Shiotsu Autotrade Japan – President’s Blog

Kelley Blue Book Co. – a US company providing information on new and used cars has picked the Honda Acura passenger car 2007 model as the potentially most valuable used car five years ahead in the US auto market. Used car prices quoted by Kelley Blue Book serve as key benchmarks in the US market for secondhand vehicles.

Honda Acura is a dream car for drivers looking for comfort, driving performance and quality fuel economy. It is the first time a Japanese car has made the top of Kelley Blue Book Co’s list on the value of used passenger vehicles five years from now since the company began compiling the list for 2005 vehicles.

Japanese car models, including the Toyota Prius hybrid sedan, filled five slots of the top 10 list, whereas only one US brand made its way onto the list.  German automaker BMW topped the lists of 2005 and 2006 models.

Technorati Tags: Kelley Blue Book, used cars, Honda Acura, Honda, Japanese car, Toyota, Prius

Many times prospective customers ask us why they should buy an used car from exporters like us and not directly from the owners. Well, yes you can definitely find many owners selling their vehicles directly on classifieds sites or on ebay auctions.  Well, I advise them that if they are smart customers,  they will first read the whole advertisement and decide for themselves whether or not the owner is legitimate and the if the information he is providing about the vehicle is correct.  Many of these advertisements will reveal themselves as just fraud or nonsense; others will involve the sale of used automobiles by dealers.  And very few will be legitimate advertisements for cars offered by owners who are giving you a great deal for their used car.  Again,  reading carefully makes all the difference.

For example, I had earlier tried to shop for used Japanese cars at a reasonable price through yahoo auctions and Craig’s list.  There were many choices and some offers looked great, but their price was much higher than the market price.  Some cars were offered at low prices but they often had some faults or accidents or some parts like the air conditioner were not working.  When I shortlisted some sellers and sent them my offer and requested them for a test drive, I was unable to get response most of the times. That was sheer waste of my time.

I also found some ads which were not coming directly from the owners, but those were from dealers.  They had put ads for hundreds of cars and had listed as many as six different contact numbers in their ads. So it was obvious that the dealer was not having a legitimate business and was probably a fraud, Or he was more likely a person trying to avoid paying company taxes by passing himself off as an owner. Such behavior affects the legitimate sellers like us trying to sell a decent car.

There are many other risks involved when you buy used cars directly from owners advertising on the net. Many of them are not familiar with the exporting formalities and will not be able to deliver the car or there may be extra hidden costs in the shipping process.  And there is no guarantee that the vehicle you receive will be the same as that advertised.  However, we are a legitimate company in this business for several years.   We buy used cars from our network of dealers and auction houses in Japan which satisfy our quality requirements, so we can guarantee the quality of the vehicles that you will receive.

Our motto is selling high quality used Japanese vehicles at a reasonable price, and customer satisfaction is our key to be in this business for a long time.

Technorati Tags: used, car, exporter, vehicles, classifieds, ebay, auction, automobiles, yahoo, Japan, Japanese

The redesigned Toyota Camry, the hottest-selling car in America, has been declared as the Car of the Year 2007 by Motor Trend, the world’s automotive authority and part of  PRIMEDIA’s Consumer Automotive Group.  The award announced yesterday goes to the entire Camry range, including the Camry Hybrid.  Last year’s winner was the Honda Civic.

‘Toyota Camry is a car that is innovative yet has a broad mainstream appeal. This is one of the toughest tasks facing any automaker. The Camry is the one car rival automakers all wish they could build. It offers something for nearly everyone – performance, efficiency and space – at a price most Americans can afford’, magazine Editor-in-Chief, Angus MacKenzie, said in a statement. The Japanese car maker offers the Camry in various models – with a regular four cylinder engine, or a sporty V-6 that enables it to hit 60 mph in just six seconds. Fuel economy conscious buyers can choose the Camry Hybrid, which uses the same innovative hybrid power train technology used in Toyota’s Prius to save gas.

The Camry beat 26 other models that were totally new or redesigned in the year prior to Jan. 1, 2007 – comprising six models from the U.S., 10 from Japan, five from Korea, four from Germany, one from the U.K.,  and one from Sweden.

