All Things Motoring in Japan

[Wage Slave]

I read that having no spare tire was just one of options available. Is this across the board in all models in Japan?

Actually I don't know. The guy is normally pretty sensible but he does have a healthy money saving streak. Perhaps a spare tire is an option here? When I queried it he also said that Honda had given him free membership of JAF and he could call them if he got a puncture. I would far far rather just know I could be back on the road within 10 minutes. Madness really but perhaps that is how it is here. Most Japanese guys have absolutely no clue how to do anything more than changing a light bulb. In fact a lot of them can't do that. In fact, I think they think it is beneath them. I didn't study hard all those years to get my hands dirty One good thing about teachers here is they are generally not like that - the women included.

[allblacks]

I bought one of those real pump handle jacks. I hate those wind up ones. Utterly useless in my opinion. Do you stop to help people? I do. Especially sexy women!

[Wage Slave]

I bought one of those real pump handle jacks. I hate those wind up ones. Utterly useless in my opinion. Do you stop to help people? I do. Especially sexy women!

Yes I do. People have done it for me and I know how important it is. I liked that about outback Australia. Nobody would ever drive past someone with a problem there. I haven't been lucky enough to stumble across a fair damsel in distress yet. Will keep my eyes peeled.

I should buy a decent jack. You are right, the standard ones are pretty crap really as are the wrenches. Thankfully my Ukrainian ex student friend taught me how to use the boot correctly on those crappy little things.

[allblacks]

At the risk of turning this into a car sales pitch, Im going to show you guys what I see every day at auction here.

This is a 2007 FIT 1500cc with 9000kms on the clock. It has some pet hair on the seats but thats not a valet job away from being cleaned. For this condition I would expect the buyer to pay about 850 000 yen to 920 000 yen. There is about a year of shaken left on this car. That may increase the price a bit. Usually it does.

[Tall Tall Tree]

The Honda Civic I had before moving to Japan in 2005 (which I did over 200,000km in including 2 return trips from Cairns to Warrnambool) was the best car I've ever had by a long shot and was great mechanicaly.

Its just that I have heard horror stories with them. Transmission related issues mostly. Ah yes. Gaikoku. Where cars, to the horror of most Japanese, usually go over 100 000 kms and KEEP GOING!

I'm about to put the 106,000th mile (170,600th kilometer) on my rebadged Suzuki Swift. It's supposed to be a disposable putt-putt, but it's been treating me pretty well ever since college - my first and only car. Good mileage, too (that is, the number of miles it can go on a gallon of gas - is there a different word in metric-using countries?). I just prefer not to think about how many pieces I'll be broken into if I get in a serious accident. I would definitely consider buying Suzuki again if I had to get something cheap.

[allblacks]

Ive only heard good things about those. Our car ownership has been:

Toyota Corolla
Mazda Familiar
Toyota Hilux Surf
Toyota Camry
Honda Today
Nissan March
Mazda Familiar Wagon
Subaru Legacy

I think the 1st mazda I owned was probably the most reliable car. Nothing ever happened with it. I think I had to get the brake discs machined once. Thats it. I should have put it in a garage in NZ and kept it but sold it. Kicked myself afterwards.
The Toyota Surf was really good but diesel. They have since done away with letting people own them in the cities. We ended up shipping it to NZ and selling it. The Honda Today was a 1995 with over 100 000 kms on the clock when I got it. Still went really well. Drove it to Nagano and back a few times. Didnt miss a beat.

As a general comment, the cars we have had in Japan have been trouble free so far. The Legacy is probably the best car I have ever driven. And that includes working as a valet at hotels in NZ driving cars worth 400 times as much! A DB7 did not feel as good to drive!

[SamhainP8]

At the risk of turning this into a car sales pitch, Im going to show you guys what I see every day at auction here.

This is a 2007 FIT 1500cc with 9000kms on the clock. It has some pet hair on the seats but thats not a valet job away from being cleaned. For this condition I would expect the buyer to pay about 850 000 yen to 920 000 yen. There is about a year of shaken left on this car. That may increase the price a bit. Usually it does.

