CASE sees rise in complaints over pre-owned cars; mileage tampering among issues flagged

Pre-owned car sales in Singapore have seen a surge in complaints, with the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) receiving 163 complaints between January and August, up from 116 in the same period last year. Among the issues flagged are repeated breakdowns and suspected mileage tampering. A closer look at the car buying and reselling process revealed dealers may manipulate odometer readings to make vehicles more attractive to buyers.

During a closed-door inspection of a car dealer's operations, CASE observed several cars with recorded mileage of around 125,000km. However, the same car was later listed on an online platform with a mileage of 88,000km, approximately 37,000km lower. The platform subsequently removed the mileage information and vowed to monitor it.

Dealers explained that while they can compare the mileage with earlier servicing records from an authorised distributor, verifying mileage becomes challenging if the car hasn't been serviced in several years. A false mileage reading could hide potential issues with the vehicle, such as worn-out timing belts, spark plugs, or transmission fluid. This could lead to unexpected breakdowns and disputes over warranty coverage, as some exclude wear-and-tear parts.

The Singapore Vehicle Traders Association (SVTA) acknowledged the existence of unscrupulous dealers tampering with mileage and emphasizes the need for transparency and integrity in the industry. Dealers cited the shrinking margins, attributing them to the rise of online platforms that make prices more transparent and drive up competition. They must sell more vehicles to maintain the same profits, making high-mileage cars attractive targets for mileage tampering.