Camry won in a very strong competitive field.  There have never been more choices available to American car buyers. That is a fact of life in the 21st century.  According to Autodata Corp.  Toyota sold 350,481 Camrys this year through October to lead all cars in U.S. sales.  The No. 2 car in sales is Toyota’s Corolla at 330,995.

Toyota, the world’s second largest automaker, last won Car of the Year in 2004 for its redesigned Prius hybrid. Toyota’s Tacoma pickup was Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year in 2005.

Technorati Tags: Toyota, Camry, Car, Honda, Japanese, Hybrid, Japan, Corolla, Truck

Nissan introduced the new 12th generation Skyline yesterday in Japan. In Japan, the name Skyline has a history which dates all the way back to 1957, when the first Nissan Prince Skyline was introduced. Since then, Nissan has introduced steady parade of Skyline models through the decades. Skyline is more than just those sports models. The name has graced family sedans, coupes, wagons, and hatchbacks as well as said power-mad GTs, giving it a prominent spot in Japan’s automobile industry. Skyline models have been sold in the US since 2003 by the name Infinity.

The 12th generation Skyline features all-new exterior and interior designs, the next generation FR-L platform and newly developed VQ35HR V6 engine.  The concept “attraction, sophistication and high-performance driving” was behind the development of the new skyline model.

Retail price of the new Skyline will be from 2,793,000 yen  to 3,801,000 yen nationwide. Nissan expects to sell atleast 1,000 units of this new car per month. The new line-up comes in a choice of seven body colors including three all-new colors  Blade Silver, Stratosphere Blue, and Crimson Red.

The new Nissan Skyline 3.5 liter V6 version generates 315 horsepower and 36.5kgm of torque while the 2.5 liter V6 version generates 225 horsepower with 26.8kgm of torque. Drivers will have the choice of a five-speed automatic with adaptive shift control, allowing the driver to be in full control of the power generated by the new engine.

Nissan’s engineers focused on three key areas  superior balance of driving performance, accommodating increased engine power,  and comfort as well as environmental friendliness and safety. The Skyline is a certified super low emission vehicle (SU-LEV ), with a significant 75% reduction in Nitrogen Oxide and Non-Methane Hydrocarbon emissions compared to 2005 Japanese emission regulations.

Technorati Tags: Nissan, Skyline, Japan, sports, automobile, car, Japanese

As per the latest news, Japan‘s 1 automaker Toyota has bought a 5.9 per cent stake in Japan’s diesel specialist Isuzu. Auto industry analysts  predict that this will lead to more diesel models carrying the Toyota badge.  The stake cost Toyota US$373 million. The move comes as Toyota appears on track to overtake General Motors as the world’s biggest automaker.

Toyota has been a leader on hybrid development, but has been a little behind the curve when it comes to diesel engine vehicles. It was especially humiliating for Toyota when its archival Honda boasted it would start selling clean diesel models in the U.S. within 3 years. Toyota’s interest in Isuzu is a clear move to bridge this gap.

Although Toyota owns Hino which manufactures medium and heavy-duty trucks, it does not have much experience with smaller-displacement diesels. So it figured that it might be best to partner with a company with primary expertise in compression-ignition engines. Isuzu was the natural choice for Toyota, as Isuzu is one of the oldest automakers in Japan with a history of developing and manufacturing diesel engines for more than 60 years.

Isuzu’s reputation in diesel engines is so hight that General Motors had earlier partnered with Isuzu for developing its next-generation  and 1-ton diesel engine for its pickup trucks.  With the General Motors selling its stake in Isuzu in April this year, Toyota saw it as the perfect opportunity to purchase 5.6 percent of the company, as well as tap its high level of expertise with diesel engines.

According to a statement, Toyota and Isuzu plan to work together in researching and developing small diesel engines, including cooperating on emission-control technologies as well as alternative fuel technologies. With this tie-up Toyota may perhaps come up with even the first production passenger-car diesel hybrid. Toyota will concentrate on alternative-fuel efforts, while Isuzu will take the lead on developing a range of small diesels and new diesel-emission technology.

