All Cars Built In Japan Are Safe To Buy, And They're Reliable Long Term…Well, That Used To Be The Case, But Not Anymore, Admits Mechanic From Japan

Made in Japan

It is not without some justification that car shoppers prefer buying a Toyota made in Japan over a Toyota assembled in another country.

In an earlier article, we learned what some automotive experts had to say about the question, "Are Toyota's Made in Japan Better than Toyota's Made in America?

We learned that despite being recognized as a Japanese brand, Toyota has been manufacturing vehicles on American soil for over thirty years.

Of the Toyota models made in America, the list includes:

• Toyota Sienna (in Princeton, Indiana)

• Toyota Sequoia (in Princeton, Indiana)

• Toyota Highlander (in Princeton, Indiana)

• Toyota RAV4 Hybrid (in Georgetown,  Kentucky)

• Toyota Camry (in Georgetown, Kentucky)

• Toyota Avalon (in Georgetown, Kentucky)

• Toyota Tacoma (in San Antonio, Texas)

• Toyota Tundra (in San Antonio, Texas)

• Toyota Corolla (in Blue Springs, Mississippi)

If you spot a Prius, a Mirai, a Land Cruiser, or a 4Runner, the odds are good that they were made in Japan.

But we also learned that there is often little difference between owning a Toyota made in Japan and one made in America.

Related article: The Made in Japan Toyota You Might Not Want

Cars Built In Japan Addressed in New Video

In a new video hosted by Japanese automotive engineer―David Chow of the Automotive Press YouTube channel―and expert on made-in-Japan Toyota models, is his take on the key factors you need to know so that you can avoid buying a car that will make you unhappy whether it is a Toyota made in Japan or in the U.S., or is some other automotive make and model you might be considering.

"You might automatically assume all cars built in Japan are safe to buy and they're reliable long-term, well that used to be the case but not anymore. So for example, if you were to buy a Toyota Rav4 that's built in Woodstock, Ontario, Canada, which is a mature plant it could be more reliable than buying, let's say, a brand new model like a Toyota Crown from a Japanese Factory because it's a brand new product and it might give you some teething issues in the first year," states the host as he points toward how a plant's maturity plays a significant role in car reliability…but not always or with every model.

For example, as we all know, things have changed. Recent Toyota and other Asian makes have faced expensive recalls in staggering numbers, leading to some legitimate concerns about Toyota's credibility.

With that all said, the host wants to let car shoppers know what they need to consider before buying a new car with what he sees as the 10 key factors they need to consider regardless of what make and model it is and whether their credibility is occasionally questioned.

You can follow along with his advice in the video provided below, or if you prefer, a summarized list is also provided just below the video for your convenience.

DON'T BUY THESE CARS! // ENGINEER EXPLAINS HOW TO DECIDE WHICH CARS NOT TO BUY // HELPFUL GUIDELINE

Key Factor #1: Do not buy any car in its first year of production or very first year of the sale.

"It doesn't matter what brand it is, just basically don't buy the first year of that product then you could avoid a lot of problems and that includes even some proven brands like Lexus," states the host.

Key Factor #2: Do not buy the second year of any all-new car model. For the same reasons given in Key Factor #1, it takes over two years to discover all of bugs a new model may develop.

Key Factor #3: Do not buy any model from a new startup company.

"There have been a number of startup companies. Some are more mature like a Rivan, but there's also all kinds of new brands coming through the pipelines the last couple years as well as into the next few years, and I would just actually wait at least 5 years to buy from a brand new automaker," advises the video host.

Key Factor #4: Do not buy from a brand that is not well-represented in your country or your city. This is because the parts you need for repairs are not easily available, nor is the support from a nearby dealership for getting help and making those repairs.

Key Factor #5: Do not buy any car with a high markup. The resale value of a popular car that becomes common a few years later is not worth the price you paid its first year or two if it has a significant markup on top of its MSRP.

Key Factor #6: Do not settle for a new car that is not your first choice. In other words, settling on a car choice further down your list because the model you want is not immediately available is a mistake. A better decision is to either rent, use alternative transportation, or buy a much cheaper car for temporary use until you can get the model you want.

Key Factor 7: Do not let emotion run over your car-buying decision. Follow the 80/20 rule, which states that you should buy a car you will use 80% of the time, not just 20% of the time.

Key Factor 8: Do not let the past dictate your future decisions. In other words, basing a buying decision on a previous bad car experience should not affect your decision on choosing a different make and model later on. Reliability, like many other factors, does change from year to year with most models. Rivian is a good example of this, points out the host.

Key Factor 9: Do not buy a car based solely on its purchase price. Rather, you should put more weight on the total lifecycle cost of the car. Beware of hidden costs that, over time, actually make that new model more expensive to own than you realize.

Key Factor 10: Do not buy a car with a lot of known problems. This is especially true with models that have a lot of data from multiple sources, confirming it is a poor model to choose. In other words, do your research before buying any car.

For additional Toyota-related articles, here are three informative ones you should know about as well:

• Toyota Reliability Mistake Used Car Shoppers Make
• "But It's A Toyota, Why Would I Open The Hood?"
• Are Toyota Hybrids More Reliable Than Regular Gasoline Toyota Models?

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati who currently researches and works on restoring older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. He also reports on modern cars (including EVs) with a focus on DIY mechanics, buying and using tools, and other related topical automotive repair news. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites as well as on Facebook and his automotive blog "Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair" for useful daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

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