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Hi all bros and sis, Am wondering if anyone has any experience with PI? Got good ones to recommend (warranty, after sales car servicing etc)or got any one best to avoid? Thanx!

From ST Forum: http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/...ory_757250.html Do parallel importers ignore manufacturers' recall advice? Published on Jan 19, 2012 TWO years ago, I deviated from my habit of buying a car from an authorised dealer, opting instead to buy one from a parallel importer because of the huge savings. But I regret that decision now. Some time ago, I received a letter informing me that there was a manufacturer's recall for my Honda Stream. When I telephoned the workshop named, I was told that I had to pay for my car to be checked. From my experience with authorised distributors, I knew there was no such charge. But as the amount was small, I did not object. When I took my car to the workshop, the staff inspected it briefly and said there was no need to change anything. I was shocked because from my experience with authorised dealers, whenever the car company announced a recall, the part would be changed regardless of whether it was defective. When I demanded that the part be changed, the workshop manager said there was no stock and that I had to obtain the part from the parallel importer. When I checked with the parallel importer, I was told that as long as the workshop said the part was not faulty, there was no need to replace it. I discovered that some of my colleagues who had bought cars from parallel importers also faced the same situation during a recall. None had the car parts changed. The Land Transport Authority should investigate the practice for safety reasons. Sam Gan

Parallel importers of cars have had a patchy reputation since they first appeared in the early 1990s to give authorised agents a run for their money. But in about a fortnight's time,some will take a stab at respectability by enrolling in a certification scheme run by consumer watchdog Consumers Association of Singapore (Case). The scheme, called CaseTrust, will see Case officers examining the practices and books of parallel importers. Those deemed trustworthy can display the CaseTrust,logo at their showrooms. Industries which have joined CaseTrust include employment agencies, renovation contractors and travel agents. This is the first time firms in the motor trade are joining the scheme, even though car-related complaints- involving mainly parallel importers and used car dealers regularly top Case charts. The notoriety is shared by time-share firms, beauty salons and property agents. Case said it received 757 complaints against motor firms in the first six months, of which 61 were handed over to the association to resolve. Of these, 52 involved parallel importers .Singapore Vehicle Traders Association president Neo Nam Heng, the parallel importer which is the main driver behind the move, said: "We want to segregate the bad eggs from the rest to enhance the image of the trade". Motor companies that want to be CaseTrust-certified must undergo a stringent audit by Case. Their track record and financial health will be scrutinised and they must not accumulate more than five complaints a year. Observers said this should weed out fly-by-night outfits which keep changing names and locations because of soured deals with customers. "There will be no $2 companies," Mr Neo said. Companies will also have to put their money where their mouth is. They must buy a $50,000 insurance bond, which will be used to settle disputes with customers. Disputes will be settled by a panel which includes representatives from Case, theFinancial Industry Disputes Resolution Centre and a retired court judge. If the panel decides that the dealer is in the wrong, the insurance firm will pay the consumer. It will then recover the sum from the dealer responsible. Mr Neo said: "This is a resolution body that will have real teeth." CaseTrust for the motor trade is expected to be launched at the end of the month. Case executive director Seah Seng Choon said the industry's move shows, "resolve and commitment to clean up the image of the industry". But the Motor Traders Association, a body for authorised car agents, had a lukewarm response. President Michael Wong said:"The question is what can the scheme do for me. I've been around for over 20 years and I'm not about to collapse like a deck of cards." How to get certified... [rolleyes] THE Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) will spend four to six weeks auditing a motor company before deciding if it can be CaseTrust-certified. They will have to abide by a code of conduct, which says: Dealers must refund the deposit if the customer's car loan application is not approved. However, they may be allowed to charge an administrative fee of up to $500. Dealers must state clearly the certificate of entitlement (COE) amount they will bid. Currently, many fudge this. Some delay bids for certain customers so they can use their deposits to bid for buyers who pay higher prices. The COE rebate level must also be specified. This refers to the amount of rebate a buyer is entitled to if the COE premium falls. The delivery timeframe must be clearly stated. The guideline discussed is 48 days. Equipment and accessories must be clearly noted. Sometimes, promises from the salesman- such as alloy wheels and leather upholstery- go unfulfilled. The vehicle's year of manufacture must be clearly stated. Warranty terms must be clearly stated. Customers must be alerted to safety recalls

