Second-hand car has so many problems dealer buys it back. But it's back on market within weeks

SINGAPORE — A motorist whose second-hand car gave him problems from the start — including stalling three times and emitting smoke from under the bonnet — had his day in court when the dealer offered to buy the vehicle back.

But now, that same car is back on sale.

Daniel Watts, 44, a trade manager with a multinational corporation here, had bought a 5½-year-old Ssangyong Tivoli 1.6 from authorised agent Motorway Ssangyong on June 22, 2022, for $46,500. The car's trip meter said it had clocked 75,400km, lower than the average car of a similar age.

Three days after the compact crossover was collected, its Check Engine warning light came on. Watts contacted the salesperson, who told him to carry on driving. By mid-August that year, the warning was still on, but the salesperson repeated the same advice, adding that there was nothing to worry about.

In November, Watts took it back to Motorway to fix a steering issue. The car also underwent servicing, even though it was not due for it.

The engine warning went away but returned in December.

Then in April 2023, the air-conditioning stopped working. Watts had that rectified, but the Check Engine light still stayed on.

Suspecting by now that there might be something seriously wrong with the car, Watts had it sent back to Motorway in May for another attempt at resolving the warning light issue. It was to no avail.

On the evening of Aug 12, Watts' fears came true. "We had just arrived home, and smoke started coming out from under the bonnet," he said, adding that the engine also started "revving of its own accord and was making some unconventional noises".

Watts said: "Our condo management came down with fire extinguishers in case the thing caught fire. We were told we would need to remove the vehicle at once as it was considered a fire hazard."

He had the Ssangyong towed to GSC Automotive, which was recommended by his colleague. GSC found that the car had several mechanical parts that were either worn or broken, and needed to be replaced. GSC also found metal bits in the engine, a sign of severe wear of engine components.

Despite repairs amounting to some $5,000, the car's Check Engine warning returned on Aug 29. Watts was then told by GSC Automotive that the engine needed an overhaul. He sent it back to Motorway.

Motorway quoted him nearly $10,000 for repairs but offered a 35 per cent discount on Sept 7, which was changed to 40 per cent on Sept 12.

The repairs were eventually done for around $4,800, and Watts collected the car on Oct 3.

On the morning of Oct 4, while he was on the way to work, the car's Check Engine light came on again. "I was again told to drive and observe for a few days," he said.

On Oct 13, the vehicle failed to start and was towed back to Motorway. Watts collected it the next day, but on the evening of Oct 18, the engine failed for the third time in 16 months. It was towed back to Motorway again.

"On Oct 19, I was informed by Motorway that the car would be delivered back to me. But that message was deleted, and a new one informed me the car's fuel injectors needed to be changed, for about $3,400," he recalled.

At his wit's end, Watts filed a claim with the Small Claims Tribunals on Oct 20.

On Feb 7, 2024, after proceedings that went beyond three hours, Motorway offered to buy back the car for $33,000.

Watts told The Straits Times that he felt "very disappointed" with the whole saga as the Ssangyong Tivoli was the first car he had bought since moving to Singapore in December 2021. "But I'm relieved it is over," he said.

His experience may not be unique. Under the Reviews column of Ssangyong Singapore's website, a Kenneth Wang wrote about an unsolvable Check Engine issue in December 2020 that was almost identical.

Now, Watts' previous car is back on the market, advertised on Toyota-owned car portal Sgcarmart for $35,900, with claims such as "full agent maintain" and "low mileage". Checks by ST confirmed that it is the same car.

Motorway was unavailable for comment.

The company is a shareholder in car-sharing firm GetGo, whose fleet consists of several Ssangyong Tivolis. The model is also popular with private-hire car operators.

Engineer Shreejit Changaroth, a long-time contributor to ST's Motoring section, said a car with 75,000km is "still a young car" and should not exhibit the extent of wear that Watts' car had.

According to the Consumers Association of Singapore, the motor industry accounted for the most complaints it received in 2023. Of the 1,306 complaints received against the motor industry, 60 per cent were related to used cars.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.