Is Premier Auto and Mr. Auto the same organization?

They are 2 different people and companies in Japan.
From what I know, Premier Auto handles a lot of services and autos in Yokota.

Mr. Auto handles a lot in Yokosuka, Atsugi, Negishi, and Ikego.. But I think he also has serviced people all throughout Japan.

So is that how it works? Everyone submits their bid prior to the auction? Or is it the traditional American-style auction where the bidding goes back & forth until you have a winner?

The one I went to, with Mr. Auto, it was a 2 booth seat. There is a monitor in front of you. I was right there with him, and he had a little computer hand held bidder. I saw everything, and there were no hidden costs. Its right there on the screen, and you know exactly what your going to pay for the vehicle.

I have pictures from this day. I will post them a little later on.

What I'm saying happens with most dealers that source cars from auctions is - you tell the dealer what you want to pay to drive the car away. The drive-away price normally includes a 2 year JCI, paperwork and some sort of garantee.  Based on your price you give him, the dealer determines where he will stop bidding, not you!  If you tell him Iyou'll pay $3000 for a car, he may get it for $100 bucks or $2500 bucks but will not tell you. That's his profit margin.

On a side note, It seems like Mr. Auto doesn't service Yokota because it's been 2 weeks without him answering me.

Hotskillet,

I think he works with yokota also. He is always busy.

I have talked with other people about the auction process, and it was like that for them. The dealer would tell you he got it for 2500 but really he may of got it for 900.

When I went to the auction with mr. Auto nothing was hidden. It also didn't come with jci. I had to get that on my car I bought. I saw everything on the screen and new exactly what the costs were for the car, because it tells you everything. Then I just had to pay the shipping from yokohoma to yokosuka.
www.japanbases.com

@Hotskillet, Mr. Auto isn't really into email or PM. I'm working with him now on a purchase and we do it all by phone. My emails go unanswered as well. Don't hold it against him; some people just aren't into online life, and he only has about 2 posts on all of JB.com. You would think he'd be all over this thing, but it's not his style.

Thaiguy is right. I've tried to tell him to answer people more frequently. He doesn't seem to have the time I guess. He knows he should be.
www.japanbases.com

Darn - I got so frustrated trying to get that nice little quote box, that I forgot to ask Adam about his comment that he had to "pay shipping costs from Yokohoma to Yokosuka".  Does that mean we can't drive the car off the lot?  Why not? How much do the shipping costs run, and how long does it take to get the car to Yokosuka?

You can't drive the car because it needs to get jci, liability, and temp tags before you drive any vehicle working under SOFA.

Japanese drivers work a little different.

I've seen Japanese drivers take a car straight off the lot. and drive it home.
www.japanbases.com

Ok - That makes sense.  How much does it cost to ship the car to Yokosuka and how long does it take to get here?

It was about 10,000 yen.
www.japanbases.com

Posted By RDSwiney on 29 Aug 2010 09:10 AM

speaking of not being very "into online life", how are you guys quoting each other and making it come out in the nice little box?  I can get the box to show up with the quotation marks at the top of the message box, but I can't get the words in the box!

In regards to the nice little quotes, looks like you've figured it out. BUT... when you add your own comments after the quoted material, make sure you click down to the bottom of the editing box where you type your comments.  This puts your comments OUTSIDE the quoted text box, but if you type right after the quoted material then your own comments end up inside the quoted text box, as you found out in your earlier post.

Did Mr.Auto ever get the webpage built? Been trying to find it.

No he doesnt have a website built, but he made this post, and it explains a lot:

http://www.japanbases.com/forums/af...21256.aspx

Posted By tgrassi313x on 06 Nov 2010 09:49 PM
Did Mr.Auto ever get the webpage built? Been trying to find it.

Also keep in mind he is TERRIBLE about answering email, and he rarely checks up on JB.com.  If you want him, you'll have to call.  I generally found him to be very busy & conversations ended up rushed. It was hard getting all my questions answered. Be patient and keep trying.

Also keep in mind he is TERRIBLE about answering email, and he rarely checks up on JB.com.

Your right, he rarely does check JB, just to post new cars when he has them. I tried to talk to him about that yesterday. I think people would appreciate if he was a little more responsive with the forums. The best way I get in touch with him is call him.

Just picked up my second car from the auction..

Posted the pictures on this thread:

http://www.japanbases.com/forums/af...aspx#21976

Is Premier Auto and Mr. Auto the same organization? Does anybody have their website?

This is Mr. Auto here. Hello hytek02, sorry for the last response. No we are not the same organization. If you need any assistance locating a vehicle in Japan, please just let me know.