Extracted from The Straits Times Friday, 18 May 2007 H10 - Home "189 grievances in 4 months, according to consumer watchdog. Parallel Importers might be giving authorised car agents a run for their money, but they are also notching up the bulk of complaints from buyers. >> WATCH LIST: Vehical Parallel Importers with 5 or More Complaints Jan to April 2006: -Auto Magic 9; -Car Resources 13; -Chip Guan Credit 6; -GV Credit 7; -Hua Yang 6; Jan to April 2007: -Carmax 5; -Cars Motor Enterprise 10; -Chuan Car International 5; -Golden Vision 5; -Hua Yang 9; -Kent Corp 10; -Koh Brothers 19; -Motor Traders 10; -Pinnacle Motors 10; -Shun Heng 11; Source: Consumers Association of Singapore." --- It's good for the consumers to know all these infamous PI. Is your PI one of these? Any close encounter and experience with them? Perhaps the list should be longer than that, and you would like to share?

Business Times - 16 Jan 2008 Parallel importers register another boom year PI segment accounted for a whopping 20% of car sales in 2007 By SAMUEL EE LOWER list prices and a wider range of models continued to propel demand for the parallel imported car in 2007 to a new high - it accounted for an unprecedented one out of every five new cars sold in Singapore last year. A total of 22,304 parallel imports (PIs) were registered, according to the Land Transport Authority - a substantial 38 per cent increase over the previous year (see table). And the jump in market share becomes even more significant given that the total number of new cars last year came to 106,531 units - or an 8.8 per cent fall from the 116,849 cars in 2006. The top PI make again threw up no surprises - it remained the perennially popular Toyota. But what was a surprise was that grey imports of the traditional No 2 brand - Honda - more than doubled its volume over 12 months. Toyota PIs notched up 10,451 units - about the same as the year before. But Honda raced up to 9,010 units for a 120 per cent jump in sales. This was due to the popularity of one model - the Honda Stream compact MPV. In 2007, PIs collectively moved 4,062 of these in the first full year of sales (parallel importers first brought in the model in the last quarter of 2006). By contrast, authorised distributor Kah Motor only launched it in mid-2007 and sold just 1,220 units for the year. The white-hot demand for the Stream nudged the older Toyota Wish into the runner-up position. In 2007, the previous bestseller only managed 2,807 units - significantly down from the whopping 6,628 in the previous year. Another brand that experienced an increase in PI sales was Suzuki. The small Japanese brand was also ranked No 3 in 2006 but it was its 150 per cent jump to 1,658 units in 2007 which has to be the most interesting aspect of its performance. The combined total of 16,137 grey imports in 2006 was already a record for the industry, which looked like it was on the verge of collapse just a few years ago. Back in 2004, the PI trade registered only about 4,000 cars after the government acted on rampant under-declaration and other high jinks. This number was a big drop from the preceding year's estimated 7,500 units and was all the more striking given that the overall passenger car market was experiencing strong growth due to ever-increasing COE quotas. But in 2005, the PI scene engineered a sharp about-turn and sales of PI cars jumped back up to 6,282 units. It rose even higher in 2006 before culminating in the 2007 boom. Against the contraction in the total industry volume for passenger cars last year, the market share for the PI segment is now a whopping 20 per cent, or one in every five new cars sold in 2007. Compare this with 2006's 13.8 per cent, which roughly translates to one in seven cars. The surge in PI sales has, of course, come at the expense of the MTA or Motor Traders Association of Singapore, to which almost all the authorised vehicle distributors in the country belong. In 2007, the collective market share of MTA members fell to 77 per cent from the previous year's 84.5 per cent.

