₦airaland Forum

codedcliq:
The time I thought I will comment on this post is when I have received my car from Amdman. However, recent happenings have necessitated this post.

Preamble:
I contacted Amdman concerning one of the cars he posted. Total amount (inclusive of clearing) he posted was N1.1m. I made a payment of N800k to him so he can purchase and ship. Days later, he told me the car owner is no longer willing to sell so he had to source for another. No wahala. He got one with total amount (inclusive of clearing) as N1.25m. My downpayment was still witihin 60-70% of the total cost so all was fine. He sent pictures and videos to me and posted same here. All good.

Weeks later, I contacted him to send me a scanned copy of the original bill of lading. Please note scanned copy as I wasn't expecting him to courier the original to me since I am not the one clearing. First he said it wasn't ready, then later he said he will send a part of the original. After a couple of weeks, he send he can only send the Draft Bill of Lading. When I asked why he can't just scan the original Bill of Lading with his phone and send to me, below was his response verbatim

"The amount of bad press that will be generated against us if anything goes wrong with anyone’s car is not something we are willing to risk"

How sending a scanned copy of transport document will make anything go wrong with someone's car is what I am still trying to undestand. I have been working with shipping documents for almost 10years now so there is no risk he wants to claim that I don't know of. You can only clear your car at the Seaport if you have the original Bill of Lading and evidence to show you are the one it was consigned to. Any clearing agent here is free to counter this.

Two reasons I requested for the scanned Bill of Lading
1. To apply for car financing - since I am pre-ordering the car, it is one of the required documents
2. To be able to indepently verify that actual shipment took place using the International Maritime Bureau portal


He eventually sent the draft bill of lading which didn't qualify for the intended purpose. Still I moved on.

Later, he sent the tracking details of the vessel / shipment to me. As at this moment, tracking details he sent is still showing that Vessel will likely arrive today, not that it has arrived.
He chatted me up days ago that the ship has berthed and I should pay the balance of 450k. No wahala. I told him to send the contact of the clearing agent so I can make arrangement to have him deliver the car to my place. Let me state here that on the Invoice he sent, two conditions stood out:

1. Pick up at Lagos port
2. 2nd payment due after confirmation of vehicle purchase

The Pick up at Lagos port is not something I am comfortable with. This was not communicated until I made the advance payment. His post here after he decided to be handling the clearing cost was - "buying, shipping and clearing" - not that the buyer will still have to go the port to pick up the car.

Still I was ready to proceed but I told him I will rather the Agent delivers the car to my place so he should send his number let me liaise with him. Next thing he told me is quoted verbatim below:

"Depending on your location, that can range from 20k to 50k"

So I have to tell him facts and any clearing agent here is free to counter. If I pay a clearing agent to clear my car in Lagos ports, I expect him to deliver the car to my place (they already calculate these costs in the fees they charge). If I am outside Lagos, he is free to negotiate additional cost with me for delivery. Why will I have to go to the port to pick up a car when I am paying for clearing? I can as well just get another clearing agent to do the clearing for me then. Imagine driving a non-registered car when I am not a car dealer or clearing agent and you are stopped by the police. Nigeria police do not respect the 90days grace period. That's why we have clearing agents for this.

He started threatening me with demurrage fees. Hello, you've been the one providing all the information. I can't run an independent check because you refused to provide a scanned copy of the transport document. The draft Bill of Lading you sent shows the shipping line Hapag-Lloyd gives 21 days free demurrage (which was clearly stated on the draft you yourself sent). So even if the claim by you that the vessel is in Tincan is true, it is after 21days that demurrage will start counting.

He is yet to provide the contact of the clearing agent but he wants me to pay 100%, leave my work and go to the port to wait for car to come out.

The tracking details he sent shows vessel is not yet at Tincan but he claims otherwise.

Amdman, I am willing to pay the balance right now, that is not an issue. However, I need to:
1. Independently confirm that the shipment took place and vessel has arrived. You can get your clearing agent to come here and confirm this or you provide me with a scanned copy of the original bill of lading
2. I won't leave my work to come to the port to pick up a car and I can't & won't pay "20k to 50k" for a distance of less than 15km from the port to my place.

I still believe Amdman is legit and these things are just business issues that can be resolved. I won't have brought this here if he has shown some flexibility because I even told him I may have to bring it public and he said I should go ahead. So fellow buyers, please if I am the one that is being unreasonable, kindly let me know. I am not a rigid person. Though I believe it doesn't make sense for one to pay for clearing fees and still have to go to the port to pick up an unregistered car to drive home.

Cc: deepwater

amdman:
Another deal closed!!!

2007 Ford Edge

Thanks to our current and prospective clients


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W47-I4TXJ3o

arsenalman:
Please how can I get the navigation code for my Acura Tl 2005? The radio is working because I managed to get the code but the navigation screen is requesting for code and I don't have the manual.
Any suggestion will be appreciated.

amdman:
Another deal closed!

