₦airaland Forum

kelechiodo:
You are entirely correct. I opened the sun roof and poured water. The right channel drained neatly while the left channel retained the water. After a while, I observed water dripping down to driver's side from the side I opened bonnet and slowly moves to the floor.

Please what's the solution. How will it be cleaned so that I'll advice my mechanic as they all told me to meet a welder?.

Also following your instruction here which I read yesterday, I discovered that my electrician's advice to remove thermostat was wrong. How will it reinstalled. Thanks

There's usually a plastic plug to cover such holes in a car. I don't know what it looks like. Get a competent upholstery/panel beater to have a look. But prior to this, there's a long drain pipe that leads to that part of the car, ensure you flush it properly to remove any blockage therein.

Better still, you can take a picture & upload it here, so you can be well advised in carrying out the fix.

For your thermostat, a competent mechanic should be able to reverse it.

The best way out is to pay a competent mechanic to do the pre-purchase inspection for you. There are no shortcuts to it.sometime recently, I paid Gazzuzz to carry out a PPI for a vehicle I saw online. That money I paid to him saved me thousands in repair plus the sleepless nights I may have had as a result.

It makes economic sense to engage a competent technician for a PPI.

kelechiodo:
I have just checked the sun roof. How will I know if its blocked

Follow the procedure I set out earlier.

Those driving conventional LHD RRSA already have huge challenges dealing with the complexity that comes with its usage in Nigeria in addition to the dearth of technical expertise for maintenance let alone a converted one.

This is not an older model of the SUV but a very recent model. I will be interested in the outcome of this conversion after a few months of usage. This particular model of Range is everywhere in Abuja so I don't understand what's so special about his that he has consistently insisted on the conversion.

Please remember to update this forum with your result.

GAZZUZZ:
rule out the sunroof.

Why did you say this? Any specific reason?

I can most certainly say that's the culprit. The fact that it's alwYs closed is not a reason it won't leak. There are 2 water channels through the sunroof, one to the passenger side & the other to the driver's side. If those channels are blocked; the result is the op pain.

Another possible cause of leakage is the sunroof (open roof) if the car is equipped with one. Check to see whether the drain pipes are blocked. This is a DIY. One way to do it is to open the sunroof, pour water through the drain channels for water to flow away in and observe where the water drains.

Other area could be the roof rack but I doubt your car is fitted with one.

diportivo:
Oga bravolad,give him a glimpse of dat sweet black Camry u just got

Give him an idea of d price too

Pls,weneva u wanna do away with d sienna, consider me 1st

Lol! Bruh, sorry o. My Sienna has been sold. The guy the buyer has been very happy with it. My former mechanic was very angry I sold the Sienna because he wanted the uncle to buy it. I actually sold it to a friend.

DjAndroid:
2.750? Are you kidding me?

If it's a clean tittle I bet it will be much more expensive. Try buying one with clean tittle, come back & let us know your findings.

My best days in school especially in the University were during examination days. I could sit anywhere, & never got bothered about seating arrangements. I looked forward to exams as they helped me to let off a lot of steam. For me, research & study start from the day school resumes; so examination enables me to regurgitate all I have taken in. I also had like mind friends who even if we sat together, we never talked to each other until the exams are over. I am mostly comfortable sitting at the invigilator's desk.

More so, I went to a school where cheating could earn you an extra semester or worse still, expulsion. Coming from a humble background, I won't be able to afford any additional costs arising from carelessness of cheating or contemplate expulsion. I abhorred cheating & avoided it like plague.

On a final note, any serious student who prepares adequately for an exam should look forward to it rather than dread it.

FLAKARIBE:
Why must there also be a 'coma' during such deals. Why can't most peeps just be plain, simple and truthful. Trying to play funny every now and then. A good name anytime over coins.... CONGRATS, PLS COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE, TRACKER ETC. ETC ENJOY YOUR RIDE. DRIVE SAFELY.

Thanks brush. One of the reasons for this thread is to educate intending buyers who wish to go this route and to also let people know that there are credible agents like SaintJoel.

However, I deliberately brought that up so such mistake can be avoided in the future.

Curdlebug:
Hello, Please, after purchasing a nigerian used vehicle say in lagos, can i drive the vehicle to Abuja with the current papers(up to date) without FRSC and Police troubles on the road. Then i could do the change of ownership later.

With a proof that you just bought the car, yes you can. The implication is that you must have a written agreement signed between you and the seller as well as witnesses thereof. Meanwhile, if the registration of the car was done in a different state from where you live, you will not be able to effect change of ownership but will require an outright replacement of the number plate.