In alternative fuel technology field, Toyota plans to develop a new diesel engine powered by bio fuel, with Isuzu Motors. The two automakers will develop a device to control the supply of bio diesel fuel to the engine and technology to secure the necessary strength of parts. Bio fuel engines reduce the emission so they are environment friendly.

Technorati Tags: Japan, automaker, Toyota, diesel, Isuzu, Auto, General Motors, Bio fuel

Toyota Lexus is on its course to become the best-selling imported car in South Korea successively for the second year beating German automaker BMW.

BMW had held the top position in South Korea for six consecutive years since 1999, but since last year the Japanese automaker Toyota’s Lexus took the lead. The increase in sales of Lexus was attributed to Japanese brand’s aggressive promotions that particularly targeted affluent housewives in Seoul.

Toyota sold 5,183 Lexus sedans in South Korea in the first 10 months of this year; BMW lagged with sales of 4,931 units.  Imported car market in South Korea went up by 32 percent in 2005; Sales are expected to expand more than 10 percent this year to 34,000 units, according to the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association.  Car Dealers in South Korea say BMW has failed to adjust its red-tape marketing strategy in this surging imported automotive market.

Toyota Korea recently launched its much anticipated Lexus RX400h Hybrid SUV featuring the revolutionary Lexus Hybrid Drive System. Based on Toyota’s second generation hybrid synergy drive, the RX400h hybrid is not only fuel efficient but this Lexus hybrid SUV has great power; it can produce up to 270 horsepower with its front mounted 3.3 liter V6 internal combustion engine pooled with front and back electric motors.

Source : Asia Pulse News

Technorati Tags: Toyota, Lexus, car, Korea, BMW, Japanese, automaker, automotive, Hybrid, SUV

Last week my business associate from Laos Ms. Keo visited me in Osaka with her company staff. She owns a company which is the biggest used truck importer in Laos. I have known her for last four years and she is one of my best friends now.

It was fine weather in autumn so Ms. Keo and her staff enjoyed their trip. I also took them to Universal Studios Japan (USJ) – movie theme park. It was their first visit to USJ, so they were thrilled. We could enjoy many rides such as Shrek’s 4-D adventure, Back to the future, Jurassic Park and Spider-man adventure. They were happy to shake hands with characters like Shrek and Hello Kitty. We enjoyed exciting rides, delicious food, and shopping in USJ.

Universal Studios Japan was opened in March 2001 and is the company’s first movie studio theme park outside the United States. Even if you have visited the Universal Studios in the United States, this one won’t bore you. Some attractions, such as Snoopy Studio and Universal Studios Motion Picture Magic, are Universal Studios Japan’s original. Also, there is a Japanese restaurant called Saido in New York Area of the park. If you plan to visit us in Osaka, please check schedules on home page of Universal Studios Japan so that I can plan to take you there.

 

Technorati Tags: Laos, Osaka, used truck, Universal Studios, Japan, USJ, Japanese

For the first time ever, Suzuki is in third place in the Japanese domestic automotive market trailing behind Toyota and Nissan, overtaking Honda  for combined sales of light commercial vehicles and passenger cars.

As per the financial daily Nikkei Shimbun, Suzuki sold 587,874  passenger cars and commercial vehicles,  behind Toyota (1,417,984) and Nissan (670,096) and ahead of Honda (581,249) and Daihatsu (524,381) between January and October 2006.

So what made this possible? Despite the Japanese econominc recovery, regular car sales are going down. However it is interesting to note that there is a boom of mini car or kei car in Japan now. These are low cost tiny cars limited to 660 cc engines. Suzuki, Daihatsu and Mitsubishi are the only three companies producing kei cars at the present. Kei cars now account for 35% of unit sales in Japan’s 6 million a year car market. A new kei car costs around one million yen ($9000).  These mini cars are cheaper to produce and also receive tax benefits from the government. Japanese people do not want to pay more for luxurious cars nowadays as they look at cars as a normal commodity. As Suzuki is the leader in Kei cars, its domestic sales overtook Honda making it the third best automaker in Japanese domestic market now.