Mr. Auto isn't really into email or PM. I'm working with him now on a purchase and we do it all by phone. My emails go unanswered as well. Don't hold it against him; some people just aren't into online life, and he only has about 2 posts on all of JB.com. You would think he'd be all over this thing, but it's not his style.

I apologize for my late responses on Japanbases.com in the past. Typically the best way to reach me was my cell phone. I will now be checking Japanbases.com private messages on a daily basis. Feel free to contact me anytime if you have any questions, concerns, or issues concerning your automobile. I am happy to answer any questions anyone may have.

On a side note, It seems like Mr. Auto doesn't service Yokota because it's been 2 weeks without him answering me.

I do service all areas. I will make it an effort daily to check Japanbases.com and respond to any customers questions.

Did Mr.Auto ever get the webpage built? Been trying to find it.

No I do not have a separate website. I am using Japanbases.com for now on. You can find any available vehicles in the VEHICLE ads section. I typically take customers to the auctions every Friday, and customers seem to be much more happy, because they can choose exactly the vehicle they want, at an amazing value.

lol, my case proven. It took him one year to reply to my comment. Anyway, it sounds like he'll be more accessible online from now on. :-)

Anyway, it sounds like he'll be more accessible online from now on. :-)

You can count on it

One of my favorite customers in Atsugi that we took to the auction last week, did an amazing job with these videos below.

Thank you to all my recent customers, we have been taking to the auction!
You all have been a blast to spend time with each Friday.

See Details About Attending the Auction.

Please enjoy these video tours of the auction:

I am new to this site but not new to Japan...I've been here over 16 years total.  I'm concerned about a few comments made about auction prices, car dealers, and other things in general.  First, a 2000 yen car is unheard of in all my years going to auction and I've been going to auction a long time.  20,000 yen cars are also few and far between.  Most going for that price are junk and would cost you 3 times that or more to get them in proper working order and passed inspection.  The days of "making a killing" on used cars are way over in the current economy.  The numbers stated in here are way off, even if made a year or two ago.  It makes it appear as though those terrible base dealers are making millions on the cars they are selling.  I know of no current car dealers making $1000-$2000 per car.  That is a gross overstatement of the truth and is simply not true.  Nice cars are expensive whether you go to auction and pick one out yourself or whether you get one at the MWR Car Lot on the base.  Please don't be fooled into thinking otherwise.  Nice cars are currently not cheap in Japan and really never have been.  Mr. Auto is out to do the same thing anyone else in this car business is....MAKE MONEY.  He's just doing it a different way...charging 50,000 Yen to bring base people to auction.

If you want a nice car, at least currently, you will be paying more like 100,000 Yen minimum for a 10-14 year old car at auction and probably more than that.  It all depends on the year, make, model, color, condition, popularity in the Japanese market, all that.  That's just the cost of the car itself and does not take into consideration, the auction fee, 5% consumption tax, car recycle fee, car delivery fee, any JCI cancellation fee, and a commission to the Japanese person that allows you to use his membership card to purchase the car.  Mr. Auto charges 50,000 Yen?  I know of some base dealers that pay as little as 15,000 Yen per car they purchase at auction.  Just because base car dealers don't have an auction license does not mean they pay big commissions to the Japanese car dealer allowing them to use their membership card.  Again, don't be misled as a new person to Japan.  Ask around, get the true facts before you buy. 

Next, get the car back to base and you're then going to have to pay JCI (currently $340/26 months), and base liability ($400-$600 or more depending on your age and driving record).  Then you'll have to take it to Autoport for a base inspection ($30).  If it passes you're lucky, if not then you'll have to pay to fix whatever they tell you is wrong with it.  Could be a light bulb or two...could be tires, brakes, suspension parts...who knows for sure.  It could cost you hundreds more.  After that you'll need to take it to LTO to pay weight tax, road tax, title fee, plate fee and other various fees....roughly $300-$400.  There are base "LTO Runners" that will do the whole process for you for as little as $50...money well spent being new to Japan, trust me.  The days of so-called "cheap" cars is currently in the passed in the current economic environment.  Base dealers take care of everything for the customer prior to putting the car on the lot for sale.  The only extra costs the customer incurs after purchase is Base Liability Insurance and the LTO Fees for registration.  The only benefit of going to auction is that you will get to pick out the car yourself.  It in no way guarantees you a cheaper price or a better car than what you are able to purchase from a base dealer.  A used car is a used car...it's mechanical...prone to breaking down no matter who chooses it, where you buy it, who you buy it from, how much you pay for it, etc.

