Sleep, eat and sing.  These are all things you can do in a car.

Times Car Share is a popular car rental option with over 230,000 registered users.  My good friend Finn, his real name is Yukio, uses the service quite often.  For many individuals that do not own a car in Japan Times Car Share is a cheap and excellent option to get from point A to point B.  But the company found itself scratching their heads.  Despite people renting the car they found no mileage put on the cars.  Why?  After investigating they found out that lot of their users were using the car to eat lunch, sleep, think and practice singing among other things.  During the hot summers some users would just sit in the car with the A/C on to cool off while they gulped down a drink or ate a meal.  Others found the car to be a nice private location to catch some Z’s.  For others it was the best option to work on their vocal chords in the safety of a car in a random parking lot where there is little to no traffic.  Don’t forget that it’s a great place to meditate on your thoughts too.

The company has expressed that their rental cars are to be used to go places and not to be used as a hotel.  Now, I know that it’s not good for the engine or the environment to sit in one location.  But you gotta give it to those who figured out another use for these rent-a-cars.  Maybe Times Car Share could hire people to drive the customers around while they eat, rest, meditate or sing a few tunes.  After a survey they figured out that one out of eight people used cars for purposes other than transportation.  Maybe they need to go into Times Space Share?  I mean if people are willing to sit in a seat and pay 400 yen for 30 minutes why not create a similar small space with sound proof windows?  Don’t forget to create that new car smell because that’s what makes sitting in a car worth it.  Right?

Oh my stars and chicken gizzards!  Who would have thought that I would find a 1956 GMC  Pickup Truck at the Japanese auto auction?  Man!  I don’t think I have seen one my whole life in the U.S.  for over 20 years.  You gotta wonder who owns this truck in Japan and why considering the roads a very small in certain areas.  Was this a car imported right after the second World War?  Or was it imported by an American truck junky?  The only information I have on the truck is that it’s located in Nagoya, Japan and it’s being auctioned at one of the auction houses there.  The condition looks great inside and out.  Take a look.  Right now these trucks are selling near 20,000 USD.  The starting bid on this one is at around 8200 USD.

It’s always great to see a vehicle as close to it’s original condition.  But every now and then you see a truck that has been modified to where certain features just pops out at ya!  Classic truck enthusiasts all over the world

If Hotwheels, the toy company, is making classic trucks to put in their line up you know that these trucks will continue to have it’s place in the future despite hybrids and EVs coming into the market.  Sure you can get these trucks in the good ol’ US of A but don’t forget that these beloved trucks are also cherished in other countries like Japan.  Sometimes good things must come to an end though.  When that happens I would implore you to search for a classic truck at the Japanese auto auction.  Every good truck deserves a good home and a great owner that will continue to share the legacy of the American classic trucks.  If you are looking for a classic truck get a hold of us at [email protected]  One of our agents will be happy to walk you through the steps to bid, buy and have the truck shipped to the port of your choice.  You can also reach us at +81 798 75 1451.

I flew across the pond to the United States this summer for a couple of weeks.  It was a busy trip as I met with new clients and shared about the Japanese auto auctions.  Most businesses that buy cars from Japan are located on the coasts.  But I was surprised with how many people were into Japanese Domestic Market cars in the Midwest part of the U.S.  It didn’t take much to get people to sign up.  I always thought the Midwest was an untapped market in the United States.  But after this trip I have a feeling it won’t be too long till people will start seeing JDM cars driving in the Heartland of America.

Time flew by as I drove through six different states, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska.  It was about a 1500 mile drive.  It’s amazing to see how the landscape changes as you drive state to state.  It was refreshing to drive on wide open roads where you can see the horizon.  Big trucks, big flags, and wide open spaces everywhere.  One might consider it to be boring to drive a total of 24 hours but it was just the right therapy I needed after a long busy year in Japan.

After a long drive I got hungry.  I went to a restaurant called Steak and Lube.  It was entertaining to see all the cars and motorcycles while I had some buffalo wings.  Hey, maybe we will see a Skyline GT-R hanging from the ceiling one day?

Before flying back to Japan my one wish was to have a nice juicy steak at Texas Road House restaurant.

Despite the long drives and hectic schedule it was nice to see my beloved friends and family.  But sometimes good things must come to an end.  It was time to fly back to Japan and get back to work.  We have customers that are depending on us to deliver cars all over the world and the Japanese auto auctions are not going to wait!

The Estima has been one of the go to mini-vans in Japan and other countries.  It’s been a reliable vehicle to haul family, friends and cargo for years.  When the Estima came out in 1990 it wasn’t exactly a huge hit.  When it was introduced in the US there were complaints that a V6 engine could not be installed for those who wanted more power.  In Europe people said that it was too expensive to utilize it as a mini-bus.  After 10 years in the year 2000 Toyota decided to use the Camry platform with a front engine, front wheel drive design.  This gave Toyota the ability to put a V6 engine in it.  The Estima finally earned it’s respect and became a huge hit.  By the way, it was given the nick name “Genius Egg.”

Despite it’s success Toyota has decided to stop production of the Estima this September of 2019.  This is just a rumor but there are talks that the name “Estima” will be resurrected when Toyota comes out with an EV Mini-van in a few years.  I am a huge fan of the Estima and own one right now.  My plan is to get another Estima for our next family vehicle.  If you are looking for an Estima look no further.  Provide Cars Ltd. can help you get one and ship it to your choice of port.  The Japanese auto auction has hundreds of Estimas on auction.  If you are in the market sign up for a free trial account at www.providecars.co.jp.

During this week of Obon, national holidays there will be no auctions on in Japan, and hence no data.  Please see below:

I received a report recently about the merit of owning an EV (Electric Vehicle).  I hope you all enjoy this information.

