What's the deal with cars in japan?

i have a curios question about the Japanese car market/industry

this guy who live in Tokyo " lukemorse1 " ( youtube name )
he made a culture like video last year talking about how he got rid of his car
took her on one last joy ride to hardoff

and in the video he said that if you need replacement parts like heads gaskets water pumps ext you need to go to the dealer to get those replaced that auto zone type places dont exist in japan is that true

he also said he had to pay to have his car scraped rather then get paid to
have the car scraped ie sell for 400 to a junk/parts yard

is this also true

i knew japan was very very protectionist but if this is true god damn no wander japan has a lost 20 years

 

It's funny ma777, Your friend might have been off the mark in Japan but in some regards is not too far off on US laws. For example dropping that JDM engine into his car technically makes it illegal and subject to impounding since it wasn't approved by the EPA. It could also pose a problem depending on where you live and how thorough the DMV is with registering the vehicle.

Also some of the more savvy cops out there have been using these laws to nail people. If they suspect you might involved in street racing they check under and if they spot any aftermarket parts or illegal mods will impound it.

It is a rare risk but a risk none the less.

 

Not true at all. Clearly that guy hadn't a clue what he was talking about. For a start you can fine all manner of car parts on Yahoo auctions. Then you have the likes of Super Autobacks (Not normal Autobacks) and garages and so on. Most Japanese will go to the main dealer because they are clueless but for those who know, you don't need to go to the dealer.

If you are an idiot you pay to have your car scrapped (Picked up from your home) or you take it to a parts dealer and sell it as parts.

Yakumo

 

The strange thing is I allso thought that in Japan you had to replace the engine after 60 000KM, guess its just marketing BS they spew.

PS while on the subject, is it true that cars in japan only get licensed to drive certain days of the week, for instance if you bought a car, your only allocated to drive it every Monday ,Wednesday and Thursday, and if you wanted to drive any other days, you need to buy another car and re-license it for the other days, is it true or is that allso BS?

 

I'm c0mpletely pised out of my head at the moment but even in this state I can tel tou that is compleye bull shit.

There is no such lawe in japan or any country from what I know.

I use my car every day when I want whenewver I want.

 

And it shows.

 

HAHAHA @ this thread. Didn't read so much BS in a while.

Where do you peeps get that complete BS from? Just made up in your little brains up there or what?
It's beyond of any imaginable ridiculousness.

 

well that to me dont sound like he was full of shit just not super knowledgeable in the japan parts process

seems like Toyota Nissan and Honda have made it very very difficult to get parts from a parts store

that combines with the upgrade upgrade upgrade protectionist culture of japan

make for a very consumer unfriendly culture

i appreciate clearing things up though Yakumo its nice of you to share you knowledge

 

That pic with all the engines had me wondering, Are there any other auto manufacturers (not just Japanese but European as well) that sell brand new crate engines or is this something that is unique to the US automakers?

 

If it's a production car, you can buy engines for most of them.

 

I have a feeling Luke Morse couldn't speek Japanese so he probably got all of his information from his wife. Not a good idea. My wife said I'd have to get parts from Subaru directly and only Subaru could fix my car. I thought this was crazy so asked a few Japanese male friends about it. Now I know the truth.

I would say it is a bit more tricky to buy car parts in Japan than the US or UK but it's possible. I bought a new exhaust system, side skirt and various engine parts from Yahoo or part dealers and fitted everything myself over the years. I even bought a carbon fber center console from a place that sold official Subaru parts to replace the standard console. Took the old console out and put the new one in all on my own.

Honestly, the car modding scene is quite big in Japan. Theres even a few magazines devoted to it.

Yakumo

 

This is, or atleast was, true in parts of China like Beijing, especially around the time of the Olympics, to reduce the pollution/smog problem.

 

The whole shaken system is the main issue with keeping cars for the long term. In the city, it's much much harder for an older car (8+ years) to acquire shaken and thus there is a higher turnover rate of used cars with relatively low mileage (really, where are you going in the city and how much of a chance will you have to drive out to the countryside?).

 

The main difference in the car market between Japan and the US is that used cars in Japan are dirt cheap. All the shit posted previously in this thread drives the used car market down. I'm not sure about now, but in the 00's there was Aussie's making a mint by shipping used to cars to Australia. The catch was each Aussie is allowed to do it once, so they would literally pay you $500 if you had an Aussie passport and would import the car in your name. They did almost all the paper work, too.

 

Luke has told me similar things back in the day. He does speak excellent Japanese (at least for a 6/7-year expat) as far as I can tell, however his wife (or ex-wife... now I feel like a dick admitting that) could have easily told him that. I could see anyone living anywhere and just accepting what they are told. I don't think it is a crime.

That being said, he did have a R32 Skyline so you would expect him to be quite versed in the auto/maintenance industry, but who knows.

My best guess is that it is just like it is here, and that - since he lived in an apartment at the time - it is frowned upon to work on your car in the parking lot of your home (IE - not your personal driveway/garage).


I assume it's just like how, in the west, everyone tells you to change your oil every 3,000 miles. Totally unnecessary.

 

For some strang reason that spaceship with a bubble rear windsheild has grown on me. I love the car, its just way to slow.

 

I just typed a really long reply to this but hit the back key and don't feel like redoing it. He is a mechanic and can do testing himself. I don't think any cop is smart enough for all that, otherwise he wouldn't have been a cop. But If i was a cop and saw some motherfucker with a fatass honda sticker and a 3 foot wing, i'd try to hit him with as much as i could too. Luckily, we both hate that look.

 

See i'm not the only idiot! This is definetly getting advertised somewhere.

 

Ah, I wasn't a follower of him and only saw a few videos were people sent him stuff. From that I had the impression he couldn't really speak Japanese. by the way, is he still around these days?

You would have thought so but then again there are many people who like to drive a cool car but have no interest in looking after it or how to get the most out of it.

Yakumo

 

Lucky Aussies bastards. Damn our fucked up import laws and damn Mercedes Benz for them.