Used Car Dealers in Japan

When considering purchasing any Japan used car, it is important to note that the Japanese drive their vehicles on the left.   Some cars also have their steering wheels on the left as a sign of social status or class.  The Japanese do not use their cars for more than three years. Japan used car (stress free) offer some of the best second hand deals in the market.  The road infrastructure is perfect and most people use bikes to work because of the number of people and the cars on the road.  Mileage on most of the cars is low and cars are well maintained giving them first preference amongst used car dealers.

Car dealers in Japan usually certify the condition of the vehicles before they are exported for use in other countries.  An auction inspection report is mandatory to be duly completed by a professional auction inspector.  Another certificate that has to accompany any vehicle leaving the Japan port is the radiation-free certificate.  This has been occasioned by the March 2011 Tsunami that hit Japan thereby interfering with the radiation plants.  Buying used cars from Japan is still relatively cheap.  Japanese rarely use their cars for various reasons.  Cost of fuel is relatively high and there are a lot of taxes to pay before putting their cars on the road successfully.

The only problem with owning a second hand or used car in Japan is the high cost of parking fee amongst others.  Various other available taxes make it impossible in owning a used car in Japan.  Car dealers cash on such restrictions to make a killing round the world.  These cars are sourced from auctions and other readily available sources by the dealers.  Dealers are required by law to do all the documentation and shipping work before any export is done.  Reputable Japanese car dealers are required to be transparent in all their dealings with a buyer. Any buyer should be kept informed of all the requirements and all procedures. Whether buying online or through an auction, it is imperative to find out the authenticity of any dealer before committing.

 

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Can I Use My Drivers License in Japan?

If you are not a citizen of Japan then in simple a simple answer, your driver’s license would be almost worthless there. For those planning to travel to Japan for a length of time that might require you to drive, it would be advisable to review the road and transportation legislation before you makes your decision.

The most recent change of the Japanese Traffic Act Article 107-2 which was updated in February 2003 has made it official for license from countries such as China, United States and Brazil to be used directly in Japan. For foreigners, the International Driving Permit obtained from your country would not be adequate as a document if you are looking to spend more than a year in Japan.

International rules states that the driving permit for any country has to be re-taken in the country you are expecting to drive if the Law of the country states it. However, in Japan the International Driving Permit would only be valid for a year and to acquire access for a longer time you would have to leave the country for more than 90 days before it would be legalized on your return to the country.

If you are visiting the country for a short period of time, attaining an International Driving Permit would be a wise idea but if you are to be in the country for more than a year then it would be sensible to get yourself a valid Japanese driving license. Compared to countries such as United States, China and Brazil, others have a much easier option to obtain an official license in Japan. The reason for this would be the similar rules and regulation policed by the countries as with Japan.

Citizens of Canada, Australia, United Kingdom or even New Zealand could just have your driving license from home translated by the Japan officials and undergo an eye check up. It would be verified by paying a certain sum of fee charges instead of having to sit for the exam all over again. But if you are from a foreign country whose driver’s license is not supported by the Japanese government, then an expedient route to drive in Japan would be to sit for the Japanese driver’s license.

 

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Do You Really Need to be Concerned About Radiation on Japanese Cars?

If you’re wondering about the Japanese used truck for sale that may have come in from Japan and its radiation contamination, here’s some sensible information for you to study.

When the disaster happened in Japan that set off alarm bells in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, everyone began to speculate and fear radiation. The truth is we are exposed to radiation in different forms every day. Even the monitor you are reading from right now is radioactive.

According to nuclear experts, radiation travels through dust particles, not the air. There are 3 types of this nuclear radiation: Alpha particles, Beta Rays, and Gamma Rays. Alpha particles travel short distances and can be pushed back by something as simple as a piece of paper. Beta Rays are more penetrating but only up to the thinnest of aluminum
Sheets. On the other hand, Gamma Rays can pass through heavy metal.

Knowing that, it should be the Gamma Rays that could affect the Japanese used truck for sale except it’s easy to decontaminate radiation. Even if it is called “rays,” it still is in the form of tiny particles of dust. Thus, according to Dr. Eric Toner of the University of Pittsburg, “decontamination is very simple.” He is referring to washing off the dust to dilute it. However, if you think the truck may be heavily contaminated, you could run a Geiger counter over the truck. But the reading must be done by an expert because there are many factors that will need to be translated before an accurate assessment is produced.

