Tong is awarded RM500 to be paid by the car dealer after bringing his complaint to the Tribunal.
A MECHANICAL engineer faced numerous issues after purchasing a used seven-seater multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) from a used-car dealer in Senai, Johor.
Tong Poh Nian, who works in Singapore, came across an advertisement on social media for the MPV, priced at RM65,000.
He said he was contacted by a salesman and went to the used-car dealership on April 27 with his friend, a car mechanic, to inspect the vehicle.
“During the inspection, my friend found the water tank was leaking while the skirting of the bumper and the steering were damaged,” Tong told StarMetro outside Johor Consumer Claims Tribunal at Menara Ansar.
He said the salesman promised to repair the vehicle, which came with a one-year warranty.
“The salesman asked me to pay a RM3,000 deposit for the MPV,” said the claimant.
Tong transferred RM3,000 to a bank account of the MPV’s owner and the salesman showed him the photocopy of the grant which showed the vehicle was manufactured in 2012.
He said he had asked the salesman why the payment was made to the owner instead of the used car dealer’s bank account.
“He told me this was to avoid tax issues,” said Tong.
“My wife and I went to the used car dealership on May 7 to collect the vehicle and we transferred RM62,000 to the bank account belonging to the vehicle owner.”
Tong said he received the grant from the salesman on May 17 and found the vehicle was manufactured in 2011, and not 2012 as stated on the photocopy of the grant that was initially shown to him.
The claimant said he went to the Johor Road Transport Department the same day and records showed that the MPV was made in 2011, not 2012.
As such, Tong lodged a police report on May 18.
“I believed the salesman and the owner colluded to cheat me. I demanded the salesman buy back the MPV,” said the claimant.
However, Tong said the salesman was only willing to pay RM50,000, which Tong refused to accept.
“The vehicle has not stopped giving problems since I got it,” said Tong.
He said he drove the car on May 31 to fetch his children and on the way home, the MPV broke down.
He had the vehicle towed to a nearby workshop in Taman Daya and mechanics found that the water tank was leaking, causing the engine to overheat.
“I called the salesman but he refused to entertain my request to repair the water tank although the vehicle was still under warranty,” said the claimant.
Since acquiring the vehicle, Tong said he had spent RM2,500 fixing it.
Hoping to recover the full sum from the dealer, he filed the case with the Tribunal.
However, Tribunal president Hafez Zalkapli only awarded RM500 to the claimant and ordered the respondent to pay the sum within two weeks.
Those who need Tribunal assistance can call 07-227 1755 or 07-227 1766.
