Aftermarket alarms and immobilisers on Japanese cars: what to ask before you import one

Some cars for sale in Japan already have a security system that didn't come from the factory: an alarm, an immobiliser, sometimes a tracker. A listing rarely mentions it, and a photo won't show you how it's wired or what you need to live with it. Photos show less than you think, and this is one of the things they show least.

Why it's worth asking about

Our founder has one piece of advice here. In his experience, cars that are popular with thieves in Japan tend to have aftermarket security fitted, and that can sometimes make things awkward when the car needs repairing. He asks buyers to keep it in mind.

That's not a reason to avoid a car. It's a reason to find out what's fitted before you pay, while the dealer and the paperwork are still in one place.

What to ask the dealer in Japan

1. Is there any security system fitted that didn't come from the factory? An alarm, an immobiliser or a tracker.
2. How many remotes, cards or tags go with it, and are they all with the car?
3. Is there a manual or an override procedure, and does the dealer know who fitted it? Either is worth having if a garage ever needs to work on the car.
4. Is it working, and has any part of it been disconnected?

Whatever the dealer says is the dealer's answer. They may not know the car's full history, especially if it came to them from another owner or an auction.

Insurance: what UK sources say

We've only checked UK sources for this page. If you're importing somewhere else, ask your own insurer the same questions. The rest of the UK process is in importing a car from Japan to the UK.

• Insurers look at security, and imports can be awkward. AIB Insurance, a broker that covers imported cars, says standard insurers often struggle to cover imports, partly because they lack a standard UK Thatcham security rating. It also says you must declare that the car is imported and any modifications.
• A certified product isn't automatically accepted. Thatcham Research certifies vehicle security products and keeps a searchable database of them. It says its certification doesn't guarantee that insurers will recognise a product, because that's agreed separately between the product's maker and insurers.
• So ask your insurer before you buy. Ask whether a system already on the car counts for anything, or whether they'd want something else fitted. Then you know the cost before you commit, not after the car arrives.
• Answer the insurer's questions accurately. The Financial Ombudsman Service explains that if the information you gave an insurer was incomplete or misleading, and it would have made a difference, the insurer may charge more, offer different terms or, in some cases, avoid the policy, treating it as if it had never existed. If you don't know exactly what's fitted, say so rather than guess. Other changes to the car count too; see lowered and modified cars from Japan.

What a photo, or a visit, can't tell you

• Whether the system was fitted well. Wiring is usually hidden behind trim. We don't remove panels or trim.
• Whether it will cause trouble later. Our founder's point is that it sometimes does. Nobody can promise from looking whether it will on a particular car.
• Whether every function works. We don't operate the car ourselves. The dealer starts it for us, and we record what we see and hear.
• Whether your insurer will accept it. Only your insurer can tell you that.

If there's a car you're interested in and you'd like the questions above asked in Japanese, send us the listing. We can ask these questions on a Remote Check or a viewing, and on a viewing we photograph what the dealer is willing to show us, without removing anything.

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Written by Yoshiaki Sagara, a paintless dent repair and detailing technician in Japan. He looks at cars for overseas buyers through Ninja Desk Japan. About us

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