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Veering away from this, did you know many used Japanese trucks for sale are assembled in the United States and other countries – not in Japan? On the chance that you are looking at an import, check the papers to find out where it came from. According to Toyota and Nissan, their assembly plants are very far from Fukushima. Nonetheless every vehicle exported goes through intense radiation check before leaving Japan.

Knowing the Japanese, they would stick to their word because honor is more important than profit. Just think about the hundreds of stores left open after the earthquakes and not one incident of looting.

 

 

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Searching Japanese Truck Classifieds for Used Japanese Trucks

Searching for Japanese Trucks can be easy with the Web. Here are a few companies you might want to take a look at.

1) Batfa Japan Inc. is where you can find any kind of used truck like Isuzu trucks, Hino trucks, Nissan trucks, Mitsubishi trucks, Mazda trucks and Toyota trucks of different capacities. This company also exports Japanese mini trucks called ‘’Kei trucks’’.  Order is accepted either from individual or dealers.

2) Royal Trading Co. provides one of the largest selection of used trucks in the best conditions.

3) Autocraft Japan Ltd. is a leasding company in Japan for exporting various used vehicles including trucks of various models.

Here are a list of common trucks in the used market that might interest you:

1) Mitsubishi Fuso. Its diesel engine is used for fuel and the loading capacity is 10 tons. The features include air conditioning, power steering, power windows, air brake and exhaust break. The price is US $ 14,700. Another one of this model is of open body type and is priced for US $ 13,700.

2) Hino Ranger model is well known for its refrigerator (box) appearance. Its loading capacity is of 4 tons. Its price is US $ 9,500. The features are almost same as the model of Mitsubishi Fuso.

3) Then are three models of Nissan: Nissan Condor, Nissan Vanette and Nissan UD Dump. The body of Nissan Condor is box type and it has 4 ton loading capacity and the price is US $ 8,600. The UD Dump model is $ 17,600 US and the loading capacity is 10 tons. Nissan Vanette truck is usually white and open body type (Hira body). Its loading capacity is 850 kg and the cost varies from US $ 2,800 to US $ 9,800. Two wheel driving system is a common feature of this model.

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4 Popular Used Trucks from Japan

If you want to buy a Japanese truck and import it into the United States, you should consider that some trucks in Japan have a nearly identical counterpart that is already being sold here. However, there are some exceptions and many popular models that are sold in the United States market are not available at all in Japan. For example, you can’t buy an import Tundra from Toyota as they are all made in the United States. On the other hand, you can purchase an import Tacoma under the name it uses in Japan – the Toyota Hilux. So, people interested in importing a Japanese truck, here are some of the most popular models being imported by private buyers in Canada and the US.

1. Toyota Hilux – Powered by Toyota’s highly praised liter diesel engine, the Hilux is the American equivalent Tacoma which usually ships with a gasoline engine in most cases. The fuel efficiency and reliability of the 1KZ-TE has helped establish the Hilux as one of the most dependable small pickup trucks in the world. Because of the rugged build quality of the truck and the money it save drivers at the pump, the Hilux is always in demand and is one of the most popular trucks in terms of direct imports by individual buyers in the US and Canada. A Hilux usually comes with a hefty price tag.

2. Daihatsu HiJet – The Daihatsu HiJet is among a growing number of popular Japanese mini trucks that are currently being imported into the United States and Canada. The mini trucks, also known as Samurai trucks are very small when compared to trucks in the United States. The Daihatsu HiJet is like many other mini trucks from Japan in that it has a very small passenger cabin and a flatbed.

3. Suzuki Carry DD51T Pick Up – The Suzuki Carry weighs only about 1500 pounds, comes standard with four wheel drive, can carry up to 1000 pounds of cargo and has a 660cc engine that allows it to get up to 40 miles per gallon in many cases. Another very popular Samurai truck, the Suzuki Carry is currently being imported into the United States and Canada by many private buyers.

