₦airaland Forum

Mr Automaster,

First, I know you have trust issues but taking your fustration out on everyone that you see is not how to go about it. Coming to my thread to call me names is certainly not how to accomplish your goals either!. You have to decide within you if a type of business transaction is suited to your purpose/nature or not. It is your decision and yours only to make. Throwing tantrums and calling people you have never met, talked to, transacted business or communicated with "thiefs", is not only childish but also unlearned and rash!

Secondly, If you can find better deals on the internet then I will advise you to go ahead and consumate the transaction (the relentless and unrealistic pursuit of such 'sweet' deals is probably why you were nearly duped in the first place!!). The people who chose to invest their money and time, purchase a car and ship it to Nigeria, deal with the issues of customs and wait several weeks or months (averagely 3-4 months) to see a return deserve to make a profit, wouldn't you think? Risk usually brings its own reward (this is the premise upon which people make their decisions) and risk is a fact of life!. It is risky to trust, it is risky to ship cars without knowing if you will get it sold quickly, it is risky to invest in finance houses (remember Umanah Umanah?), it is risky to buy stocks, it is risky to do contract with Nigerian government, it is even risky to leave a fat deposit in a Bank (Banks fold up in Nigeria). Perhaps one should stuff his/her money in a pillow and sleep on it everyday!

Thirdly, the car that was offered by 'Otay' on Nairaland for N5.4Million is already in Lagos and is available to be inspected by anyone. Also the car is a fully optioned Camry XLE with V6, leather, bluetooth enabled and a host of extra features and is not an LE version like I offered. Is it a sin if the guy decides he wants to make healthy profit on the car after taking all the risk alone??. The Camry in Lagos is for people like you - yet you think it is too expensive!. You cannot have your cake and eat it!. My advice: You can always get on the next plane and come do it yourself. (I only hope you can at least trust the plane and airline to deliver you safely )

Finally, nobody asked for 'cash' and making a payment for a transaction abroad is not possible without going through a bank!. I believe it is best for someone like you to go get your car on the streets of Lagos. True, there are dupes and frauds in every business and the onus is on the buyer to be careful. The business of buying used cars in Nigeria or abroad is no different from buying land and is based on the premise of 'Caveat Emptor' - let the buyer beware!.  The number of cars being imported and the number of cars on the road in Nigeria goes to show me that most people ultimately get what they want. I hope you get what you want without further nasty experiences - a dose of realistic projections is the first step towards accomplishing this.

Car was actually purchased by a Ghanian based in the US, he saw it on nairaland and he is intent on sending it to the actual buyer at home (Ghana). Quite honestly I don't see what all the hullaboo is! - people have choices!. You could always get a camry in Lagos; you could also get on the plane and come see it before paying (an added cost of N280,000.00 for ticket shouldn't be an issue). There is a third alternative - you could have a close friend/relative come see and purchase it like the Ghanian did. This distrust and unbelief is beyond me!!. I have been selling cars long before I came to offer some on Nairaland and I sell cars regardless of Nairaland's response. Nobody can force a horse to drink at the riverside!

Automaster,

I am sorry about your nasty experience but that does not give you a right to come to my thread and implicitly imply that I am a fraud!. I believe you went thru your "close friend", so why don't you go and iron it out with your friend and his buddies!. Nobody comes to Nigeria and starts calling everybody a fraud simply because he was duped by 419 boys?. If you have issues please take it elsewhere. I consider your generalisation and insinuations very crude and uncooked!. Pls refrain from entry into this thread if you have nothing to add. Thank you.

Teejay,

Sorry the car is off the table. It is paid for and ready to roll to the dock. If you are still interested in a camry I can always get another one (I can get them all day). Thanks.

GOING,

GOING,

GONE!!!!

CAR IS SOLD!!

LORD REED,

I usually get whatever the customer specifies as long as it is for sale somewhere however, if I cannot find or get it I will duly inform client. it is also possible to have a customs builder/firm make a special modification for a customer (as long as customer is willing to pay). My charges are all inclusive - meaning I give you a total package price.

