THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU BUY A CAR/VEHICLE

Vehicle buying ESPECIALLY USED VEHICLES(TOKUNBO) is not as easy as the way people thought it is.Due to inadequate knowledge of vehicle buying secrets, many have ended up dissappointed with their purchase.there are many theories about vehicle buying secrets especially in the internet.But i have discovered that most of these theories can not be applied in our african environment.

Basically, in order not to end up regretting our purchase there are basic things we need to put into consideration anytime you go shopping for a vehicle of your choice.Consider the following:

MILEAGE

Low mileage is a good selling/buying point for any brand of used vehicle popularly known as tokunbo.But it is so disappointing these days that odometer reading of vehicles are being manipulated by dubious salespeople/dealers.

I have come in contact with a lot of people who thought that electronic odometer readings can not be manipulated.I want to tell you as an insider that any odometer reading can be manipulated.Many vehicles carry mileages that are so suspicious,or how can you explain a 2003 Toyota 4Runner with a 10,000 mileage, to me it is a fraud.The industry standard miles/kilometer per year is averagely 24,000km or 10,000miles.

When you go shopping for a vehicle ,ensure the mileage on the vehicle of your choice agrees with the year model and general body condition.Dont say it is brand tokunbo.The so-called brand tokunbos mileages are being adjusted either in USA,EUROPE,CANADA,ASIA before they are shipped or done right here in nigeria by auto dealers even before they display the vehicles in the showrooms.

Generally genuine low mileage ve them,but beware becausehicles are best buy any day.So go for most low mileage vehicles are fakes.

LOW MILEAGE+CLEANLINESS+GOOD ENGINE+GOOD PRICE=GOOD BUY

GABRIEL (www.hotautobuyingsecrets.com),
biceptco@gmail.com

Your analysis is quite correct but there are certain things you have to put into consideration. Things like how often and the distance the vehicle is put to use. Why am saying this is that I know that some people abroad don't drive cars over long distances. Many people park thier cars and use railway to and fro work and only use thier vehicles on weekends. So it should not be a suprise to see a 5 year old car having less than 40K mileage.

I bought a Pathfinder of 78000 mileage for my wife in 2006 and as at now the mileage is just about 86000 plus. Some body may doubt it but the reason is that my residence is very close to my wife's place of work. Infact it is a 20 minutes trekking distance or 5 minutes driving distance, just a distance of less than two kilometres. That accounts for the low mileage and we have only driven the car from PH to our home town in Imo State 5 times, and that's when the entire family is travelling. I prefer flogging my rugged benz to and fro home.

If tomorrow I want to sale the Pathfinder somebody somewhere may think that the odometer has been manipulated. When I bought my benz, I never believed in the odometer which was reading 99K plus kilometres, but after I drove the car for over 3 years and no single problem with the engine I went and gave the guy who brought it in and sold to me a carton of wine. This is over 7 years now, am yet to do any work on the engine except for regular under carriage problems as a result of our Nigerian roads.

This same scenario applies abroad where rail system is very much effective and with high cost of gas people look for cheaper means of moving around.
In all things I believe in your equation;
low mileage + cleaniness + good engine + good price = good buy.

Bicept,

Thanks for the info, buyers will benefit from it.

Buyers should beware that flooded vehicles are going to start arriving in Nigeria in greater numbers because of the recent Hurricane that hit the Houston area.  Check the cars you are buying for signs of flood.

Tips are available here: https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-147829.0.html

Bicept, Good you brought up this issue again. Your point is quite valid. I suggested sometime ago that we set some standards on postings regarding car sales on this forum and have a moderator. Most of the issues discussed on this thread so far can be taken care of by making it mandatory to disclose VIN number of vehicles on postings. This way, the secret will be out there in the open (at least for vehicles imported from the US which I estimate to constitute about 80% of cars being advertised for sale here).

We have kind members on this forum who are ready to assist with getting history of vehicles from CARFAX using the VIN number of vehicles for FREE! Nairalanders are taking advantage of this already. My advice is that buyers will be wise to stay away from sellers of vehicles who do not make VIN number known on their postings or promise that they will email it to you later.

Jenju has also touched on another key issue - Flooded cars. These are the most dangerous cars you can put on the road. They are simple death traps and many those cars will soon flood Nigeria due to the hurricane in Houston as he mentioned in his post. Buyers beware!

And if i may add one thing. Houston has a very large population (if not the most ) number of Nigerians in the US. You know how it goes, Naija factor will set in.

I agree with reality4us. We have 5 1/2 yr old and 3 yr old cars, both purchased brand new. Presently, the former has 80000km and the latter's at 47000km because my spouse's commute to work is only about 20 mins and a large part of my commute is on trains/buses.

@rasmur5

God bless you my bros.