Buying a car from Japcars.ie(Dublin)

Atomic Pineapple · 17-02-2010 2:58pm

Saab Ed wrote: »

OP have you any link to this car so we can give our opinion on it. Some of these jap import dealers ask and get mad money for cars. All I can say from my days of selling jappos ( many many moons ago ) is that they are ALL clocked. Every single one.

Its a fair assumption to say a high percentage are clocked but you cant say they ALL are.

R.O.R · 17-02-2010 3:11pm

peposhi wrote: »

That's the one

http://carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=486203&r=s.php%3Fm%3D88%26amp%3Bo%3D1172%26amp%3Bg%3D0

I'm trading in my Honda HRV... too hard on petrol...

Hmmm.....

Ad removed or expired. Wonder if someone is reading this?

peposhi · 17-02-2010 4:34pm

You are here: Home > Seach Results > Car Details

<a href="http://carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=486203&r=s.php?m=88&o=1172&g=0#" onclick="history.back(); return false">Back to search results
Make:
Toyota

Model:
Vitz

Year:
2003

Price:
€ 5,250

Mileage:
22,991 miles/
36,999 km

Fuel type:
Petrol

Engine size:
1.0

Colour:
Metallic Silver

Body:
Hatchback

Owners:
1

Transmission:
Automatic

Last update:
16/02/2010

Comments:
DUE DECEMBER. Adjustable Steering Wheel, Air-Conditioning, CD Player, Drivers Air Bag, Multiple Airbags, Passenger Air Bag, Rear Head Rests.

The advert has been deleted...

I couldn't get the pictures

peposhi · 17-02-2010 4:45pm

R.O.R wrote: »

Hmmm.....

Ad removed or expired. Wonder if someone is reading this?

Yes, 8.5 - 9.5l/100km is too hard for me... I'm used to 5.506 l/100km

peposhi · 17-02-2010 5:19pm

I rang Jap Cars and they've said the car would be ready for me on Tuesday and they are paying VRT. Fingers crossed I've chosen a good car. There where good and bad comments about them. We'll see

colm_mcm · 17-02-2010 5:23pm

The ad is removed because the OP bought it.

Personally I wouldn't buy a spark plug from them, not to mind an entire car.

peposhi · 17-02-2010 5:35pm

Probably I'm stubborn, but I do believe I'm getting a good car. That's how I feel from that what I saw... and I drove the car for a while... happy enough

Right 1st Time · 17-02-2010 5:39pm

A 7 year old car and only 23000 miles! Id be looking to get some kind of report on that it seems very low for an 03 car

Eoin · 17-02-2010 5:42pm

It might be an alarm bell, but 3000 miles a year on a type of car that's often a second family car used for short journeys isn't that unbelievable. Plus, I think the average Japanese mileage is lower than ours.

Graham_B18C · 17-02-2010 5:44pm

peposhi wrote: »

Probably I'm stubborn, but I do believe I'm getting a good car. That's how I feel from that what I saw... and I drove the car for a while... happy enough

Been reading car forums for about two years now and I have never ever heard one good report for them.

You should try get a better warrenty. Even a 3 Month Full Warrenty rather than Engine & Gearbox

colm_mcm · 17-02-2010 5:46pm

See if they have the auction sheet from when it came from Japan. that'll have the mileage on it. You can be sure they'll have lost it.

peposhi · 17-02-2010 6:28pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

See if they have the auction sheet from when it came from Japan. that'll have the mileage on it. You can be sure they'll have lost it.

A missing auction list couldn't be used to stop the deal, could it?

Atomic Pineapple · 17-02-2010 6:37pm

peposhi wrote: »

A missing auction list couldn't be used to stop the deal, could it?

You can stop the deal if you want but you'll lose your deposit.

Japanese mileage is often way lower than ours, even so its still low enough to set alarm bells ringing.

I'd have the car mechanically checked out as when i was up there (3 years ago) they had cars that were in a shocking state

peposhi · 17-02-2010 6:43pm

draffodx wrote: »

You can stop the deal if you want but you'll lose your deposit.

Japanese mileage is often way lower than ours, even so its still low enough to set alarm bells ringing.

I'd have the car mechanically checked out as when i was up there (3 years ago) they had cars that were in a shocking state

I have a friend, very good mechanic. I'm thinking to take him with me there before I pay the rest of the money. If he's not satisfied, then I should walk away and swallow a big one...

colm_mcm · 17-02-2010 6:52pm

It'll need auto trans fluid changed, also make sure auxillary belts are done (doesn't have timing belt) and that the tyres on it went on since it was in Japan.
Also make sure the radio works to your satisfaction - if it's the Jap spec one you won't have radio station names, alternative frequency function and the displayed frequency won't be the actual frequency. You also may need to fit an immobiliser for your insurance.

I may be way out here, but I think the NCT technically are supposed to make sure the tyres are E marked. Aside from that, any Japanese car I've had experience of came in on tyres that were unsafe despite having sufficent tread.

qz · 17-02-2010 8:21pm

peposhi wrote: »

I have a friend, very good mechanic. I'm thinking to take him with me there before I pay the rest of the money. If he's not satisfied, then I should walk away and swallow a big one...