Within this string there are several other comments that concern me and seem quite one sided against the base dealers to say the least.  First of all, if this Mr. Auto fellow "used" to sell cars on the base, why is he not doing so any more?  Why is he only sell cars off base?  There's usually a reason for something like this...maybe he's been "barred" from selling cars on the base by the Legal Office?  Who knows?  Maybe he can comment about that on this string.  Second, why does it appear he and/or his "friend" are personally attacking all the current base car dealers?  Could it be that because he may not be allowed to sell cars on the base any longer that he is now begrudging all the dealers even though he used to be a base dealer himself?  Something sounds a little fishy here to me.  And your comment, "I just want to put an end to all those guys making a killing and controlling the market for car sales on base."  What's all that about?  Sounds as though you and your buddy Mr. Auto have it out for the base and the base car dealers.  Sounds as though maybe you'd prefer this Mr. Auto fellow control the sales of cars to all base people.....?  No, that couldn't be it could it?  I'm sure you guys are only interested in helping all the base people get the best cars they can for the cheapest possible price right?  I bet you're not even concerned about making a profit.   

Bottom line is, no matter if you buy a car off base, on base, at auction, from a base car dealer or Mr. Auto is this....people do it to make money...if there was no money in it no body would be selling cars, taking anyone to auction, or writing things on this site to sway peoples decisions.  Base car dealers go to auctions and get the best cars they possibly can based on the majority of the customer demand on the base, which is cheaper cars.  In the current economic environment that is not an easy task.  They provide a valuable service to the base community and the majority of the dealers I know negotiate to a reasonable price based on cost, value, inventory, and customer demand.  They are not all making $1000-2000 per car...that is again a gross misstatement of the truth.

The Y75 = $1 is currently the main reason why cars are expensive right now.  I welcome any and all responses.

 

Ok, I live in Iwakuni but I was based in Yokosuka on active duty and know about buying cars up there. More to the point, I bought a car from Mr. Auto last year when I happened to be in the area on business. I sold my other car up there & drove back down to Iwakuni. I didn't go to auction; I bought a car that he already had.

I understand Mr. Auto has a lot of happy customers. I guess in the end, that's what matters. You get a car you like at what you feel is a good price, and have an enjoyable experience... that's win-win. In my case, I found the process (even buying a car he already had) frustrating, and not exactly as advertised. In the end, I got a "decent" car, but it did have hidden problems that were never resolved. The price was ok, certainly cheaper than Iwakuni where prices run higher; the process was far from enjoyable. It was not a jaw-dropping great deal.

I am troubled by one thing, which TES mentions in his/her post... what I would call a conflict of interest by Adam, who is also the moderator & developer of this website. As TES pointed out, Adam is the chief defender of Mr. Auto in these discussions. Take a look at the ads in the margin... who is the main advertiser on JB.com? So there's a little "scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" going on. Take everything with a grain of salt. I am NOT saying that Mr. Auto isn't reliable or honest or that he doesn't give you a good deal. As I said, most of his customers seem to be happy and that says a lot. But do your due diligence; there are a lot of other honest & reliable sellers, including private parties. My preferred method of getting a cheap car is the fool who says "PCSing in 6 days; must sell!" (the worst possible way to write an ad.) I will usually get a car from someone like that at 1/3 of what they ask, and if the car is a lemon I drive it for a year & abandon it (legally). I never have to pay JCI or repairs.

There are many ways of looking at the problem.

As TES pointed out, Adam is the chief defender of Mr. Auto in these discussions. Take a look at the ads in the margin... who is the main advertiser on JB.com? So there's a little "scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" going on. Take everything with a grain of salt. I am NOT saying that Mr. Auto isn't reliable or honest or that he doesn't give you a good deal.

First off, I do defend Mr. Auto, because he is not only a car dealer, but a huge resource for anything car related! He has helped me when I have been in a JAM more times than I can count.

Ask around. Ask how many people he has helped ever since JB has began.

I know his reputation, and I know a lot of people come up to me thanking me for introducing the 2 of them.

Here is the dilemma.

I've heard from multiple different people that, dealers onbase are frustrated that Mr. Auto has been taking business away from them. I know this, because I was told that it was brought up at one of the onbase dealer meetings.

Basically dealers were told not to complain about not making money, and to get cars out there on the lots. If they didnt get cars on the lot, then they have no room to complain that Mr. Auto is stealing business from them.

With the yen dropping as low as it has, its made anyone selling cars, to make a decent profit. Sure, back in the day, they were making a great deal of $, but now things have changed.

Mr. Auto can sell cars and take people to the auction, because he is not affiliated with the base.

For someone that has bought the last 2 cars at the auction with Mr. Auto, I have nothing but good things to say. Not because he is a friend, because I am a CUSTOMER also.

If I had been screwed, I would tell you guys. But I havent, so sure I am going to spread great info about him, because he is offering something that is a great deed especially for people looking for a great car...

Cars onbase get handed down over and over.

