Torque Shop: Buying a used car with a modified exhaust system
Is it a problem buying a second-hand car that does not have a catalytic converter?
It is a requirement for cars to be equipped with a catalytic converter, or 'cat', which is part of the car's exhaust system. Removing the cat is therefore illegal.
Any vehicle that originally came with a factory-fitted cat will not be issued with an inspection certificate if the cat is missing or tampered with. Without this certificate, it will not be possible to renew the car's road tax.
Catalytic converters look like exhaust mufflers. Inside, they are filled with very expensive natural elements – such as platinum, palladium and rhodium – that chemically treat exhaust gases to reduce carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides and hydrocarbons.
If the cat is not working, you may notice a distinctive smell of exhaust gas when the engine is idling.
While your car should still run smoothly, missing a catalytic converter means the exhaust gases are not being treated to alleviate the polluting components emerging from an internal combustion engine.
Catalytic converters can be expensive, costing more than a few hundred dollars, and they are model-specific. If you are lucky, you may find a used one at a scrapyard. Otherwise, you will have to get a new one from a parts supplier.
An inspection, whether at your own motor workshop or the inspection centres, will reveal if the exhaust system has been modified. Modifications may involve part of the system being changed. Look out for signs of cuts or welds.
Unless the modification has been certified, any deviation in the exhaust system will be deemed illegal.
Non-approved modifications are strictly forbidden in Singapore, even if the noise and emissions test results are within legal limits. While there may be aftermarket exhaust systems that are approved for road use, they must be certified in Singapore before use.
Even with certified modifications, it is important to check that the vehicle's identification number and engine number match the records on the registration document from the Land Transport Authority.
Arrange for an experienced mechanic from an authorised workshop to confirm that neither of these numbers has been altered.
It would be a nightmare to find that your recently purchased used car is blacklisted, during a routine inspection, because of a discrepancy in the documentation. If the car cannot clear the inspection, it has to be taken off the road.
The safest thing to do when shopping for a used car is to insist on a pre-purchase inspection to avoid such risks. If the seller refuses, walk away from the transaction.
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Straits Times
A factory town in crisis shows Japan's fading manufacturing era
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Once synonymous with cutting-edge technology, Japan's legacy brands are struggling to adapt to changing consumer tastes. TOKYO – Nissan Motor Co's Oppama factory, opened in 1961, was once a crown jewel in Japan's postwar rise to manufacturing powerhouse. Today, it represents the dangers of being caught flatfooted in a rapidly changing industry. The factory, about 48km south of Tokyo, is set to shut by March 2028 – part of Nissan's wide-ranging restructuring after a slump in sales sparked its worst financial crisis since Renault SA rescued the carmaker from near bankruptcy a quarter-century ago. Once synonymous with cutting-edge technology, Japan's legacy brands are struggling to adapt to changing consumer tastes, ceding market share to the likes of Tesla Inc and a wave of Chinese upstarts led by BYD Co. That means whatever happens to Oppama – and the thousands of local residents that depend on it – will serve as a warning for Japanese manufacturers as intensifying competition sparks a painful period of consolidation that could pave the way for much-needed rejuvenation. It's also a new era for the Japanese economy, as a wave of bankruptcies among small and medium-sized firms across industries from transportation to technology challenges the idea of 'shushin koyo' – a job for life. Like any factory town, Nissan's ties run deep. It directly employs almost 10 per ent of Oppama's 29,700 residents. Field trips to the plant are a rite of passage for local school children and the company revived its baseball team in 2025 after a 16-year hiatus, though they lost in the semi-finals to ultimate tournament winner Toshiba Corp. A victory would have provided a welcome distraction, said Mr Yuji Fujita, the third-generation owner of a fresh produce store located in the shopping avenue that runs between Oppama's train station and the factory. He drew parallels with the shutdown of Nissan's Zama plant in 1995, which marked the first factory closure in Japan by any carmaker in the postwar period. 'This is the worst case scenario,' said Mr Fujita, whose family has owned around two dozen Nissan cars over the years. 'It's impossible to know what will happen to us now.' His sentiment is echoed around town. It's not clear yet how many of the 2,400 people employed at Oppama will be transferred to a Nissan factory in Kyushu, about 966km to the south-west, or when they will start their new roles. 