Car buyers and dealers have explained how they pay some amount of money to importers in order to get the vehicles at cheaper prices and in a better condition.
Some of the buyers, who spoke to Shipping Position Daily last week in Lagos, also explained that despite the fact that the idea is a very risky one, they still take the risk to get what they want.
One of the buyers, who pleaded to be anonymous, told our correspondent that he has been practicing that method for a very long time now and that he has never encountered any hitch.
“If you want to get a good car and at a cheaper price, the best practice is for you to buy through a direct importer or get closer to a reliable agent that will link you up with an importer. It is cheaper and you are sure of what you are buying instead of going to automobile market to buy refurbished vehicles that you cannot ascertain the level of damage that it had before coming into the country”
Explaining further, he said that he started that style two years ago and he has never had any issue with it.
“I started buying directly from the importer two years ago when I was introduced to the importer through his agent who is my friend. And since then, I have not had any issue with anyone because the man is very reliable”
Another dealer who simply gave his name as Mr. Johnson Kweem, explained that although he buys from the importer directly, he must see the vehicles or the Bill of Lading before making any commitment to avoid fraud.
“I have been buying directly from importers but I must make sure that I see the Bill of Lading to ensure that the vehicle is actually on transit and that what I requested for was what is coming. I buy from two different sources, it is either I buy directly from the importer or I go straight to the port to look for anybody selling-off the car to buy. It is always cheaper there and as a dealer, I make more gain when I buy from them directly”
Yet, another dealer who identified himself as Chief Okemz; his story is that of once beaten twice shy, ever since he was defrauded of N200, 000 in 2015, he has vowed never to involve himself in advance payment before the arrival of the vehicle.
“I am no more into advancement payment before the vehicle arrives, when I see the vehicles, I access it and if I like what I am seeing I will go ahead and buy. Since I was defrauded in 2015, after what I ordered was not what was delivered to me, I vowed never to try that again. I am now an advocate of seeing is believing”, he said.
He also explained that the difference between paying advance before the arrival of the vehicles and paying when you see the vehicles is not much.
“The difference between paying advance and wait till the vehicle comes and paying when the vehicle must have been cleared is mostly N100, 000”, he concluded.
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