I just smirk when I see cars going for these outrageous prices onbase, $3000-$5000...

People need to realize, take my word for it.... Just try the auction. If it doesnt work out you can blame me personally for recommending you to go there.

I agree with Thaiguy about buying a car from someone PCSing. You can get a great deal that way. That is how I got my car over a year ago and it has been good car. I paid less than Mr. Auto charges (50,000Y?). Most people moving back to the states just want to get something out of their vehicles and will take whatever is offered because anything is better than junking it and getting nothing.

Hello JB Members,
This is the one and only MR.AUTO checking in. I see that someone(TESS) seems to be upset that I give costumers an option when buying a used car in japan. I am not here to defend or justify what I do, but I can say that I am just another option. I have never attacked any of the used car dealers on base because I used to sell cars on Base. During the time  I sold cars on base I followed the rules of the MWR used car lot. I was not allowed to escort customers to the car auction or sell any cars that were not displayed on the MWR used car lot that would be a BIG violation of the rules and a dealer could loose their privilege to sell cars on base. I am not working on the base now so I don't have to follow those rules anymore. I now have the chance to give customers a choice come have some fun with me while purchasing the car that you really want to drive. Mr.Auto is a business and just like any other customer base business. I care about customers especially the military members and their families coming to a new place having to spend so much cash up front for everything. I try to help them find a good inexpensive and dependable vehicle. I would like to say thanks to all my customers who have bought cars at the auction thank you for using Mr.Auto Auction service and I would like to thank Adam Jones and all the staff at Japanbases.com for giving me the opportunity to help our military members with all their automotive needs.

p.s  I have to say what's up to my buddy THAIGUY how is that car treating you.

#Radioactive Used Car: 20.38 Microsieverts/Hr Car Destined for Kenya Stopped

at a car exporter in Kawasaki City, in Kanagawa Prefecture.

At least, used cars for export get tested for radiation. And those cars rejected for export for high radiation? Where will they go? (Anecdotal evidence suggests they are simply sold inside Japan.)

From Sankei Shinbun (10/17/2011):

川崎市は１７日、同市川崎区東扇島の中古車輸出会社に運び込まれた乗用車１台から毎時２０・３８マイクロシーベルトの放射線量を検出したと発表した。市は「人体に直ちに影響がある数値ではない」としている。

Kawasaki City announced on October 17 that a used car brought in to a used car exporter in Higashi Ogijima in Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki City tested 20.38 microsieverts/hr radiation. According to the city, "That level of radiation does not have immediate effect on human body."

　市によると、検出された車は千葉県のオークション会場で競り落とされ、輸出手続きのため川崎市の会社に運び込まれた。以前は福島県のいわきナンバーだったという。ケニアに輸出される予定だったが、競り落とした業者に引き取られた。

According to the city, the car was auctioned off in Chiba, and brought to the exporter in Kawasaki City for export. The license plate number was previously that of Iwaki City in Fukushima Prefecture. The car was destined for Kenya, but instead the dealer who had won the car in the auction took it back.

Those new to Japan and others....please don't miss the point.  There is nothing wrong with "providing a service" or another option for those searching for used cars upon arrival to Japan.  What isn't right is to use this site as a means to promote one person's personal off base business at the expense of the on base car dealers or the system as it is currently mandated.  Or to have a site administrator who would do the same thing for you on the side.  Making blanket negative statements bad-mouthing the base dealers and/or the current system as it is drawn up and regulated by base instruction isn't the way to go about it.  Those on the base are operating under the system as it was designed. 

Please don't mislead those people PCSing to Japan.  They have enough on their plates with their transitions to a foreign country and everything else they have to deal with.  Car dealers I know on the base are honest, hardworking, family people who provide a valuable service to the community.  They go to auctions, bid on and purchase the best cars they can find at the best prices they can find so they may be sold at the best prices on the car lot.  It's a business as I said...ALL people are doing this to make money...Yes, even Mister Auto...surprise surprise.  That is the plain and simple truth I don't care how or who may try to candy coat it to make it appear otherwise.

My point is there are several ways to go about acquiring a used car upon arrival to Japan and you will end up spending about the same amount of money either way you go about getting one....except if you get one from those PCSing with a couple weeks left as mentioned previously.  If you get one of those on the cheap that lasts a year...you're doing very well.  However, the playing field needs to be kept level so I recommend promoting your "friends" business in a positive way as opposed to trying to point negative fingers at the base dealers or the system on the base.  That way it doesn't look so ugly or as though the base dealers are doing something terribly different than your buddy Mr. Auto is.  If you provide such a valuable service as is professed then let your business do the talking by itself without having your friend bad mouth others merely trying to do the same thing...make money and grow their business.