Congratulations on your ride.

Siena:
[color=Blue]I was a bit concerned at the way Bravolad started the thread. Because, I know quite a few people, who have used SaintJoel's services, and they've been satisfied. Joel's never failed to deliver, he's one of the good guys.

Just one thing, SaintJoel - could you please write in an acceptable manner, rather than all block capitals? Besides being a major irritant, it actually depicts shouting, and goes against Forum Rule #11.

This aside, keep up the good work. [/color]

@Siena, you have all my respect.

The thread was meant to create suspense first before the real gist. That also makes it interesting. As you rightly stated, SaintJoel is a credible agent & more so, he has a formidable team in Daniel & Emile.

I have also tried to relate all that happened during the transaction. I bear no grudge against him or anybody. If I want to buy another car tomorrow, SaintJoel remains my agent.

saintjoel:
Thanks sir and the jelad crew hails you. This is the first time that a client will spend days with us inside COTONOU and you were literally feeding us,at least twice in a day and even offered to pay my hotel bills. Seriously, I will really wish you come back to Cotonou like you promised and we will organise a great welcome for you sir.... My appreciation also goes to luomomike, he has also remained a great friend and customer..

Thanks and God bless you sir.

SaintJoel, frankly speaking I had a nice time with you and your team. I will always recommend you to buyers I know. Already, I have given your number to another person who wishes to buy soon.

GAZZUZZ:
Mr bravolad I Remember you

Chief Gazzuzz,

I hail you sir.

motemi111:
@bravolad, congratulations on your car. How much does it cost to get your car to nigeria i mean cost of purchase and clearing with customs both in cotonou and seme. Thanks

I will give you an idea of cost of a similar car in Cotonou. Usually, clean tittle cars are more expensive. With 5,500,000 to 600,000 CFA you can get one. You may be able to get it slightly lower depending on the dealer. Then Cotonou duty is 500,000 to 530,000 CFA. Agents charge about ₦480.000 for a 2010 car and between ₦550,000 and above for 2011. So consider the prevailing exchange rate; plus or minus, will get you what you want.

Note that I mentioned odometer rollback as prevalent in the market. Most cars you see as low mileage cars have indeed gone above 200,000 mileage. Especially the ones driven in Nigeria.

A couple of days ago, a neighbour of mine was bragging about his car with less than 70,000 mileage. I challenged him to run a vin report. We agreed & the result was an original mileage of over 297,000 miles. He was shocked to the marrow.

aieromon:
Didn't both of you negotiate and agree on the custom duty for a 2011 model? Why shifting all the blame to him?

We did. My target originally was a 2010. When we saw that one, we assumed it was 2010. So the additional payment wasn't planned for but I had to accommodate it because I had no choice.

Just on a side note, this thread was essentially created to share my experience and inform prospective buyers that the Cotonou route is doable with a credible custom agent like SaintJoel. Ordinarily, I could have decided I wasn't going to pay anymore money but sometimes, you gain & other times, you loose. The happiest part for me is that, the car is very clean & I have value for my money.

At exactly 5.00pm we crossed the border to Seme. Upon arrival, SaintJoel had made arrangements for the car to leave the custom parking lot. I did not spend upto 10 minutes at the customs yard in Seme before we hit the road. To achieve this, SaintJoel said he paid for express so I could leave.

Apart from the additional ₦180,000.00 that I spent, I would say that SaintJoel is a trustworthy agent, straightforward and committed to what he does.

Will I recommend him to others? My answer is an emphatic yes.

Intending buyers should ensure that the appropriate fees are paid once. That additional payment shot the price of my car up. Indeed, going to Cotonou to purchase a car is the best option if you are not importing directly from the USA. The reason is that there is a conglomeration of brand of cars in each park in Cotonou. Again, ability to bargain is key to the transaction.

In my case, the car is very clean, engine is neat and the drive is elegant. Car still has its original bumpers (front & back). I do not think any dealer in Lagos will import this kind of car. If they do, it would be much more expensive. I spent over 3 weeks running vin reports on cars in Lagos & none had a clean tittle. I'm also aware that some Lagos dealers buy slightly dented (bumper and/or fender) cars and sell.

