I have got a couple of minutes left to the end of my lunch break and i thought i would write down some words on how difficult it is to buy a car in Nigeria.

Like some of you may know, i have been looking at getting a car for the wife. i have several cars i would like her to drive but Ultimately, since she will be doing lots of the driving i decided to dedicate Saturday to going round car lots for her to look and have a feel for the cars.

Contrary to Those Nigerians who pre-order cars and what not, I prefer to have a general feel of what i am about to buy (Turn on the car, drive it a bit, feel the steering weight, balance, handling, Interior material quality etc) so pre-ordering a car blind just because I've seen it pass by me a couple of times is a no no.

So we set out in the dusty Harmattan heat and hit Kubwa expressway which has a lot of cars and this is where my problem starts.

I know demand drives supply but ..... What nonsense are all these car dealers selling?

One stand, you could find any car you wanted as long as it was a Corolla or Camry (And the missus does not like anything Toyota - Bless her! I love her even more for that!) I know the Camry sells a lot too even in the US but i cant stand the Fisher Price interior build quality!

Same thing over and over. Accords, Camry, Corolla, Venza were everywhere.

Okay i thought, rather than slow grill my beautiful wife in the scorching Abuja heat, let me drive over to individual stands and ask them right off the bat what cars i wanted.

2004 + Acura TL? - NO
2005 + Acura MDX? - NO
Volvo XC90? - NO
2007 + Volvo S80? - NO
Infiniti G35? - NO
BMW E90? - NO
BMW X5? - NO
Any BMW at all? - NO

Plus side they had lots of Mercedes C and E classes but she said she didnt like their looks. That she could drive them when she was much older, not now. (God bless her heart x 1000 Since I've always thought Mercedes were Old people cars)

There were a lot of other cars i inquired about which came up as Not Available, Special order.
The BMW 3 series is the highest selling BMW car, how is that a special order? I have been told to go take a look at Garki Supermarket so next Saturday, Im headed there. Ill most likely be back to moan about the lack of cars there too!

Now I have got to get back to work.

Feel to reply and sound off below.

Note that 90% of the cars you have even seen have had accidents.

nissparts:
Note that 90% of the cars you have even seen have had accidents.

Funny you say this as i noticed it right off the bat. A particular Ford Edge we looked at had rust on the metal bits (runners) beneath the car seats that the seats are attached to.

I inquired why this was so and they gave one flimsy excuse to which i replied this is a salvage car (Flood). They didnt argue too much after I said i knew about these things and i could copy the vin number and do a carfax/autocheck to prove its true.

2004 + Acura TL? - NO
2005 + Acura MDX? - NO
Volvo XC90? - NO
2007 + Volvo S80? - NO
Infiniti G35? - NO
BMW E90? - NO
BMW X5? - NO
Any BMW at all? - NO

Boss dem no de move market.......

Our people have reduced themselves to a Corolla or Camry driver do you either get with the program or risk being an outcast when it comes to servicing.

Your problem I think started from looking for a car without describing the type of car she wants mid size, compact SUV or car.

Japanese,Korean, European or American.

Its a big market do you will have to narrow your search to find the perfect match

I think she'll like the RX350

Hmmmm
This is serious
Most of those cars are readily available in lagos anytime anyday
You can check berger cement /Suya, tincan ,
E.t.c
I like your wifes thinking

My uncle wanted to buy a 2006 Volvo Xc90 most dealers where forcing him on camry and accord, telling him they are the best , fuel economy and oda things
That's Rubbish.



Everyone has a right to make choices even tho its wrong ,so far you got what ur heart desires

If I like a car fuel economy is the last issue on my list
I pull an american hemy v8
Am okay with it
Yolo!!!

sultaan:
Our people have reduced themselves to a Corolla or Camry driver do you either get with the program or risk being an outcast when it comes to servicing.

Your problem I think started from looking for a car without describing the type of car she wants mid size, compact SUV or car.

Japanese,Korean, European or American.

Its a big market do you will have to narrow your search to find the perfect match

I think she'll like the RX350

She would like the RX350 but someone in the family (her sister) already has one so that kind of disqualifies it.

