Car dealers that won't let you test drive

[Kanchou]

There's a car I would like to buy but the dealer just told me "we don't do test drives." I seriously wanted to tell him that he was an idiot and that test drives are a basic part of selling cars, but I didn't see the point.

What the fuck is wrong with Japanese dealers? Is there some reason they can't get temporary plates to do test drives? Or dealer plates? One dealer said it was possible (even on a car without shaken), this one said "temporary plates are only for moving cars around."

Why does a car that supposedly still has shaken not have a number plate?

Do they seriously expect people to buy a car without even knowing whether it will stop when you step on the brakes? In the states, not letting people drive the car is a seriously red flag to a shady dealer.

[omae mona]

I test drove a few models last time I bought a car. FWIW.

[Kanchou]

Did the cars have number plates and shaken?

My googling has told me that there is apparently a "shijouyou number" temporary dealer plate for test drives.

So I guess you have to just show up at the dealer looking like a million bucks in a decent car and with a fat wallet if you really want them to bend...

[omae mona]

Did the cars have number plates and shaken?

My googling has told me that there is apparently a "shijouyou number" temporary dealer plate for test drives.

So I guess you have to just show up at the dealer looking like a million bucks in a decent car and with a fat wallet if you really want them to bend...

Don't remember what was on the plates, but I am pretty sure they had something. My old car looked like crap, though my wallet was very fat (full of old receipts from Yoshinoya).

[Taro Toporific]

There's a car I would like to buy but the dealer just told me "we don't do test drives." ...

Call Debito! It's just that particular salesman/dealer has a gaijin problem*.

I've test driven dozens of cars, new and used in Japan: Benz, BMW, Porsche, Lambo, hell even a turbo Bentley.

*The gaijin problem may be that he hates
the extra work dealing with katakana names,
explaining Japanese procedures, yada-yada.
Even with Mrs Taro riding shotgun during
my car purchases and loans, the process must
have taken 30% longer than a regular Japanese
buyer.

[Kanchou]

The ironic thing is that the place they said no said so over the phone whereas the place that said yes said could the next time I was in town, and that they would clean the car up and get a temp plate, and that was in person. So I don't think it's a matter of being an FG. I can't say for sure that the once place even knew I was foreign, although I'm sure they suspected.

I imagine some dealers just don't know what they're doing, or they sell enough cars to smucks who don't know how to buy used cars that they simply don't bother with the time and cost. Or they're just really shady.

[Coligny]

Don't remember what was on the plates, but I am pretty sure they had something. My old car looked like crap, though my wallet was very fat (full of old receipts from Yoshinoya).

Don't buy from jerkoffs.

Buying something as potentially troublesome as a car should be done with people that at least seems friendly.

VW treated us as unwanted hobos (with a 'you can't park here, it's for customers' while the car was bought from them when they were still linked with audi.)

Suzuki... they gave us the keys without even checking our drivers license...

Daihatsu... cars were a bit small and the garage was halfway between too far and the end of the world.

Honda... gave some cabbage, carrots and potatoes with every test drive... (best day evar...)

We choosed Nissan because the guy was cool, the dealer was halfway between hospital and the clinic, and they were the cheapest according to our calculation methods...

If only they were a bit pushy we would have switched several times... but between the reliability (after all, what can go wrong on a glorified shopping trolley) and the fact that they call only for scheduled maintenance we just stick to this one... (when I tried the first Juke i'd told them to call me when the turbo AWD version would be available, because the 1.5CVT was dreadfull... I'm still waiting... -availability was december 2010)

EDIT: for a second hand car, no test drive ? RUN AWAY...

[Kanchou]

I forgot to mention that a while ago I asked another dealer if I could test drive, and they made a sort of "oh shit" face, then pretended to think about it, and then told me that no shaken means no test drive.

Apparently they don't know how to issue a test ride plate either...

[Kanchou]

One more question... I'm wondering if any of you have had experiences of either convincing a dealer who first said no test drives to give one, and if any of you have actually test drived a used car that didn't have a plate or shaken with the preformentioned temporary plates.

[Doctor Stop]

Just don't fucking buy from those assholes. Simple. If you want to make a big deal about it, bring a big wad of cash and flash it around before you leave.

