bravolad:
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....

bravolad:
Good evening Nairalanders,

I decided to share my experience of buying a car from Cotonou (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....

oluwafreshkid:
Maybe cos dem never scam you before...
You will know that you need to post his mothers maiden name join sef

Lol

bravolad:
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....

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?

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 !!!

MaziOmenuko:
Oga come to literature section if you wan write novel. This is car talk, stop telling us how u caught malaria, where u slept and how jet lee almost defeated Jackie chan in the movie.

Abeg, make I go find other beneficial thread read.

No vex oga op, some of us have short attentive memory.

Kashif:


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

diportivo:
^^^^^^^^^^^^

You guys should chill out

Oga bravolad is taking things easy cos he just recovered from malaria

Abi una don forget say malaria dey kill person??

MaziOmenuko:


Then I humbly suggest that he change the topic to How Malaria almost killed me in my search of car.

His intro brought about expectations on deals gone sour. He either addresses the matter or post the pix of his car so we can appreciate and call it a day.

Oh my gosh!

MaziOmenuko:


Then I humbly suggest that he change the topic to How Malaria almost killed me in my search of car.

His intro brought about expectations on deals gone sour. He either addresses the matter or post the pix of his car so we can appreciate and call it a day.

bravolad:
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.[b] At this point, it was obvious to me that he had collaborated with NCS officials to ensure I pay more. [/b]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.