No one is upset....the truth is powerful.  I suggest it be reflected properly for those that depend on this site for information on buying a car in Japan.

****PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THIS****
This is our personal car experience:

Im new to Japan so i hope this helps to the newcomers like myself!  if you have ANY questions about what i posted, please PM me! 

Hello to all
Just wanted to throw my experience out here as i am new to Japan i have to say we LOVE it here if you are open to new things, the people, their cultural and the food are GREAT!  We love how there are vending machines every few feet here in Japan!  AND for all the ladies (and men who love to shop shop shop until you drop there are soooo many stores/malls here that i could NEVER see everthing in a LIFETIME! (im being serious)

Now speaking of shopping on to the point Like i said we havent been here that long less than 2 months now from today.  When we decide to make a large purchase (for us anything over $300) we really do our research we looked and looked online and on this forum in search of vehicles both BEFORE we got here and once we arrived.  We live in the Atsugi/Camp Zama area so i looked at the local military classifides, went to the local base "lemon lots", and went to multiple local auto dealers, we even talked/looked at vehicles of people who were PCS'ing out or just selling their vehicles.  Our feet were so tired and it was soooo hot outside too! UGH  

We decided after ONE FULL MONTH of being here and one full MONTH of walking every where that none of these were just the right choices for us.  Some and im saying some, NOT all people that were selling their vehicles looked terrible in the inside, i was amazed that people still wanted alot of money for the vehicle.  This lady showed me this car that was wrecked on one side and look like an exorcism had taken place in the inside, the back had stains and spots ALL over the inside (gross)!  Another vehicle we looked at was really cute & nice on the outside AND clean on the inside but it had over 145 thousand MILES on it (not KM, i did the conversion) and then the lady told me how "base vehicles just have alot of miles on them and thats just the way it is" and that she "had got the vehicle from someone else on base and that person 2 people before her on base", thats not what we were really looking for and still for alot of money  Other vehicles we looked at were in GREAT SHAPE, inside & out AND had low miles, unfourtunately for us it was too small

My husband who is 6' 2", my oldest who is 5' 11", youngest 5' 4" and me im the shortest at 5' 2" we DID really need something that was big enough for ALL of us so thats when we decided maybe we should look outside the base

We started to look at the local dealerships, and they were all nice to us and helpful.  We began to notice that some vehicles included the LTO run and inspection and some did NOT.  Dont know why some did and some did not?  I know we looked at 4 different auto dealers it was 50/50 split on the LTO run thing.  Some said that i had to do it by myself and some said i did NOT.  However ALL of them told me that i had to take it on base to get base inspection by ourselves.  What was dissapointing was that the price of the vehicle was still alot $4000-$5500 american and i still had to do the LTO run and I had to take it to get base inspection too!  Plus they just didnt have what i was looking for!  The vehicles were either too small for us or way too big! Giant mini-vans or anything big for that matter is difficult to park the parking spaces here are so small you get use to it though We asked if they could get a specific vehicle for us and some said it would cost us more or that no we couldnt. 

After being here for a month we pretty much had figured out what we wanted!
I know were picky!  But hey if were gonna spend $4000-$5500 it better be what you want especially if your gonna be here for 7 years i wanted our vehicle to last!  Some people just buy beaters to get by but end up buying a vehicle in a year or less.  Didnt want to worry or deal with that hassel so for us it was easier to find the right vehicle the first time!

Thats when we really started to look into Mr.Auto.  We were skeptical at first, going to auction with some guy, somewhere.  We asked around on base about him and read all the reveiws carefully and spent hours reading ALL the comments!  We made the decision finally and we went!!

LOVED the expereince! I think the first think you have to do is make a list of vehicles that youve seen since you've been here that you like because chances are you will see it at auction. Once you get there you see lots of really neat cars 
What i really liked about Mr.Auto is he wont let you buy a crappy car!! I was really interested in this one car, it was roomy and cute. But he said no go on that vehicle because it was known to have transmission problems After that i started noticing how there was so many of that particular car there and on the paperwk of one it actually said that it had engine problems.  We also really got into the vehicles turned them on, checked the engine, looked inside and out etc.  Mr.Auto was there with us every step of the way to answer all of our questions 
Next set a budget and decide whats the max you want to spend, auction cars go fast, the bidding process is over before you know it! We had a list of vehicles that we wanted and we got our top pick!  Even if we didnt get our number one pick we still wouldve got something that we WANTED!  Low miles, no dirty interior, roomy for my tall family, AC works, GPS, AND it came with JCI! 

