sanjo 2 Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 I think it's fantastic. I plan to go and explore loads of places now that I normally wouldn't have because of the cost - over to Fukushima/Yamagata/Tochigi. This weekend I'm going over to southern Nagano on this - normally would cost close to 8000 yen one way, will be down to 1000 yen. Nice. Link to post Share on other sites
kkk 7 Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 Yes me too. I will going much further than I otherwise would be. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 I'm planning a few trips myself. - Southern/West Nagano - Toyama - Bandai area of Fukushima All very exciting. Link to post Share on other sites
I'm Sexy 0 Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 It is great thing, now I think many more people afford trip and go many place. I will! Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 Can do as far as you want on UK motorways for 0 yen. Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 (Got to time it to avoid peak times though!) Link to post Share on other sites
happyhappy 0 Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 It is great for them to suddenly become so relatively cheap. Link to post Share on other sites
journey_man 0 Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Originally Posted By: BagOfCrisps Can do as far as you want on UK motorways for 0 yen. Except for the M6 Toll... I've taken it a couple of times and it rocks cos it is empty and the alternative getting around Birmingham can take forever. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Shaken should also be a lot cheaper now if you've got a recent car with the pollution stickers. They're waiving most of the weight tax, the biggest BS tax you pay at shaken time. Its now free for a hybrid and just a few thousand for small and smallish cars. Link to post Share on other sites
journey_man 0 Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Wow, do you think this will allow cars to be kept for longer? Because if that happens it will substantially change the 2nd hand car markets in New Zealand and probably Oz. Link to post Share on other sites
fukdane 2 Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Got one installed and ready to go. First stop, hmmmmmm where should I go? Going to be fun branching out and going places far off I perhaps wouldn't normally. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Get lots of them from Japan do they? Link to post Share on other sites
journey_man 0 Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Yep. And it's all based on the shaken. Because Japanese cars lose their value quickly relative to the amount of life they have left in them, they can be easily resold in other parts of the world. NZ's 2nd hand market has been based on this for many years. So if the shaken becomes much cheaper and the Japanese start to keep their cars for longer it could have quite an impact on the NZ economy. Link to post Share on other sites
bobby12 0 Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Im looking to sell my car but dealer is offering half what he offered just 10 months ago. He said its cos most cars that age (5yrs old now) get exported to Oz and now the yen is strong no-one is buying. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 ooh, you really are getting ready to leave. Don't worry, cars are very expensive in Sing. Link to post Share on other sites
journey_man 0 Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Isn't the duty in Sing something like 300%? Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 you also have to tender for a permit to own a car, which, wait for it... expires in 10 years so you have to do it again, and again. What a great ripp-off. Say you're an expat and your stint is 5 years, would you be willing to get a car? Link to post Share on other sites
bobby12 0 Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Ive no plans to get a car if i go to sing. They cost 3x normal price and there are other charges on top of that. Its like buying 3 cars. Link to post Share on other sites
journey_man 0 Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I'd be looking to live in JB where everything costs like one third (including the cars), life is more interesting and do the commute thing to get to work. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Old Japanese cars get exported all over, not just Oz/NZ. Basically the cheaper shaken is only for newer, more efficient cars. The idea is to get people out of old cars into new ones to clear the car makers' inventories, though its being spun as an "eco car bill". The average age of Japanese cars on the road has been going up for quite a while, so the number of s/h cars for export has been falling anyway. I think the record for new cars sold in Japan was about twenty years ago. The number has been declining ever since. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Strictly speaking though, its not a cheaper shaken, it's cheaper weight tax. You pay weight tax when you buy a new car too. Link to post Share on other sites
sunrise 0 Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I did the shaken for my Prius (Jef's old one, 2001 model) early last month. It cost something like around 118,000 yen. I have no idea if that's cheaper than it was 2 years ago. Do these cheaper taxes affect older hybrids too? Link to post Share on other sites
sunrise 0 Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 This is my first car in Japan, I have to say I was astounded at the cost of comprehensive (let alone 3rd party) insurance! Link to post Share on other sites
bobby12 0 Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 sunrise: meaning cheap or expensive? Link to post Share on other sites
JA2340 16 Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Originally Posted By: Mr Wiggles Old Japanese cars get exported all over, not just Oz/NZ. And it ain't just cars! I have a fully imported (and refurbished in Oz) kubota tractor, cost something like a third of the cost of an equivalent new one here and had just 1000 hours on the meter. The "refurb" was a bit shoddy, they just sprayed over the panels, stickers and all, then added english stuickers. The gear and PTO labels are still in original kanji as they were metal and rivetted on. Goes well, has done for 500 hours since I got it. Never a problem except for a tyre that keeps going flat. Might need to look at a repair sometime. Link to post Share on other sites
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