just wanna share with you guys.
In Japan, owning and operating a car is very expensive, petrol costs up to 4 times more than here. Highway tolls, parking permits, registration, and insurance all add to severely limited mileage and/or multi-car ownership. Mileage per year is usually less than half of what we are used to. In Japan it is not uncommon to spend $150/day to use a car. The owner cannot just park a car either. A permit for parking is also required. An average parking space may cost $700 per month, or more in urban areas. Public parking is also very expensive. Cars are used mainly on weekends, or daily, to get to a train station, or to use other public transportation. Also, cars with any body damage may not be used because the authorities may consider this unsafe. Labor is very expensive, and there is very little aftermarket parts stores, as well as common auto repair service facilities. Therefore, many cars with superficial body damage, and perfect low-mileage engines and transmissions are recycled.
Cars registered in Japan must meet very strict and comprehensive tests, initially after 3 years and then every 2 years. The cost of complying with these test standards can run as much as 30% of the vehicle value. There are few cars over 6 years old still in service. Cars are recycled early. Usually after 4 years old, the owner has to pay the yard to recycle the vehicle. Compound these costs, with the Japanese consumers' propensity to drive only the latest models, and the result is a tremendous quantity of low mileage engines and transmissions being recycled or retired prematurely. This is why owning a vehicle in Japan could be considered a luxury.
These used engines are available from Japan because of a combination of factors. The first is that since the country is an island, the climate in Japan causes cars to rust out in a very short time. Secondly, Japan has a strict bi-annual inspection of nearly 50 systems and components ( including visual condition) and repair costs are extremely high. Lastly, tax on Japanese vehicles increases as the car gets older. As a result of these factors, vehicles in Japan suffer from quick depreciation and it becomes cheaper to replace a used car rather than continue its maintenance. These laws were most likely initiated to reduce their vehicle population problem without reducing new vehicle sales in the Japanese domestic market. This has had a positive effect on many aspects of the automotive industry, including increased new car sales, lower production cost, technological advancement of new models, improved air quality, and safety.
Since many Japanese cars are recycled long before ours equivalent, it is easy to see why high quality low mileage Japanese motors are readily available on the local market.
In Japan, owning and operating a car is very expensive, petrol costs up to 4 times more than here. Highway tolls, parking permits, registration, and insurance all add to severely limited mileage and/or multi-car ownership. Mileage per year is usually less than half of what we are used to. In Japan it is not uncommon to spend $150/day to use a car. The owner cannot just park a car either. A permit for parking is also required. An average parking space may cost $700 per month, or more in urban areas. Public parking is also very expensive. Cars are used mainly on weekends, or daily, to get to a train station, or to use other public transportation. Also, cars with any body damage may not be used because the authorities may consider this unsafe. Labor is very expensive, and there is very little aftermarket parts stores, as well as common auto repair service facilities. Therefore, many cars with superficial body damage, and perfect low-mileage engines and transmissions are recycled.
Cars registered in Japan must meet very strict and comprehensive tests, initially after 3 years and then every 2 years. The cost of complying with these test standards can run as much as 30% of the vehicle value. There are few cars over 6 years old still in service. Cars are recycled early. Usually after 4 years old, the owner has to pay the yard to recycle the vehicle. Compound these costs, with the Japanese consumers' propensity to drive only the latest models, and the result is a tremendous quantity of low mileage engines and transmissions being recycled or retired prematurely. This is why owning a vehicle in Japan could be considered a luxury.
These used engines are available from Japan because of a combination of factors. The first is that since the country is an island, the climate in Japan causes cars to rust out in a very short time. Secondly, Japan has a strict bi-annual inspection of nearly 50 systems and components ( including visual condition) and repair costs are extremely high. Lastly, tax on Japanese vehicles increases as the car gets older. As a result of these factors, vehicles in Japan suffer from quick depreciation and it becomes cheaper to replace a used car rather than continue its maintenance. These laws were most likely initiated to reduce their vehicle population problem without reducing new vehicle sales in the Japanese domestic market. This has had a positive effect on many aspects of the automotive industry, including increased new car sales, lower production cost, technological advancement of new models, improved air quality, and safety.
Since many Japanese cars are recycled long before ours equivalent, it is easy to see why high quality low mileage Japanese motors are readily available on the local market.
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