₦airaland Forum

"1. bad paint job. even stains of the spary showed on the head light
2.the a./c vents waz broken
3.the back bumper was not well in place
4.the arm rest was bad and the interior was well below average
5.the shafts were gone
6. my shocker was that the floor mat was replaced with a household carpet.! you could actually see the loose ends at the door edges sticking out.
i personally know he didnt get the car for up to a million and xtra was paid for delivery"

Poster, sorry about the loss on the vehicle. However, I want to say that he only rubbed it in on you by telling you he made a poor judgement. If truly you observed all the six issues you stated above with a pencil light model of camry sold for N1M, I will say it's either the guy is a 'dealer' that knows next to nothing or he decidedly cheated you. Unfortunately, it appears you were very soft on him as you heaped his misdeeds on the fact that you didn't do a physical check by yourself.

IF YOU WANT TO HELP OTHERS LIKE YOU TRULY CLAIMED, NAME THE DEALER AND SAVE A BROTHER FROM A SCAVENGER.

The other issue I wish to clarify is the fact that you don't have to preorder before you can get clean used cars to buy in Nigeria. After all the 20% you described as good tokunbo cars are still in Nigeria in their hundreds. I have bought clean cars for people here on nairaland, off nairaland, Cotonou and even at Berger that Nairaland Dealers often tongue-lash. My starting point is a clean VIN report anything outside is a no-no for me. Then every other checks can follow.

Honda engine in a Nissan jeep! Abeg put the correct picture joo.

Clean SUV anyway.

Sir, your car is truly clean but check the year again. E320 ended in 2005. E class engine was upgraded to 350 in 2006 and an external body refresh was carried out in 2007 which is a more recent version than the vehicle advertised here. You may consider a price review going by what obtains in the market. This is an honest opinion from an interested person.

EU Trucks, please send me a mail at ofismails@yahoo.com or drop your email address. Urgent please.

Oga, please can you do me a mouth-watering quote for these:

2006 Mercedes Benz E350 4MATIC Premium Package

2007 Mercedes Benz E350 4MATIC Premium Package

I am ready to be kidnapped in the black interior of this car

ofismails@yahoo.com

No response to my offer of N1.1. So what's the last price? Someone needs it please.

Clean ride. Can I offer you N1.1 for this?

How much is the toyota tiny light and big light?

Please send your very best price to ofismails@yahoo.com

Kunle-A, thank you for your contribution and advice. I will presnt your suggested options to my brother. I can imagine that he will rather contact any of his friends to get the dashboard for him from US when they are visiting home to minimise the cost. We are yet to come across a brand new dash from any spare part seller. For me the baby is too pretty for the 'pimple' shave off and adding a pancake covering by a Nigerian beautician! I don't trust our upholstery guys for such a precision-based job, besides it's going to look too odd.

Thanks all the same and may I say, Awaye.

Here are some scenarios:
1. In the recent past, Toyota had a massive recall on some of its vehicles due to some safety concerns - including sticky pedals vs floor mats. Some of my friends have been using some of these recalled vehicles ever before the issues were detected. How will these issues be fixed here in Nigeria? Can the Nigerian Toyota dealers do it at all and will it be free as it was in US?
2. My brother has a 2005 Infiniti FX35 that has dashboard cracks and bubbles. The dash is really an ugly sight that makes a mess of the luxury vehicle. He has gone to price a used dash from spare parts market and was told to bring a handsome N130K and there were not so many in the market to start with. On searching the internet, I realised that dash bubbling is a common problem with FX35/45 from Nov 2002 up to 2008 models. Loads of complaints. Infiniti therefore extended the warrantee for the dash to 8 years and sent letters to owners for replacement at no cost. The issue now is that there is no sure way of knowing whether a replacement bought in Nigeria will not be one of the defects since our guys get their spare parts from mostly accidented vehicles which could be one of those models. My brother would have gotten a free dash replacement if he were to be in US.

So is there any way of handling issues that have to do with manufacturer recalls in Nigeria especially for foreign used vehicles?

Please if this van is still available, send the last price to ofismails@yahoo.com

We can continue talking from there.

Please what's your last price for the sienna. You can send to ofismails@yahoo.com

N1.050 and I send someone to check it for me by the weekend?

Uboma please pardon my diversion and no offence meant, how did you get the info about Osaro's account? ATM withdrawals in Edo and dom a/c turning out to be a savings account? Anyway I've always known that some Nigerian bankers do not respect the oath of secrecy they've sworn to. This Osaro guy can actually make some good money if he sues the bank for revealing his information to you.

Please I don't know Osaro o, and I hope I have not defended him. But by coming here, you are not protecting the family/friend working in Osaro's bank who probably gave you the 'tip'. I know someone who was sacked for this offence.

Where are you guys. Are the dealers hibernating because of subsidy removal?

Please I need these vehicles.

