Buying a car- What are my options?

10 comments

1. Hello, fellow incoming Aomori JET here. My Japanese friend mentioned that it would be possible to get a used K- car (small Japanese car) for around 50,000 to 100,000 yen which is about or less than $500 – $1000 USD. But of course, if you want a nicer one that would range up to $10,000 USD. Also, my friend mentioned that Japanese cars need to go through an inspection every 2 years so they run pretty well.

2. Between 100,000-300,000 yen depending on the type and model. Second-hand from a Leaver is usually the cheapest. Kei cars are cheaper and taxed less than White plates (cars over 660cc). K-cars also require less money for shaken (car inspection/tune up) when it’s due. Insurance is based on age, around 5,000-10,000 yen a month depending on age and company. Goocar or [goo-net.com](https://goo-net.com) is a great place to find current prices and sellers!

3. I (over)paid 250,000JPY cash for my Suzuki WagonR (Kei car – 660cc) from a dealer but to be fair it served me very well over the 3 years I owned it. In terms of using a credit card – no idea, the dude I bought from I doubt would have accepted card, but I know of a JET that setup a payment plan with his dealer (I think he paid via 3 cash instalments)

   Given that I think it snows quite a bit in Aomori (correct me if I’m wrong), you might be better off with a long term rental? I know JETs who’ve gone down that route as maintenance gets covered and it’s a piece of cake to hand back when you leave.

4. I would plan on paying cash and keep the credit card as a backup. Probably not too many dealers out there who want to lose 5% or so on credit card fees when they sell a car.

5. >How much money do you think I’ll need for a used car?

   Anywhere between ¥100,000 to ¥300,000 for a decent used car. However I’ve heard prices have gone up recently due to the economy so I’d budget for more. This is to buy, various taxes incidental charges like snow tires and car inspection means you’ll be paying perhaps ¥200,000 a year or so on car maintenance and fees. Keep that in mind. I’ve seen many fresh out of college jets seem surprised when they got a tax bill for their car lol.

   >Will I need to buy the car in cash?
   Is it possible to buy a car using my American Credit card?

   Possibly? A proper dealer can probably process your American card. But it might not be so straightforward.

   Since you’re going to be in Aomori snow tires are a must. I also recommend you keep blankets in your car so you don’t freeze to death if you break down. Along with snow shovel and other miscellaneous things you might need. Don’t leave the car running with the exhaust blocked by snow to warm it up because you’ll die. Don’t pour hot water on your windshield to melt the ice because it can crack. Don’t be that one dumbass in a snowstorm that thinks because they see fine they don’t need to have their headlights on. Other drivers can’t see you. Be especially careful driving near bridges and tunnels as the road is prone to freeze there.

   Be careful where you park your car in the winter or you might wake up to find it crushed by falling snow.

6. I’m not sure if my areas just more expensive than others, but in my area, kei cars start at ¥250,000. I paid ¥350,000 for mine a few years ago for my 10 year old kei car. White plates are generally from ¥500,000.

   (If you’re not familiar, kei cars are basically small cars with smaller engines. They’re perfectly safe, normal cars, they just can’t get to speed racer level speeds or haul things. White plates are regular cars)

   I would also recommend paying in cash up front, if possible. I have a friend who opted for a payment plan and it’s kind of been the bane of her existence. It takes a significant amount out of her paycheck every month and with interest she’s paying more in the long run

7. Sometimes rather than buying a car, you can lease a used one. If you are staying for 1-2 years, this could be the better option.
   I recommend asking other Aomori JETs what they have done. Sometimes there are dealers many JETs go to to lease used cars.

8. Hi, I’m a 4th year in Aomori and my city requires a car.

   My city set up a used kei car for me to purchase, and set me up with a one-year loan for it. It ended up being about 300$ a month out of my paycheck, and I had to purchase snow tires in the fall which cost about $800 upfront. Kei cars are cheaper in every way. If you want a normal size car, bring extra cash to offset those costs.

   If you’re in my city, you have almost nothing to worry about because the BOE guides us most of the paperwork and everything. Many local BOEs don’t require cars, but the public transport here is lacking, so many ALTs buy them anyway. With a large number of veteran ALTs leaving this summer, it’s likely that you can purchase a car from one of them, or your BOE will at least know how to go through the process of helping an ALT get a car.

   The Aomori Rough Guide also has a lot of detailed information about cars – you should recieve access to that after you accept your position and start connecting with the existing Aomori community.

9. I bought a kei car for $1200 and one year of insurance for another $1200 at a dealership.

   My supervisor did all the talking.

   I’m satisfied!

10. What did you end up getting?

    i am also looking for a car and so far the cheapest one is a 15-year old Daihatsu Mira, with good mileage but really really old. I am hesitating quite a bit especially because it snows a lot in my area.