A cross-section of motor mechanics and car owners in Ibadan has expressed concern over the impact of the economic downturn on car maintenance, unanimously crying for relief.

The respondents, journalists in separate interviews on Saturday, claimed the economy is taking a toll on them as they struggle to push through.

With the downturn, car owners tend to postpone non-essential car repairs, preferring to park their cars, thus leading to a decline in business for mechanics.

A motor mechanic at Adeoyo, Ring Road area of Ibadan, Adekunle Ganiyu, says the economy has negatively affected him and his work.

“This economy is affecting me very badly as you can see how empty our workshop is. Some of us didn’t even come to work today because of the unaffordable transport fare.

“Today, just to wash a car engine, I had to buy fuel at N1,100 per litre; not from a black market but a filling station. You can imagine what we are into,” he said.

Mr Ganiyu ascribed the low patronage to the fuel problem, forcing customers to park their cars to cut down on the cost of fuel and damages.

“This is not even talking about the prices of spare parts. I used to complain prices had gone up thrice the original amount, but now, it has shut up six times over.

“It’s now a problem buying motor parts for our customers.

“The valve oil seal that I used to buy at N1,500 is now N15,000. This is too much!

“Things are too expensive and not affordable anymore. I don’t know what’s happening in this country.

“Unless the price of petrol goes down, nothing can be done. If the cost of fuel reduces, everything else will follow suit,” he said.

He, therefore, called on the government to look into the situation and extend a hand of mercy to the masses.

Short of words, another motor mechanic, Femi Tade, simply told journalists to assess the situation by looking at the state of his workshop.

“As you were coming in now, how many customers did you see? How many cars are parked here? Can you see how all of us are just sitting down here with nothing to do?

“If there’s no fuel, there won’t be customers because they can’t bring their cars for repairs. If a client doesn’t have enough money for servicing, he will wait until he has enough.

“Honestly, anybody that dies right now is going to rest because this frustration is a lot. It’s affecting everybody; we, the mechanics and even the car owners,” he said.

Mr Tade, lamenting the prices of spare parts, says it is another story on its own.

“Spare parts are so expensive due to the high rates in foreign exchange. Most people can’t afford to buy original parts, and repairing costs a lot.

“Mobil oil HXP 2000, which used to be N14,500, is now N27,000. Can you see the price difference?

“I hope everything goes back to normal – the fuel, dollar rates, and everything else.

“I appeal to the government to look down on the masses and listen to their cries and demands,” he said.

Meanwhile, a panel beater, Kayode Obafemi, calls on the government to allow the Dangote refinery to supply fuel directly to marketers.

“If the government approves this, things will get easier for everybody because fuel will be available at affordable cost.

“The fuel is the main issue behind everything in Nigeria. People are buying fuel of N1,000 per litre, which only encourages them to abandon their cars.

“Everything is on fuel – food, water, transportation of persons and foodstuffs begin with fuel. Right now, the reduction in the cost of fuel is the way out for us because nothing is affordable anymore.

“I used to buy a particular tool at N500, but now, it’s N1,000. An original Denzel plug that was N4,000 is now N9,000. Can you see the difference?

“The government should consider everybody. If they walk around, they’ll see how people are suffering.  I plead on behalf of everybody to the government to reduce the price of fuel,” Mr Obafemi said.

Giving his side of the story, a car owner, Afolabi Olalekan, said things had gone beyond what could be imagined.

“Recently, I serviced my car with N10,000, but now it will cost me N20,000; yet things are still increasing.

“The government has to do something urgently because this experience is unpleasant. The government needs to check the inflation rate and find a balance.

“I know that if the government desires to check what is happening, they’ll know what to do because everything is at their disposal,” he said.

Another car owner, Ayinde Mayowa, said she was initially indifferent to the situation because she belonged to the class of the few whose cars were maintained by another.

She said, “I won’t say I’ve experienced it that much because, before this bad economy, my husband has always maintained the car.

“Although, I’ve noticed a change with him.

“When I used to complain about a fault with the car, he would only tell me to go and drop it with the mechanic to work on it and let him know the cost.

“But now, he complains when I complain to him. I know it is affecting him because maintaining a car is not cheap.

“Car owners in Nigeria are going through a lot because of this economy,” she said.

Mrs Mayowa appealed to the government to start all over if needed to correct the situation.

“Some people will tell you that you can afford a car, talk less of maintaining it because you have enough to eat.

“From food to everything else, the issue is complex.

“The government should just start from scratch. When we’re able to eat well, maintaining a car will be easy for us.

“Our government, please help us work on it; make it easy for ordinary Nigerians to live because even the unpaid new minimum wage has become nothing in the face of this present economy.

“May God help the president,” she said

(NAN)