Car value check check its history before you pay.
A fair price needs the right model, year, mileage and history. Enter the 17-character VIN to confirm the model and year; the full report adds mileage and accident records where available and a market value. ₦9,900.
900M+ Vehicles in database
₦9,900 Full report
A car's value in Nigeria depends on four facts you can check before you pay: the exact model and trim, the year, the real mileage and the damage history. The VIN decode confirms the first two. The Carlytics report adds mileage and accident records where available from US, EU and worldwide databases, and a market value, for ₦9,900.
What decides a used car's price in Nigeria
Two cars with the same name in the advert can be worth very different amounts. These are the reasons.
Model and trim
The same badge covers several versions. A base model sold as the top trim is overpriced from the start.
Year
A year makes a large difference to the price of the same model, and for a Lexus RX it can mean a different generation.
Mileage
A car with a wound-back odometer is priced as a younger car than it is.
Damage and title history
A car rebuilt after a serious accident or a flood is worth less than a clean one, even after a good repair.
Papers
Missing or mismatched customs papers put the car itself at risk, whatever it costs.
How to compare adverts without guessing
A price is only fair against cars that are truly the same.
Start with the decode. Write down the exact model, the model year and the engine it shows. Then look for adverts for that same model, year and engine, and ignore the rest. A 2014 car is not a fair comparison for a 2012 car, and a 3.5-litre engine is not the same car as a 2.7-litre one, even with the same badge.
Next, sort the comparable adverts by condition and mileage. If the car you want is priced well below the others, there is usually a reason: an accident, a flood, a mileage problem, or papers that are not in order. If it is priced well above them, ask what makes it special, and check that the claim is true.
Miles or kilometres?
Cars from the US show miles. 100,000 miles is about 161,000 km. A car advertised with “100,000” on the clock is a very different car depending on which unit the dashboard uses. Check the speedometer face before you compare prices.
Example: why two RX 350 prices differ
The Lexus RX 350 is one of the most searched car prices in Nigeria. The name hides several different cars.
The RX 350 name has been in use since the 2007 model year, when it replaced the RX 330. Since then the RX has gone through several generations: the second generation ran to the 2009 model year, the third from 2010 to 2015, and the fourth from 2016 to 2022. A 2009 and a 2010 RX 350 are one year apart but belong to different generations, with a different body and interior.
The decode reads the model year from the VIN, so you know which generation you are pricing. Then the mileage and damage records, where available, tell you whether this particular car deserves the price of a clean one. Our Lexus VIN check and Toyota VIN check go further for those makes.
How history changes what you should pay
Use the report to negotiate, not only to decide.
A higher mileage reading abroad, an accident record or a salvage title is a fact you can put on the table. Ask the seller to explain it, and ask for the repair invoices. If the explanation is weak, price the car on what the records show. See the car mileage check, the accidented car check and the salvage and flood car check for what each record means.
The year matters beyond the price as well: Nigeria Customs publishes an age limit for imported used cars, counted from the year of manufacture. The car year check explains how to read it from the VIN.
What the report shows before you agree a price
Here is what to expect from a ₦9,900 report on a car with a 17-character VIN.
In the report
- A factory decode: make, model, model year, engine, fuel, body style and plant.
- Dated mileage records where available for the VIN, from the countries the car lived in.
- Accident and damage records where available for the VIN, for example salvage and write-off titles and auction damage classifications.
- A check against stolen-vehicle databases from the US, the EU and worldwide.
- Safety recall campaigns recorded for the make, model and year.
- Market value, known model issues and running-cost context.
Before you check
- Have the 17-character VIN ready. It is on the windscreen, the door pillar and the customs papers; a plate number alone is not enough.
- Confirm the customs duty status on Nigeria Customs CVMS or on VREG. The report does not cover customs duty.
- Book an independent mechanic to inspect the car before you transfer any money.
No record found is not proof that a car is undamaged or that its mileage is correct.
Agreeing a fair price, in order
Five steps before you transfer money.
- 1
Decode the VIN
The exact model, year and engine.
- 2
Compare like with like
Adverts for the same model, year and engine only.
- 3
Read the full report
Market value, and mileage and accident records where available.
- 4
Negotiate on the facts
Every record that lowers the value is a question for the seller.
- 5
Inspect, then pay
A mechanic confirms the condition the price assumes.
