6. Ask the seller if there is any fine print in the contract. The Consumers Association of Singapore has ruled fine print as being "unfair" under the Fair Trading Act.

7. The hire-purchase loan should start on the day you take delivery, not earlier.

8. Cashback deals come with hefty penalties for premature loan redemption, so you really "earn" the rebate if you don't resell the car for at least the next few years.

9. Be suspicious if the car has an extraordinarily low mileage. On average, a car in Singapore clocks 20,000km a year.

10. At the end of the day, it's caveat emptor (buyer beware). Remember, your signature is binding.

The writer is the deputy editor of Torque by SPH Magazines. The August issue of Torque is available at all news-stands.