We go and look at the car for you
Photos show less than you think. Listing photos show what the camera was pointed at. Panel gaps, paint texture, small dents, smells, and how the engine sounds when it starts don't come through a screen.
If you're buying a car from a dealer in Japan and can't see it yourself, we go to the dealer, look at the car in person, and send you what we saw — in English, with photos and video.
What we look at
We visit the dealer, with the dealer's permission, and record what we can see and hear on the day.
- Identity: chassis number, model code plate, and that the car matches the listing
- Exterior: every panel, photographed straight on and at an angle
- Paint and panels: panel gaps compared side to side, paint texture and colour differences, bolt heads on the wings (fenders), bonnet (hood) and doors, overspray on rubber and trim
- Dents, scratches and chips: each one photographed close up and in context, with a size reference
- Glass, lights and seals: windscreen chips, headlight haze, door seals
- Wheels and tyres: wheel faces, tyre sidewalls, date codes and tread
- Underneath: what we can see from ground level without lifting the car
- Engine bay: an overview, the strut tops and front cross member, and fluid reservoirs viewed from outside
- Interior: seats, steering wheel, pedals, headlining, carpets, boot (trunk) floor and spare wheel well, and how the cabin smells
- Dashboard: warning lights with the ignition on and after the engine starts, and the odometer reading
- Engine start: filmed, with the exhaust in view, when the dealer starts it for us
- Your questions: up to five questions of your choice, asked to the dealer in Japanese
Every item in the report is marked as one of four things:
| What it means | |
|---|---|
| Observed | We saw it ourselves |
| Reported | The dealer told us (we don't change their words into facts) |
| Not verified | We couldn't check it, and we say why |
| Not applicable | It doesn't apply to this car |
What we don't do
We'd rather tell you now than after you've paid.
- This is not a mechanical inspection. We don't lift the car, connect diagnostic equipment, remove parts or test drive.
- We don't tell you whether to buy. We tell you what we saw, what the dealer said, and what we couldn't check. The decision is yours.
- We don't certify accident or repair history. We photograph the signs we can see. We don't say a car has, or hasn't, been in an accident.
- We don't guarantee mileage, future reliability or roadworthiness in your country.
- We don't go to auction houses. Auction houses have their own inspectors, and your export agent can arrange a pre-bid check there.
- We focus on Japanese cars. We don't take on exotic supercars from non-Japanese makers.
- We don't buy, sell or ship cars, and we don't negotiate the price for you.
- We don't take commissions from dealers or exporters. Our only customer is you.
- We visit openly, with the seller's permission. No hidden cameras, no surveillance, no checks on people or companies.
Looking for a "pre-purchase inspection" in Japan? If you need a mechanic to diagnose the car, this isn't that service. If you need someone to go and look, carefully and honestly, this is.
Price
| Price | |
|---|---|
| On-Site Vehicle Viewing (one car, one dealer) | ¥55,000 |
| Travel up to 40 km by road from Kuwana Station, each way (Nagoya Station is about 27 km) | ¥5,000 flat |
| Travel further away | ¥110 per km of the round trip, by the driving route on Google Maps from Kuwana Station. This covers motorway tolls, fuel, the car and travel time, whether we go by car or train. We quote before you pay. |
| Weekends and Japanese public holidays | +30% of the viewing fee |
| Visit within 3 business days of booking | +30% of the viewing fee (when we can fit it in) |
Included: up to 90 minutes at the dealer, at least 40 photos (usually more), short videos, answers to up to five questions, and a written report in English within 2 business days of the visit. One round of follow-up questions about the report is included.
Did a Remote Check on the same car first? If you book the viewing within 14 days, we deduct the ¥20,000 you already paid.
You're not charged until we've seen the car. When you book, we place a hold on your card. We take the payment after the visit. If the car is sold, or the dealer says no, before we set off, we release the hold and you pay nothing.
Prices don't include Japanese consumption tax where it applies. We confirm this in your quote.
How it works
- Send us the listing link and tell us where you live and what worries you about the car.
- We contact the dealer in Japanese to confirm the car is still for sale and that they're happy for us to visit.
- We place a hold on your card. Nothing is charged yet. (Businesses can also pay by bank transfer.)
- We visit and record the car as described above. We take the payment after the visit.
- You get the report within 2 business days, with all photos and videos.
Where we work
We're based in Kuwana, in Mie Prefecture, and we mainly cover the Tokai region — Aichi, Gifu and Mie. Within 40 km by road of Kuwana Station (Nagoya Station is about 27 km), travel is a flat ¥5,000. Further away, travel is ¥110 per km of the round trip, and we quote it before you pay.
Car somewhere else in Japan? Ask us. We quote the travel before you pay, or we can start with a Remote Check.
Who we are
I'm Yoshiaki Sagara. I've been modifying cars since I was 18, and I've owned an R33 GT-R (BCNR33), a 180SX and two Civics (an EG6 and an EP3). These days I work in paintless dent repair and detailing, so I'm used to reading paint and panel surfaces closely, and to looking carefully at interiors. I've seen a lot of Japanese sports cars up close.
FAQ
Is this a pre-purchase inspection? Not in the mechanical sense. We don't lift, diagnose or test drive. We look at the car in person and record what we see, with photos, video and the dealer's answers.
Can you tell me if the car has been in an accident? We can't certify that. What we can do is photograph what we see — uneven panel gaps, paint that looks different from the panel next to it, marks on bolt heads, overspray — and let you and your mechanic decide what it means.
Will you start the engine? We ask the dealer to start it and we film it. We don't operate the car ourselves. We can't tell whether the engine had already been warmed up before we arrived.
Can you test drive the car? No. Test drives aren't part of the service.
What cars do you look at? Japanese cars, from everyday models to sports cars. We don't take on exotic supercars from non-Japanese makers.
What if the car is sold before the visit? We check with the dealer the day before. If the car is sold, or the dealer says no, before we set off, we release the hold on your card and you pay nothing.
Do you work with auction cars? No. For auction cars, ask your export agent about a pre-bid inspection at the auction house.
Can you help me buy or export the car? No. We stay independent. Your dealer or export agent handles the purchase and shipping.
How do I pay? By card on a secure Stripe payment page. We place a hold when you book and take the payment after the visit. Business customers can also pay by bank transfer.