The deregistration notation system was changed.

When I export a car
I send a deregistration paper to the importer by Express Mail Service.
There is information about the car on the deregistration paper.

From this month, it contains a written description of the mileage.
This is good news for most importers.

Before, importers couldn't get the mileage information
without the maintenance records,
so some exporters camouflaged the speedometer.

They didn't mind the mileage when they bought the car at an auto auction,
because they could easily change it.

For example, Toyota Landcruiser prices were always high,
even with the mileage at more than 150,000km.
I think some importers must have thought
Japanese cars were bad for the mileage.

But for the future those exporters can't attempt to defraud.
I think this legal change is good to protect the Japanese car brand image.

The sources

I think we have 4 sources.

1. People who are thinking of doing trade-ins.
2. Car shops.
3. Yahoo auctions.
4. Auto auctions like in the USS.

Obviously, the cheapest way is #1.

Some time ago, I made a Japanese website
that advertises buying cars from people who
want to do a trade-in at a car dealer to buy a new car.

I got some responses,
but I found out it didn't work out,
because the people who are thinking of doing trade-ins
don't want to bother to do things like arranging
an appointment to let me check their cars.

They want to change their cars into money cheaply,
so it's hard to get cars from ordinary people directly.

Also I think I shouldn't buy from a car shop
because they are too expensive,
even I can get them at the wholesale price.


On Yahoo auction,
if yahoo auction sellers are privateers,
there might be bargain cars.
However recently most sellers are car shop guys
and they get their cars from auto auctions,
so the prices are a little bit expensive compared with auto auction prices.

Also some of them sell cars in good condition at their car shop, rather
than the bad condition of cars on Yahoo auction
to maintain their shop reputations.
I don't want to buy from Yahoo auction for this reason.

So I have only one option, buying from an auto auction like in the USS.

But now I'm scrambling to find cars in good condition even from this source.