Global brands have truly gone beyond the borders of their home countries, expanding their reach around the world. This is true for automakers, and it is now difficult to distinguish between imported and domestic cars. Basically an import is any vehicle not available at any local dealer that is shipped from another country and therefore imported.
It should be noted that even if two cars are of the same make and model, one can be an import if it was launched abroad before being sold locally. Differences may also be present in some technical setups, such as suspension setup, tire specs, and steering (left-hand or right-hand drive).
Today, it is difficult to know whether a car is imported or not; it is not enough to simply judge by the brand name. Japanese car brands such as Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi have factories and assembly lines in North America, Europe, and other parts of Asia. America’s best-selling Japanese passenger car, Toyota’s Camry, is actually built in Kentucky. The Honda Accord is also made in the United States. In fact, Honda has six facilities in the state of Ohio alone. Other cars may have made your parts in three different countries.
Having a global automotive business is not easy to maintain, especially if global expansion and distribution is a priority. To develop products and increase sales, the proven strategy of automakers is to establish partnerships with other brands. General Motors, an American brand, uses Japanese-engineered engines. The company has also partnered with Toyota, using the same parts and engines for its cars. As a result, similar cars are produced, differing only in name.
Used import cars are easier to distinguish, because wherever they were made, if they were shipped from another country, they are automatically considered imports. Many used cars have traveled the world for their new owners, usually in countries where there are few or no locally made cars. In southern Africa, Zimbabwe is among Japan’s top used car importers. Used cars from Japan are in very good condition and can even be considered good as new Japanese policies make it difficult to keep a car older than five years and furthermore new models are introduced and sold on the Japanese market every few years. , resulting in a surplus of cars.
The government of Zimbabwe strongly recommends that those who import cars have them thoroughly checked by a competent mechanic upon arrival in the country. One thing to consider about import cars is that they have been built to suit a certain environment in a specific part of the world and according to the specifications required by that country. Therefore, Japan cars are suitable for all four seasons in Japan, but they may only need a few adjustments before they can hit the roads in Africa. For example, tires should be checked to see if they are suitable for tropical conditions. However, if you are thinking of importing cars, Japan is a good place to get them.
