I've been racking my brain trying to figure out what car to buy.
Every time i think about new cars, the cars that pop into my head are the Toyota Yaris, Corolla, Honda City, Civic and the rest. Does anyone have experience with the other new cars all over right now from different manufacturers with emphasis on their second hand value. I actually have a soft spot for the Hyundai Elantra, but I don't know jack about the car.
I know for a fact that the fuel consumption of the Chevrolet Optra is quite high, any other contributions will be welcome.

Hey bro,
Please do not be sold out by mere brand names. So far, the only brand name that has proven its name (and of course fits within your budget) is the Toyota. But and I say again, "But the alarming rate of car theft at gun point is too high to venture into getting a Toyota or Honda these days." I am saying this from personal experience. I was robbed on the 20th April and I tell you I wont forget the experience till I die. I was on my way home from Ogba, passing through college road at 9pm when armed bandits crossed me and you know the drill. (By the way I was driving my newly purchased 2004 Honda Accord of 2 days old). I got down and told them to take the car away but that was just the beginning of the story. They told me to get in the back seat, which I did and they began to drive around the area (Ogba). After about 40 mins and stealing 4 other cars, they began their journey to God knows where. The cars stolen were 2 Honda Accord 2004, 1 Toyota Camry 2007, 1 Toyota Prado 2007 and another Honda, which I didnt see. So those guys made a kill with these cars cos we are talking about cars in the range of about 19 million Naira in total, Wow! Notice the trend in the list (Only Toyotas and Hondas). On the way we encountered a Jaguar S-type 2003 and one of the boys wanted to stop and do the usual but his superior told him to leave it that it was BAD MARKET. Na God save that guy, cos he was with a chick in the car parked in a/c. So, we went through Iju and we got to a police checkpoint and in my mind I was thanking God that at least the police would stop them in their tracks. The constable, who didnt even know what was going on, was flashing his trademark torchlight asking for inner light. Low and behold, the robber that was sitting in the front passenger sit in my car stuck his head out and with his AK-47 (I know a bit about guns) sprayed the police post, bringing down 2 officers. The convoy of cars (stolen cars) sped off and one officer returned fire, also with an AK-47. I have never said a 'last prayer' but I did it that fateful day. It was gruesome because I saw the bullet pierce through the officer's body. The journey continued and we eventually got to Ifo, Ogun state, a few miles after Sango Ota. They then parked and said they wanted to refuel (my car had only a few litres of fuel in it). So leaving little gas in your car doesnt even help. They then dropped all car owners in the bush and sped off, but I noticed that they didnt drop off the driver of the Toyota Prado (I guess his car went off because of the immobiliser). At this time, it was 3 am in the morning.
First of all, I thank God for life and sparing my life the second time. I dont know about my fellow Nairalanders but the situation in the country has become alarming. You might say you are safe with insurance but God forbid, Imagine if one of the police bullets had hit me in a fatal spot, ?
God bless us all.
In conclusion to this, feel free to buy any brand. I suggest Hyundai Elantra or Kia Optima. If you bump the budget up a bit, get a Brilliance from Hyra motors (luxury Chinese car).

Thanks bro, I thank God for sparing your life.
I don't think we should live in fear, what if the robbers were actually looking for a Jaguar? Would you still be envious of the geezer that was driving one? While i believe we should curtail any excessive exuberance, we should not deprive ourselves of the good stuff, especially if we can afford it.
Do you really think the Elantra is good?

