….now at par with European brands
By Adeniyi Onifade
Chinese truck manufacturers, JAC Motors, has continued to improve on the quality of its truck models and is now competing favourably with popular European brands.
This is according to the Group Executive Director (GED) of Lanre Shittu Motors, Mr. Taiwo Shittu, who also alleged that some automakers are beginning to drop quality of their models due to the rising cost of trucks.
Shittu made the disclosure while speaking recently in Lagos after his company won two major awards, the Truck Company of the Year Award, and the Truck Plant of the Year Award, during the 2023 Nigeria Auto Journalists Awards.
He further warned truck buyers in Nigeria to be mindful of the quality and the after-sale support being offered by automobile companies in order to avert frequent breakdowns of vehicles after they are bought and deployed for use.
Shittu particularly noted that the drop in truck quality for the car brands, which he did not specifically mention, could be found in areas such as the axle, the transmission system, the frame, the cab and the chassis.
“Instead of increasing the quality of their trucks, many are reducing it so as to maintain low cost. For instance, some have reduced their axle from 16 tons to 12; from double frame to single, and from 12-speed transmission to 10,” the Shittu Motors GED lamented.
He however assured that the JAC brand of trucks has rather maintained high quality and could compare well in many areas with those from popular European manufacturers, stressing further that JAC Trucks has been embraced and accepted as a brand by the big players in the industry across the southern and northern parts of Nigeria.
In his own words, “those who use the JAC trucks can tell the difference. We have an excellent after-sale service that reduces downtime. JAC trucks come with air conditioners; the seats have air suspension; the power steering is Bosch, giving one a good cruise/ride and allows the driver to be comfortable after driving for a long time.”
According to Shittu, the quality of after-sale support offered by an auto company will largely determine how long its vehicles will stay active on the road.
He concluded that “a brand can be good but without good after-sale support, the brand will pack up in no time.
“There are many ‘Brief Case’ businessmen coming into Nigeria today without an office going about looking for who to sell trucks to, knowing that the trucks are not built for the Nigerian market. They sell and leave one with problems and without any support.
“Even if you bring the best truck from Germany, without any support, it will crumble in no time.”