All Things Motoring in Japan

[allblacks]

If youre buying new its probably ok but servicing the non Japanese cars can add up. That said, if you are after a cheapy then it wont matter. By that I mean getting a 2004 or something. They come cheaper. Less than a million yen at dealer auctions.

If you want a cheap VW then a golf station wagon can do all the things you want and be VERY cheap at the same time.

Another Honda along the same lines is a Honda Stream. The 2000cc ones are best apparently.

By the way, from next year on NZ regulations change. This will bring down the costs of cars sold here second hand. Years up to 2005 should be cheaper than they are right now.

[Wage Slave]

I am not sure why this took me a while to work this out but it did so I'll pass it on for the benefit of anyone running an older car. The driver's power window on my my Fit has been playing up. It went down fine but would mess about going up again. It kept going into reverse. Got steadily worse so I finally decided to have a look at it.

The problem is that the rubber run channels either side of the window get clogged up with crud over time and so the window doesn't run freely. The solution is just to grab some cotton buds, soak then in alcohol and run them up and down the channels a few times. Next get some silicone spay lubricant and spray a decent amount of that into the channels. Work the window up and down a few times and it works flawlessly again.

This problem is apparently fairly common on Hondas and Toyotas.

[allblacks]

Heres another tip for all. If you own a 2006 or on Caldina, and the battery runs flat, when you put a new one in the power windows may seem not to work. Dont worry. Its not your master switch. To reset them you have to put each one all the way down and hold it down for two seconds. Then all the way up and hold it up for two seconds. After that it should work fine.

Probably the same thing for all Toyotas. Dont know about other makers.

[StuartWalden]

Maybach 57, it's the only way to drive....

[allblacks]

Maybach 57, it's the only way to drive....

Yep. Seen one of those in Wakayama of all places. Middle of nowhere.

[ipsofacto]

Bad news Maybach fans...
Daimler is to axe its struggling Maybach luxury limousine after years of disappointing sales since the German carmaker relaunched the brand almost a decade ago.

[allblacks]

Ah well. It was nice while it lasted. Better sell yours then SW.

[Wage Slave]

Could become a collector's item though. Good luck with spare parts!

[allblacks]

Could become a collector's item though. Good luck with spare parts!

And servicing too.

I wonder what Hummer drivers will do? Sure Yanase will service the cars to a point but it will start costing a pretty yenny for upkeep.

Where as the Mazda and Hondas you and me are driving wagey can be serviced at probably 25 places around your city!

[Wage Slave]

Very true. The other thing is that if one of my kids scratches it or there is a bump in a carpark or something like that I don't care very much. It's not wanted, but it isn't a big deal. The only time I had a posh car for a while I was on edge the whole time - couldn't just relax and enjoy it at all.

[StuartWalden]

Could become a collector's item though. Good luck with spare parts!

Will definitely become a collectors item. And I have 2 --- the second an older model which will be useful for spare parts.

[Wage Slave]

I'd say the price will probably fall for quite a long time, so you ought to snap a couple more up while they are cheap. You might to quite well over the longer term although, no offense, looks wise they are quite boring and charmless. Still, it's a hobby I suppose.

[allblacks]

Could become a collector's item though. Good luck with spare parts!

Will definitely become a collectors item. And I have 2 --- the second an older model which will be useful for spare parts.

...

[sirwanksalot]

Does anyone know if and where I could get a 2000 Toyota Hiace 2.4 GL service manual in English? I can't seem to find anything online.

[Wage Slave]

Was this van sold under a different name in Europe, the States or Oz? If so, you might turn up something searching that way. The other strategy might be to search for sites that sell service manuals for download and then search within the sites. There are even some that won't charge you if you can upload a manual to them in exchange. Specialist forums are another good source. Sometimes members will make manuals available to other members.

[allblacks]

Does anyone know if and where I could get a 2000 Toyota Hiace 2.4 GL service manual in English? I can't seem to find anything online.

Theres a mob in NZ who do translations. JPNZ I think they are called. Website: http://www.jpnz.co.nz/

[sirwanksalot]

Theres a mob in NZ who do translations. JPNZ I think they are called. Website: http://www.jpnz.co.nz/

Thanks for that. A bit out of my price range and the don't seem to have my model at the moment though.

[allblacks]

You might get one on trademe.co.nz . This is the NZ version of ebay.

[allblacks]

You guys have to see this...

1985 3200CC 5 speed manual Porsche 911... 67000 kms original! FMD!

[BergKatse]

Does anyone here know about the fuel efficiency of the 2nd generation Prius? I'm thinking about getting a used one, but that would depend on lots of things, including gas bills.