Hi soji,

Thank God for his mercies. Car snatching is the in-thing now in naija. That's one of the reasons i run far away from toyota and honda cars as personal cars.
Asides the fact that i see them as light cars. The robbery thing is rampant like hell now.
That said, i still move late at night without fear

@seanpoe

i am as confused as u are

my friends and I have been split into groups, some are saying i should go for a Honda accord or camry '07
another group is saying i should go for the octavia

-- brand new peace of mind

i really don't know what to do

each week i see insipired / viperman posting fresh clean honda accords, my eyes pop out

on the other hand i am getting a good deal for octavia from stallion group

@ kaecy5
If you have the budget for the 07 Camry, I guess you should get the 07 Jetta brand new (about 2.9m). it is better than the Octavia. Or a Brilliance. I love those cars damn! As for the Elantra, good car but I believe it falls under the same class as the Yaris, just a bit bigger than those econoboxes and for someone that is considering a Camry and Accord, nah! U don pass that level. Suspension is key my bro. The only car that I know of in that class that has better suspension is the 07 Civic and u know IT IS A HONDA. Well, unless u are considering the German machines.

SOJ, pele!! You really had a harrowing experience but all's well that ends well.

Seanpoe, you can also add VWs and Skoda's to your list. In my opinion, there are very few cars that can give you so much quality for so little.

I recently bough a new fabia. My budget was 1.5 M. This was the only car that had ABS, Traction Control and 2 airbags and that was less than 1.5 (1.495). I think as you consider the car you should consider its desireablity (to armed robbers) and how much passive safety it offers. Nothing beats the Fabia. The Octavia comes with all the works full loaded at a under 2.7 M auto, CD, airbags, alloys etc.

So over to you.

Yaris in Nigeria, maybe i should carry my smart brabus 2002 come nigeria, does any one knows how much it

could be worth??

@Soji
I agree you had a bad personal experience, but i can't help feeling you're trying to encourage your fellow man to live in fear.

Insure your vehicle as soon as you buy it and co-operate with any armed robber. Statistics don't lie. if up to 5% of toyota were being sold, even Insurance coys will not insure 'em.

There's a very small risk of you being fried by lightning when you step outside. it's extremely remote, but it CAn happen. No need to live in fear.

@ texazzpete,
There is a very big difference between coincidence and actual fact. I went to the police station the following day and met others complaining about car theft (4 guys in number) 3 of them were Hondas and one Nissan Murano. How about that?
In as much as we shoudnt live in fear, we should live very smart.

@ Seanpoe,
I've never met you and I dont know you but I really dont want anybody to experience anything as bad as that again. Insurance no fit recover life oh!

texazzpete:

@Soji
I agree you had a bad personal experience, but i can't help feeling you're trying to encourage your fellow man to live in fear.

Insure your vehicle as soon as you buy it and co-operate with any armed robber. Statistics don't lie. if up to 5% of toyota were being sold, even Insurance coys will not insure 'em.

There's a very small risk of you being fried by lightning when you step outside. it's extremely remote, but it CAn happen. No need to live in fear.

ol boy its not about living in fear but knowledge.

An attempt was made by "the boys" with my former pathfinder. Na God save me. I was able to escape and drove straight to the police station. It was so unbeleiveable!!!!

At the police station, the guys there told me that I was very lucky (but they are wrong; I am blessed) cos on the average in Lagos, the boys are taking at least 12 to 15 cars. And I mean thats the figure for EVERYDAY.

So now you know and with this info, you can be more careful and take extra care.

Knowledge is not to scare but to inform so you can make a better decision.

I don't know if anyone else has noticed but the so called affordable new cars seem to be really fuel inefficient.
I can actually vouch for the devouring skills of the Chevrolet Optra after exhausting a full tank between Friday afternoon and Monday morning without leaving Lagos, My friend that drives a 4-cylinder Kia Optima says it actually consumes more fuel that his 2004 BMW 525i and don't even get me started on my sister's Kia Rio,
Does anyone know if the Elantra falls under the same category?

@ sojioguns

Accept my Sympathy, and we Thank God for sparing your life.
I now understand the memories you meant in my thread for the 2008 Yaris.

While I agree to the fact that some brand of cars are ''catchy'' to Armed bandits, I beg to differ from the opinion that people should abstain from patronizing the models of these ''Catchy'' brands.

I believe in taking precautionary measures.

