-By Esther Chidimma Anoke
With the myriads of issues faced on the Nigerian roads today; from inaccessibility to bad road network, consistent congestion, poor maintenance and environmental pollution, it becomes quite pertinent to exercise extra care when it comes to choosing a vehicle meant for use in Nigeria.
Going by the ICRC infrastructure concession report, Nigeria has about 195,000 km road network out of which a proportion of about 32,000 km are federal roads while 31,000km are state roads.
“Out of this, only about 60,000km are paved. Of the paved roads, a large proportion of them are in very poor condition due to insufficient investment and lack of adequate maintenance.
These, therefore calls for a solemn reflection over what kind of vehicles to purchase for regular use and which, for occasional use in Nigeria. The following criteria should therefore be considered before any automobile investment is undertaken.
Wants and needs
One has to determine the real reason for investing in a vehicle. Personal/Private use? General household use? Occasional or consistent use, etc. this will serve as an insight to what vehicle to opt for.
Personal preferences
Every individual has his/her personal preferences, be it investment, consumption, relationship or lifestyle. Whatever our likes, he/her should be in line with what’s feasible, obtainable and suitable for the environment in which we cohabit. These therefore should play a vital role in making a choice of a vehicle.
Budget and finances
In line with Economics, want is the willingness and ability to pay for a product or service. Therefore, if your needs and preferences is not backed up by sufficient finance or ability to pay, then it’s adequate to say that you are not yet prepared for your choice of a vehicle.
Vital vehicle specifications
An automobile may well appear great on the outside, but what about the inside? You’d need to consider if your chosen vehicle’s specifications such as durability, engine capacity, speed, space, etc. are suitable for your needs and environment. Do these specifications make your chosen vehicle friendly enough for Nigerian roads?
Accessibility
The accessibility and maintainability of your chosen vehicle is another key factor to consider when purchasing a vehicle for use in Nigeria. How do I obtain my preferred automobile and should there be a breakdown, how do I get it fixed? Thus, it’s always not just being able to acquire an automobile, it’s about adequate servicing and maintenance availability. Some vehicle owners are quite apprehensive of encountering repair issues, as maintenances and repairs are quite difficult to access within the country.
GAC TRUMPCHI GS8 SUV: A GREAT CHOICE FOR NIGERIAN ROADS
In light of the laid down insight, we recommend, therefore, the GAC GS8 SUV should you want something sizeable, durable and generally comfortable at the same time.
The Trumpchi GS8 is a full-size SUV with third-row seats. It’s powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 which is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive system.
This SUV has the capacity to seat 7 persons in comfort and complete luxury. The GS8 remains GAC Motors’ top of the line luxury trim for the compact SUV segment. This SUV blends comfort, ruggedness, and maneuverability skillfully, at the same time presenting the best of Chinese automative design and European dependability. Arguably, the GS8 is one of the best looking Chinese SUVs so far, the largest and the most expensive vehicle Guangzhou Auto has made to date.
Also embedded with packing competitive tech features, fuel economy, and safety gizmos, the GS8 is a top contender for the best Nigerian full-size SUVs, rivaling vehicles like the 2019 Honda Pilot or Toyota RAV4. CIG Motors Co. Nigeria, Ltd. CIGMC is in charge of the sales, distribution, and servicing of all GAC Motors’ brands in Nigeria under its Trumpchi logo and brand.