Tag Archives: japanese cars

Who to Trust???

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There are a few unscrupulous people taking advantage of unsuspecting Africans wanting to buy a good cheap used vehicle from Japan. How to determine who to trust is difficult, but follow some simple rules and you shouldn’t go wrong.
Know who you are dealing with. One-man or two-man operations can easily move around, change their mobile numbers, or set up new names for their business. A website is easy to set up and doesn’t cost so much these days. Check the company you are dealing with at your local Embassy in Tokyo. Also check for an office phone number. Most scammers run their business from their mobile phone and don’t have an office. You can also check with your local clearing agents or just ask a friend or someone who imported their own vehicle.

Everyone loves a bargain. But sometimes the price seems so unbelievably cheap that it is too hard to pass up. In Japan there is a saying, “if it is that cheap, then it is too cheap to buy”. In other words, if it is too cheap then there must be something wrong with it. Check the websites and get an idea of the average market price. If there is a huge discrepancy then you should be wary. Remember, an exporter who has no intention of exporting a vehicle to you can quote you any cheap price you want. He doesn’t care how cheap because he isn’t losing any money on the deal, rather, he makes 100% on your payment.
An unscrupulous exporter will target vehicles at the Japanese auctions that have done high kilometres, and in poor condition. They will wind the odometer back and do a few quick-fix repairs to make the vehicle seem it is better than it is. In many cases the cars breakdown to an unrepairable state within 6 months. How many people do you know who have been taken by these tactics and lost their money. Most unscrupulous dealers arrange these things once the vehicle is out of Japan (either at the port in Africa or in another country). Ask to look at the “Export Certificate” from the exporter. The export certificate is issued by the Japanese Transport Authority and shows the last registered mileage on the certificate. Some exporters will change the year of the vehicle and re-register it in another country before selling it to Africans.

Importing direct from Japan is a safe way to ensure the vehicle you receive is genuine. A good exporter knows that a good reputation ensures a lifetime of business. Poor condition cars ensure loss of business. A bad reputation can grow 2 to 3 times faster than a good one. Reputation takes time to build and must be earned the hard way. Reliable exporters advertise constantly in local newspapers and magazines. Unscrupulous people are in it for a fast buck. Don’t waste your hard earned money by not taking a little precaution and getting taken by the appeal of “a bargain of a lifetime”.

Why are Used Japanese Vehicles Such Great Value?

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The Japanese car industry is very unique. Unlike many countries around the world, a Japanese vehicle is driven for about 10 years only. Most Japanese prefer to buy the latest model to stay in fashion, so they quite often change their vehicles every 5 or 7 or 9 years. A used vehicle in Japan does not have much appeal as most Japanese prefer to buy brand new vehicles. Therefore a used car dealer can only sell his stock at cheap prices in order to attract buyers.
There are over 72 million vehicles registered on the roads in Japan at any one time. There are over six million vehicles traded each year. Of this figure, just over 1 million used vehicles are exported from Japan. The rest are either sold in the domestic market, or scrapped for recycling. What a waste to scrap a vehicle that is only 10 years old. That is the main reason the used Japanese vehicle export industry started. Initially, a small group of wise people realised it was better to export the used vehicles to countries where the life of the vehicle could last for another 10 to 20 years. In other words, a complete recycle of the used vehicle.

A Japanese vehicle must be re-registered after the first three years of purchase, then every two years after that. The cost of re-registration is approx. US$1,500. To most Japanese, this cost is a waste when the vehicle is 7 or 9 years old, so a new vehicle is preferred over registration as a result. Since it is difficult to re-sell a 7 or 9 year old vehicle in Japan, the exporters can pick them up for very cheap prices. The cars are then sold at cheap prices to overseas buyers via the internet, or in bonded yards set up in different countries.

Most Japanese travel to work by train due to a very efficient rail system in Japan. One can set their watch by the train timetables because they are so efficient. Also, most Japanese people work very late hours often resulting in returing home around midnight. Therefore most Japanese only get to drive their vehicles on weekends. This is why Japanese vehicles have low kilometres. A Japanese passenger vehicle travels an average of 8,000km a year. I’m sure many of you travel this much in one month. On top of this, the roads in Japan are in great condition and very smooth. The kilometres travelled in Japan are called “soft kilometres”. Compare a used Japanese vehicle that has travelled 50,000km in Japan to one that has travelled the same distance in Africa. The difference is obvious. Also, other reasons why train travel is preferred to a car are the high cost of road tolls, high cost of parking fees, and 72 million vehicles on the road causing huge traffic jams.
Japanese look after their vehicles very well. It is said that the Japanese male treats his car better than his wife (I wouldn’t say that for fear of reprisal from my wife). When the Japanese buy a new car they are locked into a maintenance program which ensures the vehicle is serviced every year and parts and repairs are guaranteed. The new car dealers send out letters every year to remind the drivers to bring their vehicles in for a service, whether it needs it or not. It’s all covered under the maintenance program.