Buying a car, whether it’s new or used, is a step that requires a lot of consideration. If you’re ready to finally own your dream ride, here is a step-by-step guide on how to find and buy your ideal car from Jiji.
Shop cars in Nigeria for every taste and budget on Jiji
Step 1: Research your car
One of the most important steps in choosing your ideal vehicle is doing enough research beforehand. Your goal is to make a shortlist of up to three cars that you will look for on Jiji. Here is what to check when researching used cars in Nigeria:
- What exactly are you looking for in a car? Do you need a small, fuel-efficient car for work commute or are you planning to often take your whole family for road trips in a practical minivan or SUV?
- Do you have a dream make and model? Most of us have a picture of our ideal car in our head, but a little research can often change your opinion about the vehicle if it turns out to be famously problematic.
- How much can you spend? When planning your car budget, consider not only the immediate price of the vehicle and the paperwork, but also the projected repair and maintenance expenses.
- Which features can you live without? Every additional feature like air conditioning, parking cameras, and satellite navigation increase the price of the vehicle, so the more features you can live without, the cheaper your ride is going to be.
Step 2: Look for your car on Jiji
Now that you have a couple of models you can see yourself driving, time to find the best deal on your dream car on Jiji! When you visit the car section of Jiji, you will see thousands of car on offer.
From here, you can start browsing car by your location or the make of the vehicle. If you want to specify more details about the car, you can use the search filters on the left part of the page.
When you get the search results and see a car you like, open up the full add to learn more details about the car, see additional photos, and get an opportunity to contact the seller.
If you’re happy with the car’s photos and description, you have several ways to contact the seller and negotiate the meeting to view the car. You can send a message through Jiji, call the seller on the phone, or request a phone call from the seller.
Step 3: Contact the seller
After you have settled on a car you found on Jiji, contact the seller and arrange a meeting. Always remember to choose a popular location for your meeting to ensure your own security.
To protect yourself from any possible scam activities, never transfer a part of the money or the whole price to the seller before seeing the car in person. If possible, don’t go to the meeting alone: you can bring your friend or family member who is knowledgeable enough about cars.
Step 4: View the car
The car inspection is one of the most important steps in buying a used car. You need to thoroughly check every parameter of the vehicle, from the interior and exterior to the inside look.
An essential part of the car viewing process is a test drive. When taking a car for a test drive, you need to not only drive it like you would normally do, but also test it in some uncommon situations like emergency braking.
Step 5: Finalize the sale
If you’ve viewed and tested the car from every possible point of view, haven’t found any major flaws, and negotiated the best price for the car with the seller, all that is left to do is the exchange of money and paperwork.
Ask the seller for the proof of ownership of the vehicle and only then pay for the car. You can sign the legal documents on the same day or arrange another day that works for both of you. Now you can take off in your new ride!
Choose your ideal car in Nigeria using the Jiji app