Mr.Auto handled ALL the paperwork LTO run AND i already had inspection on vehicle with the JCI so i just got a base inspection wavier paper and it was done! I actually went with MR.Auto to the LTO office to do name change paperwk and it only cost me $30 american.  I went with Mr.auto so i could know where it was so i could give the location to other people so they can do it themselves if they wanted to.  The process was easy and Mr.Auto was GREAT!!  He even takes you to lunch at auction

I think if your really want a vehicle that YOU can choose for yourself then Mr.Auto is the way to go!  We waited a month before we even got one, some people chose not to wait one day and thats their choice.  But for us im glad we waited and i love the vehicle we got and the expereince we went through on getting the vehicle. 

We love Japan! I hope for anyone coming yall will enjoy it as much as us! If anyone has any questions about auctions PM me for info

WOW!! so i just saw " TES' " quote! I was just intially posting on the original topic until i saw this post

TES
"am new to this site but not new to Japan...I've been here over 16 years total. I'm concerned about a few comments made about auction prices, car dealers, and other things in general. First, a 2000 yen car is unheard of in all my years going to auction and I've been going to auction a long time. 20,000 yen cars are also few and far between. Most going for that price are junk and would cost you 3 times that or more to get them in proper working order and passed inspection. The days of "making a killing" on used cars are way over in the current economy. The numbers stated in here are way off, even if made a year or two ago. It makes it appear as though those terrible base dealers are making millions on the cars they are selling. I know of no current car dealers making $1000-$2000 per car. That is a gross overstatement of the truth and is simply not true. Nice cars are expensive whether you go to auction and pick one out yourself or whether you get one at the MWR Car Lot on the base. Please don't be fooled into thinking otherwise. Nice cars are currently not cheap in Japan and really never have been. Mr. Auto is out to do the same thing anyone else in this car business is....MAKE MONEY. He's just doing it a different way...charging 50,000 Yen to bring base people to auction."

Hello There!

Im guessing by reading all of your post that maybe you are a local auto dealer? and i have to say that i am just a military spouse that just got here less than 2 months ago so i dont want you to confuse me with knowing anyone from here or that im taking sides or bad mouthing anyone. 

In my previous post i did write how i did go to local dealers and they were very nice and very helpful and i will still state that even now. 

However reading ALL your post and everyone elses post it sounded like you were really upset? I can possibly understand why? 

TES
"Car dealers I know on the base are honest, hardworking, family people who provide a valuable service to the community. They go to auctions, bid on and purchase the best cars they can find at the best prices they can find so they may be sold at the best prices on the car lot."

Yes! You are indeed right  Im sure that they are all those things you have said above as i am glad that they are because they do business with the local military members here and have im sure for many years!

But Sir/Madam i have to say that i am just an everyday person who knows not the specifics of auction but the experiences i had at auction and most importantly the bottom line price of what i paid TOTAL and what i saw while i was there.

I have to say "TES" Sir/Madam that i did see cars go for 20,000 yen! I saw it with my own two eyes  I know it was crazy, it IS crazy!  and YES Sir/Madam you are right SOME of those cars that sold cheap were INDEED what i like to call "beaters" but Sir/Madam some in fact were NOT! 
It seemed as if they werent "few and far between" because i saw many go for less than 100,000 yen that i KNOW we looked at, that were indeed good cars!   

When we first arrived and saw all the cars i thought lets just get 2 "cheaper"  cars instead of just getting one more expensive vehicle.  Two for the price of one  

We decided to stick to task at hand which was one vehicle because each vehicle we had researched specs previous to arriving at auctions and wanted to stick to our planed/said vehicle 

In FACT "Tes" one of the cheaper 2 for the price of one cars went for around 96,000 yen and it was NICE inside and out and yes Sir/Madam i realize the conversion rate (as we both know it changes daily) so american it was around $1250 at the time but "Tes" did i mention that it had JCI on it? 

Like i said i dont know the exact specifics as Sir/Madam im sure you do because you stated that you have been here 16 years, i can only tell you and others of MY expereince with auction and fees.  I have to say what ive figured out and please Sir/Madam correct me and explain to me if you know differently. I really like to be an informed buyer!  I love to get every angle/perspective when it comes to important matters especially money matters and being that youve said youve been here and know so much please comment on what im about to write

JCI is something EVERY military member who has a vehicle has to have, it doesnt matter where you get your vehicle from it has to have it.  If your lucky maybe youll ge a vehicle with JCI on it thats a sweet bonus but expect to pay more for the vehicle because either way someone has already paid for the JCI, that is just straight commonsense although when you have people who PCS out you can get a good deal cause they dont want to pay the salvage fees (i dont blame them either!)
If your vehicle does NOT come with JCI you do in fact have to get that and its a one stop shop you get your JCI and your liability insurace all in the same place at the same time.  It is based on your Rank, Age and SIZE of vehicle so price will vary and its on base.  I would say budget $600 and thats usually for the 2 years you can chose to get insurance for 3,6 months etc if you chose.  The JCI is good for 2 years. (I know this because i recently did this on my motorcycle)

The weight tax, road tax etc "Tes" your right you do have to budget for that if your vehicle didnt come with the JCI already on it.

