lisa@tesla.UUCP (Lisa Eldridge) (03/16/84)
Date: Fri, 16 Mar 84 08:20:02 est From: lisa (Lisa Eldridge) Message-Id: <8403161320.AA01174@tesla.UUCP> To: auto@net Subject: buying cars in Japan It's quite possible to buy both used and new cars in Japan and use them there - but probably impossible to bring them back. I tried this with a motorcycle a few years ago and discovered the red tape was fantastic. There are several differences between this situation and that of the Europeans: 1. There are no (or few) shippers willing to handle small cargoes transPacific 2. The Japanese control their exports VERY strictly and each car maker has a given number to export (this predated the American import controls, and rather makes sure that all exporters have a reasonably fair share of the export market, rather than limiting the absolute number of exports). 3. Due to the abaove, I doubt whether a Japanese maker would even sell you a car to US specs 4. Due to the Japanese abhorrence of old technology, I doubt you could find a pre-1972 importable non-US model 5. Another reason for (4) is that there is a very strict safety inspection for cars every two years, which tends to limit the number of old ones around. On the other hand, if traveling in Japan you could rent a car; buy one and sell it back (new cars in Japan are really very cheap--even Detroit hasn't accused the Japanese of "dumpi g" cars here--I saw a new Civic, rather a basic model, for a littale / ///little less than $4K last year) or buy or rent a motorcycle (and don't expect to bring IT back either). Motorcycles are somewhat more expensive in Japan than here, but are really a logical means of travel because they are faster than cars in cities and a lot easier to park. The Japanese have to have an overnight parking space (off the sidewalk) for every car registered; but bikes can be parked on the sidewalk. Well, athere \\\there are precious few Harleys there to worry about blocking the sidewalk... Insurance rates rise very sharply above 400cc; helmets are required; it seems to me tjat that there's much more tolerance of bikes by car drivers there (much higher bike populatio9n than here, per mile of road); and theft is not widespread. You see a lot of American GIs on the road in bike groups, too. An excellent guidebook called "Japan-a Travel Survival Kit" discusses some of these questions. I rented a bike and traveled around some in Japan in 1982--it was great fun, perfect for the small roads and small villages, and an adventure to navigate by counting the number of street-0corners on city maps (road signs are Romanized only on the superhighways and in major cities). Incidentally there are no "freeways"-It cost me about $10 to travel about 200km on a 250cc bike once. Good luck, learn some Kanji, and show the Japanese we can do it (their natural assumption will be that only Japanese are capable of driving in Japan) Jeff Frey