Hello all,
I am looking at purchasing a 1996 Toyota Crown Majesta with 79,500 miles (128,000 km) from a private party who imports specifically Toyotas from Japan. They gave me the auction report, and it appears to have no issues and was rated at Grade 4. The car also got the regularly scheduled timing belt maintenance before it came to the US, and appears to be in magnificent shape. It is used, and only had 1 owner prior to import. It has the 3.0L 2JZ-GE with VVT-I, and the digital dash cluster.
I wanted to ask if there was anything I should look for when seeing it in person, and if it was a good idea to get the car in general? I was going to check for rust, signs of cracks in pipes and other damage, and other wear - but there might be things I do not know to look for. In addition, if I do go ahead and purchase it, is there anything I should do afterwards to prepare for ownership of such a car (tools, warranty, etc.)?
If you need any more information, or pictures of the car, I will be happy to provide. I am also looking at a 1993/4 Majesta with only 17,000 miles on it, that is arriving soon with the same individual.
Thank you!
Check with your local DMV. California is VERY picky, for example.
If it's a Japanese made/Japanese sold vehicle, I'd say that's a plus. People who live in the suburbs (20 miles out) of Tokyo can expect to pay a lot for parking (or they own a home they can park at, also a lot of money), so the owner's location could be very telling. If they pay a ton to park, they have enough money to maintain the vehicle. Was the auction report from a Japanese firm in Japan or the importer? I would not trust the importer's or auction's inspectors. Pictures of the underside of the car on a lift can be quite helpful.
I have family in Japan, low mileage and parking under a cover or completely outdoors is VERY common... My mom-in-law might put 1000km during a busy year she lives 20 miles west of Shinjuku. Used car markets in Japan are rarer than hen's teeth. They've got age rules in place.
Weep holes being clogged not uncommon. If you don't mind right-hand-drive, it could be a rewarding experience. DO NOT FLUSH ANY FLUIDS (flushing could blow gaskets out). Just drain and fill stuff.
The report was from the firm over there, and I was given it by the importer without any interpretations or translations. I got it translated by an individual in Japan that I know, and they stated there is only minor damage in the form of scratches reported. It says Grade 4 with Grade A (exterior?) and grade B interior, with the B due to a small stain on the roof.
I will ask for underside pictures for the 96, which they actually gave me for the 1993/94 and is free of any damage or rust. I have no problem with RHD, as I've had experience in a friend's RHD car and thought it to be just like LHD (other than obviously being on the other side).
How much are they asking for, and why? Is it auto or manual? What are your intentions with the car. I mean theyre cool, ive seen people have fun with them online. Im not sure if the 2JZ-GE is as good of a platform as the 2JZ-GTE, so look into that one.
Look under the hood & inside the trunk to try and see if it looks like the car may have been in a wreck before. Get underneath and look for any damage, stains or drips. Check the important fluid levels (engine oil, coolant, transmission).
They are asking $9500, it is an automatic and would be for just general usage - I only drive about 10 or so miles a month, and ~2-3 miles 3 times a week at most.
I wouldnt buy an import car that old & use it as a daily. Alot of its seals are probably shot. Im assuming youre in the states, you can get something newer and more reliable for less money.
I understand where you are coming from, I was only looking at this for its uniqueness and being a Toyota and similarity to models present in the US.
If you've got money for a project car, since you said you're only going to put a few miles on it every month, that's probably the best scenario for a car that old with that few miles.
Maybe check older sales histories to see if the prices are in line. The dollar is extremely strong against the ¥ now. The last I checked, it was ¥1 vs $0.0069 a couple of days ago (my wifu has an ¥ account). Considering Japanese used car sales laws, I would doubt that the car would be pulling in very much money and, after importing expenses, do they help you with the gray market registration services in your state? What's their profit versus their services?
I know there are websites where you can calculate how much it will cost to ship a vehicle, maybe do some of that research to determine if these guys are making a little healthy profit or a big fat obtuse profit... Maybe you can negotiate a little bit to make your commitment a little more comfortable.
There may be other importers in other regions that have cars actually on lots too.