More gloom for used-car dealers + Eurokars

Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
#1
Not sure if anyone sees the irony in these two articles (which I merged together in one thread). On one hand, while used car sales have completely dried up, Eurokars is opening its spanking new complex selling high-end cars to the ultra-rich. My point - Singapore is becoming more and more a playground for the rich. How will this bridge the income gap??

(By the way, if the 30-year old marketing executive cannot cough up the $20,000 for a DP on a car, he really shouldn't be buying a car in the first place!)

The Straits Times
www.straitstimes.com
Published on Mar 23, 2013
More gloom for used-car dealers

MAS rejects the industry's appeal to ease loan curbs on second-hand cars

By Jermyn Chow

THERE will be no respite for the used-car market, which has ground to a halt after the Government's drastic curbs on car loans.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) told The Straits Times yesterday it has rejected an appeal from the industry, confirming that the curbs will continue to apply to both new and used cars.

But Singapore Vehicle Traders Association (SVTA) honorary secretary Raymond Tang is still praying for a change of heart.

He revealed that his association will be submitting a petition signed by its 400-plus members to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong today. "We are really bleeding, and hope the PM can do something quick to change the minds of the policy makers and soften the restrictions on us," he said.

Since Feb 26, buyers can only borrow up to 60 per cent of a car's purchase price, and have to pay it back in five years. Before, there was no cap on the loan, and buyers could take up to 10 years to pay the money back.

Explaining why it rejected SVTA's appeal, an MAS spokesman said exempting used cars from the curbs will push up prices of these vehicles, and drive demand towards new cars. This in turn will result in "higher COE (certificate of entitlement) prices, compromising the policy objective".

On the grouse of used car dealers' that they were not consulted, the spokesman said that "prior consultation is not possible for market-sensitive measures".

With COE premiums tumbling in the wake of the curbs, and dealers of new cars slashing prices, used-car businesses are suffering.

While showrooms of new cars remain packed, sales at second-hand shops have plunged by up to 100 per cent, despite some cutting prices by a third.

Mr Bret Chia, director of RPM Automobile, has not closed a deal since the restrictions, and is looking to sell his remaining fleet at a loss. "Better to get rid of the cars, even if I am losing $10,000."

There has been a small reprieve for businesses at Commonwealth Car Mall, whose owners have given them a 10 per cent discount on rental for the next three months.

Apex Trading managing director Thomas Lim, hoping for an easing of rental by Turf City landlord Cogent Holdings, said: "Now that the authorities are saying no to us, we are really hoping for our landlord to show some mercy."

MAS said it "understands the difficulties that used-car dealers are facing", and has introduced some concessions. These include exempting the physically disabled from loan restrictions for one car.

More used cars will likely also fall in the category where a 60 per cent loan is allowed with the MAS taking depreciation into account.

For cars whose open-market value is over $20,000, only loans of up to 50 per cent are allowed.

The MAS spokesman said: "We re-emphasise that the financing restrictions are not intended to be permanent, and will be adjusted as market conditions change."

Buyers hoping that loan rules for used cars will be relaxed will also have to rethink their plans to own a vehicle.

Said marketing executive Benjamin Chan, 30, who had to forgo a four-year-old Honda Jazz because he cannot afford the $20,000 downpayment: "Looks like I have to wait a little longer."

jermync@sph.com.sg

---------------------

The Straits Times
www.straitstimes.com
Published on Mar 23, 2013
$42m luxury car showroom opens


By Royston Sim

A LUXURIOUS car showroom for premium marques such as Rolls-Royce and Porsche opened yesterday - boasting features such as two giant vehicle lifts and a swanky bar.

Costing $42 million and built over two years, the Eurokars City Centre hopes to take advantage of the bullish premium motor market, despite recent curbs on loans to motorists and a tiered additional registration fee.

The six-storey, 76,000 sq ft Eurokars facility houses three brands - Porsche, Rolls-Royce and Mini - and was built on an existing Porsche showroom site on Leng Kee Road. Eurokars group executive chairman Karsono Kwee promised the revamped facility will provide luxury-car enthusiasts with a more comfortable experience.

"No expense was spared in creating a luxurious environment for our customers. We want them to feel like they are at home," he said.

Eurokars said the new facility houses the biggest Rolls-Royce showroom in South-east Asia, with over 4,600 sq ft of floor space.

Two enormous car lifts - which the group says are the biggest in Singapore - ensure that even the longest 6m Phantoms can be transported to the second-floor showroom with ease. There is also a customer lounge with a "floating bar" taking up more than 3,700 sq ft.

Last year, the group sold 408 Porsches, compared with 473 in 2011 and 324 in 2010.

Rolls-Royce deliveries hit a record high of 29 last year, from 26 in 2011 and 27 in 2010.

