A man took out a hefty bank loan to purchase his first car, but now it sits idle in the carpark beneath his block, as ongoing defects make it unsafe f
A man took out a hefty bank loan to purchase his first car, but now it sits idle in the carpark beneath his block, as ongoing defects make it unsafe for the road.
Tan Yong Chang, 27, who works in logistics, now relies on taxis to get to work every day. “Having to pay for a car and not being able to use it, it’s just like burning money,” he told AsiaOne on Monday (Dec 5).
Tan shared that he placed a $500 deposit on a second-hand BMW E60 5 Series 523i from Evolution Motors Private Limited in August. However, during a test drive, he noticed several issues with the vehicle, including defects in the shock absorbers, engine, windows, and door locks.
Tan said he raised these concerns with Farhan Abdul Azis, the owner of the dealership, who promised to fix the issues before handing over the car. Trusting him, Tan took out a bank loan in early September to pay for the $112,580 car.
But when he picked up the vehicle on Sept 29, not only were the defects still there, but he wasn’t even given a functioning car key. “I had to replace the key casing and duplicate one,” Tan said, adding that the car hadn’t been washed either.
Despite expressing his frustration to Farhan, Tan claimed that the dealership boss cited excuses like Covid-19, manpower shortages, and supplier delays for the lack of progress. After three months of “excuses,” Tan said, “I trusted Farhan because he’s the boss, but he turned out to be worse than a salesman.”
As someone in the logistics business, having a working car is crucial for Tan’s work. He decided to drive the faulty vehicle for a while, thankful that he hadn’t encountered any accidents on the road. However, the car’s condition worsened. “The car would shake whenever I stepped on the gas,” Tan explained. “I went to the mechanic last Sunday (Dec 4) and was shocked at how severe the defects were.”
Even after lodging a police report on Nov 19, Tan remains uncertain about his next steps. He hasn’t received an invoice from Evolution Motors and is unsure about pursuing compensation for repairs. “If they can’t fix the car, they should just say so and stop giving excuses,” he said, adding, “I’m scared to repair it on my own.”
Forced to take taxis to fulfill his work obligations, Tan incurs additional daily expenses of up to $80. Although he has a van, it’s unsuitable for multi-storey carparks due to its height.
“I bought a car to save time, but it’s not safe to drive. The inconvenience is a huge hassle,” he lamented.
AsiaOne has reached out to Evolution Motors Private Limited for comment.
In Singapore, the Lemon Law protects consumers against defects in purchased goods, including used cars, within six months.
Other customers have faced similar issues with car dealerships recently. In April, a first-time car buyer shared how his second-hand Mercedes Benz broke down just hours after collecting it. The dealership also held his vehicle for weeks.
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