As far as base inspection if it has JCI on it you sign a base wavier form at VRO and thats it.  You dont even have to get your vehicle inspected on base!  Go off Base use Google Translate and just come back on base with paperwk to VRO sign base wavier and your done!

I used Google Translate to upgrade to a whole new audio system in my new car 
UGH this is getting too lenghty! I got stuff to do around here lol!

This is what is boils down to.........

We should all play nice! Tes i dont understand why you were so mean to Mr.Auto?  Im not his best friend im just a former customer and he was a nice guy!  I never saw that he had posted anything bad about anyone or their dealership?  What gives Tes? Hes got a family too like everyone else He was honest about all the fees and during the whole process. 

I would recommend Mr.Auto!  We all have choices to make, and their are OWN choices to make.  We DID the research, we went every where and Tes really everyone at the local dealers were really nice!  
But in the end for us its not what we were looking for and people have the right to make that choice, just because they dont go with a local dealer doesnt mean they think less of the other choice!  I dont know you but im sure you are a nice guy!  I hope you can understand that by me making a comment on your comment doesnt make me the bad guy!  Its a free market out there and i want people to know about my experience and ALL of the choices out there 

Sir/Madam "Tes" I hope you have a wonderful day

Not picking on anyone but when I was younger I am quite a fortune repairing these "great deals" everyone got, especially after they had the car for about 9-10 months. Choose carefully, I can take a junker and make it look and run like a new car for about six months. Today though you won't be repairing the car, you'll have to junk it and start over becsuase part prices don't justify the repair price.
Best one I saw in recent history was a Benz, 7 year old car c220, the computer eats itself, price of a new computer $5700.

There are so many ways to do it; none of them are wrong. I've had 2 cars during my current tour in Japan. The first, a little Honda Logo, I bought for $900 from someone PCSing out. It had 18 months of JCI on it. During that time, I had to pay road tax once ($75) and changed oil once. After 17 months, I drove it to Yokosuka & sold it to a lady from Atsugi. I told her (1) The car is old (2) It has 1 month of JCI left (3) It will probably need tires & brakes. I was completely honest, and sold it to her for $400. She was happy & I was happy.

Cost to me: ($900 paid - $400 sold + $100 on road tax & oil)/17 months = $35/mo of ownership or $9 a week. While in Yokosuka, I bought another cheap car from Mr. Auto and I'm kinda doing the same routine again. I never pay for repairs or JCI, and drive for pennies a day. Our cars are not luxurious, but they are reliable and it works for my wife and me.

We are arriving in late November and from everything I have read, we will be contacting Mr. Auto. Thanks for everyones input. The thought of moving half way around the world is slightly intimidating yet very exciting. Glad to know there are honest people out there willing to help. See ya'll soon.

IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN A CHEAP RELIABLE CAR, THEN YOU CAN CONTACT ME!  I SELL CARS ON BASE AS WELL, BUT MOST OF THE TIME I DON'T EVEN GET A CHANCE TO PUT THEM ON THE LOT BECAUSE THEY SELL SO FAST.  I DON'T BUY WRECKED CARS OR CARS WITH RUST...SO WATCH OUT FOR THAT!  ALOT OF PEOPLE DO.  AND MY VAN I HAVE WOULD BE OK FOR TALL PEOPLE!

anyone know where I can find a good reliable van for $2000 or less? I'm sure that's asking a lot.... but we're only here for about another year so I'm not trying to shell out a ton of money. We have a van right now, but the inspection and JCI are about to be due and I don't want to go through the hassle of all that. plus, I'm pretty sure some work needs to be done on the car. Seems to me like it would be cheaper to just buy a new car. We have a toddler, so a van would be WAY more convienient for us. If anyone knows of anyone selling a van with JCI out to later next year or longer, that would be fantastic! I wish I had the time to go to an auction, but being dual military makes that really difficult.

Posted By navywife86 on 01-13-2012 11:16 AM
anyone know where I can find a good reliable van for $2000 or less? I'm sure that's asking a lot.... but we're only here for about another year so I'm not trying to shell out a ton of money. We have a van right now, but the inspection and JCI are about to be due and I don't want to go through the hassle of all that. plus, I'm pretty sure some work needs to be done on the car. Seems to me like it would be cheaper to just buy a new car. We have a toddler, so a van would be WAY more convienient for us. If anyone knows of anyone selling a van with JCI out to later next year or longer, that would be fantastic! I wish I had the time to go to an auction, but being dual military makes that really difficult.

