Friday January 12, 8:17
PM
Driven to
frustration
In September last year, sales manager Lionel Loh ordered a $70,000
Honda Stream from a parallel importer that promised delivery in the
shortest time.
After paying the deposit of $3,000, Mr Loh looked forward to
getting behind his new set of wheels by late October or early
November.
But three months later, the 29-year-old is still waiting for his
car after being given various reasons for the delay.
"First, the salesman said my car was stuck at the port in Japan,
then the next time, he said it was still being manufactured," said
Mr Loh, who went to the parallel importer Car Resources as he
wanted a specific model of the multi-purpose vehicle.
"I thought it would be quicker and cheaper going through a parallel
importer but it turned out to be a nightmare," said Mr Loh.
Last month, Kent Corp, another parallel importer came into the
picture.
It took over his case and told him his car was being inspected by
the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and would be ready on Jan
15.
Mr Loh has filed a formal complaint with the Consumers Association
of Singapore (Case) to get back his deposit from Car
Resources.
To do this, he paid $25 to become a Case member and a small
administration fee, and authorised it to act on his behalf.
Last year, seven formal complaints were filed with Case against Car
Resources and Kent, of which four have been resolved.
The number is much higher if informal complaints, in which someone
just calls or shoots off an email to Case, are taken into account.
Last year, the association received 24 complaints against Car
Resources and two against Kent Corp.
In all, it received 41 complaints against parallel importers.
The complaints related mostly to misrepresentation and late
deliveries.
For example, several clients claimed that the firms had informed
them that the open market value of the car was higher than the one
stated by the LTA. This information was not true, the clients
said.
Repeated calls to Car Resources went unanswered.
When contacted by TODAY, Kent Corp general manager Vincent Wong,
said there were delays for shipment of brand new cars and the
company has resolved most of the complaints filed formally with
Case against it.
"Most of the cases have been resolved and there are some that are
being resolved right now," he said.
Customers who terminated the contracts got back their deposits and
other money due to them, ranging from $427 to $3,000.
Case executive director Seah Seng Choon warned that the act of
accepting money from customers without the intention of delivering
the goods "amounts to a criminal offence".
However, consumers should first reason with the retailer or go to
Case before taking more drastic action, he said. - /st