The TRUTH Behind The JDM Engine Import Industry (Are They Really 40–50K Miles?)
Although the JDM industry and marketplace has grown dramatically in recent decades, there still remains one great question: Who should you buy from?
Should it be an established importer/dealer or a private seller?
And out of so many, who is ideal?
This question has been a long topic of discussion at all types of racing events, online forums, and casual conversations for as long as JDM engine culture has been around.
This article will outline the pros and cons involved with buying from either an established importer/dealer versus working with a private seller. There are distinct and important differences between the types of providers in the marketplace and it is crucial to recognize the best option for your particular project.
The JDM importing industry operates in what is known as a “grey market”, where products are sold and purchased outside of authorized trade channels approved by manufacturers.
From exclusive parts, engine options, and even entire vehicle models that were not made available to the rest of the world, manufacturers (like Toyota, Nissan, etc.) and companies (such as tuner equipment manufacturers like HKS, Greddy, etc.) generally sell products directly to the public through dealerships or authorized retailers.
Once purchased and in the hands of buyers, manufacturers have little to no control over what the public does with these products. This is the foundation of how grey markets operate, and the modern-day JDM marketplace is no exception.
The nature of JDM cars, engines, and parts involve a simple concept: genuine JDM products must originate from and for the Japanese market. These items had to have been exported out of Japan, as they were never made available to the United States and elsewhere around the world. Some of these unique products include examples like fender mirrors, certain body kits, the Toyota 1JZ-GTE engine, the Nissan Skyline GT-R BNR32 sportscar, and much much more.
Since JDM items must be shipped out of Japan, there are various methods to properly export these goods. Some parts may require shipping preparations as simple as being put in a box, taped up, and sent off through a postal carrier. This method works fine for smaller or medium-sized parts.
Larger items including JDM engines, half cut clips, seats, and other sizable items are usually exported via a large shipping container. These containers can range from 20 ft. to over 53 ft. long and can carry over 150+ engines. These containers are placed on large freight ships that then unload at major ports like those in California, Florida, New Jersey, and more.
Oftentimes, goods like engines are stacked on top of each other with a piece of plywood or junk car hood between and underneath them, so as to balance them out and leave the oil pans and top parts of the engines undamaged (for the most part). This is both cost and labor efficient, as no packaging materials like heavy-duty boxes are needed for individual items (which would consume a high amount of raw materials and promote more waste). Goods in a shipping container can be easily delivered by truck and unloaded at a warehouse upon being released from its destination port.
Keep in mind, even though a container can include genuine JDM parts, this does not mean it is coming directly from Japan. There are various wholesalers located outside of Japan throughout the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and Australia that work with certain importers/sellers around the world (including the United States) for the wholesale of JDM products.
Engines often receive some kind of damage to certain exterior accessories like intake manifolds, sensors, breather hoses, alternators, distributors, and more. This is a major reason why JDM engine sellers will rarely ever warranty anything besides the actual engine block and internals.
Large containers also seem like an ideal method to export a complete vehicle. Although this may be possible, many countries have laws and standards in place that impose conditions over how a vehicle can be legally imported.
For example, vehicles imported into Canada must be at least 15 years old from the original date of manufacture as recorded on the chassis or VIN plate/sticker. This is in stark contrast from regulations set by the United States, in which a vehicle must be at least 25 years or older (a full ten more years than Canada) to be allowed to enter and be registered legally. Some have even cut entire vehicles in half in order to create two separate sections, to then attempt to import these items simply as “car parts” rather than a complete vehicle. They will then weld the vehicle back together once it is imported. This may not be the most logical way to bring a car over stateside, but it is “a” way.
Illegal or non-compliant imports of vehicles can result in heavy fines, jail time, and even complete seizure and destruction of the vehicle. There are plenty of horror stories all over the internet, whether in the United States, the Philippines, the U.K., and more.
The Mileage Debate
It is a popular notion that many vehicles, engines, and parts in Japan generally experience less overall use, abuse, and accumulated mileage compared to those in other countries. Although this is not always the case, there may actually be some truth to this idea.
Most JDM engine sellers will advertise a mileage range for the engines and products they import. This advertised mileage range may or may not be true. The seller’s honesty may be difficult to prove without having the donor vehicle’s original instrument panel available that would display the original accumulated mileage. Items like half cuts often include the original instrument panel, which will display the last official registered mileage on the vehicle and engine. Keep in mind, cosmetic condition (how it looks) alone is not always a good indicator of mileage, as engines can easily be washed and shined up for that “new” look.
In many cases, a “range” such as 40,000 to 50,000 miles will be advertised by sellers. Without any definite proof, these claims cannot be fully substantiated and should be taken with a sense of suspicion. A more reasonable range may be around the 62,000 mile mark, which translates to just around 100,000 km (although there have been much higher mileage examples that I have personally seen, especially the older and rarer an engine is).
This range is more likely because once vehicles in Japan are close to, actually reach, or surpass this 100,000 km mark, owners are subject to additional fees and costs related to owning a vehicle with higher mileage and/or age. They are encouraged to trade in or discard their vehicle in order to buy a newer model. This keeps national Japanese automobile sales consistent, and allows for the rest of the world to take advantage of these abundant, relatively lower mileage engines (especially when compared to what is available in typical American junkyards).
Some vehicles also get into rear end accidents and become totaled. Engines and usable parts are removed and then exported. It can sometimes be difficult to tell engines apart that have simply reached their mileage deadline as opposed to one that was involved in a crash, although there are some tell-tale signs like bent parts or noticeable cracks.
Some engines will also have a small rectangular sticker on the block, valve cover, or timing cover that records at what mileage the engine underwent a major service overhaul, such as a timing belt or water pump replacement, or when it was removed from its original vehicle. This sticker can be easily removed when an engine is being cleaned and prepared before being sold, and it often leaves a residue when peeled off. This can be a revealing sign that mileage may be higher than what the seller is advertising, as engines can still be run past the 62,000 mile mark in Japan. They will just be subject to additional fees and scrutiny.
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