Picture of the car at the park in Cotonou

Payment for the car was a different kettle of fish. We went back to Seme in order to ensure that payment was made the same day. At Seme, I realised I could not do an online transfer to the Bureau de change agent due to the amount of involved. Exchange rate was fluctuating. From ₦570 to 1000 CFA to ₦574 to 1000 CFA. The closes GT bank was located at Agbara which was about an hour drive from Seme. The only option was to go to the bank and effect the transfer. I took a cab with one of the Cotonou agents to Agbara. By the time the transfer was made, I called SaintJoel to collect the CFA equivalent. I never doubted his integrity about absconding with over three million Naira. At some point, you need to trust people with certain amount of people. SaintJoel is one of those you can trust with your money and go to sleep with your two eyes closed.

Before we came back from Agbara, SaintJoel had collected the money. As we arrived, he handed it over to the agent that went to the bank with me to proceed to making payment for the car. More so, he has a bike and it would be easier for him to get there before us. The guy (Emile) left with the money while SaintJoel & I took the usual route. By the time Emile got to Cotonou, the dealer has closed. So he held unto the money. We arrived and agreed that SaintJoel & Daniel should proceed to the dealer's office in town to make the payment. Eventually, payment was made the same night & a receipt issued to that effect.

To ensure that I leave the following day being Thursday, I told SaintJoel to pay for duty early with the NCS whilst the car was yet to be cleared with Benin customs. So very easy on Thursday morning, he left Cotonou to Seme so as to fast track the clearing process at Seme border. That same morning, SaintJoel erroneously paid duty for a 2010 Camry instead of 2011. To be fair to him, we all assumed it was 2010. But by evening of that same day when he called me to say that NCS sees it a false declaration, I asked if he did not look at the vin number prior to payment. As an experienced custom agent, he's supposed to look at the vin even if he doesn't have the vehicle papers. He acknowledged he error was his fault and accepted responsibility there on. Unfortunately, there was network failure at the Benin custom office and the car could not be cleared, prompting another delay. This also translated to additional hotel and logistics expenses for me. I was sad but had no better choice.

The short payment implies that NCS would need to raise a Debit Note (DN) for additional payments. Friday morning, I left Cotonou joined him at Seme to know the true state of things. He took me to some senior Custom Officers to determine how much the additional cost would be. But prior to this, he asked I he could get someone to drive the car with amount already paid as duty to Abuja for which I rejected it immediately. I told him that I cannot spend close to four million Naira only to risk the seizure of the car by NCS. Secondly, he suggested I obtain a Lagos registration & drive it to Abuja on that same amount paid. Again, I declined. When we met the NCS officials for further payment for a 2011 Camry, they (NCS) insisted the amount would be ₦180,000. 00. I tried to negotiated it down but met a brick wall. One of them told me that I could actually drive the car like that but whatever happens afterwards should not involve them. I had a little quarrel with SaintJoel over this but later, I agreed to pay the money.

I transferred the ₦180,000.00 to SaintJoel's account and went back to Cotonou to meet with Daniel who also doubles as a custom agent in Cotonou to make sure I leave that same day. By the time I left, SaintJoel and NCS officials raised a DN of ₦104,000.000. SaintJoel called to tell me about this and that I had some balance with him. So I told him I will use that balance for expenses. At this point, it was obvious to me that he had collaborated with NCS officials to ensure I pay more. I was highly exasperated.

At about 3.00 pm, the car was cleared at Benin Republic & we waited until 5.00pm as is the rule in Benin Republic. Tokunbo cars don't leave until 4.00pm and cannot cross the border until 5.00pm.

chiebube1:
Experience is the key. Like you said, Daniel was more experienced than Saint Joel. That might have been the genesis of the problem. Daniel vs Saint Joel - The Cold War !!!

They made up almost immediately as that did not affect our search in anyway. But that's maturity.

This is the hotel.

The following morning the search for my choice of car began. We moved from one park to another inspecting different ones albeit running vin report to ascertain the state of the car. I had anticipated that we were going to find a car the same day so I can pay & proceed with further clearing at the Nigerian border. I didn't know the journey just started. This also underscores the fact that one needs to be adequately prepared psychologically & financially because you cannot determine how long you will spend depending upon what kind of vehicle you are looking for. I had two cars in mind: Honda Accord or Toyota Camry both 2010 upwards.

