If you’re thinking of buying a car in Nigeria, whether foreign or Nigerian used; you need to be careful not to make any of the mistakes listed in this article. 

1. Buying in a haste 

Buying a car is totally different from buying toy cars at a shopping mall’s toy section where kids spot the toy of their choice, point a finger and it’s theirs in a minute or under. And as we all know; the kid might even end up damaging the toy before the next day.  

Now, we are talking about buying a real car with your hard-earned money. So don’t rush, take your time, compare prices and do all the necessary checks before making the purchase. 

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

Awoof has purged many car buyers on several occasions. I always tell people “the cheapest car is not necessarily the best deal”. It is a bad idea to save ₦500,000 only to buy a car that has just been rebuilt from a terrible accident with deployed airbags and damaged suspensions not properly repaired. The sad news is some people buy these cars only to end up spending a lot more on further or recurring repairs. Worst still, they could end up being involved in ghastly motor accidents. Some others end up in jail for buying ridiculously cheap cars which happened to be stolen vehicles.  

We all know there’s always a strong urge to maximise profit(s) by any means necessary, but we should more often than not, try our possible best to resist said urge as it will serve us well in the long run. As the adage goes – “Penny wise, Pound foolish.” 

3. Falling in love with the clean exterior of the car alone 

Many of us are guilty of this. We buy a car because it has a clean exterior and beautiful aesthetics (maybe from a slick paint job and or customised bumpers/grills/wheels/side sills/spoilers etc.). I fell victim to this when I bought my first car and it started dealing with me severely after 6 months. A friend of mine bought a Toyota SUV in Lagos but by the time he got to Uyo with the car, he realised he had bought a vehicle with a faulty engine and said engine of the SUV broke down completely within the first 3 months. To add salt to injury, Nigerian Customs seized the SUV immediately after he eventually changed the engine. Wahala Wahala Wahala… 

4. Showing desperation to the seller 

If you show that you are desperately in love or in need of a car to a seller, then you may have just signed a “one chance” certificate. The next thing they will tell you is, someone else is coming to pay for the car this evening. So, you won’t have a choice but to pay hurriedly. You may end up paying more for the car and you may not have sufficient time to carry out a thorough inspection of the vehicle. 

5. Not doing proper checks 

Proper checks include test driving, VIN check, diagnostic scan, verifying customs and vehicle papers, etc. Endeavour you thoroughly inspect any- and every- aspect of the vehicle to save yourself from future headaches. “A stich in time, saves nine” as they say.  

6. Wanting only the most recent version 

Most buyers, more often than not – want the more recent version of a particular model/brand.  

Take for example the ubiquitous Toyota Corolla 2005/2006 model (irrefutable as at the time of citing this example), the last version of that model – 2008, has the same design and most of the features from the earliest version – 2003, but the preference is much higher for the former despite costing more. So, if you are particular about saving cost, you may be better off with the 2003 model instead of buying a refurbished 2008 model.  

The difference in both cars may not be commensurate to the difference in pricing and this also applies to many other brands and models alike. 

7. Buying a particular car because someone else is driving it 

Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses. I have seen people make the mistake of buying cars because they’ve seen a few people driving it or their neighbour has one. So, they just conclude that for that person to be able to maintain it, they too can also maintain it. On the contrary, you don’t know if that person you are admiring is suffering (going through Premium Shegé – Pro Max) and smiling with that car. You also don’t know his/her financial capacity and source(s) of income. So please always take your car research beyond the fact that someone else is able to maintain a car because you might not know exactly what he/she is actually going through as stated. 

8. I want my car to be one in town 

There is nothing as satisfying as driving a one in town car with your car being so unique that it turns heads wherever you go. However, don’t forget our common saying – “one in town car, one in town problem”. Therefore, you should tread with caution.  

You need to research a reliable site/car repair centre and availability of parts. You also need a sure contact that can help you get the parts abroad when needed, as well as a Bureau De Change guy that will be giving you good dollar exchange rate. Albeit there is a way to play safe with using a unique car; what some people do is, they buy a regular car like a Toyota Camry or a Benz E-Class then they modify (Pimp) it by changing some components such as the lights, bumpers, grills etc. However, you have to do this with care so as to not overdo it and eventually mess the car up, making it look somewhat ugly. 

9. Using all your last kobo to buy a car 

This problem speaks for itself. Always remember, the car will need some care after purchase especially if it is Nigerian used as you’re most likely going to be using up money for whatever procedure that may arise. I am sure you’ve seen people who buy a car and start to ask around for money to do basic things after only a couple of weeks.  Some buyers may even start depending on other people for food to eat and declare bankruptcy after they get the first repair bill from their mechanic. 

Do tell us. Have you experienced any of the aforementioned in the past, or present?