First things first.  It’s cheap to operate an EV.  It’s less than half the cost of a gasoline vehicle.  You don’t need to go to the gas station.  You can charge the car at home.  It doesn’t cause any major issues with smell and sound.  Because it doesn’t require petrol that means your country will not have to depend on importing of oil as much.  This is called energy security.

Going forward there are some things to consider.  There will be a greater need to invest into maintaining EV.  This means repair shops will need specialized equipment.  Auto companies will need to increase their technological advancement on mileage, cost and charging times.  Apartment complexes will need to install charge stations for tenants. Used auto market will need to make adjustments to welcome the sale of used EV.  Discussions on reduce, reuse and recycling the batteries will be one of the top priorities.

Other things to consider.  Gasoline vehicles are still a lot cheaper.  Almost half the cost of an EV.  Average vehicle will go further than an EV.  Where it will take only a few minutes to fill up a gasoline vehicle an EV will take 30 to 40 minutes with fast charge and about 10 hours to charge the vehicle at home.

Here is something to consider.  If you have a solar panel you will technically have free fuel for your car.

Hope the summer heat isn’t getting to you.  It is hot and humid in Japan.  How did I ever make it in this heat as a child when we didn’t have A/C?  Anyway, today, I want to talk about Porsches.  My aunt use to tell me how much she liked Porsches.  In America a lot of people pronouce it as “Porsh”.  Most people don’t sound out the “e” at the end but the proper pronunciation requires the “e” to be sounded.  In Japan they say “Po Lu Shae”.  Believe it or not Porsche is a popular car in Japan despite the large selection of sporty Japanese made cars.

I spoke to an importer from the U.K. and asked what he thought the best sports car was?  He said, “I’ve owned a Lambo and other high end cars but I think the best sports car to own is the Porsche”.  I was surprised with his answer and asked, “Why?”  He said it was because he believes they are the most practical sports car available in the market.  Easy to get in and out and you can actually go grocery shopping with it because there is decent amount of space for your stuff.  Plus, the maintenance cost is not as expensive as other sports cars like the Veyron.  The Veyron will cost you 21,000 dollars and up for an oil change.  LOL!  Minor maintenance such as an oil change and filter will cost you 200 dollars to 400 dollars.  A major repair like transmission service will cost 400 dollars to 600 dollars.

Veyron

So where is a good place to buy a nice used Porsche?  The car auctions in Japan of course.  Most people don’t run the cars hard but more as a economic status.  You can get them at a really reasonable price.  Infact, we have customers that import them back into Germany.  Can you believe it?  A car that came from Germany makes it’s way back home to where it came from!

Apart from a name that doesn’t stick around in the brain memory banks very long (try remembering it’s name in 5 minutes time?), the range of this newer model seems quite good.  Youtube promotion for the British/London area is in miles, but still if you work it out into kms, quite substantial.

Thank God it’s Friday!  Today is Forklift Friday!  I want to talk a little about forklifts today!  Forklifts are essential to many businesses.  There’s quite a few forklift companies out there.  So which company is the best?  Here are the top 5!

• Toyota Industries Corp. $8.78 billion. Longtime leader in the industry.  (Japan)
• The KION Group. $5.924 billion. (Germany)
• The Jungheinrich Group. $4.25 billion.(Germany)
• Mitsubishi Logisnext Co., Ltd. $3.7 billion. (Japan)
• Crown Equipment Corp. $2.9 billion (U.S.A)

As you can see the top 5 forklifts company consists of German, Japan and USA.  Some might say that it doesn’t matter what brand you get but that is not true at all.  You need to put into consideration of the following when buying a forklift.

1. Load capacity.
2. Lift height.
3. Fuel type.
4. Hand Pallet Jack (Lift Truck)
5. Electric Pallet Jack (Lift Truck)
6. Manual Stacker.
7. Walk Behind Electric Pallet Stacker.
8. Order Picker.

This is my personal opinion but if I were buying I would choose one that would have a better resale value.  You never know when you will need to upgrade as your business grows.  Or perhaps you might have to down grade.  Either was you want to make sure you get the biggest return when you have to sell your forklift.  Typically Chinese forklifts do not get the best return so I would recommend the forklifts mention at the top.

We at Provide Cars Ltd. help customers buy used forklifts at the Japanese auctions.  Typically if you are buying 1.5 ton size forklifts we can fit 7 to 9 forklifts in one 40 foot high cube shipping container.  Most forklift auctions are on Tuesdays and Thursday.  If you are curious and have any questions let us know.  You can get a nice forklift at a great price!

Many of us know that the Toyota is the best hybrid car on the market.  Sales of the Prius continue to grow despite electric vehicles coming on to the market.  The Toyota Prius will be the go to car for awhile as it continues to get better in every aspect from handling to gas mileage.  What is so great about the Prius PHV is that even when you put it in EV Mode and Power Mode the battery doesn’t seem to decrease much.  It’s advertised to go 68km on EV mode but in reality it goes about 47km which is still great!

Did I mention that you can charge the battery at home?

Wait, did I mention that you can get one with a solar panel that will charge the battery as well?

How about getting an extra 1000 km a year on solar power?  Yes, please and thank you!

The interior has a nice comfy feel to it.

The trunk has decent space for luggage and groceries.

If you’re wondering where you can get one you can get one at the Japanese auto auction at a great price.  If you have never imported a car ask Provide Cars.  Get a hold of our owner ,Jon, at [email protected]  He will assign someone to contact you and help you every step of the way.  If you want to talk to someone just call us at +81 798 75 1451.  You won’t regret it!