Content Attributes
Owning a car is convenient since the car owner can use it for convenient commuting to his workplace, for shopping and reaching any place he wishes. However in addition to the amount invested for purchasing the car. The car owner will also have to pay other expenses periodically like car insurance, maintenance and inspection. So a person who is planning to purchase a car or has just purchased a car would like to find out the annual expenses involved, especially the car inspection cost, so that he can plan his finances accordingly. Some of the factors which determine how much the car inspection will cost are discussed below.
Age of the car
One of the main factors which determine the inspection cost is the age of the car. Car owners who have purchased a new car. Do not have to worry about car inspection for the first three years. After three years, the car will have to be inspected once every two years till the car is ten years old.
Since the condition of the car will worsen as it becomes older. The frequency of inspection for the car will worsen, increasing the inspection cost. So if the car owner does not want to spend money and time on repeated car inspections. He can consider upgrading his car, purchasing a new car every three years.
Type of car
The cost of the inspection will vary depending on the fuel used in the car. Most of the authorized inspection centres (AIC) in Singapore are specifying their prices for a car which uses petrol as fuel. For diesel vehicles it is mandatory that the vehicle undergoes the Chassis Dynamometer Smoke Test(CDST).
The CDST measures the emissions from the exhaust of the car to check whether the emissions are within the specified limits. The Inspection centre will usually charge approximately $20 for the CDST. Many people have a diesel car since diesel is cheaper than petrol, yet they will have to pay more for inspection.
Organization profile
There are a large number of AICs in Singapore which are authorized by the Land transport authority(LTA). Some of these AICs are part of businesses which offer other automotive services. While some car owners associations also offer the inspection services to their members.
The businesses will usually charge $60 for a car inspection and the associations will also charge a similar price for non-members. However the non-profit organizations like owners associations will usually charge a lower price from its members $40. 7% GST has to be paid in addition to the inspection fee.
Re-inspection
While most of the cars which undergo inspection pass it. In some cases the vehicle fails the inspection due to multiple reasons. In some cases, the car poorly maintained while in other cases. The vehicle owner has made some changes to the vehicle engine or exhaust system illegally.
If the car owner wishes to continue using the car. He will have to fix the problems in the car and arrange for a re-inspection. The cost of the re-inspection usually half the inspection cost, typically $30 for a car.