The outlook for Singapore's luxury car market is bullish even with recent changes, Mr Kwee said, noting that the market share for premium cars has increased over the years.

As for certificates of entitlement, he said it was hard to predict where premiums were headed, as the market is still turbulent and has not settled down.

roysim@sph.com.sg
My Value Investing Blog: http://sgmusicwhiz.blogspot.com/
Reply
#2
If you know the context, you shouldn't be. The used-car dealers' plight is a recent development as a result of recent policy. The Eurocars is a business venture decided few years ago and only opening now. They can't possibly not open after sinking in $42m can they?
Reply
#3
Further news on used-car dealer

The new curb on car loan hurts lots of used-car dealers, much more than i anticipated.

Rental woes driving dealers out of car marts

SINGAPORE — Hit by the poor market conditions, seven used-car dealers from Thomson Used Care Centre are trying to pull out of a pre-contract — and risk forfeiting their five-figure security deposits and the renovation work that has already been completed — to move to a newly-refurbished centre in Little India.

With the used car industry, in particular, still reeling from the new curbs on car loans, the dealers cited the need to cut costs after a failed appeal to the centre’s owner, the Singapore Vehicle Traders Association (SVTA), to lower the rent.

Should the car dealers succeed in pulling out, it also leaves the SVTA with a massive headache — last year, it suffered a loss of S$1 million in running the 6,100 sq m centre — slightly smaller than a football field, which is less than half full.

http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/ren...-car-marts
“夏则资皮,冬则资纱,旱则资船,水则资车” - 范蠡
Reply
#4
Many of them made piles in last few years, now pay back a bit only.
“risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.”
I don’t look to jump over 7-foot bars: I look around for 1-foot bars that I can step over.
Reply
#5
(05-04-2013, 10:23 AM)cfa Wrote: Many of them made piles in last few years, now pay back a bit only.

I concur with you. I visited some dealers in Turf City not long before govt announced the various curbs, the attitude of the salesmen were really... lets just say unpleasant Angry this goes to show that they must have made piles for a long time already...
Reply
#6
(05-04-2013, 10:33 AM)Ben Wrote:
(05-04-2013, 10:23 AM)cfa Wrote: Many of them made piles in last few years, now pay back a bit only.

I concur with you. I visited some dealers in Turf City not long before govt announced the various curbs, the attitude of the salesmen were really... lets just say unpleasant Angry this goes to show that they must have made piles for a long time already...

Used-car boom came after COE price rocketed. Let's take the timing when COE reached above 40K around end 2010, it is only slightly more than 2 years of good time.

Anyway, i agree on the attitude of used-car salesmen, like we are begging them to sale... Tongue
“夏则资皮,冬则资纱,旱则资船,水则资车” - 范蠡
Reply
#7
Singapore, 5 April 2013 ... The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) will lift the current restrictions on car loans for a period of 60 days for the purchase of used cars1 that were part of car dealers’ inventory before the restrictions were introduced on 25 February 20132. As dealers have up to seven days to register used cars under the Land Transport Authority’s Temporary Transfer Scheme (TTS), used cars registered as of 4 March 2013 will be eligible for this concession.

2 MAS had also earlier indicated that the scope of the financing restrictions will be extended to all entities that finance car purchases, including those that are not regulated by MAS. This will now come into effect. The Ministry of Trade and Industry has today issued new regulations pursuant to the Hire Purchase Act to ensure that MAS’ financing restrictions on the purchase of cars apply to these non-MAS regulated entities as well. The Ministry of Law has also today required licensed moneylenders to comply with MAS’ financing restrictions.

3 The lifting of the financing restrictions on purchases of used cars under the TTS as of 4 March 2013 takes into account the distinct conditions in the used car market currently. The inventory of used cars acquired by dealers at relatively high in-built Certificate of Entitlement (COE) values before the introduction of the financing restrictions has made it particularly challenging for them to adjust to the new market conditions. Demand has also fallen more sharply in the used car market compared to that for new cars.

4 MAS has therefore decided to temporarily lift the financing restrictions for the purchase of the limited pool of used cars registered under the TTS as of 4 March 2013. This pool comprises less than 7000 cars. Based on trends in purchases of used cars since the announcement of the new restrictions, it is expected that much of this inventory can be cleared within a period of two months. This concession takes effect from 6 April 2013 and will be in place for a period of 60 days3, after which, the financing restrictions will apply.

5 MAS has taken into account useful feedback from the Singapore Vehicle Traders Association on the state of the used car industry. While it is not possible to relieve the industry from the impact of the financing restrictions on an ongoing basis, the two-month relaxation of the rules for its pre-existing inventory will help the industry adjust to the new conditions.

6 MAS will continue to monitor developments in the car market and COE premiums, and will recalibrate the financing restrictions for new and used cars when appropriate.

