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- CSA (Car Sales Agency) NIGERIA BLOG
- Aug 15, 2016
- 11 min read
What is the First feeling you have when you are planning to buy a second hand car in Nigeria? We believe the thoughts in your mind should be: I don’t want to be cheated, I want to have a car that can stand the test of time without any issues of any kind, I want a car that can serve the purpose of my need, I want a neat car and I want a car that will not land me into trouble etc…
The next questions will be: where can I get this car, who can I trust to be able to ascertain the values I want. Some say car dealers in Nigeria are fraudulent in nature and cannot be trusted, yet I still need them. How do I go about this the right way? If you have any or some of these questions ringing in your mind; then read on.
Haven asked all these questions and more, this is a compendium of advice you must follow to buy a good and affordable used car that suits your wants, needs and pocket in Nigeria. CSA Nigeria has prepared this content with much details just for you.
1. WHO DO I BUY FROM?
First and foremost, its never good to rush into any big purchase of anything. Its always good to do your due diligence and ask questions, especially here in Nigeria. Even when your Adrenalin is sky-high and you are so excited about this car you have been waiting to buy for long now. Especially, when its your first time to own a car and you are going for a used car in Nigeria.
If you eventually hand out cash for the vehicle without doing your due diligence, apart from the fact that you will regret it, you will be stuck with the car; for God knows how long and you will no longer have the joy for the car you have purchased because by now, the stress of frequent visit to the mechanic and spending your hard earned cash will be rubbing in on you. That is why you must read this article to know what’s up. The question now is, how do I ascertain whom to buy from and not be cheated? First answer is:
USE YOUR HEAD: It is good to look out for genuine authentication before you consider any car, no-matter how good it looks. The first step in using your head is to ask huge amount of questions; which we will show you shortly, from these questions you can analyse and detect any irregularities, after you have taken your time to reflect on all the answers you have received.
WRONG IDEAS AND NOTIONS: First warning. Don’t be stuck with a notion or ideas about any car you desire to buy. It is “seeing is believing”, don’t assume somebody is telling you the truth, you have to verify everything ahead of time. Also, we are seldom stuck with a model in mind and even if we see that the model we have in mind might have some issues, we still want to go ahead and buy it anyway because we have fantasized about that beautiful “E-class Mercedes” so much; that we are not willing to buy another model that has everything we need and will not give us issues at a long run. This happens all the time, and people always regrets it.
Who, therefore is the best person to buy from? Please note that those who are usually in much haste to sell their cars to you “might” be covering something that is wrong with the vehicle, or may have an ulterior or criminal motive. Bear that in mind and never fall for that “I just want to dispose it and use the money to finish a project” story. It is safer to be patient.
The Best people to buy from, at-least, the safest people for now are certified dealers, who have a physical office location, or agent companies like CSA (Car Sales Agency) Nigeria who are professionals in helping their clients buy out second hand or fairly used cars in Nigeria with head office located in Port Harcourt; we have the sole job of doing our due diligence for our clients ahead of time.
Buying from auto dealers who it is their sole job in selling cars; who are into the auto dealership business full time is better than buying from an individual you cannot locate their where-about, once you pay up. Take it from us, it is a good advice.
2. HOW LONG HAS THE CAR BEEN USED?
Although the answer to this question can be deduced from the mileage of the car, which of-course can be doctored; a malpractice commonly known as “Clocking”. Clocking means that someone has reconfigured or tampered with the reading of the odometer of the dashboard to give a different reading of the vehicle’s mileage. It is always good to ask how long the car has been in use and how often by the seller and then wait to analyse the answers you will receive.
With the answer to this question; one can now use it to analyse the following facts about a used car to verify whether the reading of the odometer (mileage) is a sham or whether it might be true. There are parts of a second hand or used car that cannot lie:
Check around the steering for wears and tears that happens when a car has been used for long.
Check whether the pedal rubbers are worn out, this is a good sign on how frequent the car has been on use.
Check Indicator Markings to see if they are cleaned off, due to too much use.
