Unscrupulous Used Car Dealers: A Lingering Problem
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Unscrupulous practices by used car dealers continue to be a concern for some consumers to this day. Practices ranging from odometer manipulation to concealing accident history and disguising the condition of vehicles are still frequently found in the used car market. However, on the other hand, many dealers are now open to vehicle inspection processes in order to maintain consumer trust.
“Regarding the issue of inspectors, consumers are afraid of being cheated by showrooms; this has been the case since before I started selling used cars. They come to the showroom, and the car has already been tampered with,” said Singgih to Kompas.com, earlier this week in Depok, West Java.
According to him, the practice of manipulating the condition of used cars is not a new phenomenon in the second-hand vehicle industry.
“The mileage is reduced, a used car that has been in an accident is said to be in good condition; there have always been both unscrupulous and honest dealers. This is still the case today. Many still reduce the mileage.”
“In fact, there are now services that specialize in reducing mileage; you can find them on online marketplaces. It’s not just dealers; even consumers who want to sell their own cars and reduce the mileage can find these services on Facebook. There are even consumers who are honest and those who are not, and this has continued until now,” he said.
Therefore, according to Singgih, the presence of independent inspection services is important to help consumers know the actual condition of the vehicle before making a transaction.
He said that dealers who truly maintain the quality of the cars they sell generally will not object to having the vehicles inspected in detail by independent inspectors.
“But if the dealer is unscrupulous, they will definitely refuse the inspection. The logic is this: they want to sell a bad product without an objective assessment. Anyone who knows how to inspect a car will back away,” said Singgih.
“Their presence (inspectors) can actually help consumers and showrooms in providing vehicles that meet consumer expectations; we are open to it,” said Rio.
Prospective buyers who are not familiar with the intricacies of cars should indeed bring in experts to inspect the vehicle they are considering.
The reason is that the components of a used car cannot be compared to a new unit. Therefore, there are several components that are already worn due to use.
“It’s not that we shouldn’t disclose components that are starting to wear out, but please disclose them correctly. For example, if the condition is 70 percent worn, it means that the component can still be used, not that it needs to be replaced,” said Rio.
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