Number of complaints about used cars rises in Singapore — Channel NewsAsia
In Singapore, the number of complaints from used-car buyers increased in the first eight months of 2026. The Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) received 163 complaints between January and August, compared with 116 during the same period in 2025, Channel NewsAsia reports.
Of the total number of complaints, 22 concerned suspected tampering with odometer readings. A year earlier, there had been 17 such complaints. Buyers also reported recurring breakdowns of the vehicles they had purchased.
A discrepancy of 37,000 kilometres
CNA journalists attended a closed vehicle inspection ahead of an online auction with a dealer who asked to be identified only as M. At such inspections, traders check the interior, the condition of components under the hood and the mileage, as cars with lower mileage usually sell faster.
One of the cars had a recorded mileage of about 125,000 kilometres. About three days later, an advertisement for what was likely the same car appeared on a popular car-sales website, listing a mileage of 88,000 kilometres. The registration date and the amount of the Additional Registration Fee (ARF) matched in the advertisement. The dealer said he had previously seen similar discrepancies and reported them to the online platform. According to him, the platform removed mileage information from the listings and said it would monitor them.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
If a car has not been serviced by an authorised distributor for a long time, it is more difficult to verify its subsequent mileage. False odometer readings may conceal the need to replace timing belts or chains, spark plugs, fluids and other parts, increasing the risk of unexpected malfunctions.
Pressure on dealers and buyer protection
Industry representatives told CNA that the spread of online platforms had made prices more transparent and reduced dealers' profits. By their estimates, profit per vehicle has fallen to S$1,000–S$3,000, compared with S$10,000–S$20,000 previously. Martin Yeo, director of MY Autohaus, noted that cars with high mileage receive few inquiries and may remain unsold for several months, which may tempt dishonest sellers to alter the readings.
The Singapore Vehicle Traders Association (SVTA) said it was aware of cases of mileage manipulation by unscrupulous dealers and strongly disapproved of the practice. The organisation plans to discuss the issue and remind its members of the need to operate transparently and with integrity.
Buyers who discover defects after purchasing a used car can seek protection under Singapore's Lemon Law, which applies to goods that have already been used. CASE advises obtaining an independent technical inspection before purchase and using the SAFE checklist, in which the seller states in writing the car's mileage and information about accidents that may have affected the chassis structure.