Check the gear stick to verify how shiny it appears. The shinier it is the more it has been used.
Check the under-neat of the car, if you can; to see what the condition looks like. It is obvious that a car that has been frequently on the road and has been used for long cannot lie about the under-neat, even if every other thing is not verified.
With this knowledge, you can I really tell if the car has been ridden for longer time than the reading of the odometer (mileage). If a car has been ridden for 3 years, the mileage should be around 36,000 to 42,000 miles because an average car is considered to have about 12,000 to 14,000 in a year of considerable travel distance. Anything higher than this is considered a high mileage for any car.
You see, it is better to first ascertain how long you want to drive a particular car before you decide to buy. Have in mind that a car that has been driven for 3 to 4 years will likely give you a 50% problem in the next four years. So, it is better to ascertain how long you want to drive the used car you want to buy in Nigeria, plus how long it has been driven by the previous owner, minus how much the new one is prized in the market. These findings will allow you deduct if you really want to buy that particular car or save up to go for a new one rather. By the way, a new car that has been used for a year has a reduced 15% to 20% in value.
Also, do not assume that a car is not in good condition because its mileage is a bit high. There is no surest way to know the full condition of a used car, however, the better way is to use a “professional mechanic” to verify the car. Verifying a fairly used car is one expertise CSA (Car Sales Agency) Nigeria prides itself with. It is always safer to use professionals, always.
3. HAS IT GONE THROUGH ANY MAJOR REPAIRS?
When buying a used car, some people might wonder; are all these questions necessary, seeing that the car is in perfect condition. Yes, they are all highly necessary to the best of our knowledge because, if a car has gone through any major repairs, like complete engine over-haul, the changing of some vital engine parts, or electrical parts, or even the under-neat; it can shorten the life-span of that vehicle.
This is because, as a car leaves the factory, it comes with customized body parts that has been programmed and designed to help the car last to a certain period of time under good usage conditions. A car whose major parts have may signify that the car has been involved in a major crash before or that it has had a recurring issue that has given the owner much stress.
This can also signify that the car has been roughly used before or that it has been used for a long period of time, or is not well taken care of or serviced appropriately. Overtime, these deficiencies may have caused the car major irreparable damage that made the owner to overhaul a part completely. It can also be as a result of a wrong and unprofessional mechanic mal-handling the car and causing some damages. It could be anything.
Sometimes, the parts used to repair these cars by road-side mechanics are substandard or worn-out body or engine parts that has been infused into the car, causing some major damages, or It could also be the issue of an abandoned body parts that work temporary. One can never be too careful when it comes to buying used cars in Nigeria. You have to know all these facts for sure.
HOW TO DETECT IF THE CAR HAS UNDERGONE SOME MAJOR REPAIRS.Cars that have undergone major repairs usually come with fittings that does not match perfectly with the overall interior, exterior or engine parts that has been changed. Recent technologies, while it has helped a great deal in solving our problems has also plunged us into some difficult situations. It has allowed for some bad practices; it has made people to learn how to hide errors and faults as a result. Professional Mechanics are your best bet to determining if a car has undergone some major repairs.
While we would like to tell you some steps to take to check if a car has gone through major repairs, it is always wise to do things the right way. We do not encourage people to go for short cuts, therefore, the best way is to get a mechanic to professionally detect these irregularities.
4. LIST OF QUESTIONS TO ASK
See list of things to put into cognizance as you do your due diligence. These questions must be asked constructively and the answers analysed carefully to ascertain the truth. Ask with eyes open. All these diligence is for one to make sure they know what they are buying, before they pay up. It is very important because there are usually no refunds for fairly used cars in Nigeria.
What’s the wheel alignment like, is it well balanced on all sides?
The trunks (boot and bonnet), do they fit in perfectly?
The title document, is it available, on whose name is it?
What is the vehicle’s current condition?
Has the car been flooded before? Check using VIN number through CarFax,
or manually check radio, AC, and rear camera, for signs of flooding at least.
How often was it maintained or repaired, show record.
