'Like burning money': Man buys second-hand BMW but he's forced to take public transport every day

This man took up a sizeable bank loan to pay for his first car, but it is now left idle at a carpark under his block.

The defects on Tan Yong Chang's new purchase made travelling on the roads unsafe, which forced him to take a taxi to work every day. 

Speaking with AsiaOne on Monday (Dec 5), the 27-year-old, who is in the logistics business, lamented: "Having to pay for a car and not being able to use it, it's just like burning money."

Tan shared that he placed a $500 deposit for a second-hand BMW E60 5 Series 523i with Evolution Motors Private Limited in August.

During a test drive that same month, Tan noticed several problems with the car. These include defects on the vehicle's shock absorbers, engines, windows, and door locks.

The defects were highlighted to Farhan Abdul Azis, the owner of the dealership, the customer said. "He promised that he will get them fixed before the handover of the vehicle."

Car dealership boss 'gives excuses'

Trusting Farhan at his word, Tan took up a bank loan in early September to pay for the $112,580 car.

But when the man picked it up on Sept 29, he shared that he wasn't even given a working car key.

"I had to change the key casing and duplicate one more," Tan said, adding that the defects were not rectified as promised and the car was not washed at all.

Despite voicing his unhappiness to Farhan, the first-time car owner shared that the dealership boss kept attributing Covid-19, manpower and supplier issues to the delays in fixing the defects.

Adding he has been given "excuses" for the past three months, Tan said: "I trusted Farhan since he's the boss of his company, but he ended up being worse than a salesman."

Being in the logistics business, Tan shared that a car is "crucial" for his work commitments.

This was the reason why he chose to drive the faulty vehicle around for months, he said, adding that it was fortunate that he didn't get into accidents on the road.

Describing how the car would "shake" whenever he stepped on the gas, Tan said: "I went to the mechanic last Sunday (Dec 4) and I was shocked by how serious the defects were."

At a loss of what to do next 

Even after lodging a police report on Nov 19, Tan shared that he is at a loss of what to do next.

Adding that he has yet to receive an invoice from Evolution Motors, the customer said: "I don't know whether there will be a breach or whether I can claim [compensation] for the repairs.

"I'm pretty much p***** off. If they can't fix the car, they should say so and not give excuses. Till date, I'm scared of repairing it on my own."

Stuck with a faulty car for months, Tan is forced to take a taxi for deliveries and meetings – incurring additional expenses of up to $80 daily.

While he has a van, the man shared that he is unable to park in multi-storey car parks since they have low ceilings.

"I bought a car to save time, but it ended up being not safe to drive. The inconvenience is a big hassle," he lamented. 

AsiaOne has contacted Evolution Motors Private Limited for comment.

In Singapore, the Lemon Law protects consumers against defects of goods purchased within six months here. This includes all goods purchased that are brand new or used, including cars.

Another first-time car owner's complaints 

Other customers have recently complained about their unsatisfactory experiences with car dealerships here.

Earlier in April, a first-time car owner shared how his newly-purchased second-hand Mercedes Benz broke down hours after collection.

Speaking to AsiaOne then, Nishit Dilip Shah said that the dealership in Tampines also 'detained' his vehicle for weeks.

"I'm angry and frustrated that I've been taken advantage of," Nishit added then.

The car dealership later told AsiaOne that they had reached a settlement with the customer, and the salesman involved is no longer working for them.

ALSO READ: Car dealer allegedly goes missing for 4 months as man's car faces issues 2 weeks after collection

chingshijie@asiaone.com

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