agreed to handle several repairs if it meant him paying for the car.
But the man complained that the car dealer's workshop did a substandard job and several issues persisted.
Tan told AsiaOne that he later took the car to vehicle inspection centre STA, and they highlighted illegal modifications to its headlights and taillights.
The man said it would cost him between $10,300 and $11,500 to dismantle the illegal modifications and install new parts, which will revert the car to its "original" state.
"I called the director of Dream Drive and things changed," said Tan. "He told me that [paying for further repairs] are not part of the agreement and I should have mentioned all [the existing issues to the initially."
After mediation with Dream Drive failed to resolve the dispute, Tan said he has since filed a claim with the SCT.
He wants to be reimbursed for the $1,000 he had spent on "emergency repairs", as well as the car dealer to pay the five-figure amount in reinstate the car.
"The car was supposed to be 'legal and original' as initially assured by the dealer, but it turns out to be an illegally modified one," said Tan.
Responding to AsiaOne's queries, Dream Drive disputed Tan's claim that he was unaware of the illegal modifications made to the car.
"When he came down to view the car, we told him that the headlight and bumper had been modified before. They were visibly obvious," the car dealer's spokesperson said.
"We also agreed for a pre-purchase inspection at his request and his mechanic did not highlight any illegal modifications to the car."
Dream Drive also said that the car had previously passed two inspections last April with STA and in May with Vicom.
"We cannot explain the inconsistency as to why Tan had failed the inspection just one month later in June," they added.
LTA has said on their website that vehicle owners should check the vehicle owner's manual or consult their dealer for the manufacturer's recommendations before making any modifications.
The modifications must comply with LTA's guidelines, which ensures that road safety and standards for exhaust gas and noise emissions are not compromised.
Anyone, including workshops, who illegally modifies or uses such vehicles can be fined up to $5,000, imprisoned up to three months, or both. The penalties for repeat offenders are doubled.
chingshijie@asiaone.com
