A few weeks ago, we talked about 5 Things Car Dealers In Nigeria Don’t Want Car Buyers To Know. See here..https://autojosh.com/car-dealers-in-nigeria/ . Today we will be looking at some mistakes even we the car buyers make when buying our cars.

1. Buying in a haste

Buying a car is totally different from buying hot wheels cars from Shoprite's toy rack.. where kids spot the toy of their choice, point a finger and it's theirs in a minute. As we all know, the kid may damage the toy before the next day. Now, we are talking about buying a real car with your hard earned money. So don't rush. Take your time, compare prices and do all the necessary checks.



2. Thinking the cheapest car is the always the best deal

Awoof has purged many on several occasions. I always tell people "the cheapest car is not necessarily the best deal". It is a bad idea to save N500,000 only to buy a car that has just been rebuilt from a terrible accident.. with deployed airbags and damaged suspensions not properly repaired. The sad news is some people paid the ultimate price for this error with their lives. Some others ended up in jail for buying ridiculously cheap cars which happened to be stolen vehicles. This though is the major reason car dealers in Nigeria do all those shady things just to sell their cars.



3. Falling in love with the clean body of the car only

Many of us are guilty of this. We buy a car because it has a clean exterior. I fell victim to this when I bought my first car and the car started dealing with me after 6 months. Another guy bought a 2003 Toyota Highlander at Berger in Lagos, by the time he got to Port Harcourt with the car, he realised he had only bought a car body with no engine.. the engine of the highlander knocked within the first 3 months. To add pepper to the injury, Nigeria Customs seized the SUV immediately after he changed the engine at Owerri.



4. Showing desperation to the seller

If you show that you are desperately in love or in need of a car to a seller, then you may have just signed a one chance certificate. The next thing they will tell you is, someone else is coming to pay for the car this evening. So you won't have a choice but to pay now. You may end up paying more for the car and you may not have time to do proper checks.



5. Not doing proper checks

Proper checks include test drive, VIN check, diagnostic scan, verifying custom and vehicle papers etc. You can see my post on 12 things to check before buying a Nigerian used car HERE.. https://autojosh.com/1532-2/



6. They want the most recent version

Some of us want the 2008 Toyota Corolla because it is the most recent model of that design but we still want to pay the price of the 2003 for it because they look similar. Apart from most 2008 costing more to purchase from USA or Canada, the custom duty at Lagos port is also definitely higher. So if you are particular about saving cost, you may be better off with the 2003 model instead of buying a refurbished 2008 model. The difference in both cars may not be commensurate to the difference in price and this applies to many other brands and models.



7. Buying a particular car because someone else is driving it

Don't try to keep up with the Joneses. I have seen people make the mistake of buying cars because they've seen a few people driving it or their neighbour has one. So they will just conclude that for that person to be able to maintain it, they can also maintain it. On the contrary, you don't know if that person you are admiring is suffering and smiling with that car.. You also don't know his/her financial capacity and source of income. So please always take your car research beyond the fact that someone else is able to maintain a car. Because you might just not know what he/she is actually going through



8. I want my car to be one in town

There is nothing as satisfying as driving a one in town car.. and your car is so unique that it turns heads wherever you go. But don't forget our common saying "one in town car, one in town problem". So you'd better tread with caution. You need to research a reliable repair centre and availability of parts. You also need a sure contact that can help you get the parts abroad when needed.. as well as a Bureau De Change guy that will be giving you good dollar exchange rate. But there is a way to play safe with using a unique car. What some people do is, they buy a usual car like a 2012 Toyota Camry or a 2012 Benz E-Class then they modify it (love-vendor) by changing some components like the lights, bumpers, grills etc. However, you have to do this with care so you don't overdo and end up messing the car up into an ugly.....



9. Using all your last Kobo to buy a car

This problem speaks for itself. Always remember, the car will need some care after purchase and you're going to be using money for that. I am sure you've seen people who buy a car and start to beg for money to fuel it after 2 weeks.. some even start depending on other people for food to eat.. and they declare bankruptcy when they get the first repair bill from their mechanic. Lol



Have you experienced any of this? Is there any I didn't add? Tell us in the comment section

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https://autojosh.com/9-mistakes-car-buyers-nigeria-usually-make/

Lalasticlala
Mynd44
Ishilove
Marpol
Semid4lyfe
Obinoscopy
Seun

OP u are very correct. I have been using my car for the past 3½ years now, some persons will use their car for 3 months without changing the oil and oil filter, this is the major problem with Nigerians. Whether na new car, changing oil every month is very necessary for the durability of the car. This is my first time here, hit the like button for me

buying stolen cars

using all your last Kobo on a car

forgetting maintenance and fuel

that lady asking for advise on a cheap car within the range of 400-500k

sorry I forgot to be honest...

if at all u got any car at that range. most likely u are going forward for automatic.

fustration and heart attack might come and leave with uuu
alongside your new ride

Nigeria is the only country where owning a car is a status symbol. You will see someone rocking a 1991 Camry mocking another person who commutes with public buses. While some will spend their last cash buying a car without saving for unexpected repairs. Left to me, owning and driving a car in a rowdy place like Lagos only shortens your lifespan by 15%.