[FG Lurker]

Do they seriously expect people to buy a car without even knowing whether it will stop when you step on the brakes? In the states, not letting people drive the car is a seriously red flag to a shady dealer.

There are plenty of shady used car dealers here, just like anywhere else.

An old yak acquaintance of mine told me that a favorite trick (in the past at least) was to take the good halves of two wrecked cars and weld 'em together making one "good" car. Of course the car would never drive properly and in an accident it would likely split back into two pieces, but with a decent paint job it would look great on the lot!

If the dealer won't let you do a test drive then just walk away.

[Kanchou]

They did that in the US too. It's called a cut and shut.

My research has led me to believe that there is no legal way to test drive a car that's shaken has run out. But this makes me wonder how the fuck dealers do any business if 95% of used cars have no shaken.

Is the gub'ment really so studid or obstinant as to not allow licensed and bonded auto dealers the leeway to do their jobs?

If mechanics can't be trusted to verify that a car is safe, what good is shaken to begin with?

[Yokohammer]

If mechanics can't be trusted to verify that a car is safe, what good is shaken to begin with?

It's just another road tax, isn't it?
Another thinly veiled source of income.

[FG Lurker]

They did that in the US too. It's called a cut and shut.

There was a guy (at least one) who was exporting cars to Malaysia or Indonesia this way. He'd buy good older cars at auctions in Japan and cut 'em in half before shipping. Apparently the "whole car" import duties in whatever country it was he was exporting to were really, really high but there were nearly no duties on parts. By cutting the cars in half they qualified as "parts" and he then arranged for them to be welded back together again before sale...

My research has led me to believe that there is no legal way to test drive a car that's shaken has run out. But this makes me wonder how the fuck dealers do any business if 95% of used cars have no shaken.

Being Japan this wouldn't surprise me. It often feels like this is the country of laws with unintended consequences. I have no doubt that dealers ignore the law when it's convenient for them but probably make use of it when they don't wish to offer a test drive for whatever reason.

If mechanics can't be trusted to verify that a car is safe, what good is shaken to begin with?

Shaken is a money grab, pure and simple. There is no need to "safety test" a modern (undamaged) 3 year old car, or a 5 year old car for that matter. If one was to err on the side of caution the first safety test could be required after 5 years or 100,000km but that would defeat the real purpose of shaken -- to separate the masses from considerable amounts of cash.

[cstaylor]

Shaken is a money grab, pure and simple. There is no need to "safety test" a modern (undamaged) 3 year old car, or a 5 year old car for that matter. If one was to err on the side of caution the first safety test could be required after 5 years or 100,000km but that would defeat the real purpose of shaken -- to separate the masses from considerable amounts of cash.

Wish TEPCO had put their plants through rigorous periodic safety tests.

[FG Lurker]

Wish TEPCO had put their plants through rigorous periodic safety tests.

If you think shaken is rigorous (and not scamable) you've been here too long.

[cstaylor]

If you think shaken is rigorous (and not scamable) you've been here too long.

Well, if there's a chance for them to sell more repair work after a shaken, I'm sure they'll find something to point out.

[matsuki]

Just don't fucking buy from those assholes.

That goes for new or used....

For new, in a country where customer service is everything, if they give you shit, fuck em. If they are literally racist, sick Debito on them.

For used, I and I'm sure many of you have friends that work/own legit shops that deal in used cars. They buy them at auction, clean them up, and sell them in good condition. I can point you to two of them that are trustworthy and will back what they sell.

[FG Lurker]

Well, if there's a chance for them to sell more repair work after a shaken, I'm sure they'll find something to point out.

Sure, there is that angle to it and that's quite the scam in itself. Dealers are horrible for that, Subaru wanted to charge me 190,000yen or so for Shaken + "service" on a 3 year old B4 spec B. Fuck that, did it for 85,000 at the same garage that mounted and balanced the new tires I had just had put on the car. I couldn't contain the laugh when Subaru came back with the quote.

I've heard that (though never used) there are garages that will help you pass shaken without your car actually being able to do it. No idea what they do or how they make this work but they do apparently exist.

So on one hand we have dealers totally overcharging for shaken and doing completely unnecessary service to nearly new cars and at the other end we (apparently) have garages that will help unpassable cars pass.

