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Dealer buys back problematic car from customer – and puts it back on sale

2024-03-04 00:00:00.0 海峡时报-新加坡原网页

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.

Mr Daniel Watts, 44, a trade manager with a multinational corporation here, had bought a 5？-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. Mr 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, Mr 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. Mr Watts had that rectified, but the Check Engine light still stayed on.

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Suspecting by now that there might be something seriously wrong with the car, Mr 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, Mr 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”.

Mr 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. Mr 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 Mr 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.