It's the best thing to do in the situation I think, it's either that or (more than likely) find out you bought a dog and 'have to swallow an even bigger one'.

underpaid · 17-02-2010 9:03pm

Hi, make sure you get a warrenty with it AND make sure you get that in writing, have heard from frineds that he can be slightly rude if people come back with genuine faults with a car bought there

kazul · 17-02-2010 9:27pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

It'll need auto trans fluid changed, also make sure auxillary belts are done (doesn't have timing belt)

Why?

colm_mcm · 17-02-2010 9:48pm

Between coming from Japan and getting on the forecourt the car will have been sitting up for ages, causing flat spots on the tyres, and faster deterioration of the automatic transmission fluid, you should change this every 30k anyway and there will be no service history - bad fluid will wear out the box and there may be metal shavings etc in the fluid also if the fluid has overheated at any stage its fecked.

Belts on the imports I've seen have been badly cracked, Any half decent garage would have done these and he'll be talking to a brick wall if he wants it done afterwards.

kazul · 17-02-2010 10:27pm

Maybe I'm just lucky with my damaged-repaired, clocked, jap import ex-taxi but I just changed an auxilliary belt tensioner a while ago and left the glazed cracked ones on. Helps that I have a spare set and a toolbox in the boot

and a small bit of knowledge and lots of patience/work to keep her running smoothly

Dunno if my ATF was ever changed, it's pretty dark but only a small clunk into 2nd and no other hassles.

peposhi · 18-02-2010 3:06am

Guys, if Jap Cars were selling only crap, they would have been gone long time a go, don't you think?

We'll see, can't say anything bar "fingers crossed" :rolleyes:

I'll take all advises into consideration and if I complete the deal, I'd definitely come back to you :eek::mad: or

I was surprised to see so many people leaving comments on this tread, I'd love to help someone one day the way you've done it for me...

That's my baby, I'll miss him so much

seanybiker · 18-02-2010 3:14am

girlfriend bought a car off them a year or two ago. Their warranty is brutal. Girlfriend rang em up and me man wouldnt pay for the work that needed doing. Cost her a fair penny in the end. Car is grand now, wouldnt touch them with a barge pole, well I would but only by swinging a barge pole at them.

Atomic Pineapple · 18-02-2010 11:10am

peposhi wrote: »

Guys, if Jap Cars were selling only crap, they would have been gone long time a go, don't you think?

Most of there target market would be young lads that just want a car that they think looks cool and is relatively fast, they have no real interest in cars and therefore just buy off Jap cars without taking the time and care that someone who wanted a proper well looked after car would take

peposhi · 18-02-2010 11:23am

draffodx wrote: »

Most of there target market would be young lads that just want a car that they think looks cool and is relatively fast, they have no real interest in cars and therefore just buy off Jap cars without taking the time and care that someone who wanted a proper well looked after car would take

Well, I'm not young any more, but that doesn't make me less "green" when buying a car comes in sight... I'm afraid that will cost me a lot this time

colm_mcm · 18-02-2010 12:44pm

We were looking for a Corolla import years ago (we couldn't get a European model with good enough equipment at the time) and tried the usual suspects, we ended up going with a guy in Cork (who's since gone out of business) who sourced the right one with the right spec in Japan. I'm wary of ones that were imported in bulk by dealers like this and am sure the only reason they can sell Vitzs are on the claimed mileage and the availability of automatic boxes and air conditioning.
I hope you get a good car OP, but the overwhelming reaction to the dealer in question should be enough to make you ensure the car is 100% before it leaves the garage.

peposhi · 24-02-2010 9:01pm

So, eventually decided to swallow the dog and bought the car. When I went to collect it, it was not ready, they were fixing some problem with the CV joints they said. Waited for some time, paid the cash, got the car and drove. Once I accelerated over 65-70 I felt a strong vibration, the whole front of the car was shaking. I drove back straight away and spoke to the seller. Darren, their main mechanic was going to comeback in an hour time and would have looked at it, but I had not time to wait and we set Thursday as a day to comeback and have a look at the problem. Today I went to a mechanic and guess what - two shafts need to be replaced. For my car - 571 Euro... each :eek: if I buy them from Toyota... That's not good. Have to go back and make sure Japcars fix it....

peposhi · 24-02-2010 9:03pm

other than that, car is very, very good, happy that I've chosen Yaris

Tigger · 24-02-2010 9:09pm

peposhi wrote: »

So, eventually decided to swallow the dog and bought the car. When I went to collect it, it was not ready, they were fixing some problem with the CV joints they said. Waited for some time, paid the cash, got the car and drove. Once I accelerated over 65-70 I felt a strong vibration, the whole front of the car was shaking. I drove back straight away and spoke to the seller. Darren, their main mechanic was going to comeback in an hour time and would have looked at it, but I had not time to wait and we set Thursday as a day to comeback and have a look at the problem. Today I went to a mechanic and guess what - two shafts need to be replaced. For my car - 571 Euro... each :eek: if I buy them from Toyota... That's not good. Have to go back and make sure Japcars fix it....

two drive shafts gone and the cv joints on a .
23k yaris? seems unlikley

also did you ask for the auction sheet?

peposhi · 24-02-2010 9:18pm

yes, it's in the car and actually there are 61 000km on it

Absurdum · 24-02-2010 9:18pm

peposhi wrote: »

other than that, car is very, very good

:eek: