RetireJapan

Hi folks, trying to buy a car in Japan for the first time. We're a family of 5 and I've decided to look into "smaller" 7 seaters such as the Toyota Sienta or the Honda Freed.

Looking at Toyota resellers for the car in my region, prices seem to vary from 40 man to 180 man. Although the prices seem to be loosely related to the age of the car and its mileage, it doesn't always feel clear cut. Are there other things that are taken into account in the prices below? Options that I maybe don't care about?

https://gazoo.com/U-Car/search_result?C ... c=1&Tec=00

Any thing I should pay specific attention to?

A few of my thoughts, which might be completely wrong, appreciate any advice here:
- I'm not a car enthusiast, but don't want to buy a car new. I feel an authorized reseller (in this case, looks like it's toyota themselves) is my best option, rather than going to individuals.
- Should I be concerned about that car's life expectancy if I aim to buy, say, a 2008 car with about 40'000km?

The running costs are arguably more important.

Fuel economy. (Older cars tend to be worse). Hybrids are great.

Insurance.

Shaken. (Can be a big outlay every two years for an older car).

Tax.

Get it before 1 October and you’ll beat the consumption tax rise!

Try to screw the dealer on extras rather than price. New mats, full service, maybe a new battery/tyres etc.

We might need a new car soon. I'm looking at the Prius Alpha. It's a seven seater that is just a bit bigger than a sedan. Seems promising.

Hi there
Here is my humble opinion after 3 purchases over the last 15 years

StockBeard wrote: ↑Wed Sep 18, 2019 3:25 am Looking at Toyota resellers for the car in my region, prices seem to vary from 40 man to 180 man. Although the prices seem to be loosely related to the age of the car and its mileage, it doesn't always feel clear cut. Are there other things that are taken into account in the prices below? Options that I maybe don't care about?

Besides year and mileage, I suppose it's related to the price of the car when new (some have very costly options) and the general state of the body, interior, etc.

StockBeard wrote: ↑Wed Sep 18, 2019 3:25 am - I'm not a car enthusiast, but don't want to buy a car new. I feel an authorized reseller (in this case, looks like it's toyota themselves) is my best option, rather than going to individuals.

I agree. Usually the cars they sell have been well serviced and include a warranty. You may also have the option of extending the warranty for a few man-en (subject to certain conditions such as a maintenance plan). You may find it worth considering.

StockBeard wrote: ↑Wed Sep 18, 2019 3:25 am https://gazoo.com/U-Car/search_result?C ... c=1&Tec=00

Gazoo is the official database of Toyota resellers and as such it is a bit limited.
I would suggest that you search general databases like "goo-net" and/or "car sensor". Authorized resellers post all their used cars there (there's a "ディーラー' (Authorized resellers) box to check before searching).
You can look there for Freeds and Sientas in Saitama between 40 and 180 man and compare mileages, prices, options, etc.
Also, please note that side air bags are mandatory in the US and Europe, but not in Japan.
You may want them or not*, personal choice, but be aware that very few cars have them.

StockBeard wrote: ↑Wed Sep 18, 2019 3:25 am - Should I be concerned about that car's life expectancy if I aim to buy, say, a 2008 car with about 40'000km?

This one is difficult. Opinions vary a lot, and cars are supposed to be much more reliable than in the past. I really don't know. If you buy a car that is 10 years old, however, to put the odds on your side, I'd suggest that you buy a
- one-owner used car ワンオーナー
- from an authorized reseller ディーラー車
- with 2-year shaken and 車検整備付
- with service records 記録簿


Just my opinion. I hope it helps.

*("Research to date is inconclusive about the performance of side air bags in reducing injury in side impact")
https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_saf ... safety.pdf

One thing you might keep in mind is when the generation of the vehicle changed. I have a Mitsubishi Delica that was in the same generation from 2007 to 2018, meaning that from the outside you can't tell the difference between one that was sold a year ago and one that was sold 10 years ago (aside from a bit of shine). So my 10 year old vehicle does not look old now, and it will continue to not look particularly old for a while.

Some other cars that had more drastic or numerous redesigns might look a bit more dated at 10 years, which isn't necessarily a problem. But one thing to keep in mind is that if a car was in the same generation from 2007-2013, for example, by going older in that range you might be saving a bit of money and getting essentially the same vehicle -- though the entertainment tech is the thing that might change I suppose.

Also, used cars in Japan seem to be very low mileage compared with other places -- or perhaps, the thinking about mileage is different. I saw a Delica for sale in Australia (on Youtube) and the guy was like, "Beautiful vehicle, only 110,000 km" whereas in Japan 110K sounds like a dinosaur to most people -- but practically speaking, it's fine and you could drive it to 150-180K with probably no maintenance outside your normal shaken check. When buying my vehicle I asked my father about the difference between something with 60K and 100K, and he was like, "Nothing -- I buy my cars at around 100K and drive them to 200K no problem." So I wouldn't be too afraid of "high" mileage cause it probably ain't really that high and you'll be getting a big discount.