DELTA007,

I am sorry, I did not get your mail and cannot find it in my inbox. I usually reply to all my mails at the end of each day however, I have taken the liberty of sending one out to the email address that you gave. Thank you.

Real Man,
Like I said earlier, Client will be duly informed of every step of the purchase, including pictures, ship boarding, date of arrival of ship, ship name etc. Shipping Bill of Laden will be sent to Client 7-10 days before car arrives in Lagos. However, if Client has decided to use our clearing agents, then Bill of Laden will simply be handed over to my Lagos partner who will engage the services of our Clearing Agents. Emails and phone calls are usually the preferred means of communication. Thanks.

LasGiddy.com is Nigeria's new online marketplace for Vehicles, Real Estate, Computers, Consumer goods, Electronics, Employment, General merchandise and other new and used items for sale. Place your classified Ads for free, browse the database for free, find everything you want (well, almost everything). And if you cannot find what you want, place an Ad in the wanted category for free!

http://www.lasgiddy.com/

Cut the guy some slack, guys!! Which one of you has not been in college before and done the same thing. I don't think he deserved some of these harsh statements. We have all done it, or at least, hoped to have enough cash in school to do it while in school.

Anyhow, Boca, you can get decent cars in naija for that price - it may not be toks but it will be decently used. I suggest you browse this forum for nice locally used cars (there are lots of them). Maybe you should check out Viperman's threads for cars too.
I will suggest the following cars:
-Honda Accord (halla),
-Honda Civic,
-Toyota Corolla/Carina/Corona
-Nissan Primera/Altima
-VW Golf

Don't let them panic you jooooo!!. They are all getting old and grumpy!

LasGiddy.com is Nigeria's new online marketplace for Vehicles, Real Estate, Computers, Consumer goods, Electronics, Employment, General merchandise and other new and used items for sale. Place your classified Ads for free, browse the database for free, find everything you want (well, almost everything). And if you cannot find what you want, place an Ad in the wanted category for free!

http://www.lasgiddy.com/

Seems too me like the car's Tags says: Columbia, IL. That would be in the USA!.

That is a "Beautiful Car" though!!

This is another example of those unfounded Naija myths. Using you car’s A/C is no worse or different from carry an extra passenger or driving up hill!. Air-conditioners are an integral part of an intelligent automobile design.  Automobile A/C’s make use of a compressor which is driven by the engine using a belted pulley, to compress special gas (Freon) which is then cooled by decompressing it. The compressor is an auxiliary component of the engine, but so is the alternator, the water pump and the power steering pump! Yet, no one in their right mind, will dare tell you to run your vehicle without those other components.

Interestingly, as far as an automobile engine is concerned, all auxiliary components are the same – they all put load on the engine and demand power!. Today’s Automobile engines produce a lot more power and the A/C compressors are a lot more efficient, demanding less than 1%-to-2% of the total power output. All engines are designed to handle the extra load of auxiliary components along with delivering power for propulsion. Although the extra load of A/C, driving up hill or even an extra passenger may reduce your gas economy, they are hardly responsible for engine wear!. Ultimately, engine wear is the outcome of only one thing – thousands of miles of Use!. Only one thing will make your engine wear faster – poor maintenance and infrequent oil change!

Haaah!!! Audi turbo diesels - those are the rave of the moment. After the exhilirating victories of the Audi turbo diesel racing teams in LeMans 24 endurance race, techies have begun to reconsider the choice of gasoline powered engines for high performance. Unfortunately, diesel cars are not very appreciated in the US market, and few, very few manufacturers offer diesel engines. The A6 3.0 TDi is certainly not on offer here.

Somehow I had missed this thread!. Siena, this is some wickedly serious stuff you had going on. Whaaaaat. I am impressed and I just have to give my respect - you know what you are doing man. 300HP is seriously damaging power, but when a guy begins to shave and remachine pistons, mess with the turbo boost for higher Psi, modifying performance chips for optimum power - that dude is doing the stuff of legends!!.

Over 400HP is crazy, 500Hp is nuts!!. The power to weight ratio of your cars (including the Quattro) put them in the league of super cars!!. Even AMG Mercedes' would be hard pressed to find a way to gain your respect on the autobahn. Under 4 seconds puts you in the legendary 911 turbo and MB SLR territory (if not better)!. You scare me (lol)!! I am an Audi aficionado myself but no where near this extreme!. The 1987 Coupe GT, 1990 Audi V8 Quattro, 1997 Audi S6 Quattro, 1998 A4 1.8Turbo, 2000 Audi A8 4.2 Quattro sedan are all cars that have passed through my stable. I am currently eyeing the new A6 3.2 Quattro (the car is a real looker).

The most exhilirating of them all was the stock S6 which I duely crashed & flipped over after owning it for only 2 months!! . I had a challenge from a guy with a modified MK111 jetta which had a transplanted VR6 DOHC engine, aggressive camshafts, lowered suspension and altered chips to boot. Needless to say, I took on the challenge (such was the wicked output from the Audi S6 that I had no fear!). We chose a small country road (really a residential neighbourhood) which I was unfamiliar with. I was so arrogant that I let him go first and then decided that I was not going to be content with tailgating him. My power advantage became instantly obvious and I decided to take him out on that tiny road despite his frenetic attempt to stay ahead. To cut a long story short, I took him out (screaming engine and all), got ahead at maybe 85 - 90mph (140+ km/h) and then the country road abruptly came to a end! - a narrow T-junction and a steep grassy bank stared me in the face!. All my James Bond talent, ABS brakes, Pirelli P700 tires and sports suspension tuning could not save Humpty dumpty. I had disobeyed the laws of physics and there was a price to pay!. So, I ended up with a wreck but I am sure glad I walked out without a scratch!. Well, those were the days! I am much older and much more careful now!

I wish you better luck and loads of fun with this car.

Skoda Octavia is a good car and the price that viperman is offering it is really nice. Skoda corporation is wholly owned by VW group and their cars share platform and engine with VW cars. The only differences are in the styling and perhaps fine tuning. Skoda Octavia is essentially a rebadged VW golf/Jetta. The engine, transmission and platform are all shared (same). You could assume you are buying a Golf/Jetta and just have it serviced by the same people too (VW people). I checked Viperman's car and I think it is an excellent, hard-to-find deal. I hope this helps.

Contact my guy in Ibadan, I know he rents a nice odyssey and his prices are much better than the average competition.
His name is Fisayo (080 3396 8182).

Zaiszee,
There is nothing to it. If you can maintain a Honda Accord then you can maintain a CRV. It uses a 2.4L 4Cyl DOHC EFI engine. The car is only marginally more thirsty than the accord(very good economy). Reliability and durability is excellent. Have no fear. Hope this helped

I have a 2000 Mitsubishi Diamante and it is currently in Ikeja, Lagos. The Mitsubishi Diamante is the top of the line sedan with a powerful 3.5L V6 drivetrain and all imaginable options, even the leather seats are heated (although, I doubt if you will ever need that in naija). This car was imported late last year (Dec.) and has never been registered or used in Nigeria. My asking price is N1.4M.  Anyone who is interested may email me at midas02@yahoo.com. Thanks.

2000 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE LS

- 3.5L V6 24Valve SOHC Engine
- 4 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
- POWER WINDOWS
- POWER DOOR LOCKS
- REMOTE CAR LOCKS
- POWER SIDE MIRRORS
- POWER SUNROOF
- AIRCONDITIONER/CLIMATE CONTROL
- AM/FM/CD PLAYER
- CRUISE CONTROL
- LEATHER SEATS
- POWER FRONT SEATS
- HEATED SEATS & MIRROR DEMIST
- POWER DRIVER'S SEAT
- ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS)
- FOG LAMPS
- ALLOY WHEELS
- WOOD TRIM




ASKING PRICE: N1,400,000.00 ONLY    [size=16pt]Sold!![/size]
CONTACT: midas02@yahoo.com

More pictures

Ibaka,

I can offer this vehicle. Car is currently in the US and could be shipped to Lagos. You may get in touch with me at midas02@yahoo.com. Thanks.

2003 TOYOTA COROLLA CE
MILEAGE: 106,183 miles
VIN: 1NXBR32E93Z143904

EQUIPMENTS INCLUDE:

1.8L VVTi 4Cyl engine
4 Speed Automatic
Air Conditioning
AM/FM/CD Stereo
Cruise Control
Dual Air Bags
Intermittent Wipers
Power Door Locks
Power Steering
Power Mirrors
Rear Defroster
Remote Trunk Release
Tilt Steering Wheel

PRICE: $7000.00
LANDED COST IN NIGERIA: N1,320,000.00 ONLY

Vindylomo, I will be in touch. Thanks.

Gamer,

Your problem is easy to narrow down. The kind of issue and symptoms you just described points to only one culprit - Ignition system (this includes spark plug wires and distributor assembly)!.
You probably need Spark Plug Wires (spark plug wires are supposed to be changed during a full tune-up). Spark plug wires don't function right once they get old because the rubber covering deteriorates, heat from the engines causes wires to dry up, crack and loose pliability. Eventually, you start loosing vital electric currents to outside elements and your engine's spark timing cycle is thrown off because the electric charge doesn't get to the right cylinder/spark plug when it is needed. This is why your car jerks!. Having said that, there could be another culprit - Distributor!. Honda distributors (especially 1990 -1997 models) are notoriously sensitive and when you start having temperature related malfunction (engine getting warm or cold) in distributors then it is the beginning of a long trip to absolute failure (it takes a while but it will eventually happen). The best thing is to replace your spark plug wires (hope you can find original/quality parts) and if it does not stop then you can start looking to replace your distributor soon.

Unfortunately, Honda distributors are sealed and you cannot replace the distributor cap and rotor inside because they don't come that way. you have to buy the entire distributor. I hope this helps.

I have one for sale in another thread on this forum for just half of that price - N875,000.00 and with pictures too.
Maybe I should increase my price, abi viperman??

Let this be my final entry into this topic. To those who have been kind enough to try and chip in or mediate - It is our culture in Naija, to resolve and settle our differences without using truth-telling and facts as a guiding yardstick and I am just one who simply rebels against it!. I refuse to trade truth for peace!. I call a spade a spade and it will be unfortunate if someone chooses to see it as an insult or arrogance.
Ovvie’s statements are not only untrue and misleading, but they also reveal a confused and desperate desire to justify his position by pasting unrelated, meaningless and distorted jargon!. One cannot be asked about Jesus Christ in a Bible knowledge examination and give them an answer talking about Moses!. Both topics may be in the Bible but they are largely different events and the stories cannot be confused with each other.
Ovvie keeps making reference to High compression, Low compression, High efficiency in engines and a host of thermo-related terms without any meaningful postulations as to the inter-relationship and their relevance to the subject matter – which is Engine wear in 6Cyl Vs 4Cyl.

For the benefit of those who may be interested in knowing, I will take the time to shed light on those technical terms without making it overtly complicated:
All cars use four-stroke engines. One of the strokes is the compression stroke, where the engine compresses a cylinder-full of air and gasoline into a much smaller volume before igniting it with a spark plug. The amount of compression is called the compression ratio of the engine. A typical engine might have a compression ratio of 8-to-1. The higher the compression ratio, the higher the efficiency and power output of an engine (within a given limit). Thus, most modern engines, because of the higher demand for gas economy and power, have compression ratios that are over 9-to-1 and some go as high as 10.5-to-1. Because of the optimization of engine design, today’s engines tend to operate at higher temperatures (even though the total effect of this higher temperature is neutralized by the use of more efficient cooling systems and improved application of heat-treated and conductive alloys in these engines). The higher operating temperatures of these newer engines mean that low quality oil will most often break down quickly thereby loosing its essential viscosity and ability to effectively prevent friction by lubrication. Like I said earlier, the only thing that causes wear in an engine is friction (metal to metal contact) and this is why effective lubrication is a must!. This is why car manufacturers specify a certain grade of engine oil and some would even go as far as to encourage the use of Synthetic oil for their vehicles. Now this is as far as the issue of high compression and heat go in the subject matter of wear in an Engine.
The truth remains that whether you drive a 4Cyl or a 6Cyl, if you are driving a car manufactured with the technologies from the mid-90’s onward, you are most likely driving a car with higher compression ratio and efficiency and it doesn’t make a difference either way (4cyl or 6Cyl). Here is an extract from Honda’s corporate office on their Honda Accord engines (2003 “End of Discussion”):

