Its always a very rare occasion that you see a car being advertised and the VIN information is provided especially Tokumbo cars, even dealers that are believe to be professional and corporate and have gain the trust of the public avoid displaying VIN information on their website. Also on popular Nigeria car advertising websites Nigeria dealers avoid VIN information while putting other details. This is not so when you log on similar websites abroad, VIN information are ready available

I spoke to few dealers and what usually come out as their final word is "Nigerians don't like the truth". So is this a good reason to avoid displaying VIN?

What is VIN information?

Whizpeter:
What is VIN information?

VIN - Vehicle Identification Number

domack99:

VIN - Vehicle Identification Number

What purpose does it serve?

Whizpeter:


What purpose does it serve?

Used for many things, most importantly for services records, last mileage recorded and any accident or stolen history

domack99:


Used for many things, most importantly for services records, last mileage recorded and any accident or stolen history

Okay... Thanks

Because most of their cars are salvages ,flooded vehicles, accidented
They buy them at extreamly cheap prices ,Fix them and sell them to unsuspecting buyers...
Most of this cars are not properly restored
..some with hidden issues.
Empty steering with no airbags.
Parts are replaced with fake ones
e.t.c
buying salavages are not that bad infact
in the US Their some cars called rebuilt salvage those ones are properly inspected and fixed to almost factory standards
and they are alot cheaper compared to Clean titled vehicles....
You see %80 of cars in the autos section and the nigerian market are salvage vehicles..
they wont show you the vin because they know their cars are not Clean title
...
Even with the salvage vehicles self some will sell them with fake custom papers.

Thats why you see A Toyota camry Se
With Le Interior remixed
The se steering is different its smaller and sportish ,But you find an le steering in an se vehicle
so many parts mixing e.t.c
even the seats might be that of an le or xle
dashboard will be different and so many more
...
some Se will even have body kits on the sides and the back but the front it looks ordinary
..

a Guy opened a thread here yesterday or the day b4 about a corolla he wants to buy that one ehn without vin i tell u its salvage
interior looks like Le mixed with Ce parts
body looks lik Sport.....
even the lights and other parts doesnt fit properly and you see gaps...

Thats all i've Got too say
Thank You

Because Nigerians don't like the truth, they want to get the very best cars for peanuts which is not possible anywhere on the planet.

I have a friend who is a car dealer, in the past he buys clean title cars but he hardly sell them at good price. In fact he sells them at a loss while other car dealers that sell salvaged cars are making money. A clean title car can cost twice (or more) the price of the same car that is salvaged. When both cars get to Nigeria people expect to buy them at the same price. So that is where the problem comes in. If I bring in a clean car and display it for 2 million. Another dealer beings in the same car salvaged, gets it fixed with cheap materials and displays it for 1.7 million. People will patronize him while mine can be there for more than 1 year without anyone buying it.

Vin numbers will show history for the car, whether it has been involved in an accident, last odometer reading, etc. The truth is 90% of buyers are not interested in that, they just want a car that looks clean and cheap too. My friend still bring in clean title cars, BUT only on pre orders. He has vowed never to use his money to buy a clean title car for resell, especially popular brands like Camry, Lexus and Honda.

Readonee35L:
Because most of their cars are salvages ,flooded vehicles, accidented
They buy them at extreamly cheap prices ,Fix them and sell them to unsuspecting buyers...
Most of this cars are not properly restored
..some with hidden issues.
Empty steering with no airbags.
Parts are replaced with fake ones
e.t.c
buying salavages are not that bad infact
in the US Their some cars called rebuilt salvage those ones are properly inspected and fixed to almost factory standards
and they are alot cheaper compared to Clean titled vehicles....
You see %80 of cars in the autos section and the nigerian market are salvage vehicles..
they wont show you the vin because they know their cars are not Clean title
...
Even with the salvage vehicles self some will sell them with fake custom papers.

Thats why you see A Toyota camry Se
With Le Interior remixed
The se steering is different its smaller and sportish ,But you find an le steering in an se vehicle
so many parts mixing e.t.c
even the seats might be that of an le or xle
dashboard will be different and so many more
...
some Se will even have body kits on the sides and the back but the front it looks ordinary
..

a Guy opened a thread here yesterday or the day b4 about a corolla he wants to buy that one ehn without vin i tell u its salvage
interior looks like Le mixed with Ce parts
body looks lik Sport.....
even the lights and other parts doesnt fit properly and you see gaps...