Sounds like a good deal! Despite what I've always said I think I'm going to treat myself and buy a brand spanking new one and get exactly what I want. Our investment unit recently sold for more than we were expecting and the world is going to go to at the end of 2012 anyway right!

[SamhainP8]

I'm about to put the 106,000th mile (170,600th kilometer) on my rebadged Suzuki Swift. It's supposed to be a disposable putt-putt, but it's been treating me pretty well ever since college - my first and only car. Good mileage, too (that is, the number of miles it can go on a gallon of gas - is there a different word in metric-using countries?). I just prefer not to think about how many pieces I'll be broken into if I get in a serious accident. I would definitely consider buying Suzuki again if I had to get something cheap.

HA I also currently drive a rebadged Suzuki Swift (1993 Holden Barina) and it's going to go over 200,000km before the end of the year. It's had a hard life and was banged up badly and repaired before I got it on returning to Aus in 2007 and it's been a great little car over the last three years. I only really putt around the Gold Coast in it and have rarely travelled beyond 15 minutes south to visit my old man, 5 minutes west to go to work, 10 minutes east to go to the beach or 20 minutes north to go to theme parks etc. The new model Suzuki Swifts do look good but I'm a Honda man.

[SamhainP8]

I definitely need to choose my options very carefully!..............???

[allblacks]

Have a look at this guy. This is the Camry I used to own in NZ.

http://www.carjam.co.nz/car/?plate=TP2682

By all accounts the odometer is now at 300 000 kms. I would have thought shed have died quite some time back.

[Wage Slave]

I am still phased by the way the police here like to drive around with their lights flashing at a sedate 35km/hr in their popemobile vans just being highly visible. I am still in London mode where if you see flashing lights in your mirror you had better get out of the way and fast. That applies to fire engines and ambulances too. Those guys are not messing about and you do not want to get in their way. Here most of the time they are just out for a leisurely spin and the lights are mere decoration. Even if they have their siren on, moving to the left and slowing just results in the emergency vehicle following you at low speed! I don't get it at all.

[allblacks]

Holy toledo batman! Do you have your suspicion baton with you?

The TRUCK failed to stop? Uh uh. Bad reporting. MORIWAKI failed to stop. Japantimes! You outdo yourself at every turn! Brilliant reporting!

By the way, do you need a journalism degree to work at your newspaper? Oh and one more! Do you actually believe everything the police press club tells you? Any chance of investigative reports? Whats that you say? All the news without fear or favour? Im sorry but this is about 10 crocks of shit.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ ... 129a3.html

TSU, Mie Pref. (Kyodo) Six Filipinos were killed and 22 other people were injured Sunday morning when a minibus was broadsided by a truck in Kameyama, Mie Prefecture, police said.


Nobody stopped: A minibus that was carrying 27 people is shown after being hit by a truck in Kameyama, Mie Prefecture. Six people died in the crash.
According to the police, 27 people, including the six Filipinos, were aboard a minibus owned by a temporary staffing service when the vehicles collided. Ten are in serious condition.

The minibus was headed to a liquid crystal panel factory in the city when it passed through an intersection unmarked by traffic signals. The truck, which was obligated to stop at the intersection, failed to do so.

The police arrested the driver of the truck, Takao Moriwaki, 45, but released him so he could be treated for his injuries, including a fractured right shoulder. The police are also investigating him on suspicion of negligent driving resulting in death and injury.

[Padraig]

I am still phased by the way the police here like to drive around with their lights flashing at a sedate 35km/hr in their popemobile vans just being highly visible...

The first time I saw a cop doing that behind me I pulled over thinking that either I was going to get ticketed for something or he was on his way to accident or something.

[Wage Slave]

I am still phased by the way the police here like to drive around with their lights flashing at a sedate 35km/hr in their popemobile vans just being highly visible...

The first time I saw a cop doing that behind me I pulled over thinking that either I was going to get ticketed for something or he was on his way to accident or something.

