There are some reasons why Japanese used cars are favored worldwide. Overseas buyers claim their satisfaction about purchasing Japanese used vehicles. Not only do these cars offer a great value & duration but are also top quality manufactured & have product perfections. Although Japanese cars are reliable for their manufacturing & high quality, there are some myths about buying a Japanese Used Car.
So before buying a Japanese used vehicle, look through the following myths & decide if these cars can fulfill your desire.
1. Radiation Exposure
This is nothing but a misconception. The radiation levels were reported to be 20 times above normal after the Fukushima plant disaster. But it is not a danger zone anymore. The vast majority of factories are located in evacuation areas that are well outside of the Fukushima Daiichi Complex. The automakers ensured that the vehicles met safe levels of radiation before distributing. Besides, the exported cars go through several checks & examinations before the car auction. So there's no risk of radiation exposure to the Japanese used vehicles.
2. Odometer Tampering
Japanese cars must be registered after every two years. So there's no way of odometer tampering. It's so expensive to drive on the freeway toll roads in Japan so some people think the odometer problem still exists. Incorrect odometer readings don't remain these days. May some dishonest exporters do false reports on car mileage but nowadays the used cars get sold after analyzing the auction sheet which has no tampering.
3. Car Trades Take Extra Money
This is also an inappropriate misconception. Maximum Japanese used cars get sold through various car auctions, websites, or from the present owner of the car. As various companies frequently launch cars with modern technology, Japanese people sell their vehicles to overseas buyers at a reasonable cost & buy a new one. Aside from the shipping cost, car trades don't seek extra money. Mostly the shipping cost can turn into a huge amount based on the vehicle size, the distance from the emergence to destination & the shipping method.
4. Snow Tires
This is not entirely fabricated. Some Japanese cars have snow tires fitted, but before shipping the vehicle the car trades companies change the tires into standard road types. Japanese people change the tires to suit the season. Moreover, driving without snow tires on roads that are covered in snow is illegal there. Without snow tires, the vehicle gets stalled & causes serious accidents. So they use snow tires for safety. When they export a vehicle overseas where snow tires are not capable, they change it to normal road tires.
5. Misinterpretation
There is an enormity that Japanese car dealers sell used cars even if the car is defective just to gain profit. If you search for authentic news, you'll find that Japanese cars have a grading system that clearly describes the present condition of the car. The grading system recounts the mileage & problems of the vehicles. It even shows if the car went through any major accident. Their auction sheets are free from omissions & errors. Every year a huge amount of overseas buyers buy Japanese used cars based on this information & they are quite satisfied with it. That's why Japanese cars are known to be long-lasting, durable & reliable.
6. Hide Engine Problem
Hiding engine problem means when the car has engine issues, dealers fill up the engine with diesel oil which is thicker than regular. Japanese vehicles must undergo modification and testing under the IVA (Individual Vehicle Approval) before export. So there's no way that even a single car with a serious engine problem will not get detected.
7. Title Washing
Title washing is when a dishonest dealer rebuilds used cars & sell them with a new title. Firstly, the Japanese car trade, they have a proper grading system for their cars. From slight bumps or dents to major accidents & flood-damaged cars get sold after proper analyzing & examination. The automakers & car trade companies are well known for genuine information. Many of the car dealers are members of JETRO or JUMVEA. So there's a slight chance that a huge fraud like title washing will be done by the car owner or dealer. Though some deceptive dealers sometimes do this type of crime, that's also rare.
8. Inexpensive Cars are Unreliable
Many people believe that inexpensive cars must have inappropriate issues or major accident issues so the price turns out to be extremely reasonable. But for Japanese used cars, this is not the reason. In Japan, people have to spend more on driving a car that is more than two to five years old. They have to pay extra tax. So rather than spending so much money on an old car, they prefer buying a new one with great technology & a more fashionable car.
9. Resale Value
Another flimsy myth about Japanese used cars is that they don't provide any resale value. These cars provide higher resale Value than brand ones. Because the automaker's rudiment new cars with more attributes, then their depreciation automatically slows down. Moreover, if you take care of these cars, they can last for a longer period which eventually raises the resale value.
10. Private Sellers Provide a Better Deal
There is also a misconception that private sellers probably provide better deals than car trade companies or car auctions. But not every owner will stay honest with you. Some may hide any sorts of facts about the vehicle such as flood history or major accidents, or any type of problem in the metal parts of the car, or any engine issue. On the other hand, the professionals & car trade companies need their cars checked before export. They also provide you authentic information about the vehicle. You can check the grading of a car & realize its condition.
These are the common myths about Japanese used cars. Some more misconceptions you may hear sometimes are- VIN( Vehicle Identification Number) cloning, Curbstoning, Airbag fraud, Flood History, Warranty Scam, etc. But these all are gratuitous myths. Japanese used vehicles are popular around the world. So many overseas buyers import these cars every year. If these cars happened to have all these problems, no one had to be so desperate to have one in his garage. So don't be confused by these misconceptions & fulfill your dream of buying a car.