Has anything or part of the car been replaced before, what about all interior fittings?
Can I test drive the car (of-course with the owners accompanying you).
Why is the car on sale (observe their reactions)?
Has the car been repainted or recovered before? If so, which part?
Is there anything you are not telling me, anything you might have skipped?
What’s the electrical condition of the car, any form of malfunction?
Does it have all its interior accessories and trunk changeover equipment?
Was any part of the car changed at any time? If so, why?
What about the suspensions, hope it has not been patched before? Get Proof please.
Is the air bag still intact, or has it popped due to accident? Get proof please.
What’s the condition of the under-neat? Can I see it (have your mechanic check this)?
Are you the first owner of the car? Are there any controversies over the ownership?
Are there any recurring mechanic issues the car seldom develops?
How is the air-condition of the car, does it cool well, does it give any issues?
Can I bring my mechanic to thoroughly observe the car before we talk business?
All these questions are very easy and more beautiful to ask once your professional mechanic is standing by your side. Or, If CSA (Car Sales Agency) Nigeria has helped you do your thing.
Like we said earlier, these and many more questions you might ask, are for you to ascertain to the best of your ability the exact condition of the commodity you are about to purchase, which is not a bad thing at all. However, if you think that this is too tedious, then, its better you avail yourself with a professional mechanic engineer to accompany you and ask all these questions constructively on your behalf over a nominal fee. One can never be too careful when buying used cars in Nigeria, especially cheap used cars in Nigeria.
Also, another way for one not to be cheated; that is if you can’t get a professional mechanic handy; is to avail yourself with these general knowledge's and prepare before your cheque out. Besides, the car, when finally bought will be yours; whatever the condition (good or bad). Therefore, it is not bad if you are strict and careful over what you buy.
At the same time bear in mind that no second hand car(s), especially when it has been driven for some years, retains its best quality. So, be sure you might spend some little money here or there to put some little things in place. It is a used car after-all, not “a brand new car”.
4. BEFORE YOU PAY?
Before you proceed to payment for the fairly used car you want to buy, assuming you are fully satisfied with all the conditions of the car and you are now ready to pay up, here is our advice: Do not be rushed into paying for the car immediately. Take a day or two to reflect on the car you have chosen to buy to see if you will change your mind. If you did not change your mind after a day or two, then you can proceed to payment.
TRANSACTING WITH PHYSICAL CASH:
Please note that you are not advised to carry physical cash under any circumstances to go to purchase either new or used vehicle for that matter in Nigeria. Preferable, go inside your bank with the seller to do the transfer and also stay there to sign over the papers for the car for proper security reasons. It is good to have a written change of ownership agreement, overseen by a third party or preferably, a legal practitioner for a smooth changeover transaction. In fact, working with a third person legal practitioner is the best. Everything will be done by the book, and it will only cost you little but will protect you from a lot of hassles, if there happens to be any problem in the future.
After you have the car paper signed over, we advise that you proceed to the appropriate authorities to obtain other necessary papers like: Driver’s License if you don’t already have one, Vehicle License from FRSC, Certificate of Road Worthiness, The National Insurance Certificate
Proof of Ownership Certificate, Learners Permit, etc. Again, why go through all this stress? The lawyer that helped you during the car transaction can help you secure most of these papers over a nominal fee. We advise you take that step.
Finally, from all questions and advice above, one will be able to make some better and informed decisions on whether they want to buy a used car or not, especially here in Nigeria. There are no short cuts, you must ask to get versification first. You might see a car that you really love, but it has a minor or moderate issues, if you can bear it, or fix it, go for it. You may have to negotiate well with the seller; having the issue(s) in mind. You have to know everything and to fully understand what you are paying for, that way you will be happy over the vehicle.
There you have it! This is the most comprehensive advice you can find around about used cars for sale in Nigeria. Here on CSA (Car Sales Agency) Nigeria, we work with pros in the automobile industry, and we help our customers to do a great deal of the due diligence from sellers; free of charge. Contact us for a quick one if you have any more questions.
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