You are lucky he didn't safely come to a stop behind you rather than engage in the sudden and risky passing manoeuvre you presented him with. I had one doing it again last night. I really can't get used to my mirror full of flashing lights and just driving on as if nothing was happening.

[RalphWiggum]

Anyone know anything about renting a car in Japan? Any cheap companies?

[allblacks]

Anyone know anything about renting a car in Japan? Any cheap companies?

For mine, Mazda rent a car has always been cheap.

[Spastic_Tactician]

Signed the papers on my brand new Mazda MPV. Just waiting 1 to 3 weeks for delivery.
Since the moment I signed those papers, I have absolutely loathed my current car and I cannot WAIT for the new one to come!. I may have to walk for the next 7 to 21 days.

[allblacks]

Congrats on the new car. Did you go for many options? I have heard that car makers are throwing in a lot of free options to boost sales.

[MacGyver]

Anyone know anything about renting a car in Japan? Any cheap companies?

I rent from Nippon rentacar a lot but dunno if you would call them cheap. Just as long as you have an international driver's license you can rent one easily. Can even do it online although I still do it the old fashioned way and call them. But if you are doing it from OS and have time (takes them a few days to get back to you according to their website) then that would be the easiest way.

[allblacks]

One other option. Sometimes there are small car dealers that will do you a rental really cheap. You will have to ask those places directly. It can be a bit dodgey though. Be careful.

[Spastic_Tactician]

Congrats on the new car. Did you go for many options? I have heard that car makers are throwing in a lot of free options to boost sales.

Took possession last evening!
Yeah, we got tthe navi with the tV, flip down deal for the kids to watch in the back. Rear camera, side camera, upgrade on the stereo, card keys... And a box of meat.

[allblacks]

Sounds good. I rarely get a chance to drive my car. The wife took it over to Costco and back on Saturday. I had stuff to do at home and couldnt go. That 40kms is about the extent of the driving it gets a week.

[allblacks]

Isnt it amazing. We take the car in to have snow tires put on. Pay something like 6000 yen for the pleasure. And the "mechanic" there says that our brake pads need replacing. Bull fucking shit! The car went through shaken at Subaru fine before I bought it. It does NOT need brake pads. Do people really fall for this shit? I mean seriously. to all of those CUNTS that think they can pull this.

[ripslyme]

Car insurance questions:
1.) What kind of coverage is required?
2.) What insurers do you recommend?

More background info: I'm from the US (have had that license for over 20 years) and I have had my Japanese driver's license for more than a year. My car is a 1997 Honda SMX with about 119000 Km.

Any other car insurance advice is welcome, thanks!

[allblacks]

It really doesnt matter what company you use. They are all about the same here. The generally accepted and practiced way to cover your car is to pay the compulsory insurance and top it up with unlimited insurance on top. Ie. ANOTHER company policy for unlimited cover as well.

[allblacks]

Ok so this earthquake and Tsunami have had another effect. They have brought car prices down!

For your consideration... A 2000 Legacy Lancaster I bought for stock. No Shaken. 80 000 kms. Looks very tidy and has both summer and winter tires. Cost 40 000 yen. Not joking! If you wanted to put it through shaken you would probably be looking at a total of about 120 000 yen. I still think thats a hell of a deal! In fact, if it doesnt sell it will be coming to the land of ALLBLACKS.

[eb0li]

Nice, I seriously would almost like to trade my car for that one. I've got a minivan now but the length of a wagon would be more useful to me. Oh well, a man can dream...

[SamhainP8]

Do you see any Honda Sparks doing the rounds yet ABS?

[allblacks]

Yes mate. Just depends what specs. What you after?

Edited to add...2010 one with bugger all kms!

[SamhainP8]

Don’t know enough about them at this stage to lay out Specs (but Penelope hates Turbos for some reason)…. Just saw one the other day at a car yard and thought they looked alright. I was about the same price as the one you’ve listed although it had a few more kms on it from memory.

The bloke at the car yard reckoned there wasn’t many second hand ones around, especially of the newer models.

I like the look of them but don’t want to spend more than 700,000, so I might be shit out of luck aye.