Other than the radio/GPS what else doesn't work? Kiwi new stuff often came with cheap and nasty radios that needed upgrading anyway
3tomany,
Jul 21, 7:54pm
My daughter had a grandis an the gps was dead, the radio was off station, the dvd player only had instructions in Japanese, even the handbook for simple things like tire pressure and torque settings was impossible to read. She will never again buy a used import. My mates Nissan that he loved had instructions in symbols that he had no chance of working out on the infotainment system, i asked him ho he gets on using it and he said it is very frustrating. Not good enough for a 20k car i recon.
3tomany,
Jul 21, 7:57pm
So selling a car with features that do not work is OK so long as it is a jap import? Any car second hand NZ new or Import should have all features in working order at point of sale.
tgray,
Jul 21, 8:22pm
waiting.
cjohnw,
Jul 21, 9:17pm
I agree wholeheartedly, and shouldn’t any dealer selling something like a motor vehicle have a duty to ensure that the purchaser has an understanding of the operation of the controls, even if it is simply just a case of supplying an english language handbook?
3tomany,
Jul 21, 9:26pm
Time to grab a beer and some peanuts.
franc123,
Jul 21, 9:27pm
44k was actually quite a good run, the lowest km one I had to deal with that failed had done a mere 8k. But you can't stop people thinking that these things are good buys for some reason.
3tomany,
Jul 22, 8:51pm
Why not just sell them with no rego as well. The customer can always buy it later.
onlylv,
Jul 22, 9:05pm
Is that a common practice? Two weeks on, I'm slowly figuring out how to use the wipers, heater and how to demist the windscreen. Yet to figure out how to use the radio. Only have 3 channels.
wayned,
Jul 22, 9:14pm
I an Import is advertised as having GPS it should work, but if it isn't advertised - then you aren't buying it. With the 30 odd years of Jap imports people should know that the radio frequencies don't go high enough. Ask for a band expanded fitted and you are almost guaranteed to get it. Try your luck with asking for a NZ radio. To say all features should work - what about the toll card reader, or minidisk player. I guess people still complain about space savers or tyre repair goo.
In this case if I purchased a car advertised with a reversing camera and they put a new radio in, I would expect it to still have a reversing camera.
I also think it should be easier to get copies of english car manuals. There is a market for good translators, especially technical people who could talk you through your radio menus.
My current import I have left the radio in, has a Harddrive, video input, reversing camera, good sound, bluetooth phone connection, steering wheel controls.
Took a while but got my phone connected & it works. Have ripped 20 or so cd's to it, camera it great. Worked out how to adjust the GPS set clock.
Only thing it really misses it a USB / iPod input / carplay.
But would probably cost a grand to put a decent replacement in, of the same quality just for those features. Use phone for GPS, it's better. Wife has a four year old car, maps out of date and $600 to get updated, that's annoying.
wayned,
Jul 22, 9:17pm
Start a new thread - take some photos of your dash etc, post them up with some questions. People here are really pretty friendly and helpful if you politely ask for genuine help. Just give as much info / details as you can straight up.
charlies4,
Jul 22, 11:15pm
I was shown all that before lefy car yard. And anything else can be googled. And having great mechanic helps as well. Booked in to get transmission done next week
You can't make an ought into an is, insisting you should is 1/ not going to work 2/ entitled and silly
If you look at car with a radio that you can't operate and you feel you need one that you can, then pay for it. It doesn't have that feature in the first place, a radio you can operate. Looking at one you can't operate and feeling you are missing out or that something you are paying for is being taken away is plain ignoring reality, the cars cost does not include a radio you can use, it contains something that looks a bit like one, but it isn't one, it's not a feature.
Any sense of loss is based on a false assumption in the first place.
marte,
Jul 23, 1:36am
It needs the 'band expander'. The jap FM band only overlaps on the NZ FM band slightly, it think at 86-90 So you are only going to pick up the NZ FM stations under 90. That's not many as I think the NZ FM band is from 87-104. A 'band expander' uses science stuff to shift the frequency of the incoming bands down a few notches to match the jap FM bandwidth, so your jap radio will receive NZ FM stations right across the NZ bandwidth.
edbabynz,
Jul 23, 12:09pm
The big omission here is that the dealer didn't disclose that the camera wouldn't go with his cheapy stereo option. He would have been well aware and obviously assumed the OP was Supercar Blondie off Youtube as opposed to an everyday NZ citizen.The dealer obviously not smart enough to recognize an up selling opportunity either. Time for an industry shake up!
3tomany,
Jul 23, 3:38pm
A good argument for avoiding Jap imports right there.
kazbanz,
Jul 23, 4:25pm
The dealer DID disclose on the VOSA exactly what the OP was getting. it was spelled out in black and white. It very specifically did not say reversing camera. That is in no way an omission. its a clarification.
kazbanz,
Jul 23, 4:46pm
And no matter what avoid NZ new cars with a huge number of potential mechanical and structural issues. But hey a 10 year old kiwi new jap import MIGHT have a radio that works.--or not. Sure it might be a diesel with a dodgy odo reading. it might an ex Christchurch car or from one of the flood areas and been up to its waist in silt. it might have had a huge wallop up the backside and been repaired by midnight motors. The braking system may never have been serviced. It could even be a car that should have been written off but not insured so bodged . Not one single one of those issues is adressed by any system of checking beyond a 20 minute WOF check. but hey -at least as long as the electrics aren't toast the radio should work.
Any one of the points I make COULD have been done in Japan. But there is a comprehensive inspection process carried out before the car is ever allowed on our roads to ensure that is extremely unlikely
edbabynz,
Jul 23, 6:19pm
LOL " It very specifically did not say reversing camera" you guys need to back up a bit and take a look in the mirror.
Should have been disclosed that replacing the stereo unit would cause the camera not to work. Would have been detrimental to the deal so the dealer held back. We get it.
sw20,
Jul 23, 6:43pm
Kaz, have you sighted the VOSA?
3tomany,
Jul 23, 7:06pm
Yip and buyer beware on all those things you point out, be it a jap import, an Aussie import, or indeed a NZ new used car. A good pre purchase inspection should uncover any drama and if that does not give you comfort just buy brand new. Brand new cost more up front, but are cheaper to own over time due to less maintenance.
3tomany,
Jul 23, 7:13pm
Why should a stereo that works in NZ be A negotiated item when purchasing a used car or any car. Doing so at point of sale is simply an ad on to + on road costs.
curlcrown,
Jul 23, 9:09pm
No wonder so many people don't like car dealers, they behave like "^^&&* when dealing with them.
kazbanz,
Jul 24, 9:03am
Which is EXACTLY what happened purchasing a new car and continues to happen today. The new car buyer specifies what radio--if any they want fitted.And they PAY appropriately
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