So many people place a little too much value on the "aesthetics" of a car, especially the paint. But in my opinion, the paint is one of the last things you should look at when buying a used car in Nigeria.

Used car buyers should focus on these critical items, which, in my experience, should be considered in THIS PARTICULAR ORDER:

0 - Papers, papers, papers!
1 - Engine condition
2 - Transmission condition
3 - Electricals (run a scan)
4 - Suspensions & tyres
5 - Body dents / paint health
6 - Wheels health
7 - Everything else

This is my personal scale of preference.

The engine and the transmission are usually the two most individually expensive components in a car. If either of them (even both) is bad and you unknowingly buy the car, then you're looking at an expensive fix later on.

If you're wandering why I began my list with zero (0) instead of one (1), you should know that nothing else on the list should matter if the car's documentation is not in perfect order.

Customs, CMR, Proof of Ownership blah blah blah. Check these (and more) first before you even ask to hear how the engine sounds.

If papers are in order, then proceed to the following items on the list.

Items 1 & 2: ENGINE & TRANSMISSION

In some modern cars, the transmission health should be #1, particularly if the car uses a CVT transmission (as is the trend right now). Those gearboxes are extremely easy to destroy by using the wrong fluid (common in Nigeria).

For example, the CVT transmission of a 2008 Nissan X-trail costs upwards of N400,000 (I already checked with Ladipo). And that's minus the cost of installation. Which may cost you another 50k or more.

Remember: A 2008 vehicle. And this is 2016. Imagine if your prospective car is a 2010+ model year and the transmission is bad.

These modern gearboxes are delicate, their fluids are very expensive, and Mechanics have not caught up with them, and...did I mention that they are delicate?

Meaning: easily damaged.

So read up very, very, very well on the symptoms of a failing gearbox in the particular car you intend to buy, and watch out or listen to its performance during your test drive.

Engines these days are far more tolerant of "fluid abuse" than transmissions.

You may mistakenly use the wrong engine oil, realise your mistake three weeks later, and then change it back to factory spec engine oil. Chances are that there may be no damage to your engine.

Maybe.

But put the wrong fluid into your modern gearbox (CVT or not) and drive it for just one hour and you're far more likely a customer for a new transmission in the very near future!

If it's a car purchased brand new here in Nigeria, your powertrain (transmission/engine) warranty is already kaput. Sorry. Wrong oil.

Furthermore, have you ever noticed that engines use "oils" while transmissions use "fluids"?

It might sound insignificant and trivial, but therein lies the reason they have vastly different tolerance levels when the wrong stuff is poured into them respectively.

Ask me why.

Item 3: SCAN.

Running a scan would normally reveal any problems with item #1 (engine) and item #2 (transmission). But it doesn't end there. One potentially expensive fix that you might save yourself from is the possibility of having a BAD or even ABSENT catalyst.

And catalysts are not cheap. The funny part of it is that most (in my experience) cars without a catalyst do not have it because it was deliberately removed (= stolen).

A lot of mechanics do it to unsuspecting car owners. They sell it off, make good money, and your car suddenly becomes more fuel thirsty than it used to be.

A scan can save you a lot of trouble before you buy the car.

Item 4: SUSPENSIONS & TYRES

Good suspensions are expensive. Good tyres are also expensive. It costs up to 100k to buy quality (original) shocks for all four wheels of a relatively modern car (2007 - date).

Four good (new) tyres may cost up to 120 - 150k.

But the issue here is not only about the suspensions themselves.

If the suspensions in a car you intend to buy are bad (usually the front shocks), chances are that some other wheel components might have gone bad as well.

Depending on how long the owner had driven the car with bad suspensions, there may be damage done to the ball joints, tie rods, drive shafts, and stabiliser linkages, and even the wheel hubs. If shock absorbers are dead, every time you drive on bad roads, there is nothing to "absorb" the shocks and so these other wheel components listed above come under direct stress. No shock absorber to protect them.

All these things will cost you additional money to change them, plus the cost for new shocks.

So don't believe it when the car seller tells you to just change the shocks and all that noise you heard during the test drive would disappear.

They may disappear. And they may not all disappear. Drive shafts in particular are somewhat expensive to replace.

Item 5: BODY DENT AND PAINT CONDITION.

Now, it's time to look at the car from the make up perspective. Don't attach too much importance to a scratched or dented bumper.

The name "bumper" is a clue to let you know that even the manufacturer knew that this part of the car (front and back) will inevitably take a beating during normal everyday driving.

It is either you BUMP into something or something BUMPS into you! That's why it's made of plastic.

Now, add the Nigerian factor and tell me how you expect a scratchless and never-before-dented bumper. It is nearly impossible.

So, give allowance for that in your assessment, but use it as a bargaining tool to get a better deal. A dented or chipped bumper should not be a deal-breaker.

However, inspect the car make and make sure any and all dents were properly fixed, and not just cosmetically covered up.

One good place to check is the inside surface of the fenders.

Like bumpers, fenders also take a lot of hit on the road (though not as much as bumpers). If the car's fender had been hit, check that it was fixed properly.

Look behind the headlights to see the inner surface of the fender and other metals nearby. Any bends? Twists? Crushes? Ask the seller about it. You now have more bargaining power.

Finally, other potentially annoying problems to check for include:

- Rust (certain cars are notorious for rust)
- Window wind-up / wind-down operation
- Sunroof sliding operation (if any)

These are my personal tips on how to prioritise your used car inspection items checklist.

Let me know what you think, and share your own methods too.

Bump

'Nother bump.

Nice update!

Same 4 toks cars too


Especially d twenty something year old rides we cherish

Informative

Very helpful.
Though when buying a car i doubt the dealer would allow you take it for a scan though.

rose54321:
Very helpful.
Though when buying a car i doubt the dealer would allow you take it for a scan though.