How much is this sienna and the mileage? Can I also get the VIN?

I am desperate, but not for junks please!

You can also reach me on ofismails@yahoo.com to tell me your side of the story.

Where are they, yes our bragging dealers. Your services are needed now!

No too much story. I need these cars:

Toyota Sienna SE/LE, manual doors, Fabric upholstery, (4 Units) (1999 or 2000)

Peugeot 406 - EW10 Engine, AUTOMATIC, Fabric power accessories, factory left hand drive -NOT CONVERTED PLEASE- (1 Unit) (2002 or 2003)

Toyota Camry SE/LE/XLE (I4/V6, NAVIGATION is a must), factory fitted Leather 2008 or 2009

PLEASE THEY MUST BE VERY NEAT.

Please post pictures of what you have on this same thread and drop your email and phone number. I will call you for other discussions.

Though my favoured preference is "See it Live, Pay and Drive off", Cotonou dealers can also give me an idea of what these will cost and honest estimated time of delivery.

Very Urgent please. I will keep checking here till past midnight!

Buy and drive

Neat Gauges. Beds for your driver and 'motorboy'

Abundant space for diesel. Less hassles for the journey.

I have nothing to cover or shade with marker. You are dealing directly with the owner.

Evidence that it was bought this year.

USed to be balloon suspension, but now converted to spring

Big Axle, 28.5 Feet chasis

More pictures

For Sale: 10Tire-DAF 95 430 (Chassis Body)
I bought the 10-tire truck being advertised January this year (2011) as Tokunbo. It came with a refrigerated (cold room) body which did not serve the purpose for which it was purchased because many things were wrong with the cold room body. Bottom line, I have removed the body and I’m putting the vehicle up for sale. It has been lying unused since July 2011. I am selling just because I sincerely don’t have the energy for truck business right now as I am currently occupied with other things, so it is of no economic benefit for the truck to sit unutilized.
That said, this work horse that has barely done six months on the road since I purchased it is as good as the way it came. Engine runs superbly. I have even gone the extra mile of converting the balloon suspensions it came with to full spring as our roads demand. I have also changed the injector to the more manageable smaller size for fuel economy and lower cost of replacing T-element. The gear, brakes and air system answer like new. All gauges light up fully and work to the minutest precision.
What more, you are negotiating and buying an already registered truck directly from the owner, no 3rd party involvement.
The specification is as stated below:
YEAR OF MANUFACTURE: 1996
VIN: XLRAS47WS0E448384 (DAF is manufactured in Holland, so no Carfax report)
ENGINE SPEC: DAF 95, in-line, power - 430 Hp (316 kW), 11.6 Ltr, 6 cylinders, diesel run, turbo, intercooler, Euro II standard.
GEARBOX: Manual, 8 Gears plus overdrive.
AXLES: 3 Axles, 6x4Wheel Formula,
SUSPENSION: Full spring on all axles (Rear suspensions fully converted from balloon to spring)
TIRE INFO: 10 Tires, Front Tire Size - 315/80 (2), 1st & 2nd Rear - 295/80 (4 each).
BRAKES: Engine Brake (Retarder), Brakes - drum
CARBINE: Huge space, Double Sleeper, Sun roof, Powered Windows, In-Dash Tray, Mechanized Sun Visors.
ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT: Turn buckle, new batteries, light alloy wheels, fuel tanks: 2 units (600ltrs/400ltrs) of 1000ltrs total volume, Air horns, Spoiler, Fog Lights, ‘Welcome’ Light, High Beam Lamps (blinding aftermarket lights no longer necessary), Speed Limiter, 2 Ignition keys.
DOCUMENTS: Custom papers, all other registration documentations, dozens of valid stickers and permits especially for Lagos and northern routes. (You only require a change of ownership)
TONNAGE: 30 Tons
BUILDABLE LENGTH OF CHASSIS: 27 Feet
POSSIBLE BODY: Full or half open body, container, refrigerated, and platform popularly known as flat bed.
VEHICLE CONDITION: Buy and drive
LOCATION OF TRUCK: Abuja
ASKING PRICE: N3.2M OR BEST OFFER.
I respectfully request that you price a similar truck (DAF 95 430 – 10 tires) to guide your negotiation.
I will refund your cost of transport on showing proofs that you come from outside Abuja to inspect the truck. The refund is limited to one way economy class return ticket for 1 person (air travel), or return passenger bus tickets for 2 persons (you + driver or mechanic) or fuel tank fill-up for personal vehicle used for the journey. However, this will only be done when the deal is concluded.
If you are interested, please call or text

Last week, my wife's car suddenly overheated terribly and had to be abandoned in a filling station till the following morning. The automechanic checked it the following morning and a ruptured radiator hose was the culprit. It was promptly replaced and thankfully nothing else was affected. On driving the car, I noticed that the temperature gauge needle never moved from C (Cold) when the whether was cool, specifically morning and night. Meanwhile the needle used to rest just below 1/2 before. I called the Mech and he told me that the thermostat was also bad as it does not open again so he removed it for the engine to always run cooler and there was no need replacing it. Out of curiousity we opted for driving the car like that and learnt the following in 5 days:

The heater does not work any more and AC not cooling satisfactorily

Don't know if it is related, more carbon is noticed on the exhaust tip.

