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Car Recommendation For Japan

*LOACH*

By *LOACH*,
in General Automotive Discussion

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*LOACH* Veteran

*LOACH*

Posted
Posted (edited)

I finally got my Japanese drivers licence today and after years of looking have pretty much given up on getting a VL wagon in Japan (for the time being). It is probably still going to be a little while before I can buy a car but I would like to have a goal to work towards. I have pretty much decided I want a Suzuki Cappuccino. However, I would really like people's opinions. My reasoning for a Cappuccino is:

They seem like a fun car to own and not too hard on the eye - especially with the appropriate mods.

They are a Kei car - this means cheaper insurance, road tolls, tax etc etc as well as some car parking spaces only allow Kei cars. Additionally there seems to be a bit of a Kei car scene over here.

Cappuccinos are RWD, turbo and the majority are manual. The only other Kei car like this is the Autozam AZ-1 which is heavier, smaller inside, only available with an F6A engine and much more expensive than a Cappuccino.

Cappuccinos seem relatively simple to work on, I will hopefully do most of my mods/maintenance.

Has a cool roof set up (not as cool as a Copen's but Copens are FWD).

Cappuccinos seem relatively cheap.

Interior room seems acceptable - I read on the net about a 6'3" guy + racing helmet being ok to sit in them, albeit with an aftermarket seat and steering wheel.

They have the option of the K6A engine which seems to me to be a much better engine than the F6A.

Some of the other Kei cars which I have researched include the Honda Beat (rag top, NA and heavier than a Cappuccino) and the Suzuki Alto Works (AWD which I would prefer not to have for ease of maintenance and fun factor).

Anyway I would really appreciate comments especially of those people who have had anything to do with Cappuccino's.

Thanks.

Edited by *LOACH*
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me_larr Community Regular

me_larr

Posted
Posted

Hit up Jesse Streeter.

He's got a really nice modified one.

He's taken me for a ride in it and I tell you, it is the best thing ever. Problem is, my wife has wanted one since!

Jesse should be able to answer anything and everything you want to know about the Cap :thumbsup:

Excuse the crappy pic

Mind you she's barely 150cm tall and thats how the car sits.

post-60388-0-99903800-1353420278_thumb.jpg

Iron Chef Grand Master

Iron Chef

Posted
Posted

There's no probs getting a VL wagon to Japan LOACH, it's getting shaken on it that would kill you...

Before you get too excited on Cappuccinos, check prices, they're becoming quite collectible these days.

*LOACH* Veteran

*LOACH*

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hit up Jesse Streeter.

He's got a really nice modified one.

He's taken me for a ride in it and I tell you, it is the best thing ever. Problem is, my wife has wanted one since!

Jesse should be able to answer anything and everything you want to know about the Cap

Excuse the crappy pic

Mind you she's barely 150cm tall and thats how the car sits.

post-60388-0-99903800-1353420278_thumb.jpg

Awesome, thanks mate. I will contact him as I have talked to him before and he has helped me out. I didn't realise he had a Cappuccino though - I thought he had an S13.

As you can see, bishes love 'em.

Nice I especially like them in black and that is what I hope to get, but finding an EA21 in black might be difficult. These are cool too (I have a bunch more pics aswell):

15_329.png

AY0F7744.png

al0411-29.png

There's no probs getting a VL wagon to Japan LOACH, it's getting shaken on it that would kill you...

Before you get too excited on Cappuccinos, check prices, they're becoming quite collectible these days.

Thanks for the reply mate. I have been looking on Goo, CS and Yahoo auctions for a while now. Seems like EA21Rs can be picked up for around 500 000 yen. Is this expensive? Are there some hidden costs I am not seeing?

*LOACH* Veteran

*LOACH*

Posted
  • Author
Posted

NSX-R ?

> bring it back to Oz as a personal import in 2014 ?

I'd love to drive up n down Irohazaka in that!

Well I was actually after a Kei car - actually I can have it both ways:

suzuki-cappuccino-honda-nsx-replica.jpg

hmmm....actually no.

Iron Chef Grand Master

Iron Chef

Posted
Posted

^^that made me vomit in my mouth a little...

To answer your other question, yes there's more to it - make sure it has as much shaken as possible, or you can add another 200,000+ to your bill....

*LOACH* Veteran

*LOACH*

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks again for the replies.

I understand about the Shaken, but are you (Iron Chef) saying that 500 000yen for a Cappuccino with some Shaken is expensive or that it is unlikely I will find one in good condition for 500 000yen?
*LOACH* Veteran

*LOACH*

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I talked to Streeter and he thinks F6A engines are better for modding than K6A engines. I assumed than that the K6A with it's alloy block, chain driven (rather than timing belt) camshafts, significantly higher torque and possible VVT (can't find anywhere to confirm whether the Cappuccino K6As had it or not) would be a much better option. Anyone else got any ideas?

elrodeo666 Mentor

elrodeo666

Posted
Posted

Roach you seem to have a good grasp on the Japanese language so doing shakken yourself should be a piece of piss especially since your living rural area.

Its easy enough to do but must foreigners get hoaxed unto believing its so difficult and expensive .

So getting something with say 3 months shakken left is no problem.

You'll often find cars at the dealers advertised 100,000~200.000 less than average and no shakken and then when its time to work out final price this gets added on for shakken,recycle tax,winter tyres (if needed) and small thinhs like timing belt changed.

Keem in mind anything close to 100,000km's is going to be cheap as to Japanese its the same as like a women who turns 30 and has not married (insert buzzer sound) REJECT !

Dont be scared of doing the shakken yourself, especially if you have the language skills, as you will save coin.

Also buying from a yard make sure you get some meishi's made up and take them with you.

When you find a car your interested in, when you meet the dealer give him your meishi. When you ask the dealer how much for final price, offer him your low ball price,he'll go no,no then offer what your prepared to pay.

If he does not accept then say thank you very much, and tell him him if he changes his mind to give you a call but tell him thats all the money you have.

You'll be surprised how many times you will get a call back from a dealer after they have said no on the day.

Make sure you test drive the car as a huge majority of Japanese buy a car from yards by just looking at it and sitting in it only and sometimes they may start it !!

If you cant test drive it , then walk away.

If tyres are a bit average then use that when dealing as getting a set by yourself is easy as. At the very least going online at checking Upgarage or the like you'll find good cheap used tyres.

Just do a bit of market research on the going price and set your max and be prepared to haggle. Get out and look at as many cars as you can and try evaluate if your price is right for the car your after.

Best advice is try befriend an car auction buyer/dealer and buy through the auctions, as you can get a extremely cheap car with a few months shakken and do the shakken yourself when its due and save yourself some coin.

Anyway sent you pm with a couple links with some info on self shakken.

*LOACH* Veteran

*LOACH*

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Just looking through the stuff you sent now elrodeo666. The article about doing the shakken yourself is awesome - I didn't even know it was possible. Thanks heaps for sending.

Do you know if it legal to drive a car without shakken directly to a self shakken centre?

  • 2 weeks later...
*LOACH* Veteran

*LOACH*

Posted
  • Author
Posted

So awesome, reading it as I post this. I have heard a lot of talk about Hayabusa engines in them but this is the first one I have actually seen. Seems like the UK is the place to be for Cap engine conversions - they have a 13B turbo powered one there too, I have no idea what the go is with engine conversions is in Japan though.

Thanks for posting Kristian, bookmarked and loved.

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