Why are JDM engines generally reliable? (2024)

The Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) engines have good reputation on the used auto parts market. Professionals of the sector know perfectly the differences between acquiring an engine that has run in Japan and one from other country. Despite being exactly the same engine, the treatment that receive during its use in one country and the other makes a big difference regarding its quality. This is also the reason because a JDM engine is more expensive.

In this report, we will present some reasons why JDM import engines are more reliable than the ones from other countries.

Reason 1: Japanese people tend to be really meticulous about the maintenance of their vehicles.

Japanese cars go through a stringent bi-annual inspection called “SHAKEN” (the first inspection is after 3 years).

According to the National Agency for Automobile and Land Transport Technology of Japan, the process of the shaken involves the following steps:

• An exterior inspection to ensure the vehicle meets Japanese exterior regulations and does not have illegal exterior modifications such as extreme body kits that increase the exterior dimensions.
• A wheel alignment inspection to ensure the vehicle has its wheels in-line and can turn correctly.
• A speedometer inspection to ensure the vehicle's speedometer is accurate.
• A headlamp inspection to ensure that the vehicle's headlights are correctly placed and aligned.
• A brake inspection to ensure the brakes work correctly.
• An exhaust gas/muffler inspection which includes testing carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions along with exhaust noise levels.
• An undercarriage inspection which includes looking at suspension parts.

Should a car not meet any of the tests it will have to be repaired and retested before passing. Cars with minor body damage are considered unsafe.

Moreover, most of the vehicles end up at dealers for regular preventive maintenance at least once a year, typically in March-April, when the winter tires are replaced by summer tires. Japanese people tend to change the engine oil every 5.000 km (or 6 months) and the oil filters every 10.000 km and this ensures a good internal status of the engines.

Reason 2: To own a vehicle is Japan is extremely expensive and that causes that cars are recycled early.

Owning a car in Japan is expensive due to the mandatory bi-annual inspections (shaken), mandatory insurance, an automobile tax and the fee for a parking space (in large cities). The cars themselves, however, are relatively inexpensive comparing Europe or America.

The cost for the shaken is broken up as follows:

• Paperwork fee
• Inspection fee
• Compulsory vehicle insurance
• Vehicle weight tax

For a new registration there are also additional fees for registration and number plates.

A typical third-party shaken for a small or normal sized passenger vehicle costs between ¥100,000 and ¥200,000. However these prices often include large service fees so the cost of a self-performed "user" shaken is much lower though exact prices are dependent on the size, weight and age of the vehicle.

Let’s take a look to the following table that describes the approximately costs for owning a car in Japan:

Compound these costs with propensity of Japanese consumers to drive only the latest models, the result is vehicles with low mileage are recycled. Vehicles in Japan suffer quick depreciation as cost of repairs is extremely high.

In Kaiho sangyo, we acquired 11.579 non-accident vehicles in 2015. Taking a look to the age of those vehicles, the 70,08% of the vehicles were manufactured between 1998 and 2004. That means the average of age of the ELVs in Japan is 15 years.

Just for curiosity, the abrupt decline of vehicles in1999, 2001 and 2003 corresponds to China s expansion in the market of vehicle production. This fact made stagger metal market.

If we take a look into the mileage mean, the Japanese car´s tend to be discarded with about 120.000 km. NISSAN UD vehicles are buses and Hino and Isuzu trucks.

Reason 3: In Japan, the quality of pavement is accurately controlled.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, in Japan there was a total road length of 341.509 km in 2012, corresponding to 8.050 km to Motorways, 51.237 km to Highways, Main or National Roads, 91.440 km to Secondary or Regional Roads and 190.782 km to others.

The maintenance of this pavement is accurately controlled. According to the National Asphalt Pavement Association of Japan (NAPA), there are about 1,150 asphalt plants in Japan, serving more than 90% of the country and producing about 55 million tons of hot-mix asphalt (HMA) annually. Of those 55 million tons, about 41.9 million tons (nearly 38 million metric tonnes) contain recycled HMA.

Approximately 15% of asphalt mixtures in Japan use polymer-modified asphalt binder. Because Japan’s highway network is fairly mature and most paving is now for system maintenance, the majority of asphalt mixture production is for surface courses. Recycling HMA is considered routine in Japan, and the main focus for innovation centers on porous asphalt pavements (drainage pavements), water-retaining pavement structures, and heat insulating pavements.

Because the good status of the roads, it is really comfortable to drive in Japan and the vehicles suspensions and the engines don´t suffer excessively.

Reason 4: Public transport in Japan is convenient and cost effective.

Public transport in Japan is convenient and cost effective. Most people take public transport to work and drive only on weekends in the big cities. This is another factor why vehicles in Japan have low mileage and are very well-maintained.

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Those are, in my opinion, themainreasons why JDM import engines are more reliable than the ones from other countries. What do you think? Are you missing any reason? Aren´t you agree with them? Do not hesitate in leavinga comment below with your thoughts.

About Kaiho sangyo

Should you desire more information, do not hesitate to contact me at: moreno@kaiho.co.jp