Dh and I wanted to start the year with new business ventures And E-taxi was one of our considerations. Taking the leap of faith we started looking at cars on the different platforms, our interest was for a newer year type of car 2010 upwards. Some experienced uber/taxify people advise us to buy a toyota especially toyota corrolla because of it functionality and cheaper maintenance. We bought the advise, but the tokunbo prizes were above our budget. Our budget was 1.5m.
We started considering Nigeria used cars. I started the window shopping and landed in the premises of cars 45 in ikeja
The way they (cars45) are setup. You can approach them to sell your car (which they will bid at a ridiculously low price) but to buy this car you can only go through their agents recruited by the company. When you meet the agent usually they advertise cars on the other known platform like olx and cheki. Bum you see a car you like they advise you to come to their warehouse, there you will see 100s of cars. You start your search again amongst what you can now see. You see a car you like you ask about it. They make up a sound report about the car, a type written report in cars 45,letter head. The report of the car is almost excellent. You start to thank your luck. Then the agent attending to you starts telling you things like. The car would have being sold if you return for it tomorrow, our deallers will buy it immediately they see it to sell at a more higher prize. Men!! I didn't know this was here. You start to thank God and not want to miss out. Ok you say, bring the keys let me start it

Few days after Christmas we arrived at their warehouse close to ndubuisi park. The agent a young lady signed and took us in. And then we began our search. We had spoken to her about a 2012 Toyota corrola we found on olx. She showed us the car. Bodily we were not impressed, we wanted a car we will not have to change it first body. Our search led us to a 2012 toyota corrolla. Body seem ok, interior also ok. "What year is this car? I asked "2012 "she said
But the driver seat belt showed the model was 2009. I brought this to her notice, she responded and checked her phone again where they have the catalogue of cars.
" thats what they wrote "
Ok dh said bring the key"
She brought the key and also car battery
And we started the journey of trying to start the car in futility. The engine picked but refused to start
Wetin come happen - I asked
She called her male colleagues but the car doesn't start.
So we moved on, continuing our search
And then we saw it!!!!
A toyota corrolla 2011 dark blue (oju yobo). Exterior clean, interior clean, in fact the only thing that did not look superb about the car is that it didn't have alloy rim (but that doesnt count)
How much is this car? We asked
she checked her phone called her oga and return to us
That car mileage is 26000. And it is a 2011 model
26thousand wow? We were impressed

We opened the engine looks okay, started the car, started ok ac chilling. We asked for the report of the car

This is what she gave us

Story still plenty- see the car

Following

The car is 1.8 she told us. This is beyond our budget we told the lady
As you can see in the report there is nothing wrong with this car , infact I am sure if u dont buy this car now by tomorrow it will be out of here, this is a company, the report was carried out by expert believe anything the report say. If there is any fault in it we will tell you. She went on to point out some cars in the warehouse that had some hitch some ac issue some wiring, some engine " but whatever issue there is we will not hide it from the customer. Thats how the company operates.
Meanwhile her phone is buzzing unending, with other customer asking for direction etc ( they are credible u would think) it is a big company in the heart of lagos

Ok dh said the best I can do is 1.6
After plenty talk we agreed on 1.6

Guy, Na story book u suppose dey write.

Cars are sold "as it is" it is buyers responsibility to do detailed check.

Ahahaa
I dey read.I'm coming bck

After we agreed on a price 1.6
We asked to test drive the car, but they were several cars blocking it. We dont test drive she said. So we checked the car started and checked again. Everything seem fine. The next day was a sunday. The agent advised us to deposit to at least secure the car, so that it will not be sold when we come after the holiday (newyear). We deposited 6h and went home feeling fly
We arrived after the holiday completed payment and collected the papers. The battery was dead the car was jump started and we drove home
And then the nightmare started

The car now home we proceed to make it ready for business. All four tyres were changed, we got a new battery, the broken light was changed , documents was done. And then got an uber driver to take it up for rental. He was happy he liked the car

Following...

CC gazzuzz, ishilove

Following

banky3w:
Cars 45 abi? We are following keenly.........

@ op is that not your corolla being driven by a dog?
come finish your story joor.

Lovely read......

Where is that cars45 agent sef?

Fishbone11,report immediately!

tempex88:
Guy, Na story book u suppose dey write.