I recently told a colleague that I might buy a BMW 3 series soon and he almost vomited. He ranted on how unreliable a BMW is. Since I cud not argue, I just to him to shove it! And left his office. Bloody Nigerians! Bloody corolla, bloody camry and bloody accord. Mtcheeew.

It is not the cars it is cost of maintenance .

I bought my ford fusion August 2009 and the only part I have changed is a $35 purge solenoid with 90,000+ miles on it now.

There is a $3000 premium on any used car which means a car costs minimum $3k more than the price abroad without any charge added so we buy all the junks in the maker to keep price within limits


@ OP wife might need to preorder a limited Ford Edge around '99-'00 model year

sultaan:
It is not the cars it is cost of maintenance .

I bought my ford fusion August 2009 and the only part I have changed is a $35 purge solenoid with 90,000+ miles on it now.

There is a $3000 premium on any used car which means a car costs minimum $3k more than the price abroad without any charge added so we buy all the junks in the maker to keep price within limits


@ OP wife might need to preorder a limited Ford Edge around '99-'00 model year

You mean 09-10 right?

Not enough variety and my mind is almost being conditioned to get an 08 Camry SE v6 and call it a day.

Nigeria the first thing you should consider before getting any car is ease of maintenance.. ease here is not about money.. its about parts availability. What use is a car when ordinary air filter would take u weeks (mostly after putting it on order) because you searched the length and breath of Gudu and Apo and could not find an airfilter for your car.. try and get a car which can be easily maintained in Nigeria.. which has readily available parts.

bigrovar:
Nigeria the first thing you should consider before getting any car is ease of maintenance.. ease here is not about money.. its about parts availability. What use is a car when ordinary air filter would take u weeks (mostly after putting it on order) because you searched the length and breath of Gudu and Apo and could not find an airfilter for your car.. try and get a car which can be easily maintained in Nigeria.. which has readily available parts.

That, as you have put it is the main reason for our complacency in Nigeria and why we have degraded to a Toyota and Honda driving nation.

If i can buy a car, surely i should be able to get parts for it. We arent talking about rare exotics here but basic luxury sedans. I dont think i mentioned in my earlier post any car that one does not see several of them on these Abuja streets.

Logic dictates as there are several of them, there has to be parts.

I remember the cars my dad had in the goood old days, The Passat, The Beetle, The Audi, The Volvo, The W123, the W124 (Note the common trend here?)

Now fast forward a couple of decades. Would the next generation remember the Accord, Camry, Corolla and Civic most of us drive?

I just want a decent European built car that has lost a lot to depreciation (as they usually do) giving me a well built car at bargain prices win win.

FWIW i still consider my my E46 to be a better all round car than the 2007 + Toyota Camry but that is just my opinion and mileage may vary.

It ain't only Nigeria bro, i'm in Ghana and getting caught in traffic gets pretty boring at times!! toyota, toyota toyota, toyota, toyota, toyota, Hey look! a Charger! toyota, toyota, toyota.

I remember when I bought my car, I wanted (and still want) a 2006 subaru outback with manual tranny and a panoramic sunroof...Needless to say it was a futile mission! I settled for a decent ford focus wagon....but up to this day folks ask why i dont drive a corolla! Sigh....if i dont get a subaru, i'd probably upgrade to a Taurus or a Fusion- both better cars than a camry in my opinion!

billy187:
It ain't only Nigeria bro, i'm in Ghana and getting caught in traffic gets pretty boring at times!! toyota, toyota toyota, toyota, toyota, toyota, Hey look! a Charger! toyota, toyota, toyota.

I remember when I bought my car, I wanted (and still want) a 2006 subaru outback with manual tranny and a panoramic sunroof...Needless to say it was a futile mission! I settled for a decent ford focus wagon....but up to this day folks ask why i dont drive a corolla! Sigh....if i dont get a Subaru, i'd probably upgrade to a Taurus or a Fusion- both better cars than a camry in my opinion!