4.Toyota Tundra – When Toyota introduced its Tundra, they officially entered the full-size truck class and was ranked amongst the likes of Ford, Dodge and Chevy. In 2008, Toyota offered the Double Cab and CrewMax models to consumers with a Tundra Grande trim package that substantially lowered the standard features offered, which in turn lowered the price of the truck. However, high trim Tundras offered even more features, thus appealing to the masses. The 2008 Tundra offers a 4.0-liter V6 engine and a 5.7-liter V8. The Toyota Tundra has the reputation of being one of the smoothest, most comfortable full size pickups available. Consumers definitely have a lot of choices when shopping for a used truck; a lot of great choices as each truck is special in its own way.

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Shibaura Tractors

Are you looking for a Japanese used tractor – you know, one made of Japanese quality? This post will introduce Shibaura tractors and why you should consider buying one used.  As a joint venture, Toshiba and Ishikawajima Harima Industries founded Shibaura in the year 1950. When the company was first established they only produced engines and garden tractors. However, in the year 1961 the company began the production of compact tractors. Several different models were built for Ford-New Holland. For many years Shibaura has produced compact Ford-New Holland tractors. Due to their longevity in building the Ford-New Holland tractors the company gained an excellent reputation for producing tractors of great quality. Their tractors are dependable, powerful, and strong.

Since the year 1950, Shibaura as a company has come a long way. In the year 1951 they launched their first ride-on tractor. In 1959 they released their S-17 four-wheel tractor. They produced Japan’s first turbo tractor in the year 1977. Shibaura has produced many tractors since their founding. All of their tractors meet great standards as that is one thing the company prides itself on.

Today, the Shibaura Machinery Corporation produces much more than just tractors. The have a production list that includes diesel engines, tractors, tractor components, golf and turf-care products, fire fighting pumps, and ozone sterilizers. With such a wide variety of products, it’s no wonder the company is rated so high among their competitors.

As you can imagine, the Shibaura company is in high demand for their tractors. There should be no question as to why. With the quality of their tractors, people interested in purchasing a tractor are definitely not passing by the opportunity to own a Shibaura tractor. Each interested person and potential customer is looking for a dependable, powerful, and strong tractor. After they see the tractors offered by Shibaura, they are certain to see them as a perfect fit. It is hard to find something so powerful to operate at such low RPM’s and as quietly as the Shibaura tractors do. Aside from that, their SD and SP models are considered to be the most powerful on the market. This is a huge selling point for the company.

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Toyota and Ceased Plans for Hybrid Tundra

Toyota is one of Japan’s top-leading manufacturers. Therefore, it should be no surprise that they are trying to keep up with the trends of other manufacturers worldwide. One way in which Toyota is trying to keep up with up and coming trends is by trying to put a hybrid truck in the making.

Toyota Tundra

Toyota researched the possibility of making a gasoline electric Tundra hybrid. This was originally said to be completed by the year 2010. They also stated that a diesel electric Tundra would also be considered.

However, after much research as well as trial and error, Toyota came to the conclusion that a hybrid Toyota just wouldn’t be possible. Although Toyota has two cars and one sport utility vehicle that are hybrids, they just don’t feel as though creating a Tundra hybrid makes sense. This is mainly due to the fact that different models of vehicles require different types of fuel saving technology.

Although Toyota won’t be making a hybrid Tundra, which is disappointing, they do have other plans. Toyota plans on making light diesel trucks. This may not be the same as a hybrid, but something is better than nothing.

As far as Toyota’s plans to make a diesel electric Tundra goes, those plans have also been canceled. There has been a slowdown in the truck market. However, Toyota does plan on making a light duty diesel Tundra. This doesn’t seem like something that will happen until the year 2012 or 2013 unfortunately.

So, it currently looks like the manufacturing of new Tundra’s to compete with other manufacturers is at a halt. We will have to wait and see what happens in 2012 and 2013. There be possibilities in the future for Toyota and hybrid trucks, but for the time being Toyota does not seem to believe a hybrid truck will be in the making. The President of Toyota, Jim Lentz, made an official announcement that the idea of a hybrid Tundra is officially dead.

Image: KOMUnews

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