Green-plated cars are hundreds of millions cheaper.

KatadataOTO – The large number of vehicles with green plates in the city of Batam is not without reason. Cars sold by general importers are apparently much cheaper than white-plated units.

In fact, green-plated cars can be hundreds of millions cheaper than white-plated ones. This is because consumers do not have to pay excessive taxes.

"For Toyota Astra alone, the value can be around Rp 300 million different from the national price. Because they don't have to pay several tax components," said Samuel, a Body and Paint Service Advisor at Agung Toyota.

Despite being much cheaper, there are several things to be aware of. One of them is the absence of free service or warranty from official workshops.

Photo : KatadataOTO

"If you buy from an official dealer, you can get free service and a warranty. Meanwhile, for green plates, these are usually not included, and spare parts are also considered more difficult to find," he added.

However, he emphasized that they will still provide the best service if a green-plated Toyota customer comes to an official workshop. It's just that the service will be slightly different.

"Because the spare parts are sometimes different from what's available at the dealership. So we often have to place an order first, either to Jakarta or even abroad," he then added.

He also added that a disadvantage of green-plated cars is that their resale value tends to drop more than that of white-plated ones.

"That's why owners of green-plated vehicles usually sell them to people close to them, like family or friends. This way, the value can be higher than selling to a used car dealership," added Samuel.

Photo : KatadataOTO

It was previously reported that many green-plated cars are seen around Batam. These units are only allowed to operate in the Free Trade Zone.

This is in accordance with Police Regulation No. 7 of 2021 concerning Motor Vehicle Registration and Identification, article 45 letter d, which states that green plates with black writing are for motor vehicles in free trade zones that receive import duty exemption facilities and are based on the provisions of laws and regulations.