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17-11-2010, 08:45 AM
This is a very puzzling and worrying case. So it would seem the couple got cheated of their money?
Nov 17, 2010
Couple's nightmare began after buying a used car
MY HUSBAND and I bought a used car recently from a dealer. But we were totally unprepared for the nightmarish experience after that.
We had paid more than $80,000 for the car, which came with all the relevant paperwork and inspection certificates, or so we thought.
The dealer even made us sign a document for transfer of car ownership.
But we were shocked the following month when we found our driveway blocked by a swarm of men who emerged from several cars.
One of them told us he represented another dealer which owned the car and produced the court order to repossess our vehicle.
They took away the car because the dealer they represented had its name in the Land Transport Authority (LTA) document for the vehicle.
We lodged a police report the next day and visited the LTA office to seek help.
We were told the LTA officials would review the case and investigate whether wrongful transfer of ownership had occurred.
But we were also told that despite the fact that we had forked out a substantial amount and signed the relevant documents, LTA was in no position to transfer ownership in our name.
We are writing in because we are baffled by the ease with which car dealers and others in the used-car trade could victimise unsuspecting buyers using technicalities, like transferring ownership, concerning which the LTA is apparently powerless to offer speedy redress.
The way to prevent such underhand tactics and protect the genuine buyer seems plain enough.
The LTA should have a process in place to verify and ensure that ownership goes to the party who has made full payment.
After all, the practice of ownership transfers by car dealers and agents is a longstanding one.
If there is a dispute between two car dealers, genuine and innocent buyers should not be victimised.
We are also puzzled as to how ownership could be so easily transferable between parties without foolproof verification.
Rashmi Roy Mathur (Mrs)
Nov 17, 2010
Couple's nightmare began after buying a used car
MY HUSBAND and I bought a used car recently from a dealer. But we were totally unprepared for the nightmarish experience after that.
We had paid more than $80,000 for the car, which came with all the relevant paperwork and inspection certificates, or so we thought.
The dealer even made us sign a document for transfer of car ownership.
But we were shocked the following month when we found our driveway blocked by a swarm of men who emerged from several cars.
One of them told us he represented another dealer which owned the car and produced the court order to repossess our vehicle.
They took away the car because the dealer they represented had its name in the Land Transport Authority (LTA) document for the vehicle.
We lodged a police report the next day and visited the LTA office to seek help.
We were told the LTA officials would review the case and investigate whether wrongful transfer of ownership had occurred.
But we were also told that despite the fact that we had forked out a substantial amount and signed the relevant documents, LTA was in no position to transfer ownership in our name.
We are writing in because we are baffled by the ease with which car dealers and others in the used-car trade could victimise unsuspecting buyers using technicalities, like transferring ownership, concerning which the LTA is apparently powerless to offer speedy redress.
The way to prevent such underhand tactics and protect the genuine buyer seems plain enough.
The LTA should have a process in place to verify and ensure that ownership goes to the party who has made full payment.
After all, the practice of ownership transfers by car dealers and agents is a longstanding one.
If there is a dispute between two car dealers, genuine and innocent buyers should not be victimised.
We are also puzzled as to how ownership could be so easily transferable between parties without foolproof verification.
Rashmi Roy Mathur (Mrs)
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