http://corporate.honda.com/press/article.aspx?id=952

Now as you can see from that page, not only did they show the technical details and differences of both the 4cyl and the 6Cyl, they also went on to show the improvements that they made over the preceding engines (1998-2002 “Baby boy”). The compression ratios stated there for both engine types show that they both have comparably high ratios – but by today’s standards this are considered normal!. Truly high compression engines as found in super high performance cars such as Honda S2000, Corvette Z06, Ferraris and Porsches often operate with compression ratios that are much higher and that is why such cars cannot be operated with 87 Octane gasoline (but that is another subject matter!).
The bottom line is that Ovvie’s insistence and continuous mention of this terms (to say little about his distorted and meaningless mathematical entries)  go to show me that not only does he not know what he is talking about because he uses them out of context, abusing them with reckless abandon and without any meaningful purpose, but he also doesn’t know how they tie into the subject matter. If you are really a final year student of mechanics then you must know that there are people that have been there before you and who have the added benefit of real world, hands-on experience! – something that a textbook cannot give you!. Ultimately, this discussion is not about winning or loosing an argument, it is about setting the records straight without any misrepresentation. I believe I have made my position and point adequately clear and I will henceforth refrain from further entries into this thread. Thank you.

PS: Ovvie, you still haven’t shown us the source or basis for your postulation about Hondas having a 130,000 mile design limit. We still look forward to seeing a credible shred of evidence.

Generally speaking, I Ro-Ro most cars (95%) unless the Client specifies otherwise. Years ago when ports where really bad, I use to containerize every car I sent to lagos however, the recent arrival of Grimaldi Shipping and Dock management in Lagos port has made life easier for us. I haven't had any issues with vandalism in the last one year except for one incident when the AC control (dial knob) for a Honda Accord was removed and stolen. I sent replacement knobs to the Client.

Containers are more expensive to ship (per car), more expensive to clear (per car) and you often have to share a container with others unless you have multiple cars otherwise your cost will be astronomical!. Ro-Ro is fast (21-28 days), specifically designed for cars, you run less risk in damaging cars in transit. The only problem is the risk of vandalism and theft. Grimaldi lines has done an excellent job of securing and establishing control in their docks in Lagos. Unless your car stayed too long and entered into demorage, it is unlikely to be tampered with. Anyhow my Agents start processing my papers before the car lands so that when the actual car arrives, it is secured and we have it cleared within the week.

What stage a Client takes responsibility for the car depends on whether he/she uses our Agents or not. If Client is using our Agents, then responsibility for the car passes to the client once car is delivered to the Client. However, if client decides to use his/her own agent, then responsibility passes to Client once the car reaches the port.

Viperman ,
You have a healthy dose of imagination but it is not unheard of . The situation has never happened to us, however it is a possiblity and that is why Clients are always offered the option or choice of extra insurance against Total loss. Regular shipping charges already include insurance, however when such situations like you described occur, brand new cars are a breeze/easy - the value can not be contested!. However, with used cars there is a very high probability that the Insurance company may contest your value and underpay. This is why extra Insurance is advised especially for high-end used cars!. The Insurance usually costs only about 1.0% of the claimed value of a used car and will cover the total value + shipping cost of the vehicle in the event that there is a total loss or heavy damage due to unforseen accidents, natural disasters and AOGs (Act of God).

In shipping disasters/accident you always get compensated!. The extra Insurance is just to make sure you are never under-compensated!. In times of stress, large corporations tend to do strange things and often act unfairly - you will be protected against such acts.  I hope this answers your question.