'The priority now is to figure out what options will be offered to existing employees,' said Mr Keiichi Asakura, general secretary of the Nissan Motor Worker's Union. There's also uncertainty about what happens to the site that spans 1.7 million square meters – about half the size of Central Park. Speculation has swirled among residents that it could be turned into a holiday resort or a theme park, or even used by the private defence industry. Nikkei reported in early July, before the announcement that Oppama will close, that Nissan is in talks with Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry Co – better known as Foxconn – over the site. Nissan chief executive officer Ivan Espinosa has said he isn't considering contract manufacturing. And plans are complicated by the need to rewrite the town's civil laws to reflect a change in utilisation. Mr Katsuaki Kamiji, the mayor of Yokosuka, the city where Oppama is located, said he spoke to Mr Espinosa in late July to advocate for a future that provides ongoing employment for residents. 'We urged him to take into account, as much as possible, the creation of jobs, the region's revitalisation and the growth of Yokosuka when weighing how the property will be utilised,' he said in an emailed statement. Fading fortunes While the announcement that Oppama will close was a surprise for some, residents have known for some time that Nissan's fortunes were fading, said Mr Nakao Habutsu, superintendent of the Oppama Administration Centre. In 2007, when it celebrated having produced 15 million vehicles, Oppama still made seven different models. In 2010, the town was given a fresh boost by the Leaf – the world's first mass-market all-electric car that was set to transform the automaker into a global leader in innovation. But Leaf production started to shift to the US and the UK in 2013. Now, Oppama makes just two models: the Note subcompact hatchback and the Aura, both for the domestic market. Tesla's offerings have usurped the Leaf as the best-selling EV in history. But it's the Chinese that have emerged as an industry superpower, offering sleek high-tech models at a variety of price points. Nissan's limited all-electric line up is spearheaded by the Sakura, the Ariya and the Leaf, which is getting a makeover in the hope of lifting sales. Production cuts The lack of blockbusters is core to Nissan's troubles, though Mr Espinosa has said that once Oppama is shut, there are no plans for further consolidation in Japan. All told, Nissan wants to reduce annual output to 2.5 million units from 3.5 million by consolidating production from 17 factories to 10, and will cut 20,000 jobs. The carmaker is likely to see ¥160 billion (S$1.39 billion) in impairments and restructuring charges this financial year, chief financial officer Jeremie Papin said during an event hosted by Sanford C Bernstein. Mr Espinosa has been firm that Nissan doesn't need a saviour to get it back on track. Talks to combine with Honda Motor Co fell apart earlier in 2025, but its downturn attracted interest from Foxconn and KKR & Co. So far, it's the sprawling network of small, specialty-parts suppliers that have borne the brunt of the auto sector's challenges. There were 32 bankruptcies during the fiscal year that ended in March, the most in a decade, according to Teikoku Databank. There's likely more consolidation to come as companies that specialise in EVs, autonomous driving and high-efficiency engines thrive, while others look to attain that expertise through mergers and acquisitions, according to Mr Satoru Shinozuka, an analyst at Teikoku Databank. 'If they don't have the technology or the capital, it'll be difficult,' said Mr Shinozuka. It's 'survival of the fittest,' he said. BLOOMBERG
Straits Times
13 hours ago
- Straits Times
Car catches fire in Bukit Timah Road; SMRT bus driver seen trying to put flames out
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The primary causes of such fires were attributed to ignition sources, such as overheating, as well as electrical faults within the engine. SINGAPORE – A car caught fire in Bukit Timah Road on Aug 1 7, with a bus driver seen trying to put the flames out. In response to queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the fire at about 5pm. The fire involved the car's engine compartment, and was extinguished using a water jet and hose reel . No one was injured, and the cause of the fire is under investigation. A video posted on the Facebook group Singapore Incidents showed an SMRT bus driver attempting to put out the flames engulfing the bonnet of a white car using a fire extinguisher. The Straits Times has contacted SMRT Buses for more information. Meanwhile, a separate video on Singapore Roads Facebook page showed several firefighters extinguishing the fire with their equipment. There have been at least a doze n reported instances of vehicular fires in 2025. According to the SCDF's annual fire statistics report released on Feb 13, there were 220 vehicle fires in 2024, up from 215 in 2023. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NDR 2025: US baseline tariff of 10% on Singapore offers 'little comfort', says PM Wong Singapore NDR 2025: CDCs to spearhead new effort to match job seekers to roles nearer to home, says PM Wong Singapore NDR 2025: Govt will help workers harness AI, redesign jobs, says PM Wong Singapore NDR 2025: New govt-funded traineeship scheme for ITE, poly, university graduates Singapore NDR 2025: S'pore looking at more ways to strengthen online safety for children and support parents Singapore NDR 2025: Developing human qualities key priority for schools in age of AI, says PM Wong Singapore NDR 2025: Govt to strengthen partnership with Chinese community, which played key role in nation-building Singapore NDR 2025: New Islamic college campus will be in Rochor, students can take courses at SUSS next door The primary causes of such fires were attributed to ignition sources, such as overheating, as well as electrical faults within the engine.