THE parallel import (PI) market may be overwhelmingly dominated by Japanese brands, but even Continental makes are finding these grey imports eating into their sales. Last year saw a record 16,137 passenger cars sold by parallel importers across the island, and this year looks like it will be another bumper year, with a whopping 11,565 units sold in the first six months of 2007. Two marques - Toyota and Honda - accounted for 88 per cent of those PI cars sold in the first half. Only 210 units, or 1.8 per cent, were not Japanese cars. These 210 units were all German brands, with Mercedes-Benz contributing the most at 92 units. This is not surprising because Mercs have been one of the earliest Continental makes targeted by PIs. But what is surprising is that Volkswagen comes in at No 2 with 90 units. The bulk of VW grey imports consisted of the Golf GTI model; one reason for its good sales is the price. PIs can sell this popular hot hatch for as much as $10,000 less than authorised distributor Volkswagen Group Singapore (VGS). The lower price may sometimes be due to the PI car having a lower level of specifications than the authorised one. But while they may be cheaper to buy, PI cars may not have the same after-sales back-up as authorised models, says VGS managing director Olaf Duebel, 'Cars bought through parallel importers and which are not sold through authorised dealers will not come under factory warranty,' explains Dr Duebel. He says that to be covered under VW's two-year factory warranty, these cars must have at least one of the following points: # a stamped and signed service schedule in the service booklet from the owner's manual from an authorised VW dealer; # a verifiable registration date in the factory vehicle database; and/or # an original sales contract by an authorised VW dealer. But owners of PI Volkswagens will still be able to service their cars at VGS. 'We treat them as we would our regular customers - that is, by using the same cost structure,' adds Dr Duebel. He adds that while some buy from PIs because of the 'price differential and the fact that more equipment options are available', he cautions that these cars usually do not have the right country-specific specifications for the Singapore environment. 'For example, the engine may not have cooling systems for the tropical environment or they may not have the correct exhaust gas emission standards, which may lead to engine failure. This will obviously pose a risk to the customer who purchases the PI car,' says Dr Duebel. Also, a risk is that some PIs may offer unauthorised chip tuning that could cause engine problems later. Another German brand that has been seeing small but steady sales of parallel imported models is Porsche. From January to June this year, 10 units of the high-end sports car were not sold by authorised distributor Stuttgart Auto. They range from the classic 911 to the entry-level Cayman mid-engined coupe. The PI prices may be lower but Stuttgart Auto says they don't have the same cost structure. 'We have invested in after-sales, marketing, training and customer relationship programmes. We are committed to the brand and to our customers of new and pre-owned Porsches,' says general manager Alison Ong. She adds that Stuttgart Auto has two showrooms and two after-sales facilities with Porsche-trained professionals and highly skilled workshop staff. 'We have been the authorised Porsche distributor for more than 22 years and we are here for the long term. We continue to invest in our people, facilities and equipment to ensure that our customers' Porsches are professionally serviced and maintained for a long lifespan,' says Ms Ong. One more reason why the PIs have been able to carve a niche is because of the shortage in supply. Ms Ong says Stuttgart Auto's sales have been unexpectedly high over the past 12 months. In the first seven months of 2007, it has sold 170 units - more than the 163 units for the whole of 2006. But like VW, owners of Porsche grey imports can still get their cars serviced at the authorised distributor. 'We will accept the car but we have to provide for our own customers first,' explains Ms Ong. 'Our customers have priority.' However, a bigger worry is the PI car itself, she adds. 'We cannot guarantee the transfer history and maintenance history of a PI car or where it has transited before arriving in Singapore. Buying a Porsche is a significant investment in one's life, and you would want peace of mind and certainty in your purchase and this you can only get from an authorised distributor.'

SINGAPORE Customs has been conducting a series of raids - dubbed post-clearance audits - on parallel importers suspected of avoiding tax by under-declaring the value of cars they import. Over the past two weeks, there have been three raids on importers housed at the Automobile Megamart in Kampung Ubi. The raids follow a widening discrepancy between the declared value of cars sold by parallel importers and equivalent vehicles sold by authorised agents. The lower the declared cost price of a car, the more competitively priced it can be on the retail market. A recent report in The Straits Times pointed out that such price differences could total more than $10,000 per car. Singapore Customs was not available for comment yesterday. The authority rarely confirms or denies such raids, but traders with shops at the eight-storey Automobile Megamart complex said enforcement officers from the agency descended on the premises three times in the last two weeks. Two raids took place yesterday and on Tuesday. Boxes of documents and even computers of as many as half a dozen companies were carted away. Mr Neo Nam Heng, president of the parallel importers' Automotive Importers and Exporters Association, sighed when asked about the raids, which he said had been taking place with rising frequency. 'All importers have to be aware of the consequences of the law,' he said. 'But unfortunately, not everyone is.' He noted that getting a car cleared by Customs has been 'fast and easy' in recent years. 'But getting a car cleared does not mean there's no problem. If you under-declare, there are going to be problems.' The Straits Times understands that under-declaration is fairly common, and the practice is affecting the profitability of businesses that declare correct values. Mr Ricardo Soh, proprietor of parallel importer Ricardo Cars, said: 'It's a bit of a disadvantage for us. If the Government can review the valuation method and have uniform values across the board, it will be good.' Singapore Customs had a dialogue with parallel importers last week to see if under-declaration could be overcome. Mr Neo said traders made some suggestions, including imposing after-sales taxes instead of the current practice of taxing before sales. 'They (Customs) said if there are changes, they can't be made immediately. Laws will have to be changed.' I am wonder which PIs kena raided

