Do’s And Don’ts Of Importing Second Hand Vehicles From Japan

Japan has become the go-to place for anyone looking for vehicles, be it brand new or used, you will find it in Japan. And amazingly, they come at good prices and offer good value for the money. The Japanese automakers have dominated the industry for many decades not only producing lots of vehicles, but also ones that you can always rely on. This has made Japan the largest manufacturer of autos beating every other country in the global auto market. This has lead to growth of a whole new market, the second hand auto industry and there is no signs that it will slow down anytime soon. People will always want to buy cheap and spend less for a vehicle simply because of their budget restraints as well as a way to get a vehicle that can be used on various jobs without being overly-expensive.

Why Buy Second Hand Japanese Vehicles?

Mitsubishi Minicab Truck Japanese dump bed mini trucks

Don’t be fooled to think that second hand vehicles are poor in performance or unreliable in some way. The Japanese autos are known for their superior quality, performance and reliability and this is why everyone across world are scramming to get them. One other reason why there is such a huge market and people love the Japanese second hand vehicles is that they are more affordable and one can even get a good deal on a recently owned vehicle. Here is a breakdown of some of the reasons why getting second hand vehicles is a good idea;

They Are Dirt Cheap!

Before you ask the common question, why these vehicles come at dirt cheap prices, even more than one can see priced by other vehicle models, be sure that they are are ion good shape and form. There are a number of reasons and things that makes the Japanese second hand vehicles so cheap, and one of the reasons this happens is that Government has ensured that newer vehicles in Japan attracts lower insurance while older ones have a high insurance premium. Due to this fact, people try to save by getting newer vehicles and dumping older ones at a cheap price. So why not hop in and get a cheap vehicle that you can count on and take advantage of this? It is definitely well worth the investment and gives you good value for the money.

Reliable

Don’t we all love to have a vehicle that we can count on to deliver and serve as the way we want them to? Of course yes. High skilled engineering and expertise is rooted in Japanese auto industry and this is why their vehicles are among the best in the market. They are easy to maintain and one can easily learn how to repair them by themselves which also helps to save a lot of money along the way.

Durable

Having a solid vehicle that lasts long is one of the things that we all want. This ensures that you can use the vehicle for a long time. They are well built with solid structures, bodies and chassis that will stand any abuse and work perfectly in the most rugged roads out there. If you are looking to buy a vehicle that will last decades, then there is nowhere else to look other than Japan.

Easy & Low Cost Of Maintenance

Having a vehicle that is easy to maintain and make repairs will save you a lot of hassles and money. The engineering and ingenious technologies used by Japanese automakers makes it easy to repair and replace worn out parts of the vehicle. You can easily master the basics and even the technical part of repairing the vehicle to ensure that you are always ready and all set all the time.

Here are some for the crucial dos and don’ts that many people make every time that they are importing a second hand vehicle from Japan.

Inspect & Do Due Diligence Before Buying

If there is pone big mistake that many of us do is failing to do enough in ensuring that the vehicle is in good shape or not. Besides many other things that one needs to keep in mind when purchasing a vehicle, this is one of the most important ones. And these things will determine whether you will get a good service out of it or not. You need know and understand many things about the vehicle and ask the dealer as much questions as you can. We here at Substar, are among the most reliable dealers who have been in the industry for many years and you will get comprehensive footage of the vehicle while a detailed video footage of specific parts of the vehicle are also available upon request. Doing this can be very beneficial in avoiding faulty vehicles that come and break down.

Some of the most crucial things that one should check on the vehicle so as to ensure they are perfect condition and worth investing in ranges from the tires, the vehicle’s body, paint-work, gear box, engine idle and performance, the hydraulic system. This might seem like a lot of things to check out, but it is really worth it. You can also ask for a detailed mechanical report to know how the vehicle has been used as the maintenance record will detail everything hence you will easily know whether the vehicle has any known issues which you should avoid. You can easily avoid future potential issues that you may not easily see or judge by just looking at the vehicle.

Scams Are All Over

 

Another important thing that one needs to be very keen on is when making the order. There are lots of people who lose a lot of money to scams and traps from many people who steal money from them believing that they are dealing with a real company. There is no lying that scams are on the rise and anyone out there can become a victim. That said, if a scammer pretends to be owning a car dealership and that they are selling vehicles from Japan, one could easily fall prey and become lured to make a deal without them suspecting anything. Scammers will always make one believe that they have been in business and will do anything to convince person that they are getting a good deal and the offer is usually too sweet which makes it unresistant to many people. Another common type of scam that people fall into is bait and switch, where people get the wrong vehicle than the one they inspected and thought they bought. In order to avoid such types of scams and other similar instances, it is always good to do a thorough background check about the dealer and the company that you intend to work with. Their website details can also tell you a lot which could help you determine whether you are dealing with a legit company and worth working with or not. Other sites such as dealership forums and discussion boards are also a good place to know more about a company and learn about the experiences of other people.

Always Negotiate For The Best Deal

Everything that comes used always offers a room for negotiation and his is true when it comes o vehicles as well. Whether you are importing the vehicle abroad or not, then you can always discuss with the seller and negotiate to get a sweeter deal.

The prices aren’t always fixed like you will find with brand new vehicles and the car dealers and owners no matter where they are will always be willing to compromise and negotiate the price of a vehicle. Failing to take advantage of this will deny you the chance to save tons of cash which you could use to subsidize for the cost of shipping and clearance of the vehicle.