I do a lot of inner-city driving (you know, start-stop with all the traffic lights, etc.) if that helps.

[allblacks]

NHW11?

Yep improvement on the first one which was a battery killer. Dont pay more than about 300 000 yen.

http://www.goo-net.com/cgi-bin/fsearch/ ... 11&x=0&y=0

That is if you are buying retail. If you want wholesale...pm me. LOL

[RalphWiggum]

Does anyone here know about the fuel efficiency of the 2nd generation Prius? I'm thinking about getting a used one, but that would depend on lots of things, including gas bills.

I do a lot of inner-city driving (you know, start-stop with all the traffic lights, etc.) if that helps.

What do you mean by 2nd generation? Japanese 2nd generation, which is 1st gen in the rest of the world, or international 2nd gen which was launched in 2009 or so?

I've got a 2011 model. I'm in the UK but it's identical in every way to the Japanese model. As I'm sure you know the fuel economy varies wildly depending on the type of driving (city / motorway etc) and driving style. I do a combination of motorway and city for work, and economy has never gone below 60 MPG. Yesterday I drove 270 miles and averaged 70.5 MPG on the journey.

You get a lot of shit off people for driving a Prius in the UK but they're great cars. This is my second (I had the 08 model previously) and I loved that one too.

[BergKatse]

Thanks for those replies, gents. I've already learned something thanks to you.

For instance,

NHW11?

I didn't know what that meant, so I looked it up. Apparently the one I'm looking for is "NHW20." What kind of prices do you think I'd be looking at for that model? I'm checking out Goo at the moment.

I do a combination of motorway and city for work, and economy has never gone below 60 MPG. Yesterday I drove 270 miles and averaged 70.5 MPG on the journey.

Would that be imperial gallons as opposed to US gallons?

[RalphWiggum]

Thanks for those replies, gents. I've already learned something thanks to you.

For instance,

NHW11?

I didn't know what that meant, so I looked it up. Apparently the one I'm looking for is "NHW20." What kind of prices do you think I'd be looking at for that model? I'm checking out Goo at the moment.

I do a combination of motorway and city for work, and economy has never gone below 60 MPG. Yesterday I drove 270 miles and averaged 70.5 MPG on the journey.

Would that be imperial gallons as opposed to US gallons?

OK, apparently I had an NHW20 and now have an NHW30. You learn something new every day.

I didn't even know there were 2 types of gallon. I'm in the UK, so I the MPG is based on whatever kind we use here, but the mileage I quoted is for my NHW30, the newest model. On the NHW20 I tended to get between 52-60 MPG depending on conditions and how I was driving.

[allblacks]

Prices of the older cars here in Japan have started falling off the cliff.

I got this today. 1999 Mazda Familia S-Wagon 75000 kms. Nice and tidy for...

34000 yen!

If you wanted to get shaken etc it would cost about 120 000 yen all in.

Another car I got the other day was a 2005 Mazda Demio. Bagged that one for 120 000 yen.

ps. Anyone got Toyota Surf diesel they want to sell?

[allblacks]

Back to classics! 1986 BMW M3! Fuck yeah!

[RalphWiggum]

Nice car, but the body kit is ugly as fuck. That wasn't factory fitted was it?

[allblacks]

I think most people will screw around with these. Actually its pretty hard to find a non tinkered with sports car period. And when you do expect to part with a kings ransom and a body limb or two!

[RalphWiggum]

I think most people will screw around with these. Actually its pretty hard to find a non tinkered with sports car period. And when you do expect to part with a kings ransom and a body limb or two!

It's such a shame. I like Skylines (as far as I like any car, and not to the extent that I would ever buy one - I drive like an old lady so what would be the point) because they look like ordinary cars but go like shit off a shovel, but all the ones you see in the UK have been monkeyed with, covered in stickers etc etc. If you want a fast car that looks like a fast car get one that's designed that way!

[sirwanksalot]

I think most people will screw around with these. Actually its pretty hard to find a non tinkered with sports car period. And when you do expect to part with a kings ransom and a body limb or two!

It's such a shame. I like Skylines (as far as I like any car, and not to the extent that I would ever buy one - I drive like an old lady so what would be the point) because they look like ordinary cars but go like shit off a shovel, but all the ones you see in the UK have been monkeyed with, covered in stickers etc etc. If you want a fast car that looks like a fast car get one that's designed that way!

Agree with you guys about screwing around with body kits and so on. I think the only thing that should be modified is the stereo system in most cars. Engine trans and suspension in a select few. I got a van because I drive like a drunken teenager and a fast car would be too much temptation. I spent a weekend removing the stock stickers on the side of it too.



Not mine but similar. Looks better without the stickers and hubcaps.