Shiotsu Autotrade Japan – President’s Blog

New Regulations to increase Used Car prices in New Zealand

Japanese cars rule in New Zealand’s used car industry.  Imported vehicles are typically purchased from used auto auctions in Japan and then brought to New Zealand by auto dealers.  Many of these Japanese used vehicles possess low mileage since Japanese people like to travel by public transport instead of by private vehicles.  These used cars from Japan also are properly maintained, obtainable in excellent condition and are available at very low prices. This has resulted in  a great demand for Japanese used cars.  However, latest regulations concerning importing used cars to New Zealand which will soon be put to effect, may rule out vehicles which are older than seven years; and such a move would certainly push up the prices of used Japanese cars in New Zealand.

Current Regulations for importing Japanese Cars in to New Zealand

New or used cars exported from Japan may be shipped from any Japanese port like Tokyo, Nagoya, Yokohama, Kobe, Osaka, to all the main Ports in New Zealand like Auckland, Lyttelton, Dunedin, Napier, Wellington, Tauranga. When considering the age of shipped in vehicles, the vehicle brought in to New Zealand should not be more than 20 years old. Exclusions to this rule could be made if the used car or truck you import is a special interest vehicle or if perhaps you import a car which has already been registered by your name in Japan.  The vehicle under consideration ought to meet noise and emission standards which are laid by New Zealand government for vehicles of a similar class.  Imported cars should be in a position to clear the New Zealand’s WoF (warrant of fitness) check. All new or used cars should be Right Hand Drive.  There may be exceptions made for any special interest vehicle like special purpose vehicles, antique cars, motorsport cars, hearses or machinery. Nevertheless, a few of these import rules pertaining to import of used cars from Japan might change soon, leading to increase in prices of Japanese used cars in New Zealand. Read the rest of this entry »

Truck Batteries – How to choose the best battery for your truck

Most often, truck owners do not give a great thought to which replacement batteries you must buy for our trucks till our original battery fails. Once the final volt is cranked you are generally in a rush to be again on the streets. This simply implies that you don’t spend enough time choosing the perfect replacement batteries for our truck.

Although price is crucial, the cheapest battery may not be the most beneficial (or cheapest) in the long run. Picking out the perfect battery for your truck is much simpler if you get acquainted with your choices before you require a fast replacement. Here are some common factors which you need to consider while selecting a replacement battery for your truck.

How to choose the right Battery for your Truck?

1. Purchase a truck battery having the right size and dimensions

Battery group size shows the battery size which will best match the physical proportions of your truck. Several vehicles may allow for multiple group size.
Batteries are available in all sizes and shapes. If you opt for one that is too small, it may move about inside the battery tray, and therefore the battery hold-down will certainly be loose. On the contrary, if you purchase a battery that is too big, it might sit on the tray’s edge and this could rub a dent in the battery. If your battery is just too tall, it may touch the hood as well as other metal pieces and create a loud explosion. It is clear that the battery group size is very essential while selecting a battery for your truck.

2. Check the Cold Crank Amperes for your Truck

Cold Crank Amperes (CCA) is crucial for a good cranking ability. It is the number of amperes a battery supports for half a minute at a 0⁰ F before the battery voltage falls to levels which are unusable. A 12V battery having a rating of 600 CCA implies the battery provides 600 amps for 30 seconds at 0⁰ F till the voltage falls to 7.20 V (six cells). Cold start-ups are one of the hardest difficulties for any battery, and in case you purchase a substitute having a reduced rating compared to what your truck needs, you might be in trouble.  In case you buy a battery with a higher rating, it won’t hurt, but there is no great benefit to a sizable increase. Read the rest of this entry »

Should you fill up your car with High Octane Gasoline?

Should you use a higher octane gasoline or regular gasoline? Most car owners are not sure about whether going for High Octane gasoline will improve the performance of the car.  You should first learn about how the engine works, the Octane ratings of a fuel and its effect on car engine performance.

Gasoline is most frequently employed in most automobile spark ignition engines.  Gasoline is basically a mixture of various hydrocarbons.  The gasoline used in cars is sprayed to your engine combined with mixture of air.  Once the engine heats up it transforms the gasoline to vapor.  This vapor allows to generate ignition with the aid of spark plug and this ignites the mixture.  Further additives are blended with the gasoline fuel to boost its quality.  If the ignition takes place before time, there can be a trouble with the fuel.  This harms the engine and the engine tends to make some knocking sounds.  The fuel’s quality is decided based on the knocking effect.  The gasoline’s quality is assessed in octane number.

What’s the difference between premium and regular gasoline?

Many cars usually come with four-stroke gasoline engines.  Out of the four strokes, the first is the compression stroke which compresses a cylinder filled with air into a really small volume to help ignition process in the engine.  The standard car engine has a compression ratio of 8:1. Octane is the primary element of fuel.  The octane rating of gasoline will show you the optimum amount of fuel which needs to be compressed to initiate instant ignition. Read the rest of this entry »