Frequently Ask
Are imported vehicles easy to insure?
Yes, absolutely, especially with brokers specialized in this type of vehicles. The prices are similar to other vehicles with comparable value.
Why buy an imported vehicle?
In most regions of Japan, the warmer climate means that no salt is used on the roads during winter. This results in vehicles older than 25 years having cleaner chassis (undersides of the vehicles) than vehicles in Quebec that have seen 2-3 winters.
Additionally, the generally low mileage makes these vehicles very attractive.
They are also well-maintained and cared for by their owners.
Now, comparing Japanese vehicles with those locally, forgetting about age but focusing solely on overall condition, imported vehicles are certainly a smart choice!
Newer vehicles may have more technology, but they aren’t necessarily more enjoyable to drive, let alone maintain due to their mechanical and electronic complexity.
Is the often very low mileage for 25-year-old vehicles real?
This question is quite legitimate. However, it’s important to understand that lifestyle habits and standards aren’t the same everywhere on Earth, especially not in Japan. Compare Japan’s size to North America’s on a map. It’s challenging to accumulate as many kilometers as here unless you circulate the country multiple times.
Urban density is also high; Tokyo alone has a higher population than all of Canada. There’s no need to go very far to find what one needs or to see friends.
For longer distances, the automobile is rarely the preferred choice. Japanese roads have numerous toll booths, which can be costly. The logical choice is often trains, which can reach speeds of up to 500 km/h, roughly 30 minutes for a Montreal-Quebec equivalent. Would you do that by car?
Being a major automotive manufacturer, cars are important in Japanese culture, but their usage differs from ours.
What about the availability of parts for an imported vehicle?
I imagine that owning an imported vehicle in the 1980s could bring about complications in finding parts. However, we’re now in the 2020s… and the internet exists!
It’s important to understand that manufacturers don’t necessarily invent a new part for every new vehicle. They often try to use existing parts on the market or create a part that can be used for multiple vehicles. This reduces the logistics of supply and design. Consequently, many parts will be the same as those used in vehicles sold in the North American market. Dedicated Facebook groups for different imported vehicles are great places to find more information on this topic.
Now, back to the internet. Websites like Amayama.com, partsouq.com, or megazip.net are easy to use. You can search for original parts on the manufacturers’ diagrams. These parts can be shipped from Japan or the UAE, depending on your choice and availability.
Is a right-hand drive vehicle legal in Quebec?
A vehicle with right-hand drive that’s over 25 years old can circulate on roads without restrictions, just like any other car.
The legal age for importing a vehicle into Canada that wasn’t designed for our market is 15 years or older. Therefore, it’s possible to import a right-hand drive vehicle to Quebec before it reaches 25 years of age, but it cannot be registered for road use until it has passed the 25-year mark.
If the vehicle has left-hand drive and is over 15 years old, it can be imported and registered in Quebec.