Thats all i've Got too say
Thank You

A friend of mine told me this same thing about salvaged cars in Nigeria, it's just so sad to buy a salvaged car for the price of a clean title car.

With this information, i think it's better to just buy a salvaged rebuildable car from the US and fix it in Nigeria rather than buy a tokunbo car.

dcutey:



A friend of mine told me this same thing about salvaged cars in Nigeria, it's just so sad to buy a salvaged car for the price of a clean title car.

With this information, i think it's better to just buy a salvaged rebuildable car from the US and fix it in Nigeria rather than buy a tokunbo car.

Yes oh My Oga thats how things are going in the AUTO industry
..as for the salvage rebuilt, they have been repaired but are salvage cars so they sell them cheap

@Readonee35L, @abatically

You guys are right, but my question is, is it Nigeria that don't like the truth or the dealer keep it from them, if dealers open up information buyers will know the difference between clean and salvage title and that vehicle with higher mileage are equally good if the service history is known

domack99:
@Readonee35L, @abatically

You guys are right, but my question is, is it Nigeria that don't like the truth or the dealer keep it from them, if dealers open up information buyers will know the difference between clean and salvage title and that vehicle with higher mileage are equally good if the service history is known

Both the buyer and the seller are both Guilty
...,
Buyers always want cheap cheap things, they want to buy car worth 2.5M for 2M
...In fact not all Nigerians are are intrested in Vin number as soon as the vehicle is clean nothing else matters.
As for the dealers, they want make millions within a short time and it is not suppose to be like that,
when they buy a salvage car worth
2million
for lik 700k
clearing and shipping like 500
Repairs
200k gbam
Total 1.4 , And a gain of over 600k is on it,

To be honest i have seen some hones dealers
so might be cunning .

Infact they rewind mileage in minutes and so many dubious things

dcutey:



A friend of mine told me this same thing about salvaged cars in Nigeria, it's just so sad to buy a salvaged car for the price of a clean title car.

With this information, i think it's better to just buy a salvaged rebuildable car from the US and fix it in Nigeria rather than buy a tokunbo car.

I don't think the bolded part is right, most salvage vehicle are cheaper and the reason why is because they are salvage, the only problem is that the compete with clean title in the market and make it almost impossible for dealers with clean title cars to make profit. See the case illustrated by Abatically above.

domack99:


I don't think the bolded part is right, most salvage vehicle are cheaper and the reason why is because they are salvage, the only problem is that the compete with clean title in the market and make it almost impossible for dealers with clean title cars to make profit. See the case illustrated by Abatically above.

Very correct. If a clean title car is selling for 2 million, a salvage will sell for like 1.8 million. Technically it looks cheaper, but in reality the salvaged car is mee expensive considering the fact that it was bought a lot cheaper than the clean title even with the repair costs. But trust the buyers, a dealer that sells salvaged cars for 1.8m would probably sell 4 cars before the clean title dealer sells one for 2 million. In business world, it is only logical to follow the trend. An honest businessman is not always the most successful.

abatically:


Very correct. If a clean title car is selling for 2 million, a salvage will sell for like 1.8 million. Technically it looks cheaper, but in reality the salvaged car is mee expensive considering the fact that it was bought a lot cheaper than the clean title even with the repair costs. But trust the buyers, a dealer that sells salvaged cars for 1.8m would probably sell 4 cars before the clean title dealer sells one for 2 million. In business world, it is only logical to follow the trend. An honest businessman is not always the most successful.

Correct rate of turn over is the main thing, salvage doesn't necessary mean large profit margin

Readonee35L:
Because most of their cars are salvages ,flooded vehicles, accidented
They buy them at extreamly cheap prices ,Fix them and sell them to unsuspecting buyers...
Most of this cars are not properly restored
..some with hidden issues.
Empty steering with no airbags.
Parts are replaced with fake ones
e.t.c
buying salavages are not that bad infact
in the US Their some cars called rebuilt salvage those ones are properly inspected and fixed to almost factory standards
and they are alot cheaper compared to Clean titled vehicles....
You see %80 of cars in the autos section and the nigerian market are salvage vehicles..
they wont show you the vin because they know their cars are not Clean title
...
Even with the salvage vehicles self some will sell them with fake custom papers.