Cars are sold "as it is" it is buyers responsibility to do detailed check.

How buyers pay for a Nigerian used car without conducting a test drive beats my imagination.

The Uber driver picked the car on sunday. We assumed payment will start by the end of the week.
Only for the driver to call on tuesday morning to say the car was overheating and had stoppeded with his first rider in transit. We couldn't believe it. Kilode?. He had taken it to his mechanic scanned the car. Told him the car had wiring issue and series of other issue, but what was more shocking was that the car was right hand changed to left hand. Jesus!!! My heart sunk.
From all I have read such change can only be done well by the manufacturer. But this one was done here in Nigeria.
We were sad but what else can we do. We started spending money change this, change that, rewire was done. Still wasnt looking good,, as for 2weeks the uber driver couldnt remit any money to us.
I called the car45 agent.
"U didn't tell us this car was changed from rigth wheel to left....

GAZZUZZ:
demeanors oya come o!

Ipfreely, Banky3w, chukel, computerglobal, Diportivo, erico2k2, Gazzuz.z, honmusa, Kingreign, LeJeun3, Mayor2013, nurey, Obekediamondfuto, Princetom1, thebigkendo, timifakay, aieromon

You for involve me na.

I don't know why but I am still Pro-Cars45 (sort of).
Maybe because I know cars are treated like poop in Nigeria and I will go into the venture with the mindset that EVERYTHING is wrong with the car and I am getting it for a commensurate price.

@OP. Continue your story mbok!

let me arrange my seat here

After gnashing our teeth and biting our nails in regret. We knew we had lost. It was a bad buy. We had to get it off our hands and count our loss.
We took the car to CARS45 with their report to sell it. The agent had told us they would buy it for at least 1.4m if we are lucky we can get more. Even though that was less than what we paid for it and had also spent money fixing. We were ready to sell it for that.
On Monday we took it to cars45 office. To sell it.
They looked at it, drove its a long distance. We got back to their office, they look at it again. And proceeded to give use the report .
This car is 2008model it was only upgraded to 2011
(Omg. Which kind wahala be this)
But we where not told, infact your report shows...
That doesn't count, he said
they gave us a new report
This new report showed the car was in a very bad shape.
Mind you it is the same company that had given the first report when we bought it from them.
After the report
The offered us 650 for the car
I DIEd

After gnashing our teeth and biting our nails in regret. We knew we had lost. It was a bad buy. We had to get it off our hands and count our loss.
We took the car to CARS45 with their report to sell it. The agent had told us they would buy it for at least 1.4m if we are lucky we can get more. Even though that was less than what we paid for it and had also spent money fixing. We were ready to sell it for that.
On Monday we took it to cars45 office. To sell it.
They looked at it, drove its a long distance. We got back to their office, they look at it again. And proceeded to give use the report .
This car is 2008model it was only upgraded to 2011
(Omg. Which kind wahala be this)
But we where not told, infact your report shows...
That doesn't count, he said
they gave us a new report
This new report showed the car was in a very bad shape.
Mind you it is the same company that had given the first report when we bought it from them.
After the report
They offered us 650 for the car
I DIEd

tempex88:
Guy, Na story book u suppose dey write.

Cars are sold "as it is" it is buyers responsibility to do detailed check.

Let him share is experience please. We can all learn something. Most car dealers are crooks,

Fishbone11, you are the cars45 agent I know on nairaland. Oya, get in here. Explain this mathematics to us abeg.

Hayastark:


Abeg let me share my experience in peace, sane people will get some lesson from this. If you dont like how I am writing it you can get the f.... out of my page

Don't mind him plz. We all need to learn

I'd like to say I'm surprised, but I'm simply not. I never had any faith in Cars45. Like they say, If it sounds too good to be true...

Sharp practices. The Nigerian way. If this were a sane society these guys would be run out of business.

As much as i don't wish to blame the victim, I do have to say that you don't seem particularly auto savvy, to have paid that much for a Nigerian used vehicle, without due diligence. These guys played in your enthusiasm and your less than average auto knowledge.

The second they said you couldn't test drive, you should have just called it quits. There were SO many red flags in this entire sordid experience.

The vehicle was driving position converted? And had all these other issues?