Na your money they take buy am

10. Buying a Honda.

10. Thinking that without Honda and Toyota, no other car is good again at all

lol... lastly, not bargaining for the price well out of desperation. most of these big cars can be sold for something very low , if u understand the act of deal. no mind all these price tags ...

torres89:
using all your last Kobo on a car

forgetting maintenance and fuel

that lady asking for advise on a cheap car within the range of 400-500k

sorry I forgot to be honest...

if at all u got any car at that range. most likely u are going forward for automatic.

fustration and heart attack might come and leave with uuu
alongside your new ride

White elephant lie

Between Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander (double seats), which is better?

Lol. Nairalanders run from car-related topics like a plague. The comments on this topic will not exceed one page.

They be like which one concern me concern car wey I still dey struggle to drink garri sef.

Anyway, there's always an element of luck in buying a car that's not new.


Sometimes, you do all the due diligence and it still turns out a flop.

Nice tips

Okay

Make i faint here
Make una wake me if e reach FP

Donprayer:
OP u are very correct. I have been using my car for the past 3½ years now, some persons will use their car for 3 months without changing the oil and oil filter, this is the major problem with Nigerians. Whether na new car, changing oil every month is very necessary for the durability of the car. This is my first time here, hit the like button for me

Changing oil every month? Kai!! Folks and ignorance shaaa. Please look at a car manual there's a reason for scheduled maintenance.

Well I Will Say From Personal Experience The Only reason a person offers 500k for a car is becos thats all he has.
FYI there are cars for that amount go to jiji.com and see.
One point u didnt mention is that Nigerians like to exagerate the price they paid for their cars.
Some Buys A Car For N1m he tells his friend he got it for N3m. We Should Stop Intimidating People With The Scrap We Import From Overseas.

glossy6:
Between Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander (double seats), which is better?

Toyota Highlander is better

Trash. Dis autojosh has lost it

Donprayer:
OP u are very correct. I have been using my car for the past 3½ years now, some persons will use their car for 3 months without changing the oil and oil filter, this is the major problem with Nigerians. Whether na new car, changing oil every month is very necessary for the durability of the car. This is my first time here, hit the like button for me

servicing your car every month is too frequent ...read ur car manual well before misinforming pple with wrong ideas on this platform

.

Sniper12:
Trash. Dis autojosh has lost it

..must be high on Sniper!

Clone2020:
Nigeria is the only country where owning a car is a status symbol. You will see someone rocking a 1991 Camry mocking another person who commutes with public buses. While some will spend their last cash buying a car without saving for unexpected repairs. Left to me, owning and driving a car in a rowdy place like Lagos only shortens your lifespan by 15%.

Two sides to that story. NOT owning and driving a car in a rowdy place like Lagos can shorten your lifespan by much more than 15%, in my opinion, given the awfulness of what passes for the public transport system here. Apart from what may be seen as efizzy, that is another reason why those who can afford to do so run cars.

In developed countries, we happily hop into clean, (even if occasionally overcrowded) trains and buses, walk to and from bus stops, and even undertake whole trips on foot when the weather is conducive (have made trips of up to 1 hour each way totally on foot while visiting friends in Manchester) etc., but Lagos was NOT planned to make life friendly for those without their own transport, period. Without going too far, Nairobi, Kenya's capital, is better planned than Lagos in that respect; their Central Business District is organised such that you park your car somewhere and walk around on foot, the streets are mostly shaded, and there are pedestrian sidewalks everywhere. Until Nigeria/Lagos gets city planning right, the bolded above shall continue to apply.

torres89:
using all your last Kobo on a car

forgetting maintenance and fuel

that lady asking for advise on a cheap car within the range of 400-500k

sorry I forgot to be honest...

if at all u got any car at that range. most likely u are going forward for automatic.

fustration and heart attack might come and leave with uuu
alongside your new ride

you re very ignorant about the facts our naira has been devalued by over 200% , cars that were in d 500k to 800k range have doubled in price i got a vw vento in 2013 for 650k a mazda 626 and primera were going for 600k then, that their prices have doubled now doesnt mean that the cars have increased in value.

Goodnuel:
10. Buying a Honda.

. Honda!!!!! One of the best

Nice tips....too much sense in all the points listed. Kudos to you @ AUTOJOSH.

Donprayer:
OP u are very correct. I have been using my car for the past 3½ years now, some persons will use their car for 3 months without changing the oil and oil filter, this is the major problem with Nigerians. Whether na new car, changing oil every month is very necessary for the durability of the car. This is my first time here, hit the like button for me

You're wrong Oga. Changing of oil depends on factors like how much distance u cover. Some people hardly drive their car. So three months May just be ok. Some travel so much that even that one month u recommend May be too long.

Also, the oil you're using is a factor. Some premium Oils recommend that you cover a certain distance, Maybe 5000km before you service. For some car users, even in
Five months, they haven't covered 3000km.

glossy6:
Between Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander (double seats), which is better?

.

Honda pilot is good. hv bn using mine for 3yrs counting. no issues apart from regular leg maintainance