Avoid Faulty Vehicles

While it may make sense to sometimes buy a vehicle to refurbish and make repairs and save a lot of money, that isn’t always the case. Sometimes things go south as they can end up being to expensive to repair. Unless you are a professional who dos this for business and ready to risk, then you should avoid doing this. You should avoid doing this especially if you are still new to buying and importing second hand vehicles. This is usually hard especially if you are importing from Japan or any other country abroad where you cannot physically look at he vehicle to assess it. Doing this could end up becoming prohibitively expensive to make the necessary fixes and adjustments to the vehicle. Always go with second hand vehicles that are in good shape as this will save you the hard stress and hassles of risking on costs.

Final Word:

Now that we have gone through the nightmares and costly mistakes that many of us go through on a regular basis when they are importing or shipping from Japan, isn’t it time you put it to practice? Hopefully, it has been a well worthy guide that will shine enough light and serve as a good source of information to you when you are shopping or importing a second hand vehicle from Japan the easy way.

Be sure to take some time to check out some for the second hand Japanese vehicles that we have listed on our sales page. There are lots of them which ranges from small vans to large dump bed mini trucks that we have vetted and ensured are in perfect shape. Get in touch to learn more about a particular vehicle and how we can help you get the best shipping deals and tricks to save a lot in the process.

Used Dump Body Mini Truck –Choosing The Right Dump Body

Don’t we all just love the flexibility and advantages that come along with dump bed mini trucks? If you have owned a mini truck or at least used one for some time, then you already know how good these vehicles are. Although small and perhaps a little lower when it comes to engine capacity, the mini trucks are graced for their superior performance and low cost of running.

However, due to wear and tear, you need to make replacements on some parts to continue getting the same quality service. Among the most crucial parts is the bed box (body) which requires one to be extra cautions when making the replacement. In this article, we will go through some of the best tips to check out for when you are looking for a used dump body mini truck.

What To Look for When Buying A Dump Body Mini Truck

Here are some of the crucial things to look for when you are looking to invest on a dump body mini tuck kit.

Floor Of The Bed

The floor is perhaps the most important part of your mini truck’s bed. It is the base where everything lays; be it concrete for construction, farm produce or anything else, the strength and the general condition of the bed floor is of great concern. This is because the main purpose of a dump bed mini truck is to carry around loads which simply mean that the better the floor of the bed, the more load it is able to handle without any issues. It is therefore important that you ensure that the floor of bed is in top shape.

General Toughness Of The Body

The other thing that you wouldn’t like to ignore is how the body has been built to last and become durable. This determines how long the body will serve you in the long run, as well as how it is able to handle different loads. Depending on what you plan on using the mini truck, how tough it is will tell you how it is able to handle that task. If you are planning on using it for heavy work such as using it to carry around heavy equipment for construction, then it should be tough enough to withstand the conditions that it will be subjected to.

How Old Is The Body?

Even though you are looking at a pre-owned vehicle, it shouldn’t be dead old. The older the body, the higher the chances that it could be faulty or of lower quality. This therefore means that the age and how the body has been used before is something that you cannot take lightly. It could mean the difference between good and faulty. Getting a newer, but used dump body mini truck should be something of higher consideration, since you are more likely to get a new used body in perfect condition.

Check The Hydraulic Lifting System

dump bed mini truckWhat is a dump bed mini truck without a hydraulic lift system? If you can’t have it lift, then it is not a dump bed mini truck at all. Hydraulic system is one of the most common issues that dump bed mini trucks have and as such, you need to make sure that whatever you are getting (if it comes with a hydraulic lift system), should be in good condition. Something that is very important when you are going for a dump bed mini truck is how the hydraulic lift system works. Unless you are planning to fit another lift system later on, you need to make sure that it lifts high enough and that it pulls itself down without any issues. This will guarantee you that you will get good service from the dump bed.

Body Compatibility

Not all bodies perfectly fir with just any type of vehicle. Although you may come across some models fitting well with another, it doesn’t always mean that it will always perform at its best. When you get a body that you presume to fit well and doesn’t, then you might experience poor stability which in turn leads to poor quality service. Make sure that the model and parts match before buying that used dump body mini truck.

Do Thorough Instruction On The Bed

Lastly, but most importantly, you need to do your homework by doing your due diligence to ensure that everything on the dump bed is in perfect shape. There are many parts of a dump bed and due to the nature of these trucks handling different tasks. Here are some that you need to take care of in your checklist;

  • Cab protector – This is the part that protects the cab from damage if risky loads fall on the cab. Although not necessary in mini trucks, it could be if you are going to be handling risky tasks that could drop on the cab.
  • Front Wall
  • Tailgate
  • Understructure
  • Drop pin for the tailgate opening and closing.
  • Drop side up capabilities
  • The bed tarping system
  • Lower tailgate latching hardware to ensure good lock when transporting

All these are some of the things that you need to ensure are in good condition before investing on a used dump body mini truck.

Final Word:

When you have a faulty dump body mini truck, there is always that option to get a new one. But if you are on a budget, then you should get one that is used. However, there are many things to keep in mind when you are choosing a used dump body kit. Hopefully the tips above have been useful in giving you some pointers on what to look for when buying a used dump body mini truck.

If you come into some problems finding the right one, you can always get in touch with us. We have been dealing with Japanese mini tucks for many years and you are always welcome to check some of the used mini trucks and mini vans in our listings page. We also help you by shipping the vehicle to your destination port.