***
1 All references to cars include goods-cum-passenger vehicles.

2 On 25 February 2013, MAS announced restrictions on car loans granted by financial institutions: (i) For a car with open market value (OMV) that does not exceed $20,000, the maximum loan-to-value (LTV) is 60% of the purchase price, including relevant taxes and the price of the Certificate of Entitlement, where applicable; and
(ii) For a car with OMV of more than $20,000, the maximum LTV is 50%.
(iii) The tenure of a car loan will be capped at 5 years.
These restrictions took effect from 26 February 2013.

3 Only loans granted for the purchase of used cars that are registered under the TTS as of 4 March 2013 and where the agreement to purchase such used cars is dated between 6 April 2013 and 4 June 2013 (both dates inclusive) will be exempted from the financing restrictions. For the avoidance of doubt, loans granted for the purchase of (i) used cars which are registered under the TTS as of 4 March 2013, but where the date on which the agreement to purchase such a used car is prior to 6 April 2013 or after 4 June 2013, (ii) all other used cars which are not registered under the TTS as of 4 March 2013, and (iii) all new cars will continue to be subject to the financing restrictions announced on 25 February 2013.
Reply
#8
Sad 
Is this another sign the quality of our government has dropped?



(05-04-2013, 05:54 PM)egghead Wrote: Singapore, 5 April 2013 ... The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) will lift the current restrictions on car loans for a period of 60 days for the purchase of used cars1 that were part of car dealers’ inventory before the restrictions were introduced on 25 February 20132. As dealers have up to seven days to register used cars under the Land Transport Authority’s Temporary Transfer Scheme (TTS), used cars registered as of 4 March 2013 will be eligible for this concession.

2 MAS had also earlier indicated that the scope of the financing restrictions will be extended to all entities that finance car purchases, including those that are not regulated by MAS. This will now come into effect. The Ministry of Trade and Industry has today issued new regulations pursuant to the Hire Purchase Act to ensure that MAS’ financing restrictions on the purchase of cars apply to these non-MAS regulated entities as well. The Ministry of Law has also today required licensed moneylenders to comply with MAS’ financing restrictions.

3 The lifting of the financing restrictions on purchases of used cars under the TTS as of 4 March 2013 takes into account the distinct conditions in the used car market currently. The inventory of used cars acquired by dealers at relatively high in-built Certificate of Entitlement (COE) values before the introduction of the financing restrictions has made it particularly challenging for them to adjust to the new market conditions. Demand has also fallen more sharply in the used car market compared to that for new cars.

4 MAS has therefore decided to temporarily lift the financing restrictions for the purchase of the limited pool of used cars registered under the TTS as of 4 March 2013. This pool comprises less than 7000 cars. Based on trends in purchases of used cars since the announcement of the new restrictions, it is expected that much of this inventory can be cleared within a period of two months. This concession takes effect from 6 April 2013 and will be in place for a period of 60 days3, after which, the financing restrictions will apply.

5 MAS has taken into account useful feedback from the Singapore Vehicle Traders Association on the state of the used car industry. While it is not possible to relieve the industry from the impact of the financing restrictions on an ongoing basis, the two-month relaxation of the rules for its pre-existing inventory will help the industry adjust to the new conditions.

6 MAS will continue to monitor developments in the car market and COE premiums, and will recalibrate the financing restrictions for new and used cars when appropriate.

***
1 All references to cars include goods-cum-passenger vehicles.

2 On 25 February 2013, MAS announced restrictions on car loans granted by financial institutions: (i) For a car with open market value (OMV) that does not exceed $20,000, the maximum loan-to-value (LTV) is 60% of the purchase price, including relevant taxes and the price of the Certificate of Entitlement, where applicable; and
(ii) For a car with OMV of more than $20,000, the maximum LTV is 50%.
(iii) The tenure of a car loan will be capped at 5 years.
These restrictions took effect from 26 February 2013.

3 Only loans granted for the purchase of used cars that are registered under the TTS as of 4 March 2013 and where the agreement to purchase such used cars is dated between 6 April 2013 and 4 June 2013 (both dates inclusive) will be exempted from the financing restrictions. For the avoidance of doubt, loans granted for the purchase of (i) used cars which are registered under the TTS as of 4 March 2013, but where the date on which the agreement to purchase such a used car is prior to 6 April 2013 or after 4 June 2013, (ii) all other used cars which are not registered under the TTS as of 4 March 2013, and (iii) all new cars will continue to be subject to the financing restrictions announced on 25 February 2013.
Reply
#9
(05-04-2013, 06:02 PM)header Wrote: Is this another sign the quality of our government has dropped?

Sorry, what do you mean?
Reply
#10
Shouldn't MAS have foreseen all these when the implemented the original policy which covers used car? Now they have to 'finetune' the policy after having implemented for a few weeks.
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)