Thats why you see A Toyota camry Se
With Le Interior remixed
The se steering is different its smaller and sportish ,But you find an le steering in an se vehicle
so many parts mixing e.t.c
even the seats might be that of an le or xle
dashboard will be different and so many more
...
some Se will even have body kits on the sides and the back but the front it looks ordinary
..

a Guy opened a thread here yesterday or the day b4 about a corolla he wants to buy that one ehn without vin i tell u its salvage
interior looks like Le mixed with Ce parts
body looks lik Sport.....
even the lights and other parts doesnt fit properly and you see gaps...

Thats all i've Got too say
Thank You

people failed to tell the guy point blank not to buy the car.... They were all beat about the bush yourself inclusive....

idu1:
people failed to tell the guy point blank not to buy the car.... They were all beat about the bush yourself inclusive....

oh really...
Then if you are the op and u read the whole thread and still went ahead to buy the car then something is wrong...
Like an Adage Goes , People should not talk with there whole mouth
Common sense should make u get the drift in this thread

domack99:
Its always a very rare occasion that you see a car being advertised and the VIN information is provided especially Tokumbo cars, even dealers that are believe to be professional and corporate and have gain the trust of the public avoid displaying VIN information on their website. Also on popular Nigeria car advertising websites Nigeria dealers avoid VIN information while putting other details. This is not so when you log on similar websites abroad, VIN information are ready available

I spoke to few dealers and what usually come out as their final word is "Nigerians don't like the truth". So is this a good reason to avoid displaying VIN?

which show room have been and seen a car a with price and other details and then VIN ?

VIN number is the last thing you would ask for, this is when you final make your mind to buy and thats when you ask for the vehicle's book and check the details on the book and check if they match and this would be now the VIN number (colour and number plate: for us people in uk)

so when putting an advert you dont need to put the VIN number, VIN number can be abused imagine you have put your VIN in public and someone can copy it and put it on a stolen car

i guess a VIN number can be like your passport number, you would put in public a copy of it can made using its number and the only difference might be the face and date of birth but the number would be actually in the system

idu1:
people failed to tell the guy point blank not to buy the car.... They were all beat about the bush yourself inclusive....

The guy specifically asked if the engine is good, some try to highlight other flaws but Nigerians have their minds made up when it comes to buying a Camry/Corolla so you either ignore the thread or get with the flow and that is a lesson those who know cars have learnt.

Whatever we get in Nigeria now is what Nigerians deserve.Dealers adapted to the economic situation and consumer preference.

A consumer protection oversight would have helped ensure that people don't end up with money pits but consumers assume it is normal to buy a car and replace drivetrain within 2 years so they tend to replace at 30% depreciation every year. This is why buyers mainly go for models with lowest depreciation rate because they think it is impossible to drive a car for 3 years with no issue.

A clean car is all that matters because it is assumed that the drivetrain is well kept too but the fact that salvages are often repaired cheap so underlying issues tend to recur

ZIMDRILL:


which show room have been and seen a car a with price and other details and then VIN ?

VIN number is the last thing you would ask for, this is when you final make your mind to buy and thats when you ask for the vehicle's book and check the details on the book and check if they match and this would be now the VIN number (colour and number plate: for us people in uk)

so when putting an advert you dont need to put the VIN number, VIN number can be abused imagine you have put your VIN in public and someone can copy it and put it on a stolen car

i guess a VIN number can be like your passport number, you would put in public a copy of it can made using its number and the only difference might be the face and date of birth but the number would be actually in the system

I believe show room is a different case to advertising online, most buyers nowadays first go online to search for the car the are interested in, imagine I have two tokumbo am interested in based on the pictures have seen online, one in Ibadan and another in PortHarcourt and am based in Lagos. I believe with the VIN information could save you journey stress

domack99:


I believe show room is a different case to advertising online, most buyers nowadays first go online to search for the car the are interested in, imagine I have two tokumbo am interested in based on the pictures have seen online, one in Ibadan and another in PortHarcourt and am based in Lagos. I believe with the VIN information could save you journey stress

some car buyers are ignorant of doing a vin check and dealers cash in on this. if you are interested in a car you saw online just put a call through and ask for the vin. that is aII. btw Inclusion of VIN is compulsory (Nigerian Used excluded) for cars posted here on Nairaland but I guess nobody cares. www.nairaland.com/1921323/making-auto-section-scam-free

ubiquitousade:
some car buyers are ignorant of doing a vin check and dealers cash in on this. if you are interested in a car you saw online just put a call through and ask for the vin. that is aII. btw Inclusion of VIN is compulsory (Nigerian Used excluded) for cars posted here on Nairaland but I guess nobody cares. www.nairaland.com/1921323/making-auto-section-scam-free

Nice, but this not been enforced