*Don't stay out in Lagos past 9pm
*Comprehensively Insure your Vehicle
*Install Authentic Mtn Car Trackers
*Engrave all parts of your vehicle

The Rampant issue of Robbery in Lagos is a result of total decadence in the System and transcends Targeted brands ( Toyota & Honda ).

Robbery cases occur on Okadas (bikes), Buses ( popularly known as One Chance ) Long Traffic Robbery irrespective of your Car, and even of feet (mugging)

I enjoin anyone to buy any car of their choice in as much as they can afford it, Take all precautionary measures, Pray for God's protection and you'll be fine.

Watch out for more ''Catchy'' cars, Containers has arrived

God Be With Us All.

Attention all traders!!!!! I know we all want more business. I only shared my experience with the house to inform us all. I have friends and family that use the so-called forbidden brands and they have had no encounters. We all just need to be enlightened on what is going on in Lagos. Every man is free to make his own choices but all i know is I would rather stick with a car that consumes a few more mpg than a car that has all the reliability and is the first choice of robbers. It is "MY OWN OPINION AND I AM ENTITLED TO IT"
We are all adults and should make our own decisions.

sojioguns

sori 4 yur encounter, God will keep protecting u in jesus name amen

sojioguns:

Attention all traders!!!!! I know we all want more business. I only shared my experience with the house to inform us all. I have friends and family that use the so-called forbidden brands and they have had no encounters. We all just need to be enlightened on what is going on in Lagos. Every man is free to make his own choices but all i know is I would rather stick with a car that consumes a few more mpg than a car that has all the reliability and is the first choice of robbers. It is "MY OWN OPINION AND I AM ENTITLED TO IT"
We are all adults and should make our own decisions.

@Soji

I feel your pain, na jeje I dey use my Primera 2.0 SLX ooooooooooo when my wife said I don big pass that one make I buy camry and I have partly paid for Honda 2002 EX V6, see me see wahala.

I am into IT and I normally close late driving my Primera @ 150km/hr on 3rd mainland bridge (approx 4mins drive: Obalende - Iyana Oworo) around 10pm week days.  Psalm 23 

That makes me visit mechanics for general check up bi-weekly. May God be with us all.

I dont drive slow at nite and early in the morning, I clear anythin on my way, no mercy. Most times I always pity guys driving @80km/hr coming from V/I around 10pm or early in the morning.

Maybe the Honda go become "church car" then . That is another precautionary measure to me. A friend of mine has BMW X5, he always park the SUV in the office (road "landlords" wan collect the car one daylike that, thank God for the windscreen) and join BRT once its 6pm, that is his own precautionary measure.

"Catchy" cars or not, pls apply more precautionary measures.

It is well even inside the well, it is still well.

@soji
thanks for the advice, i am going to add vw jetta to the consideration list right away

@ busynett,
I drive like a getaway driver at night but that fateful day, I had to slow down (at Ogba College road, there is construction underway).

@inspired_m,
The other i-vtec stolen that day was engraved even to the engine and I am still in touch with the guy till today and he hasnt seen the car. Also, it is not possible to ensure you are at home at 9pm. I am a tv producer and I always have to work till about 9.30pm. Sometimes I work overnight. (Imagine having to organise music concerts). I no go chop again?

i think d only measure shld be

GOD's GUIDANCE

GPS TRANSPONDER, not immobilizer

if u be getwaway driver then that is also a measure after d first 2 measures, watcha think guys

sojioguns:

Attention all traders!!!!! I know we all want more business. I only shared my experience with the house to inform us all. I have friends and family that use the so-called forbidden brands and they have had no encounters. We all just need to be enlightened on what is going on in Lagos. Every man is free to make his own choices but all i know is I would rather stick with a car that consumes a few more mpg than a car that has all the reliability and is the first choice of robbers. It is "MY OWN OPINION AND I AM ENTITLED TO IT"
We are all adults and should make our own decisions.

Thanks Soji,

You're very Intelligent, If you advocate against Toyota & Honda which practically forms 60% of my sales volume

how you want make I chop na ?? _{just kidding}

Lagos is generally unsafe, for all class of the society, if you drive an old car, they may still target your cellphones, money, etc, My People without cars not

excluded.

