Technology is crazy and the things we can do with it are crazier. It has made the whole world a global village and it has made life easier, faster, and stress-free. Before now, to send a letter, one would have to wait for months before confirming if the letter has gotten to the addressee, but nowadays on your mobile phone, it takes seconds.
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The same thing happens with almost anything including cars. Who would have thought of a time where buying a car could be done from a technological device from the comfort of your room? Well, you can, not just from neighboring countries, but you can be in Nigeria and buy a car from the USA, from the comfort of your home without seeing the car till it gets to Nigeria. You don’t think it’s possible? Shocking right?
In today’s article, I will be telling you 7 simple steps you can use to buy your Car from the USA and ship it down to Nigeria without seeing it. A lot of people who buy cars in Nigeria frequently, either for personal use or business use don’t always travel abroad before they buy these cars, they follow these simple steps and their car gets delivered.
Without further ado,
7 steps on how to buy your car from the USA and ship it to Nigeria without seeing it.
Step 1- Get registered on a car auction website
Buying a car without seeing it first can be a gamble on trust, especially when you have no automobile connection in the USA, but online car auction websites are trusted and reliable. Even if you have a car dealer in the USA or a friend abroad it is better to select the car by yourself so that any mistakes made can be nursed by you. Even if you have a family member in the USA, it is better to register on a car auction website. Some of the American Car auction websites offer free registration, while some others charge as little as $200 for registration. So if in doubt, you can register on the free websites.
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Step 2- Learn and understand how the Car auction websites work
After registration, you need to familiarize yourself with the technical terms used for car auctions. You need to do this so that when the auction is going on, you can follow up instead of getting confused. You need to also be aware of the locations of the car to ensure you are not shipping from the wrong place. Also, familiarize yourself with how car documentation works in the USA because your car cannot get to Nigeria if the car does not have a valid document. You don’t want to pay for a car before realizing you have made a mistake.
Step 3- Select the car you want to buy
At this stage your attention has to be 100% and you must not be moved easily by what you see. Online car auction companies always state every little detail about a car in the vehicle narration story. It is important to read thoroughly about a car you are interested in before proceeding to select it. Also, you have to be thorough because there are over a thousand and one car options to choose from, so you have to carefully go through the brand you want and view its many options. You have to also check the Vehicle Identification Number of the car or employ the services of an independent inspector who would inspect your selected choice car for a fee.
Step 4- Buy your car
Some cars on the auction websites can be paid for immediately you select them, but it is not an auction then. At an auction, the highest and fastest bidder takes the auctioned item home. At this point, you have to be very fast and alert during the live auction bid. Being that you are in your home in Nigeria where the facilities can mess you up, you have to be prepared. Get a stable internet connection, have your generator on standby, and have your phone charged because if the car you are interested in comes up and you are struggling with network connections, you are on your own. You will have to wait again for another batch.
Step 5- Pay for your car
After buying the car you have to pay for it between 2-3 working days, as anything after that will attract a fine. You can pay for your car by transferring the money to an approved account number stated on the website. Or you can transfer by imputing your card details provided on the website. If you are lucky your transaction will work, other times save yourself the stress and transfer from a bank because Nigeria is always Nigeria.
Step 6- Ship your Car from USA
You can start calling yourself a proud car owner at this point because you have arrived. You can ship your car to Nigeria by arranging for a tow truck or a flatbed to deliver your selected car at the seaport in USA. Your car must leave the auction ground within 7 days and within this period you must have arranged with an agent or a company to deliver the car at the Lagos Port. This step is not free, it comes with a total fee of $1800 if you are not fast enough.
Step 7- Clear your car with the Nigeria Customs
Your car has arrived! Time to go through the stress of Nigerian Customs service. In all honesty, I wish there was a process for this stage, but the Nigerian Customs Service have their ever-changing rules you have to abide by, or else your good from abroad will become theirs. To avoid stress, employ the services of a clearing agent and have your car delivered in 2-3 working days.
Buying a car from the USA to Nigeria without seeing it takes a maximum of 6-8 weeks. It is at the Lagos port that the real hassle begins because this is Nigeria.
Also Read:
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