What we check before you pay for a car in Nigeria
One VIN, the records from the countries the car has lived in. These are the checks that matter most for a tokunbo car, a Nigerian-used car or a new Chinese model.
Accident and damage
The report includes accident and damage records where available for the VIN, such as salvage and write-off titles and auction damage classifications. An accidented car repaired abroad and shipped to Lagos can look clean on the lot; the record from its first life is where the repair shows. No record found is not proof the car was never damaged.
Mileage rollbacks
We put the dated mileage records we hold for the VIN in order, where available, so you can compare them with the dashboard. The weak point on a tokunbo car is the gap between the last reading abroad and the day it reached Nigeria.
Specs & equipment
We decode the factory specification from the VIN: make, model, year, engine, fuel, body and plant. Check it against the advert and the customs papers before you agree a price.
Safety recalls
We list safety recall campaigns recorded for the make, model and year. A car bought abroad and shipped to Nigeria rarely comes with its recall letters, so ask a dealer of the brand to confirm the work was done.
Flood damage
Check whether the car carries flood or weather damage records where available. Flood cars from US storms have been repaired and shipped to Nigeria before, and a flood car can fail electrically long after the sale.
Stolen car check
We check the VIN against stolen-vehicle databases from the US, the EU and worldwide. Cars stolen abroad have been shipped to Nigeria and seized from the buyer, so run this check before any transfer.
Photos
Where available, we include earlier photos of the car, for example from auctions. They can show damage, repairs or a different colour that the seller has not mentioned.
Market value
We estimate a fair market value from comparable cars, so you can tell whether the asking price is reasonable for the year, mileage and specification.
Trusted in 47+ countries, including the ones Nigeria imports from
Carlytics brings together vehicle records from 47+ countries, with 900M+ vehicles in its database, across Europe and North America, plus factory decoding for cars built in China, Japan and Korea. For a tokunbo car, that is where its earlier life was recorded.
Access data from national registries,
insurance databases, law enforcement and more.
How It Works
Carlytics checks a 17-character VIN in seconds by cross-referencing 900M+ records from 47+ countries. Enter the VIN from the windscreen, the door pillar or the customs papers, check the free preview, then unlock the full vehicle history report for ₦9,900.
From VIN to report in a few minutes. Check the free preview before you pay.
Enter the VIN
Type the 17-character VIN (chassis number) from the car or its papers. A Nigerian plate number is not enough on its own.
Check the preview
Confirm the make, model and year match what the seller told you before you pay anything.
Get the full report
Mileage and accident records where available, theft, recalls and value, in one report with a PDF you can forward.
Decide with evidence
Take the report to the inspection, ask the seller about every gap, and only then transfer money.
Why check a VIN before buying a car in Nigeria?
Nigeria spent ₦1.58 trillion importing passenger cars in 2025, and most of them arrived used. A car's history abroad does not follow it to Nigeria on paper; it follows it through the VIN.
Mileage on tokunbo cars
An odometer can be wound back between the last reading abroad and the sale in Nigeria. Dated mileage records, where available, show whether the dashboard fits the car's past.
Accidented and flood cars
Salvage and flood cars are bought cheaply abroad, repaired and sold here as clean tokunbo. Accident and damage records, where available, show what happened before the car was shipped.
Stolen abroad
Vehicles stolen in Canada have been traced to Nigeria and handed back to their owners. A theft check before payment protects you from losing the car and your money.
Year and model on the papers
Customs rules and duty depend on the year of manufacture and the exact model. The decoded year and specification help you test what the papers say.
Ready to check your vehicle?
Enter the VIN number below to get a free instant report.
Sample Vehicle Report
Every Carlytics report covers 24 sections including decoded specs, mileage history, safety recalls, theft status, market value, and cross-border import records. The full report costs ₦9,900 and is available instantly as an interactive page and downloadable PDF.
Here's an example of the comprehensive vehicle report you'll receive. Our reports provide detailed information to help you make informed decisions about any vehicle.
Toyota Corolla (2012)
1.8 L • Petrol • Automatic • Sedan
Vehicle Information
Official records
Vehicle Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know the right price for a used car in Nigeria?
Does the report show a market value?
Why is one Lexus RX 350 so much cheaper than another?
Does mileage change the value?
Should I pay less for an accidented car?
Can I value a car by its plate number?
How much is the report?
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