Ah! Another Subie fan. I know when i'm upgrading/downgrading to a midsize Econobox ill hunt down the finest Subaru Legacy GT Spec B i can find and it will be mine! One can fault a sub 6 second time to 60.

Or ill just go for a 2010 Legacy GT with the manual transmission.

Colour me mad but i have also been looking at purchasing a Saab. Yes, I am patiently waiting for a 9-3 Aero X or 2010 9-5 to come down in price and order one.

Back on topic though, Just got back from Garki Supermarket. The usual suspects were on offer there as well.

Saw a Passat CC i rather liked but it looked like it had been in a previous accident. the colours didnt match. Saw another Passat that looked better but the Switchgear had seen better days and were totally worn out.

Back to the Grind i guess.

Thinking of just contacting Inspired and getting this over with.

Check further for the Passat CC, it's an excellent car and head turner too.
The Skoda Superb is another good one.

lungwun:

Ah! Another Subie fan. I know when i'm upgrading/downgrading to a midsize Econobox ill hunt down the finest Subaru Legacy GT Spec B i can find and it will be mine! One can fault a sub 6 second time to 60.
Or ill just go for a 2010 Legacy GT with the manual transmission.
Colour me mad but i have also been looking at purchasing a Saab. Yes, I am patiently waiting for a 9-3 Aero X or 2010 9-5 to come down in price and order one.
Back on topic though, Just got back from Garki Supermarket. The usual suspects were on offer there as well.
Saw a Passat CC i rather liked but it looked like it had been in a previous accident. the colours didnt match. Saw another Passat that looked better but the Switchgear had seen better days and were totally worn out.
Back to the Grind i guess.

Ahhhh...the subaru legacy gt spec b.. probably the ultimate sleeper!.. its one the few cars i'd sell my left kidney for.......unfortunately finding one this side of the world is harder than finding a gold bugatti on diamond encrusted rims with an interior made of the armpit hair of the brazilian wondering spider!

lungwun:


That, as you have put it is the main reason for our complacency in Nigeria and why we have degraded to a Toyota and Honda driving nation.

If i can buy a car, surely i should be able to get parts for it. We arent talking about rare exotics here but basic luxury sedans. I dont think i mentioned in my earlier post any car that one does not see several of them on these Abuja streets.

Logic dictates as there are several of them, there has to be parts.

I remember the cars my dad had in the goood old days, The Passat, The Beetle, The Audi, The Volvo, The W123, the W124 (Note the common trend here?)

Now fast forward a couple of decades. Would the next generation remember the Accord, Camry, Corolla and Civic most of us drive?

I just want a decent European built car that has lost a lot to depreciation (as they usually do) giving me a well built car at bargain prices win win.

FWIW i still consider my my E46 to be a better all round car than the 2007 + Toyota Camry but that is just my opinion and mileage may vary.

I am speaking from experience bro.. I drive a mazda 3 2007 and know how difficult it can be to get something a simple as a shock absorber.. or even swaybar end links.. I remember searching the whole of apo for my rear light when it got broken.. I was charged for 15k for fairly used.. only for it to turn out to be of the wrong car.. I had to order for one in lagos.. rear freaking light?? I had to resolve to ordering needed parts from amazon and ship them to Nigeria.. imagine the cost and wait time... Till date am yet to find a Mazda MV compatible Auto Transmission ATF in the market that would also be put on order.. I don't regret having this car. the style and handling put Corolla, Camry, Civic and Accord to the dust.. Yet I often have to pay the price of non availability of parts... a costly price for that.

@bigrovar
When you buy those cars the body trim might be difficult to find not because they are scarce but the Nigerians tress shade mechanics have successfully turn the market into a Honda-Toyota nation even the old reliable like MB and BMW are way beyond our technical level.

Despite the fact that Mazda has been in Nigeria for a long time but they fell behind honda in the market .

Service parts are shared between a lot of manufacturers trim will be more difficult to get.

The average Honda -Toyota in the country is an econobox our people are weary of luxurious brands but pay luxury price for the basic knock about.
That is the main reason they can't use it for 5 years without things falling apart. Those who know are now buying luxury japanese brands but the mechs still give them an impression they are less reliable