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By Emmanuel Ajibulu
Vehicles are not cheap. Indeed, they are relatively one of the most expensive items of the world. Buyers therefore expect them to have high level of comfort, durability and safety, among other qualities.
The is the reason why Alhaji Jimoh Aremu, Chief Executive Officer of Yisa1 Motors Nigeria Limited, dealers in all kinds of German, Japanese and American vehicles has decided to offer professional and useful advice to Nigerians who are potential buyers of used cars (Tokunbos cars).
According to him buyers should always put at top of priority the state of Nigerian roads, type of premium motor spirit (petrol) available in the country, the availability and affordability of spare parts as well as the mechanics who would repair the cars when the need arise.
He made these remarks through a telephone chat from New Jersey, USA with veracitydesk.com.ng.
He said, ”before you embark on buying any vehicle, you have to be properly informed. The state of Nigerians roads, the kind of fuel available, availability and affordability of spare parts as well as the technical expertise of the mechanics who will have to work on the car on the long run, and don’t forget you must also choose your auto dealers wisely. These factors must be considered while going for ‘Tokunbo’ cars in Nigeria.”
The auto merchant continues, ”when manufacturers were designing these vehicles abroad, there was no consideration, for example, on how deplorable some of our roads are. The belief was that all the roads of the countries in the world are same, fine and motorable. But when the cars get to Nigeria and start going through all the potholes, the flood, water etc; all these devastating conditions definitely will impact negatively on these cars.”
He added that the engines of some of these vehicles are designed to run on well refined fuel. “In Western countries, especially here in USA there are three grades of fuel. but in Nigeria, we do not even know which grade we have. You will recall that there was a time people were afraid to buy fuel into their cars because it could knock the engines, the days of ethanol fuel” he said.
The auto merchant also maintained that most of his Nigerian clients often subscribed to Japanese vehicles because of its economic nature in fuel consumption, pointing that another good thing going for Toyota cars is that they have plenty of varieties in the small car category and that there is nothing about them that the local mechanics cannot fix.
Speaking further from a professional view point he stated that the cost of maintaining the German and American cars are high and that Nigerians do not want anything that would be unnecessarily depleting their source(s) of income.
He however disagreed with the claims that ‘Tokunbo’ cars are not good, saying every buyer must choose their auto dealers wisely.
”I export both brand new cars and fairly used ones to from United States to Nigeria and that is what I am known for both at Newark and in Nigeria. My office in Nigeria is known to everyone right there in Lagos State, I have nothing to hide. I can tell you, none of my customers has ever expressed displeasure in patronizing me. I believe in good name, credibility and integrity all to the glory and honour of Almighty God.” Alhaji Aremu stated.
