Things to Take Note on Car Inspection – In Singapore, LTA or the Land Transport Authority has set up the rule of inspection of the new cars which is being driven for 3 years after purchasing a brand new car.
This car inspection has been made mandatory for every driver to ensure that the car is worthy of the road for many years to come and the standard of its emission is maintained well. This procedure may sound daunting to the first time car buyers but every driver has to follow this standard procedure.
The first time buyers of a brand new car may have many questions in their mind when they are called for an inspection of their car. There are certain things you must note before taking your car for inspection. These notable things may include:
There are several car inspection centers around Singapore where you can send your car for inspection. The process of inspection and other services are the same in these centers regardless of their location.
You can get the list of car inspection centers online or from the office of LTA in Singapore. You can choose any of these inspection centers even without booing in advance.
Though the procedure and services provided in these car inspections centers are similar at every location but their prices may vary at almost every center.
Each center can charge differently for inspecting different types of vehicles but the inspection fee for a car that runs on petrol can be the same on almost all the inspection centers included in the list.
The inspection fee for a normal petrol car will be nearly $64 but for the vehicles running on diesel, it can be higher as they have to check some additional things. The cost of car inspection can increase if some other legal tests are required to be done.
You can check and compare the inspection fee for different types of vehicles at different inspection centers online to find the most suitable one for you. However, the fees charged by these inspection centers are inclusive of 7% GST or Goods and Services Tax.
The frequency of inspection of your car depends on various factors including the type of vehicle and age of the vehicle you drive.
The frequency of inspection for different types of vehicles is different as some vehicles have to be inspected annually whereas some biannual or even biennial. In exceptional cases, the inspection of the car can be on a quarterly basis.
For instance, the buses and taxis in which the systems of bi-fuel compressed natural gas or CNG are installed have to be inspected every three months.
In Singapore, you can get your car inspected just by driving it down to the inspection center of your choice. The center will inspect your car even if you do not bring the letter of inspection as they already have all the details about your car.
The equipment and systems they will check include steering system, lighting equipment, suspension system, braking system, transmission and engine, road wheel and tires as well as other general items.
Usually, it takes a few minutes to complete the entire process of vehicle inspection still it can vary depending upon the type of vehicle.
For instance, an inspection can be completed within 15 minutes if the car is petrol driven but if it is driven on diesel then it may take a longer time t complete as certain additional tests like CDST or Chassis Dynamometer Smoke Test, etc. have to be done.
For diesel-driven vehicles of all types, the test of CDST is compulsory as it measures the emission of its exhaust at an additional cost of nearly S$20.
Moreover, your car will be driven by the inspector through the inspection lanes to checks various other things. You are free to go to your home with your car if it has passed the inspection but if it fails to pass then you will have to send your car back to the center for a re-inspection.
So, to avoid the fees of re-inspection in Singapore, it is better that you take care of the maintenance of your car so that it can clear the car inspection tests in the first attempt.