Straits Times
19 hours ago
- Straits Times
How a driving score turned road safety into a national game in South Korea
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Traffic accidents in South Korea fell from 223,552 cases in 2014 to 198,296 in 2023. SEOUL - Thirty-one thousand, three hundred and sixty-six. That is the number of traffic accidents South Korea's most widely used navigation app, Tmap, claims it has helped prevent between 2018 and 2020. The figure comes from an internal model comparing the accident rates of drivers with high 'driving scores' to those with lower ones, adjusted for distance driven. It is not the product of a government audit or a peer-reviewed study. In a country that records around 200,000 road accidents annually, it is a striking claim. 'Sure, it's part of the company's PR,' says Dr Chun Ji-yeon, senior researcher at the Korea Insurance Research Institute's mobility center, 'but that number is still a concrete, if imperfect, measure of how Korea's embrace of gamified driving scores might be nudging behavior in safer directions'. Since 2016, when Tmap rolled out its 'driving score', the concept has spread to Naver Map in 2024, Kakao Map in 2022 and even rental-car platform Socar. The formula is simple: your phone tracks acceleration, braking, cornering and speeding; the smoother and more law-abiding your driving, the higher your score. Points translate into auto-insurance discounts, gift credits or both. According to Tmap in 2024, participation in the Driving Score program has surpassed 19 million drivers, of whom 10.1 million have scored well enough to secure insurance discounts. In most countries with usage-based insurance, the score is private and functional. In South Korea, it is social. Scores are integrated into apps millions already use daily, displayed alongside rankings against other drivers. 'It is one of the few score-based competitions in Korea where everyone benefits when scores rise,' said Dr Chun. 'Safer driving lowers accident risk, insurers save on claims, and drivers save money. It is a rare alignment of interests.' A carrot in a land of sticks For decades, South Korea's road safety gains have come from stronger enforcement. Laws against drunk driving have tightened. Networks of unmanned speed cameras have expanded. Regulations in school zones, especially after the 2019 'Min-sik Law', have sharply increased penalties for speeding near children. 'Enforcement and better technology are still the main drivers of change in road safety,' said Mr Seo Beom-kyu, head of the traffic safety division at the Korea Road Traffic Authority. 'But the private-sector model adds something new. It rewards good behaviour, which government programs struggle to do at scale.' Government data reflects the progress. Nationwide traffic accidents fell from 223,552 cases in 2014 to 198,296 in 2023. Over the same period, accidents per 10,000 vehicles dropped from 2.0 to 0.9, while fatalities per 100,000 people declined from 9.4 to 5.0. Modern car safety technology has also changed the baseline. Advanced driver assistance systems, such as automatic emergency braking and lane-keeping assist, are increasingly common even in budget vehicles. Crashes that once caused fatalities now result in minor injuries or are avoided altogether. Against that backdrop, driving scores are an extra nudge. 'International studies have proven that usage-based insurance can cut risky driving behaviors,' said Dr Chun. 'In Korea, I do have to say the evidence is more suggestive than conclusive. But it would be hard not to call it effective or successful.' Insurers, though, have more than safety in mind. 'In Korea, as in the US, these programs are as much about brand positioning as accident reduction,' said Dr Im Chae-hong, senior researcher at Samsung Traffic Safety Research Institute. 'Once one company offers safe-driving discounts, competitors follow to avoid looking behind the curve.' For many users in South Korea, the appeal is more than financial anyway. 'When I got a perfect 100 last month, I posted it online like a medal,' said Ms Lee Ji-yeon, a 39-year-old office worker in Incheon. 'It made me think more about how I drive, even when no one is watching.' Others admit to gaming the system. 'If I have to drive in heavy traffic, I switch to Naver so my Tmap score doesn't drop,' said Mr Kim Min-su, 32, who works in marketing in Seoul. 'It might sound silly, but last year it saved me almost 200,000 won (S$185) on insurance.' A uniquely Korean integration into everyday apps Usage-based insurance exists elsewhere. In Japan, Yahoo! Car Navigation users can connect to Sony Assurance for premium discounts. In the US, insurers like Progressive and Allstate have been using plug-in devices or separate apps to monitor driving for a long time. But in most cases, the score is visible only to the insurer and the driver. South Korea's model is embedded in mass-used navigation apps, with visible rankings and frequent prompts to check progress. That public element taps into what Mr Hyun Chul-seung, head of the Traffic AI and Big Data Center at the Korea Road Traffic Authority, calls 'a deep familiarity with measurable performance'. 'From school grades to fitness apps to delivery driver ratings, we are used to seeing our performance compared to others,' Mr Hyun said. 'Here, it has found a relatively healthy outlet.' Researcher Im from Samsung Traffic Safety Research Institute explained that this model also sidesteps Korean insurers' earlier failed experiments in the early 2010s with plug-in monitoring devices, which Korean drivers disliked for their hassle, cost and 'surveillance' feel. When Korean navigation apps began doing the tracking directly, adoption soared, helped by the fact that Korea's car insurance premiums, at around 1 million won a year, are very modest by global standards. 'The financial incentive is smaller than in the US, but the social reward of keeping a high score is stronger,' Dr Im said. Not perfect, but part of the puzzle The technology is not flawless. GPS drift can register false lane changes. Sudden braking to avoid another driver's mistake can lower a score. And because participation is voluntary, there is an inevitable element of self-selection. 'Any metric people value will invite workarounds,' Dr Chun from the Insurance Research Institute said. Tmap is experimenting with more context-specific scoring, such as extra credit for obeying school-zone rules or coming to a complete stop before turning right. For now, the 31,366-accident figure remains a corporate claim, not an official statistic. But it reflects something visible on Korean roads: drivers who brake a little earlier, merge a little more politely, and share their score with pride. 'It is not the main reason Korea's roads are safer,' researcher Im said. 'But if you can get millions of people to think twice before speeding just because they want to keep a number high, that is a win worth noting.' THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