Ya hi all. Need some help from you all. Is it possible to parallel import new cars for urself?? By the way how n why do parallel importers import cars n why it is cheaper than the authorised dealer?? Wheres their margin?? How do they do their biz competing with likes of kah motors etc. These so called authorised dealers also order their cars from japan LIKE the normal dealers?? Can we import ourselves?? Is it rite that if i got my own financing, own insurance, own workshop who willing to cover my car, i could actually import new cars myselves. Any idea where do the car dealers companies in ubi, kah motors etc actually order their cars from?? Would like to import my own vehicles from Japan. thks for your help!! Rookie

http://motoring.asiaone.com.sg/news/20070202_003.html interesting to know why PIs don't sell Nissan

Do you guys think its a good deal? Built in radio, OMV is ard 16k as mentioned by BH* Auto sales ppl..

I was toying with the idea of a new 2006 Camry and went down to the Mega Mart to check out the beautiful cars. Pinnacle Auto seems like a big name there. I asked the Pinnacle Salesman the follow questions : 1. Who provides the Service ? Reply : " Jackspeed is currently providing the service but very soon we will have our own in house servicing facilities " 2. But Jackspeed can only provide simple servicing & minor repairs ! How about diagnosis of the vehicle computers if it fails, such as the engine computer, transmission computer, keyless entry, anti theft alarm etc ?? Reply : "Oh...don't worry lah...we sold so many JDM vehicle but so far no problem by customers reported. The cars from JDM is very reliable and don't break down so easily. Only need simple servicing " ( Comment : You got to be kidding right ? Cars don't break down ? ) 3. But what if it really breaks down and need to be diagnosed by a qualified technician ? Reply : "Oh....I am from the Sales department...I need to check with the Technical side and get back to you" ( Comment : Wah Lan Eh...before buying like that already, imagine if you have signed on the dotted line ) I went over to Car Times and drop the same questions and got about the same response. Then the salesman gave me another hope : 1. What if something really go wrong with the car ? Will you be able to service it ? Reply : "No Worries....at the most, BM would have to do the vehicle afterall, it is a Toyota and they will have to take care of the brand. The most, you will have to pay for the repairs if really necessary ! " ( Comment : I almost fainted! And they say that they will take care of recalls ! Wonder if LTA is aware of this kind of issues ) Like I said before, I really admire the courage of people buying the parallel imports ! Either they are really brave or they must be ignorant of the need for proper Aftersales support. NOTE TO PARALLEL IMPORTERS : If any parallel importers are reading this, it would really help your sales effort if you put up information on how you can support your imports especially on the diagnosis and repair side. Claiming to provide a 3 year/60K km warranty is just not good enough. Look what happen to PACO PI, they sold enough cars, made enough $$$ and harnessed too much complaint, they simply close down the company and start a new one. Those poor customers who bought from them, are in deep sh*t ! THINKING OF BUYING A WISH, EDIX, CAMRY, MARK X, STEPWAGON, WHATEVER JDM.....THINK AGAIN ! CBX

Can someone advise me what is the difference btw the Civic from pararel importers & Kah Motors?

Hello Folks, Could you share with me your experience with PI ? Which one would you recommend for Japanese cars? and reasons? Which car did you bought from PI? Thanks!

Just wondering ... Do parallel importers sell cars without COE? Would the price be = their selling price of car with COE - COE price? Or would it be higher than that? I think COE price will dive further. Am thinking of getting my own COE, and buy a car without COE from a PI. Any advice?