The spacewagon burns more fuel for the same distance (The big one)

I also observed that the fan does not work as frequently as it used to

The thermostat costs only N2,000 and I'm fixing it right away.

My first experience in Cotonou ended up a disappointment in 2009 as I planned to buy an 03/04 accord EX/L probably with navigation effizi. The first thing is that I was overwhelmed with the number of parks to go for me to make a choice. if you have eye for detail like I do, this could take you more than 2 days which I never bargained for. Because I spent all the time moving round, there was no time for looking up the VIN report of the particular cars I selected and this is very important to me. As there is always a closing time at any market place, you may just have to pay a little token of N10K to book the vehicle down so that it will be marked sold for as long as the day you promise to return to complete the deal. The 4-cyl 03/Nav that I got up to 2.1M duty inclusive. Compared to N2.1M I got in Lagos then for an 04 without nav system anyway. There was a passive comment of rolling back the odometer if i wanted which put me off the deal completely. I felt happier returning home without a car.

My second experience was in january 2010 when I was interested in getting an 03 infiniti QX4. The price hovered around N2M in Lagos and they were not many with Lagos dealers so I felt I could get to Cotonou for the sake of variety. I actually got I wanted at N2M duty inclusive but I didnt think it was worth the trouble since it was the same price in Lagos so I also quit the transaction. I was made to understand, which was a fact anyway, that the exchange rate plays a very high factor in the price at which you get a car. Specifically, the ex, rate was very high then. Dollar had jumped from N115 to over N140 if I could remember. So there was a cascading effect on Naira to CFA.

Not done, there was yet another return to Cotonou for a car for my wife. I had researched and discovered that I could get Honda Odyssey (96/97/98) model for N950K in Lagos. Well researched, I contacted ‘my agent’ who by now I had known too well on and outside Nairaland and I equally assumed he knew my taste as a result of the previous transactions albeit incomplete. I was working at getting this van at N750/800K. I entrusted the entire deal into his hand as I didn’t have the time and energy to travel to Benin Republic again. By the time the deal was concluded it ended at N870K be casue there was strike by Cotonou Customs and there was also a slight review of duty at the time. But I must say that I would have made a better choice of van if I had gone with my agent. As per if the papers were genuine, yes they were. With the assurance of the agent, my brother drove the vehicle down to Abuja without any problem with custom, counting up to 10 or more in Badagry road and 6 between Lagos and Abuja. I have had reason to be stopped at custom checkpoint twice and there was no issue with my paper. It was even mooted that I overpaid for a 1996 car. It appears that the law on restriction of importable cars to 10yrs of age does not affect land borders.

I have since recommended three friends to Cotonou market through the same agent. One was satisfied and the second not wholly satisfied because of additional costs of putting one of the 2 vehicles he bought in order. Things went awry on the road. Also, the guy could not get drivers to drive them after all the boast and the delivery money was not refunded as at the time my friend needed them.

• You may not have an opportunity to get a mechanic to check the car for you. Experience has really taught me to know that a car that drives fine at the dealer’s place might not show the actual problems until an hour after you hit the road. Vibrations, missing parts, overheating etc. This does not apply to Cotonou alone.
• Agents could also collude with the clearing agent to add up the cost of clearing. You wouldn’t have the time to investigate all this detail about how much goes to where.
• Negotiate how much the agent will collect before you buy.
• To ensure you are given a genuine paper, let the agent know that you are going to drive your car down yourself, I tell you if your deal is clean, you have no problem. But also realize that police will always collect money from you whether your papers are genuine or not. At most, it is N200 where you cannot talk your way through. Customs may also collect what is called OD (Officer-on-Duty), between N1K and 2K but they wouldn’t hold your vehicle.
• I was made to understand that Cotonou dealers do not pay duty on all their cars as they enter Benin Republic so the buyer end up paying both duties.
• Be prepared to go to Cotonou twice before you can seal your deal. This adds up to the cost – money and time.
• Please, only go to Cotonou with someone you know well, or a recommended agent. As in all business that involves money, some are wolves in sheep’s clothing.
• Buy when exchange rate is low.
• Expect your car to take minimum of 5 working days to deliver, forget all the story of 2 days.
• If I look back at those times, though you get to save something, I will say what you save on a car with fully paid duty may not worth the effort except you take some of the precautions above. I think cars are also getting cheaper in Nigeria that is if you don’t get to buy junks anyway.

Well then we wait for the pictures of Avanza since you sound like it is not Venza.