Are you kidding me? Running a scan on a car is as simple as plugging a portable, handheld, scan device into a socket usually located under the steering area. No need to "take (the car) for a scan" anywhere.

Simply go along with your scan device (roughly the size of a large smartphone or phablet), plug it into the car, and voila! Almost any problem with the car will be available to you instantly.

There are many scan tool models in the market. Some models are even Bluetooth enabled, and can turn even your smartphone into a scan tool, once you install the appropriate app on your phone. There are hundreds of them out there.

Check your App Store for "auto diagnostic tool".

No-one should buy a used car WITHOUT running a scan on the car. It makes the inspection process a lot shorter and more effective.

rose54321:
Very helpful.
Though when buying a car i doubt the dealer would allow you take it for a scan though.

Are you kidding me? Running a scan on a car is as simple as plugging a portable, handheld, scan device into a socket usually located under the steering area.

No need to "take (the car) for a scan" anywhere. You do it ON-THE-SPOT. And no dealer can ever stop you from scanning a car. Only a fraudster.

Simply go along with your scan device (roughly the size of a large smartphone or phablet), plug it into the car, and voila! Almost any problem with the car will be available to you instantly.

There are many scan tool models in the market. Some models are even Bluetooth enabled, and can turn even your smartphone into a scan tool, once you install the appropriate app on your phone. There are hundreds of them out there.

Check your App Store for "auto diagnostic tool".

No-one should buy a used car WITHOUT running a scan on the car. It makes the inspection process a lot shorter and more effective.

VeeBabs:


Are you kidding me? Running a scan on a car is as simple as plugging a portable, handheld, scan device into a socket usually located under the steering area.

No need to "take (the car) for a scan" anywhere. You do it ON-THE-SPOT. And no dealer can ever stop you from scanning a car. Only a fraudster.

Simply go along with your scan device (roughly the size of a large smartphone or phablet), plug it into the car, and voila! Almost any problem with the car will be available to you instantly.

There are many scan tool models in the market. Some models are even Bluetooth enabled, and can turn even your smartphone into a scan tool, once you install the appropriate app on your phone. There are hundreds of them out there.

Check your App Store for "auto diagnostic tool".

No-one should buy a used car WITHOUT running a scan on the car. It makes the inspection process a lot shorter and more effective.

Wow thanks.
I had no idea, thought it had to be those huge diagnostic scanner than only auto-mechanics have.
Hmmm, learnt alot today - thanks.

BTW did you read auto-mechanical engineering

I will need this post by February next year.
@op, can I consult you to advice on any car I want to buy?
my dream car for now is Toyota corolla 2003- 2005 model.

After papers as number one, the body should come next before even starting the car. Once you test drive a car you can be whaoed and pay without body check. If you buy a rusted car, accident damaged azonto dancing chassis, you have just insured your money in a quest of no return.

nurey:
After papers as number one, the body should come next before even starting the car. Once you test drive a car you can be whaoed and pay without body check. If you buy a rusted car, accident damaged azonto dancing chassis, you have just insured your money in a quest of no return.

And if you buy a non-rusty car with a DEAD transmission, nko? You never see anything.

By the way, just because rust and body check feature further down the list DOES NOT MEAN YOU SHOULD NOT CONSIDER THEM AS WELL. A scale of preference for order of inspection is so-named only for establishing a sequence. The onus is on you to FINISH the test from start (papers) to finish (others). If you check only items 0, 1 and 2 and pay for the car, you are on your own with suspensions and rust problems.

I never said go ahead and buy the car with rust. Besides, RUST can also be classified under the section on Body / Paint. Isn't rust a "body condition?" Sure it is.

Certain cars are notorious for rust. Check the fuel tank most especially for perforation. You don't want to pay for a car, fill up the tank, and while going home, you water the highway with fuel leaking from your "new car".

Pray you get home safely.

FIRE HAZARD!

rose54321:


Wow thanks.
I had no idea, thought it had to be those huge diagnostic scanner than only auto-mechanics have.
Hmmm, learnt alot today - thanks.

BTW did you read auto-mechanical engineering

No.

Dereformer:
I will need this post by February next year.

@op, can I consult you to advice on any car I want to buy?

my dream car for now is Toyota corolla 2003- 2005 model.

I would suggest you go for the Toyota Matrix (same 03-05), instead. The Matrix is based on the Corolla (same engine, almost identical parts), but you WILL appreciate the difference on the road.

Matrix is sportier, looks better, larger, same fuel economy (the FWD version), and, perhaps best of all, you DON'T SEE IT 200 TIMES A DAY on the road.

Oh, I hate Corolla for that reason.

Bonus: the Matrix also comes in 4WD option, with its advantages.

PHOTOS BELOW: Matrix vs. Corolla (same model year)

VeeBabs:
So many people place a little too much value on the "aesthetics" of a car, especially the paint. But in my opinion, the paint is one of the last things you should look at when buying a used car in Nigeria.

I can relate with this, example is someone calling for Toyota Camry 2004

Caller: I saw you car online, is it still available?

Response: Yes, it is.

Caller: is it first body?

Response: NO (but silently saying *WTF, first body for a 12yr old car.

Caller: oh! (ends call)

Very annoying, the car has been condemned already cos its been repainted.

VeeBabs:


And catalysts are not cheap. The funny part of it is that most (in my experience) cars without a catalyst do not have it because it was deliberately removed (= stolen).

A lot of mechanics do it to unsuspecting car owners. They sell it off, make good money, and your car suddenly becomes more fuel thirsty than it used to be.

What do these guys use the removed catalyst for?
cos the trouble they go through to remove it is not small.