Figured this would be the best place to ask.
Why are JDM cars so cheap? What's the catch?
I'm in Canada and I'm currently looking at this 2008 Toyota Crown Athlete that only has 89000 kilometers. Guy's selling it for 13 grand. A Camry with the same year model and more kms on the odometer would cost more than this out here. I shrugged it off and thought it was a rebuilt title but pretty much every Crown Athlete I see on Marketplace is being sold at this price point, even Civics and G37s with very low mileage.
I haven't really owned a JDM vehicle and that's the reason why I ask. Why are they so cheap compared to cars manufactured here? Are they more expensive to maintain? Are parts almost impossible to find? I'm assuming because they are RHD that certain parts are oriented accordingly, meaning that parts you get from Rock Auto are not compatible.
by PeanutStew24
2 Comments
The average person is deterred by those things you mention and will buy the Camry to avoid those problems. In reality, you need a workshop willing to work on your car and/or the ability to do it yourself and the time to wait for replacement parts. Yes a lot of parts are interchangeable between locally delivered models but if your mechanic doesn’t know that it is very little help… Depending on the car and its modifications etc, it is good to have acess to alternate means of transport! I have owned 3 imports, and it would have been much cheaper and easier to drive Camrys etc but personally I can’t think if anything worse. Each to their own ofc 🙂
There is incentive to get rid of cars sooner in Japan. They’re not allowed to drive falling-apart beaters, so it is expensive continue maintaining a daily driver. That is why Japanese cars are often lower mileage when the owner gets rid of them.