Tokunbo cars in Nigeria

We Nigerians have a very interesting way to call imported cars - Tokunbo (which, to this day, I still cannot fathom). One of our friends from the VIO just told us that more than three-fourths of the cars currently running on the road of Nigeria are Tokunbo. That should tell you something about the desirability of this type.

To buy a Tokunbo car in Nigeria, one has many choices, ranging from huge used car markets like Cotonou to crowded online market places like Jiji or Naijauto.com. Whatever way you opt for, you may encounter difficulties in choosing your ideal car considering the number of cars having the same body styles, price ranges, features or simply brand models.

The process even becomes harder when some scammers have found a way to smuggle in refurbished write-offs and sold them with the price of regular used cars. One of our friends was unfortunate to become the victim of those scammers, leading to the birth of this article. Bear with us for 5 minutes so that you can avoid the risk of falling victim to car scams as well as choose your favorite used car.

>>> Refer to these popular models, you may find your car there! Top 10 most popular cars in Nigeria & their prices in 2019

Selling Tokunbo cars is a lucrative business in Nigeria, attracting numerous scammers

Beginners' guide to buying Tokunbo cars in Nigeria

Before getting into the main content, we must say that this article is written for complete beginners who are just in their first stage of learning about the automotive world, and hope to be a little more educated on the matter. After reading this post, Naijacarnews expect these green hands feel confident enough going to buy a Tokunbo in Nigeria for themselves. Now let's begin!

1. Never let the shiny bodywork fool you. This is because polishing up the bodywork is the basic practice of any sellers, not necessary scammers, to be able to sell their car at a maximized net profit. You would do the same if you have one to sell, wouldn't you?

2. Pay attention to the set of lights on the dashboard. Normally they only go up simultaneously in two scenarios: there is something wrong with the system or at the moment you switch on the ignition and crank the engine.

Since it's almost impossible for every component of your car to break down at once, the second scenario is more plausible. So when testing the car, be hawk-eyed on the board to see if there's any missing light, which could indicate a previous attempt to cover car defect by taping the corresponding warning light from underneath.

>>> You might want to read: Simple steps to check if a car is not stolen before you purchase

Pay attention to dashboard lights and possible tricks

3. After a few seconds when all the lights have gone off and back to normal. If those lights are still on: the alternator, the check engine, and the oil pressure or all of this car is in trouble.

4. Fourth, during the time when you start the engine, a little vibration for people on the driving seat or rear seats should be normal. Any vibration toward that point is not because that's a sign of a bad engine or transmission. Also, should you put your foot on the brake when you shift on an auto, it doesn't sense an abrupt jerking motion. It's supposed to be smooth.

>>> More useful tips for you: Buying your first car in Nigeria? Watch out!

Extra test when buying Tokunbo cars in Nigeria

When you've done all the above test, now it's time to turn on the AC to know how your system reacts to an extra load. A healthy engine should have the RPM needle remains unchanged or the fluctuation change should not exceed two marked lines on the tachometer.

For more useful tips, please spare some minutes watching this video!

How to check used car before buying

>>> For your reference when buying Tokunbo: C number verification| Nigeria custom duty verification steps

>>> Visit Naijacarnews.com regularly to update more car buying tips for Nigerians!