I drive an 08 Camry, I don't take it to some parts of Lagos, I don't drive it on Sundays,(Traffic flow is less on Sunday, Robbers can getaway fastly )

Take all Precautionary measures and you've reduced the risk

Above all, God's Protection is Primary.

wow,
dude sry 4 the theft!!,

so still no word on ur car??,

didnt u hv a tracking system onboard??

its the best thing now,
4get the deimmobilisers, the robbers are wiser now


try the hyundai sonata, its a very cool car, even the kia optima is cool too, n these cars have very low fueel consumpotion.

chevrolets arent really my thing, hv heard a lot of negative stories about them

Dude

I would not advice you to settle for any of these korean, chineese or indian cars. They are not worth nothing. Toyota's, mitsubishi's, NISSAN, VW's make good quality, high perfoming reasonably priced cars.

The Japs and the Germans are your best bet. Their salvage value is always on the high side even after 3 - 4 years. The camry's, accords, jetta's, Bora's, Lancers are pretty dependable cars and have good performances. Ask for the issue of armed robbers, thats why you have insurance. I hope the day they take my car they should not just kill me. I'll hand over the keys, particulars and even give them money for fuel.

Don't go near a kia, hyundai, no octavia _{(suprisingly crappy cars)}, or those chinese and indian coffin boxes.

Esss:

Dude

I would not advice you to settle for any of these korean, chineese or indian cars. They are not worth nothing. Toyota's, mitsubishi's, NISSAN, VW's make good quality, high perfoming reasonably priced cars.
Don't go near a kia, hyundai, no octavia _{(suprisingly crappy cars)}, or those chinese and indian coffin boxes.

ol boy what are you saying. Abi you no know say Octavia na golf under the skin!!! IMHO I think Skoda's offer unbeleiveable value for money. Our new Fabis in the office takes only 2.5K per week and this is a marketting car doing close about 300 km every week. Nohing I have ever known, EXCEPT MY BIKE ) comes this close in economy!!!

@fotodaddy

i fully agree with u , Skoda is VW in disguise

i have always said it to my self that european cars are far better than japanese, i just wonder how come the japs make more sales

japs make more sales, cos as someone said on a forum.

europe cars give u all u ever dream off, and ask for sumtin in return( maintain it well )

jap cars dont allow u connect with d road, u dont feel d road, they tend to make u feel secluded, in oda words, less maintenance

nkc
it seems ur a vw fan, what do u think about the new jetta compared to the accord

Esss:

Dude
I hope the day they take my car they should not just kill me. I'll hand over the keys, particulars and even give them money for fuel.

o boy watch what u say ooo, 'Life and death are in the power of the tongue'
Its not about the car u drive but rather your connection with your maker. 'He has given his angels charge over me',what word of His are you standing on in the area of protection, finances, health etc?That my friends is what really makes the difference.

Remain blessed

@kc

no just mind me Vw 4 Ever 4 Motion

now to yur question, d accord is a bigger car to d jetta, u could compare it with d passat, then i will attack, but for yur comparison, d accord 2008 is badder than d 2008 jetta, but they r not in d same class

ok then lets compare it with the passat

attack ,

funny man, make i prepare speech, one sec

well in summary of all various features,

both cars have there good points, very strong points i might add, they r fine cosmetically and otherwise

but for d sake of my oath, i would prefer the Vw Passat 2008 To The Accord, The Accord Finishing To Me Is Not Top Notch,For Little Details But They Worry Me,Lol

nkc:

well in summary of all various features,

both cars have there good points, very strong points i might add, they r fine cosmetically and otherwise

but for d sake of my oath, i would prefer the Vw Passat 2008 To The Accord, The Accord Finishing To Me Is Not Top Notch,For Little Details But They Worry Me,Lol

bless you.
i thought i was the only one that felt the styling was a bit strange.
and it overall looks too plasticky
and it probably is