2004 KIA Sorento




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTchHHe27Gs

johnonuh:
Please can I get a Toyota Corolla S a clean one and my budget is 1.3m

osuofia2:
may God keep you people together. God bless your family sir

eni4real:
This is a motivational post. May God continue to bless your family(Amen)

nams77:
Look-wise, i prefer the pilot but at the end of the day, looks alone is not all that matters.
So i will go with the Volvo for safety. Ruggedness and cheaper parts

amdman:
Last one in!!!

2006 Pontiac Torrent going to a buyer on this thread.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C78_0o5sYs4&t=7s

amdman:
To all those that have patronized us... thank you. We are very confident that this is only the beginning of a cordial relationship that will hopefully extend into better things.

To all those that defend us publicly... thank you. You defend us of your own freewill, more so when we have no pecuniary benefit to offer you.

To all those we have not responded to timeously... we apologize. It is not because we do not respect your desire to do business with us. Rather, we want the business we do together to be mutually beneficial; so we usually proceed with caution.

To all those that are sceptical about our offers... we understand. We understand that trust is a big issue in Nigeria and for Nigerians. There’s only so much we can put forward to make you trust us. We have considered setting up an office in Nigeria to help people believe we can be trusted; but having operated an office in Nigeria in the past and knowing all the associated costs, we are still carefully considering it. The truth however is that not having a Nigerian office is not the real problem. The real problem is the trust element. Car dealers with big offices can still cheat people. So it’s not about the office... it’s about the integrity of the process and the structure in place to protect every stakeholder.

Again, the profit margins we make per car is very slim and cannot currently accommodate the costs of setting up in Nigeria. In truth, we make losses on some deals. However, building a business is not a 100m race... it is a marathon, a journey, so we remain focused on our long term objectives to be the better alternative for our customers.

We honestly cannot sell cars to everybody, because everyone is structured differently. The final decision whether or not to proceed definitely rests with you. We do not use sales tactics to pressure you to buy any car on offer, and we disclose all information available to us, to enable you make the best decision.

To those we are fortunate to serve, we really appreciate you and will always do our best to use our best judgment to serve you.

Consumerprotect:
I'm honored!let's note that there is nothing bad with constructive criticism. on this forum,preorder deals have done bad,monies have been lost,people have been put in agony while trying to recover funds.what and how has the forum being able to help recover funds?we know the answer.
even deals that you will see with korokoro eyes can cause issues talkless of Canadian trojan horses.till date,nobody has confirmed paying to buy,or paying to clear, or even making us salivate on done deals and I am the enemy?
I will accept the name calling,as long as my mission is obvious for all to see.Please let's shine our eyes and get the below details when trying to get a car
peace out

shotuns:
In one sentence,
'Think safety Think Volvo"
You be glad you did, and the moose will be your friend everywhere you go.

valarinz:
Is that so??

Somatic:
If you must get the XC90, get one with the headlamp washers intact.

HeavenlyBang:
Urgh, you just reminded me of how much I hate how the front of this car looks.

valarinz:
Nowhere compares to lagos

valarinz:
I've owned both cars (08 pilot though)but still can't compare both at all, XC90 is on another level of comfort for me

The pilot feels too bulky and unbalanced at high speeds too, body falls apart and doesn't age so gracefully.

The engine is silent and the parts are quite cheap, though the XC90 is still cheaper to maintain

The pilot won't forgive u if you use wrong fluids, especially on the tranny, but the XC90 06 model can take a higher level of abuse.

I'll only advise you to leave the XC90 if you're based in some states that makes it very difficult to get parts, if you're in Lagos or environs or the whole of South East, my pick will be the XC90

RZArecta2:
absolute rubbish, I used a 2005 pilot for three years as daily driver with only regular servicing as the maintenance done on it, I don't know where you got your own from though.

Op, you'll have to test drive the two then make your choice though personally, I would pick the Volvo

diportivo:
any of the two will do just fine

the pilot is bigger and more spacious tho

left to me,I will.do the pilot cos I have one

theres also an xc90 in the family that I got from valarinz sometime last year and it's still going strong...08 model,SI6 bulletproof engine

my advice?test drive both

go with the one u feel okay with the most

diportivo:
u r right with the bolded

it is strong for Turkish roads truly

tyup:
Honda pilot is an occasional car and not the type you use daily or often cause it got less durability and are not strong for Nigerian roads

The Xc on the other hand is durable, strong and can last you a life time atleast and quite easy to manage compared to Pilot.

Anyway my one piece The choice is urs....

AntiWailer:
1. It is a very strong car.

2. The maintenance is very cheap

3. You collapse the two seats at the back and u can move the whole world in ur car.

AntiWailer:
Pilot 2004

Pricars:
2004 Volvo XC90

186k miles

No reported faults

N1.2m