Before I realised it, it was nightfall yet we have not been able to find a car. I must confess that the two agents SaintJoel brought are truthful, hardworking and dogged. The parks are big with over 5000 cars in each. Though, there are smaller parks with less cars. Navigating through the parks requires transportation (bikes). As we approached nightfall, they took me back to the hotel. By this time, I was already down with malaria. The penultimate day of my travel, I felt cranky & sick so I purchased some anti-malaria drugs at a pharmacy store in Lagos. I could not sleep at night and was very uncomfortable. By the following morning Wednesday, I had become very ill, cold & shivering. I thought of spending the whole day at the hotel but that thought was immediately countered by the fact that I came to Cotonou for the sole purpose of buying a car. So I pulled myself together; mustered some strength and by which time the team has already assembled at the hotel. As we left the hotel, I was weak, cold & unease but somehow, God was my strength.

I must point out that most of the cars brought into Cotonou are accident cars as well. The same scenario we have in Lagos where dealers sell accident & flood cars to unsuspecting buyers. Another major shocking discovery I made was that Cotonou car dealers also alter mileage (odometer rollback). We all know the reason for this practice. This is why vin report is vital to a car purchase.

However, there are a handful of dealers who deal on clean tittles also. So we started moving around parks again, especially those known to sell non-accident cars. At about 2.30 pm we saw a car of my choice with a clean vin report. Also note that throughout the search period, I had no fear of being swindled by anybody. SaintJoel also acted transparently. At some point, I almost had to separate fight between him & one of the agents Daniel. The reason for this quarrel was because Daniel is well experienced & can easily spot a car that have been involved in an accident. There was a 2010 xle we saw, very clean but he said it's an accident car & that we should move ahead but SaintJoel insisted we run a vin check. Daniel didn't want me to waste the money. So a serious quarrel broke up. It turned out that Daniel was absolutely correct. A vin report confirmed it.

This is where the struggle for clearing started.

Stay tuned....

Kashif:
Do you need to post his name? His moniker will do.

GAZZUZZ:
Surprisingly, he is not known by this name at Seme. Meanwhile, he will not be offended about that. Sincerity in business is key.



La click La knock engine. Summarize, was it a good or bad experience?

Be patient. Na small small dem dey lick hot soup. If not, your tongue go tell you.

On June 26, I travelled to Lagos & proceeded to Cotonou the following day. I got to Seme about 7.00pm and SaintJoel was on hand to receive me. Immediately, we took a bike across the border and boarded a vehicle to Cotonou.

SaintJoel had already arranged two other agents in Cotonou who took us to the hotel where I lodged.

Good evening Nairalanders,

I decided to share my experience of buying a car from Cotonou with Gbenga (SaintJoel; Jelad ventures). I share this experience so that intending buyers & members can learn from my experience & avoid my mistakes. It was indeed my first time to buy a car in Cotonou.

Do you remember this thread https://www.nairaland.com/3137468/useful-advice-buying-paying-required
When I sought to know if I could buy a car in Cotonou & proceed to make Custom duty payment by myself. I recall a few people commented on it. Please read through to get the crux of the matter.

To be continued....

Please kindly check this vin:

4T4BF3EK9BR166680

Thank you.

Please kindly check this vin for me

1HGCP2F7XAA047011


Thank you so much.

Please kindly run a check on the following vin number & send to bravolad@yahoo.com

1HGCP2F7XAA047011


Thank you sir.

1. A - though grammatically incorrect.
2. A - "campaign manager of the PDP"
3. B
4. B
5. B
6. A
7. B
8. B - Her baby (daddy) has too many baggage.
9. B
10. A

Please kindly check these ones as well.

1hgcp2f15ba144103


4t1bk46k6au055104

1hgcp26818a039141


Thank you.

Please kindly check these ones as well.


5kbcp3f86ab5 01521

4t1bk46k6au055104

1hgcp26818a039141


Thank you.

vali1000:
Tnx guy's will go for the camry, not a family man yet but has always loved the car + i plan on using it for @least six yrs nd could'nt aford the belgiun. was also stigmatised with the negative perception of Nigerian used cars which promt my cosideration of the corrola. I just hope it's as relliable as the corrola and the older camry models cause that's my major concern. All my collegues who own the corrola enjoys the relliability but non could afford the muscle so the camry fans go for the 01 model which is relliable aswell. i dont hv a close friend who own the muscle so could'nt say for same.

Reliability goes with some degree of maintenance. Of course, Camry is a reliable car but a preventive maintenance will prolong the life of your car. Most Nigerians use substandard spare parts & wrong engine oil & transmission fluid at their cars and expect it to be durable. Yet some others wait until the car is broken down before attempting to fix it. Get a well maintained Camry & ensure you stick with the maintenance schedule which guarantees happy motoring.