The car itself
Reading a Japanese car's condition from photos, and what photos miss
- Rust on a Japanese used car: the body or a part?
Rust on a bolt-on part can be fixed by replacing the part. Rust on the welded body is what decides a car. Where to look, and what photos can't tell you. - Engine Start Video: What to Watch and Listen For
Three things I check when a car in Japan is started: unusual noises, whether it runs as it should, and whether the temperature settles. And what a start-up video can't tell you. - Hail Damage on a Used Car from Japan
Hail-damaged cars are mixed in among used cars for sale in Japan, and photos don't show it. Why shallow dents vanish in a photo, and what you can do about it. - Checking a Used Car's Interior in Japan
Listing photos show the inside of a car, but not how it smells or how tired the seats really are. What I check inside a car, and what photos can't tell you. - Lowered and Modified Cars from Japan: What to Check
What a very low or braced and welded Japanese car may hide underneath, what you can ask the seller to show you, and what nobody can tell from listing photos. - How to Tell If a Car Has Been Repainted
Colour and paint texture are where a repaint shows first. But a repaint by a skilled bodyshop may not show at all. What we look at on a car in Japan, and what we can't promise. - What Dealer Photos of a Japanese Car Miss
Listing photos show a car from where it looks best. Our own car shows three things they leave out, and which extra photos to ask a Japanese dealer for.