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April 20, 2019
Ihuoma Chiedozie

After buying a ‘state-of-the-art’ saloon car, Edmund Eze was in a celebratory mood. Although the vehicle was ‘Tokunbo’, a coinage for fairly used items including vehicles imported from overseas, it was almost new and in great condition especially considering its low mileage, neat interior and gleaming coat. In his Abuja neighbourhood, it was the envy of all eyes especially those with a large taste.


But Eze’s joy turned into nightmare four months after purchasing the car. Driving the vehicle one day, he ran into a pothole and everything changed. He heard a loud, crunchy noise and the steering became stiff. He soon realised that the beam had collapsed on the front wheels. It was quite an unusual type of breakdown and the young man was confused. A mechanic was summoned and after inspecting the car, it was discovered that the vehicle’s front beam was welded together long before he purchased it. The young man’s new machine was an ‘accidented’ vehicle brought into the country as ‘Tokunbo’ after some repair works.


“I was so devastated when I found out that it was an ‘accidented’ car,” he said. “What pained me the most was that the damage suffered by the car must have been substantial for it to have affected the beam.

“To think that I bought that car for N6m pains me even more,” he added while narrating his ugly experience during a chat with our correspondent.


The dealer, who sold the car refused to take responsibility for the problem and despite getting the police involved, Eze could not get any reprieve. Eventually, he had to sell off the car after repeated efforts to put it back in shape failed.

Adamu Michael had a similar experience. All was well with the ‘Tokunbo’ Sports Utility Vehicle he bought from a Lagos car dealer until he discovered that water was coming inside it from one of the doors anytime it rained, and also whenever it was being washed. It happened even when the window on that particular door was wound up.


“I made enquiries and was told that the car must have had a major damage on the door with the window before it was imported.

“They repaired the door but it was not done very well and as a result, water was coming inside from the window. It was so annoying and really messed up the car,” Michael said.
Unlike Eze, Michael was able to fix the problem after spending a little fortune to replace the faulty door. But Vitus Emeka’s case was different. He intentionally ordered an ‘accidented’ car from the US after discovering that damaged vehicles were much cheaper.

“I needed to change my car but didn’t have enough money to go for the type of ‘Tokunbo’ I wanted.

Along the line, the dealer who was helping me to get the car, told me that I could get a more recent model by going for an ‘accidented’ car, which are sold at cheaper prices abroad.

“I jumped at the offer and that was how I was able to purchase an SUV, which is one of the most patronised vehicles at the moment,” he said.
The car arrived without the front and back bumpers, while the air-bag had already been blown out. Also, the accident, which the car suffered, affected the front legs.

“I was able to put the car in order but due to the initial damage on the front legs, it is always going out of alignment and it kept spoiling the tyres,” he added.

https://www.punchng.com/tokunbo-to-accidented-cars-citizens-express-mixed-feelings-as-nigeria-turns-dumping-ground/amp/

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