Things to check when buying a used car in Nigeria

Personally, buying a used car is always a good option, especially if you are on a low budget. There are so many things to check when buying a used or tokunbo car in Nigeria which includes accident history, overall condition among other things. I will do justice to the topic in this post.

Buying a used car is always a good option if you buy a good car, it will be a disaster if you buy a faulty car. Most times you are advised to come with a mechanic, that’s good. But how much do you trust the mechanic? In my many years of the car dealership, I have seen so many things. Most times, some of my clients come with a mechanic with the hope that the mechanic will inspect the car thoroughly and give them the required result, but the reverse is always the answer. There is something that most clients don’t know. Most of those mechanics are bribed by the car dealer. Most times, the mechanic always tells the car dealer to settle them and once the money is involved, I don’t need to tell you that the result has been compromised. The only thing that can save you at that moment is if your car is sound and has no issues at all, aside from that, you are going home with a faulty car. That’s the main reason why I drafted this post in other to enlighten the prospective clients of the scam perpetrated by this so-called mechanics. I will be showing you everything you have to check when buying a used or tokunbo car in Nigeria.

In the cause of this article, I will take them bit by bit. Let’s dive in.

Things to check when buying a used car in Nigeria

1. Compare prices of the car you want to buy online: 

   Imagine waking up one morning, you decided to walk into a car dealership to buy a car you don’t know the price either the specifications. You may end up buying the car for double the price.

The best thing to do is to compare the price and specification of the car you want to buy online. This way, you will be armed with the estimated price of the car and some major specifications of the car you want to buy.

2. Check and confirm the Vehicle Identification Number [VIN]: 

This is one of the vital things to be on the look-out for when buying a used or tokunbo car in Nigeria or any part of the world. The VIN will give you the accident history of the car, the flood history, theft history, and every other detail you need about the car.

The VIN is always unique to every car. Once you go to Vehicle Identification Number Checker websites such as and fill in space with the VIN, you will get the full vehicle history of the car. Note that some websites may require you to fill a ReCaptcha, as a way of keeping bots off their website.

3. Carry out a thorough inspection of the engine: 

The engine of the car is the heart of the car. Once the engine is bad, you won’t enjoy the car until you replace it. You can imagine what it would feel like changing your car engine, a few weeks after purchasing one.

To check the car engine, turn on the car, fire the engine, and wait for a little while observing and listening carefully to the sound the car is making. You may listen carefully and may not be able to detect the fault, that’s why you may need the services of a mechanic or technician as the case may be. Always try to get a trustworthy mechanic you don’t buy a dead car.

4. Carry out a thorough check on the exterior, interior, underneath and the boot: 

This is very important, you should kneel, you may even lie down in other to check beneath the car for rusts. Carry out a thorough examination of the body of the car to make sure there are no dents or rust on the car. That’s why its advisable to buy a first body car.

5. Confirm all the vehicle’s documents:

Documents such as the customs duty document, and every other document should be thoroughly checked. If you buy a car with a forge or half custom duty payment, be rest assured you will only enjoy the car in a very remote area because any day you are caught by men of the Custom service, the car may be impounded or you spend a huge amount of money bribing the officers if they will take any money from you.

If the car is registered, request for all the documents with FRSC so you don’t cry at last. You can do well to verify the car details at any nearest police station to make sure you are not buying a stolen car.

6. Test drive it: 

a test drive the car a bit to ascertain if the car is good enough. You will be able to carry out checks on the breaks, transmission, Air Conditioner, etc while driving it around. Please if it’s your first time buying a car, you may want to be a passenger in it while the mechanic test drives it so you don’t get into another trouble.

7.  Buy from trusted dealers with repute: 

This is the best. For good dealers, you don’t need to go with a mechanic, you can just walk in and buy a car without stress.

Where and how can I buy a used or tokunbo car in Nigeria?

Like I said earlier, it’s easy to buy a used car when you have a trusted dealer. If you have any questions or you are looking for the best place to buy a car in Nigeria, contact us at Alpha Autos on Whatsapp or call on 08107992356 for a sound car.

If you are looking for a place to compare the price of used cars or tokunbo cars in Nigeria, follow the link and explore our long list of available cars for sale in Nigeria.

With this, I hope you have learned so many things. If you have questions bordering on this topic, do well to drop it in the comments below or contact me with the phone number I provided.