Brings me back to the best description I have ever heard of Japan: A third world country with first world toys.

[Kanchou]

Being Japan this wouldn't surprise me. It often feels like this is the country of laws with unintended consequences. I have no doubt that dealers ignore the law when it's convenient for them but probably make use of it when they don't wish to offer a test drive for whatever reason.

Most definitely... But if I was to believe this guy, plenty of people will buy cars without so much as moving them an inch.

Shaken is a money grab, pure and simple. There is no need to "safety test" a modern (undamaged) 3 year old car, or a 5 year old car for that matter. If one was to err on the side of caution the first safety test could be required after 5 years or 100,000km but that would defeat the real purpose of shaken -- to separate the masses from considerable amounts of cash.

+100000. But if they're going to to try justify the need for it, they should allow the same people who perform the tests to drive cars in their inventory without registration, for the purpose of test drives and moving inventory. Just like dealer plates in the US. There are dealer numbers here, but they're for moving cars not test rides.

[Kanchou]

The place that said they would clean up the car (it was dirty as crap) and get a temp plate (conveniently ignoring the law in this case) for me next time I was in town says they'd charge about 100,000 for Shaken, but if the car runs and drives with everything in spec, and I do the shaken myself, and the repairs myself, couldn't I theoretically do it for the cost of the inspection, tax, recycle fee, and parts? Which would come to maybe 60,000... Or do shaken repairs have to be done by a certified mechanic?

How much is a recycle fee anyway?

[Coligny]

Shaken is a money grab, pure and simple. There is no need to "safety test" a modern (undamaged) 3 year old car, or a 5 year old car for that matter. If one was to err on the side of caution the first safety test could be required after 5 years or 100,000km but that would defeat the real purpose of shaken -- to separate the masses from considerable amounts of cash.

You clearly (are lucky enough) to never have to deal with a mid 90' era Audi... I nearly crap myself everytime I see an Audi 80 still on the road... (easy to spot... 4 rings on the front and paint peeling off from the top... and the side, also the front... and sometimes the back too... NOT A SINGLE ONE from that era manage to keep its gloss coat intact under japanese weather)

[Coligny]

double my baaad

[matsuki]

I've heard that (though never used) there are garages that will help you pass shaken without your car actually being able to do it. No idea what they do or how they make this work but they do apparently exist

I don't know any personally but just like the smog checks back home, probably shady garages that will take your paperwork with some financial incentive and pass you.

[FG Lurker]

[quote="chokonen888"]I don't know any personally but just like the smog checks back home, probably shady garages that will take your paperwork with some financial incentive and pass you. ]
I think that in Japan the car actually has to go to a government test center in order to pass. Wouldn't surprise me if they take a different car to pass the tests and then just transfer the paperwork, or perhaps there are guys at the test center who ignore certain issues for a mansatsu or two on the side.

[Kanchou]

There are apparently many tricks that tuners use to get through the shaken with cars that won't pass due to modifications. Like putting silencers in the mufflers, adding stuff to the gasoline, using suspensions with adjustable ride height or spacers in the springs.

[matsuki]

There are apparently many tricks that tuners use to get through the shaken with cars that won't pass due to modifications. Like putting silencers in the mufflers, adding stuff to the gasoline, using suspensions with adjustable ride height or spacers in the springs.

THIS

Also, a recent trend in tuning has been legal performance modifications....but the market is shrinking every year

[wuchan]

There are apparently many tricks that tuners use to get through the shaken with cars that won't pass due to modifications. Like putting silencers in the mufflers, adding stuff to the gasoline, using suspensions with adjustable ride height or spacers in the springs.

one of the rules in D1 is all the cars must be street legal.

[Kanchou]

I find it hard to believe that D1GP cars are 100% legal. Sound levels, wing width, body kits, and ride height are probably iffy.

D1 Street Legal is, of course. You even have to have a valid Shaken.

[Kanchou]

THIS

Also, a recent trend in tuning has been legal performance modifications....but the market is shrinking every year

The guy at the dealer said "it would pass shaken with the silencer in it." Which I take to mean that it won't without it?

Apparently some people will switch cats out for test pipes until time for shaken rolls around.

Of course, you'd think people who street race would want quieter exhausts to keep from attracting the attention of everyone in a three-mile radius.