Ast inno,
Quotation of references is a very good way of making headway in the presentation of a concept that is either new, untested or cutting edge (not yet universally accepted or understood). However, what we argued about is common, everyday, old school, physics and mechanics. The facts can be cross checked and deduced by anybody who has the slightest inclination in science and mechanics. If I state the fact that flying from Abuja to Lagos takes an hour, I am sure nobody will be ask me to quote my references. In the same way, the facts I pointed out above are plain old standard facts that has been established since before I came into being. How a so called "super experienced!, ASE trained engineer and designer!" does not grasp it is beyond me!

Adechuks,
It is somewhere in the neighbourhood of N425,000.00 - N450,000.00 to clear a 2007 Camry. I am hoping and working on dropping those figures, but I don't have any good news for you yet.

Earthrealm,
Sorry, I check and I did not get your message could you resend it??

Dpresident,

I am sorry the entire purpose for your starting this thread has gone to the dogs!. The answer to your question was adequately answered in the first few entries.

Ovvie,

Earlier you said:

Horsepower in a vehicle does not determine how fast your car goes.  As a matter of fact, it is used only 1% of the time you drive.  What determines your response is the amount of torque have and not horsepower.  You only need horsepower when taking off.  When you hot, you trade off horsepower for torque or torque for horsepower.  Horsepower really is the ideal “governor” to engine wear.  Torque doesn’t wear your engine.  The higher the horsepower in a vehicle, the shorter the longitevity and unforgiving if not engineered precisely.

Then after I had educated you and you had gone back to do some more reading, you now said:

Horsepower is used only 1% of your total driving.  Torque as time derivative of angular momentum (with angular being its rotational speed).  You don't have power without torque in relationship with angular speed.  You cannot have power without torque nor torque without power.  The main factor to which a vehicle picks up speed within speed is torque and not horsepower [((torque)(angular momentum) / (5252)) = power].  This is the basic horsepower.  Horsepower is categorised to 4 groups in automotive with 4 different derivations.

Well, are you going to keep changing your mind about what you think torque and horsepowers are responsible for??. Cos last time I checked the fundamental laws of physics and mechanics hadn't changed.

It is ok for you to continue to blow hot air! I personally feel a little too old and too busy for this, however my dialogue with you has led me to an inevitable but interesting conclusion - you are one of those guys who is more interested in appearing good rather than getting some real knowledge and correction. Nothing you have said so far makes much sense nor do they support your arguement. Anybody could cut and paste from physics textbooks but the actual test is in the sound understanding and logical presentation of what you know. Much of your statements are incoherent gibberish being thrown out there in a tirade of misguided and bombastic pomp!! Lets face it - you know squat! - you are either a wannabe or you are still in school. Hopefully, someday you will read your statements and have a hearty laugh!

I still look forward to you presenting us here with some credible proof and attestations alluding to your claims about Honda engines being designed for only 130,000 miles and Toyotas for 250,000 miles. And for the records, textbooks don't always cover one's ineptitude but modesty does! Have a nice one.

BMW's are generally excellent cars with solid german engineering. What you need to look out for is signs of abuse. BMW's are quite unlike toyota's cos they hate and react badly to unmitigated abuse. I do not know whether this bimmer has been used locally or not but you need to make sure that car does not have unattended mechanical issues and if it does, you have to make sure that you budget for it and attend to it promptly. Now you could abuse your bimmer and get away with it as long as you can pay for the repairs Anyhow, Bimmers are very much like Benzes and the parts are more costly however repairs are far in between if you are an informed and knowledgeable owner. A good and competent mechanic is a must !!. The irony of it all is that most bimmers in lagos are ultimately destroyed by ill-trained and grossly incompetent mechanics (and the car gets blamed!!). In parts of the world where Bimmers are more familiar and competent mechanics are more available, you could run around in a Bimmer until you are blue in the face and your tail falls off - the car will be waiting to get started the next morning!. I hope this helped.

I appreciate your vote of confidence - Sequencel.