Suzuki’s success in other countries such as India, Pakistan and Hungary is also due to the low cost mini cars it produces there. Next year Suzuki will launch a compact MPV (minivan) based on the Splash concept shown at the recent Paris motor show.

Technorati Tags: Suzuki, automotive, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, kei car, Japanese, cars

It’s autumn time now in Japan after a humid summer. It is one of the best times in the year when one can enjoy cool weather, delicious food and great scenery.

In any country, the yellow and crimson fall leaves are beautiful and delight for photographers and Japan is no exception. Japan is famous for its Japanese Maple trees which turns brilliant crimson red in the autumn. These red leaves are called  ‘koyo’ in Japanese.

The viewing of autumn leaves has been a popular activity among the Japanese for centuries just like Japanese enjoy viewing cherry blossoms. The autumn leaves draw large numbers of viewers to famous spots.

One of the best places to watch the autumn leaves is Kyoto – which is just 45 minutes by train from Osaka where I live. Kyoto was the capital of Japan from 794 through 1868;  today it is a small city with many cultural assets from the byegone era. Kyoto is further unique within Japan in that it was virtually untouched during World War II. Temples, shrines and even a castle remain intact as of today.  So it is in Kyoto, you can get a glimpse of the ancient Japanese culture.

In Kyoto leaves will start changing colors from mid November, so all our customers who will be visiting our office in November and December can have a great chance to see these autumn foliage colors on the backdrop of beautiful temples and shrines.  History and culture become one with the beauty of nature in the charm of Kyoto, where you will never tire of the changing seasons. You will also have many chances to see Japanese festivals in Autumn.

Technorati Tags: autumn, fall leaves, Japan, Japanese, Kyoto, culture, foliage

When it comes to Japanese Sports cars, people normally think of Mitsubishi’s Evolution, Subaru WRX STI, Nissan‘s reborn Z,  Mazda RX-8 and MX-5 (Miata). These are today’s best sports and performance cars come from the land of rising sun, Japanese auto makers may not have have 50 or 100 years of great performance models to draw on, but the ones they’ve made in the last 40 years or so are now immensely popular among collectors.

Here are some popular sports cars from Japan

Third-Generation Mazda RX-7  It is a serious sports car from Mazda with 255-horsepower, twin-turbo engine. In Japan, Mazda sold the RX-7 through its Efini brand as the Efini RX-7. It is an outright, no-compromise sports car by Japanese standards. It features an aerodynamic, futuristic-looking body design.  All 3rd Generation RX-7s (1993-present) are twin sequential turbo, twin rotor 13B-REW engines. The RX-7 is considered as a popular choice in import drag racing.

Honda Acura NSX  2005 was the final model year for Honda’s fabulous mid-engine exotic, which first came to market in 1991. When the NSX was introduced back in 1991, Honda was at the peak of its glory days in Formula 1. So everyone could have expected from the engine supplier of the Formula 1 champion a great car. It has a high-tech aluminum body/chassis structure, a high-winding V-6, sound ergonomics, and quality and reliability that Italian car enthusiasts can only dream about. Many of them have been extensively modified and/or driven hard; but find a well-maintained, mid-1990s manual-transmission-equipped example, and you’ll have a capable exotic you can drive every day.  The most important thing about the NSX is that it is surely a supercar but, still, it is as friendly to drive as you surely wouldn’t expect from a super car. To make it simpler, the NSX is as exciting and fast as a Ferrari and as friendly as a Civic.

Toyota MR2Â The Toyota MR2 was a two-seat, mid-engined, rear wheel drive sports car produced by Toyota from 1984 to 2005, in three different design series. The-second generation MR2 was often called the Baby Ferrari 308. The third-generation car, which just went out of production, combined an open-roadster body with a mid-engine layout. Both are cool, fun to drive, and destined to become recognized by enthusiast collectors. Toyota’s reliability and legendary build quality are a plus, and parts are still plentiful. With its mid/rear engine and small size, the MR2 is often compared to more exotic sports cars.

If you wish to import used sports and performance cars from Japan, we would be glad to help you.

Technorati Tags: Japanese, Sports cars, Nissan, Mazda, performance cars, Japan, Honda, Toyota