NW86,

Try bringing your car over to the Auto Hobby Shop (not Auto Port). For a couple of dollars we can look at the car with you and give you an idea of what might actually need to be repaired.  We can also provide the following services: 

a.) Teach you how to repair the vehicle yourself to save money.
b.) Locate/price compare among the vendors from the local community to find you the cheapest part (free service).
c.) Assist you in the preventative maintenance that your vehicle requires. 

While we cannot work on the car for you, we are allowed to walk you through the repairs (step by step if necessary) so that you can learn and save money at the same time.

Think of it this way; currently you are in Japan, where, for the most part, most japanese repair shops are honest, expensive, but honest.  This is not the case in many countries including the US. 
Say for instance that we teach you how to rebuild your brake cyclinders, and replace the pads/shoes.  You do it with us once and you now have that basic skill set for life!  You may decide that in the future you do not want to do this task yourself, but at least you know and understand the basic requirements. As such, when a less than honest repair facility tries to rip you off, you will know! 

Two years ago we walked a spouse from the GW through a $1800 savings on her honda odessey, she was ready to junk the car due to the estimate she received from the local garage, but upon our inspection we realised that they had made a serious error (could have been on purpose but not sure) in what was wrong, the difference was that she did not need a radiator/hoses/water pump slash fan unit, but instead needed a ¥2,200 ($30.00) thermal switch that turned the radiator fans off and on.  the differance was about $1770.00 in repair fees.

We have even walked one enterprising spouse through an entire engine swap when the engine in her car locked up from lack of water (bad radiator) and she accomplished it with only instruction from us in 4 working days saving herself almost 3K.

We offer many options to assist and all that I can say here is that you should come and see us, worst case is that we cannot help you, though I doubt that this is the case.

Kenn

Ken Morgan
Skills & Develoment

AND I DO CHARGE FEES! FOR ANYTHING.

That may just be this dealers best quote yet, and the entire post is all CAPS too nicely done.

That quote speaks volumes.

I do give credit for HONESTY though.

wow...I am so sorry. I do not charge fees for anything. I can't! it's against the rules lol. However...I posted this a while back before I realized I can't post things that I am selling. I didn't know that at the time! But anyway...I don't charge fees. I can't believe you are the fist person to notice that. Sometimes I get so caught up in what I am saying that when I proofread it, it stills seems correct. I need to take my time. Obviously the way it is written, you can tell I meant don't. I think!

You can edit & fix typos. I'm not telling you to; I'm just pointing out the capability. I do it constantly as I care about the impression I make through my use of language.

Actually, only your newer posts can you edit. It does not have the option to edit now. I don't know why but it doesn't. I guess it's too late.

I was just spinning you up, I understand what you were saying. I too have many typo's, especially after I select "Submit" I have noticed that you have a small window to make corrections as well. Possibly until someone else makes a post...?

Anyway that was a classic quote, I think you should keep it and make it a slogan I bet no one else is using it.

I wish I would have came up with that one.

Another plug for Mr. Auto. I've been in Japan for 3 years and just extended so I was looking for something a little more my style. I, like a lot of newcomers, bought from the lemon lot when I got here because it was quick and easy. Only after going to the auction with Mr. Auto last Friday did I realize how much money I could have saved while ending up with something much nicer. He's a pro and a pleasure to deal with, so PLEASE, if you are looking for a car then give him a call and head to the auction!

Thank you for the kind words xsquid99. I really enjoyed getting you that car, please take care of it.

We bought a great car years ago from the "lemon" lot. I am pretty sure it was an auction car, wayyy tooo nice (low mileage, super clean) to be a base persons car. I think the gentleman told me he got it at auction at one point. Anyways, I paid what I thought was very fair for it. Now that I see Mr. Auto has had such great reviews, if we get our orders to Japan again, I will be contacting you for our next car. My one issue with the car was that because it was much older, I think 93' or 99' nissan stagea, our car seat was not properly installed. The next car we buy in Japan I must have a newer model that has up to date car safety for child seats.

We too will be contacting Mr. Auto. I just need to understand what are the DONT's of the auction. For example, someone posted earlier about the inspection being denied due to a sticker being on the window...so we are able to get it inspected before we buy, is that right???

We too have purchased from Mr. Auto. The price we paid for our vehicle was AWESOME! Great guy that walked us through the entire process. He even hooked us up with a LTO runner who was reasonably priced and efficient. I wouldn't think twice about buying from him again. I did not go to the auction, but for my wife's car I would love to.

do you have his number because I'm interested in get a car here for my tour.  and if i can save some money will be appreciated

see Mr. Auto's profile for phone number & email address.