Discoveries : Mistakes Car Buyers In Nigeria Usually Make...Check It Out Here 👇

A few weeks ago, we talked about 5 Things Car Dealers In Nigeria Don’t WantCar Buyers To Know. Today we will be looking at some Mistakes even we the car buyers make when buying our cars. 

1. Buying in a haste

Buying a car is totally different from buying hot wheelscars from Shoprite’s toy rack.. where kids spot the toy of their choice, pointa finger and it’s theirs in a minute. As we all know, the kid may damage thetoy before the next day. Now, we are talking about buying a real car with yourhard earned money. So don’t rush. Take your time, compare prices and do all thenecessary checks. 

2. Thinking the cheapest car is the always the best deal

Awoof has purged many on several occasions. I always tellpeople “the cheapest car is not necessarily the best deal”. It is a bad idea tosave N500,000 only to buy a car that has just been rebuilt from a terribleaccident.. with deployed airbags and damaged suspensions not properly repaired.The sad news is some people paid the ultimate price for this error with theirlives. Some others ended up in jail for buying ridiculously cheap cars whichhappened to be stolen vehicles. This though is the major reason car dealers inNigeria do all those shady things just to sell their cars. 

3. Falling in love with the clean body of the car only

Many of us are guilty of this. We buy a car because it has aclean exterior. I fell victim to this when I bought my first car and thecar started dealing with me after 6 months. Another guy bought a 2003Toyota Highlander at Berger in Lagos, by the time he got to Port Harcourt withthe car, he realised he had only bought a car body with no engine.. the engineof the highlander knocked within the first 3 months. To add pepper to theinjury, Nigeria Customs seized the SUV immediately after he changedthe engine at Owerri.  

4. Showing desperation to the seller

If you show that you are desperately in love or in need of acar to a seller, then you may have just signed a one chance certificate. Thenext thing they will tell you is, someone else is coming to pay for the carthis evening. So you won’t have a choice but to pay now. You may end up payingmore for the car and you may not have time to do proper checks. 

5. Not doing proper checks

Proper checks include test drive, VIN check, diagnosticscan, verifying custom and vehicle papers and many others.

6. They want the most recent version

Some of us want the 2008 Toyota Corolla because it is themost recent model of that design but we still want to pay the price of the 2003for it because they look similar. Apart from most 2008 costing more to purchasefrom USA or Canada, the custom duty at Lagos port is also definitely higher. Soif you are particular about saving cost, you may be better off with the 2003model instead of buying a refurbished 2008 model. The difference in both carsmay not be commensurate to the difference in price and this applies to manyother brands and models.

7. Buying a particular car because someone elseis driving it

Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses. I have seen peoplemake the mistake of buying cars because they’ve seen a few people driving it ortheir neighbour has one. So they will just conclude that for that person to beable to maintain it, they can also maintain it. On the contrary, you don’t knowif that person you are admiring is suffering and smiling with that car.. Youalso don’t know his/her financial capacity and source of income. So pleasealways take your car research beyond the fact that someone else is able tomaintain a car. Because you might just not know what he/she is actually goingthrough   

8. I want my car to be one in town

There is nothing as satisfying as driving a one in towncar.. and your car is so unique that it turns heads wherever you go. But don’tforget our common saying “one in town car, one in town problem”. So you’dbetter tread with caution. You need to research a reliable repair centreand availability of parts. You also need a sure contact that can help you getthe parts abroad when needed.. as well as a Bureau De Change guy that will begiving you good dollar exchange rate. But there is a way to play safe withusing a unique car. What some people do is, they buy a usual car like a2012 Toyota Camry or a 2012 Benz E-Class then they modify it (Pimp) by changingsome components like the lights, bumpers, grills etc. However, you have to dothis with care so you don’t overdo and end up messing the car up into anugly…..    

9. Using all your last Kobo to buy a car

This problem speaks for itself. Always remember, the carwill need some care after purchase and you’re going to be using money forthat. I am sure you’ve seen people who buy a car and start to beg formoney to fuel it after 2 weeks.. some even start depending on other people forfood to eat.. and they declare bankruptcy when they get the first repair billfrom their mechanic.