IsmaelCoulibaly.IvoryCoastPrivateSector.com

Export 

You will in most cases, find African auto shippers all over the East Coast and concentrated in highly populated foreigner’s area of the United States. You can either approach them, and share a container with them (it’s a cold world out there, so make sure you know who you working with, so again do your homework

 and find reliable people with whom you share the same values) or you can ship a 40ft container for about 5000usd. A 40 ft container holds as many as 4 cars, depending on the type; usually, about two SUV and two “small cars”. Deflate the tires, disconnect the battery, and your car is loaded and off to Africa. You have officially shipped your first “France Aurevoir”.

Custom                    

The most difficult part of this entire process in the case of West Africa, is not even the sale of the car, but the customs. CUSTOMS FEES are OUTRAGEOUS and that has been stopping a lot of business from entering the West African market. Just to give you an Idea, one of my relatives paid last year about $10,000 for a 2004 Toyota Sequoia in custom fees. That is well over 2/3 of the cost of the car in the United States.  Imagine how much one will have to sell it back just so you can break even? About $27000 for a 2004 car!!! How much you pay in customs fees, will determine how much you will end up listing the car for and DRIVE you CRAZY in the process. It’s an environment full of crooks with no morals despite the numerous efforts made by governments to improve trade.  

 Get a reliable “transitaire” (customs clearance agent) and make sure to check if he is reliable. That means asking around relatives, get referrals, and try to get as much info as possible. If you can afford it, work directly with an accredited agency to clear you car. That is more expensive than getting an agent, but it’s your best bet if you want it done right…No hassle. Good luck dealing with “Cote d’ivoire Logistique” (Regulatory agency in charge of collecting customs fees and all related expenses, necessary to clear a vehicle). You will also need your Bill of lading and original “Carte grise” or car registration document.

Car Sale 

Now that your car is out, you cruising in your American made car down the road. Windows down, blasting  Rick Ross Aston Martin Music. #TheAmericanDream. (By the way, that’s a cd someone accidently left in your car before it shipped out). Do not get carried away tough. You still have to sell it for a profit.

I love the thrill of closing a deal and I find it stimulating. Now don’t get the wrong Idea about car sale here. It works differently in Ivory Coast and West Africa in general. Here is how I see it. There is what I call a direct sale; from you the car owner, straight to the customer, no middleman. Usually these types of sales are made within your very own network. A family’s friend, your aunt, uncle Kofi that just recently got appointed minister and in dying need of finding a car that matches up his new social status. As long as they are close to you and you have a good reputation, you will always have buyers in your circle. The keyword here is trust. Then there are the quick and more professional sales where your car is listed in a closed and underground network of car sales. Most of these sales generally take place on weekend and buyers get to shop from the comfort of their homes. The seller (middleman) brings the car to the buyer or they simply meet up in public places. I know of a car wash here in Abidjan that serves as a car sale spot.

Tips: Buyers are picky. For example never put a selling sign on a luxury car because it makes it look cheap and future car owners hate that.

Even your plate numbers matters here. By the letter series of your license plate, one can determine approximately how long your car has been out for. The older the plate series, the less money you might be offered. The reason? “Everybody in town has seen your car. It might be almost brand new but it’s not special anymore!”  “Are you serious?” you might ask yourself… Yes these guys are serious. Put all the chances on your side, in order to make a successful sale and please again, BEWARE OF SCAMMERS.

Payment

Cash preferably. Take your time to count it all and make sure there are no fake bills hidden in the huge pile of cash. One way you can do that, is to check for the faint image which is visible when the bill is held up to the light. DO NOT PANICK. It might look like lots of money especially when paid in our local currency, Cfa but take your time and do the right thing. Depending on how reliable the buyer is, one might either accept a two time payment with a signed agreement, acknowledgment of debt, or a check issued by a reliable bank. The aim should still be the same regardless, always insure you have a full proof way to get paid.

Ownership Swap

It is generally left to the buyer to change the name of the owner on a vehicle. He should ask for “le papier de mutation” for an ownership swap. All that is needed is a copy of the previous car owner’s identification card and his signature.

You all set!!! You have just successfully imported and sold your first car in Ivory Coast; make good use of all that cash.

Cheers.

 The End