Provide Cars

Classic cars add value

jonfrench — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 23:26:31 +0000

One large group of foreign buyers in the auctions target the classic cars sold in Japan. Classic BMWs, classic Mercedes Benz, Kharman Ghia and VW Kombis. They are readily available though often suffering from age with signs of rust and corrosion underneath and in the engine bays.
Take the VW Kombi: here on sale privately in Japan

VW Kombi

Top condition, original and sold for 700,000yen.

When looking for these classics in the auctions there are a few tricks you need to know when searching. When doing an auction search for old vehicle such as these, their first date of registration may hide their existence. If the vehicle was first imported into Japan in 1996, though it may be a 1966, and it was registered in Japan in 1996, the car will appear in the auctions as a 1996 vehicle. So when searching, don’t restrict the age to less than 1980 for example as you may miss these imported vehicles.

Provide Cars, we provide you with the largest selection of vehicles available from 115 car auctions in Japan each week

Quadriple Rotary Mazda RX-7

jonfrench — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 07:27:19 +0000

From New Zealand’s biggest online auction:
While several car manufacturers tried to use the innovative Wankel rotary engine in production, only Mazda made a fist of it. The lack of moving parts and turbine-like power make them addictive. Almost all Mazda rotaries are two rotor jobbies, but they also make three and even four rotor variants for endurance racing.

Mazda RX-7 specs:
kms: 102,000
colour: black pearl, 2 door, coupe (personally I haven’t found a Mazda RX-7 4 door yet)
Engine: Rotary, 2600cc, Manual
Year: 1992

Engine is a custom made 4 rotor built from all new parts

* Gearbox- 5 speed manual with B&M Short shifter
* Axles- Billet 2767
* Clutch- MazdaSpeed single plate
* Paint- Glasurite Black Pearl paint
* Bonnet- Custom Carbon
* Radiator- Griffin 3 core (with computer controlled water pump and fans)
* Roll Cage- 5 point NZDRA chromolly with removable intrusion bar
* Alloy fuel cell with twin bosch 044 pumps
* Wheels- Standard RX7 Rims 16×8 **NOTE - DOES NOT INCLUDE WHEELS AND TYRES PICTURED!!**
* Exhaust- Mandrel bent stainless steel primaries back to the diff running into 2 custom made 4 ” mufflers
* 6mm scattershield and driveshaft loop
* Boot mounted battery

Engine specifications

* Street ported CNC Ported (Stage 2)
* Custom made inlet manifold with billet alloy lower
* 3 piece precision crank shaft
* 9.7 rotors
* Billet alloy sump plate with custom high volume pan and pick up
* Motec M800 (with logging)
* Dynoed at 430 HP at the rear axle

Performance

* 10.66 1/4 mile@ 202kmh
* Dynoed at 430 HP at the rear axle

May consider selling engine separatly

Video link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsZQX2tzNhI

Old lines that look new

Count the rotars

Count again

Beautiful condition and it is for sale!

Provide Cars, we provide you with the largest selection of vehicles available from 115 car auctions in Japan each week

Invisible Car

jonfrench — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 22:22:40 +0000

Wanna see an invisible car? Mercedes-Benz tried it out on a B-Class hatchback in promotion of their hydrogen fuel cell powered car. See the photos below to see if you can see it.

Invisible Merc

You could have the same thing if you like on your car at a mere cost of $263,000! They did it by covering the car in flexible LED lights and the mounting cameras on the other side to portray what those cameras were seeing on either side. The equipment needed used weighed 500kgs, so that would take a fair bit of fuel efficiency away wouldn’t it!

The whole idea was to promote their hydrogen fuel cell powered car as having an “invisible” impact on the environment.

Bentley bad concept car SUV

jonfrench — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 22:18:46 +0000

Bentley has been hinting at the possibility of a full-size ultra-luxury SUV for a few years. They finally put out their concept SUV at the Geneva car show. Not that is ugly. Now how about the name EXP 9 F. Where did that come from?

Using the 6.0-liter W12 engine from the Continental or with a proposition of having a V8 accompanied by an electric motor and battery pack. Probably make this the worlds least efficient hybrid.

Provide Cars, we provide you with the largest selection of vehicles available from 115 car auctions in Japan each week

Compact SUV …. not the Juke … the 2013 Mazda CX-5

jonfrench — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 22:14:39 +0000

The world is full of SUVs and certainly doesn’t need another gas guzzler on the market. The ones on the market already fit every imaginable purpose and purse. So why is Mazda introducing the Mazda CX-5? The reason is that this “little/SUV in miniature”. It is smaller, cheaper model intended to fill a new niche in the SUV world, the SUV compact. Nissan did it with the Juke and Mazda knows this is a sales mine that they just can not miss out on.

So the CX-5 is a compact SUV designed fresh from the ground up. It rides on a 270cm wheelbase, only 5cm shorter than it’s big brother the CX-7. It has a length and width of 452 cms and 184 cms compared to CX-7’s 468 cms and 187 cms. It has about the same sized space inside as the CX-7 with comfortable room for 4 though enough seat belts for 5. It will come with a 2.0-liter engine rated at about 160 HP and with four driveline choices: FWD auto or manual 6 speed and AWD with auto or manual 6 speed transmission. The car itself is perky and quite fun to drive.

Mazda has added in the Skyactiv Technology. By increasing the compression ratio it can squeeze more work out of the pistons power stroke. This however increases heat build up in the cylinder, which leads to premature ignition or knock. Mazda counters this by creating a larger header, stopping the hot exhaust fumes being pulled back into the cylinder’s next intake stroke. Other improvements in heat control (getting rid of excess heat but keeping needed heat in the engine) and fuel injection results in an engine getting performance records that look close to that of the VW or BMW diesels.

I would say it shouldn’t be too long where you can find brand new “second hand” Mazda CX-5s in the auctions soon.

Mazda CX-5

Provide Cars, we provide you with the largest selection of vehicles available from 115 car auctions in Japan each week

Delica D:5, the fifth generation Delica gets additions to its engine

jonfrench — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 06:13:01 +0000

Anyone into Japanese used cars has usually owned one, driven in one, or wanted to own one of these vehicles, the delica wagon. The even had a “space” version, the delica space gear, though I have never seen one flying myself.

Now Mitsubishi has added onto the Delica D:5 its AS&G intelligent motion system. (Auto stop and go). Without spending large amounts on a hybrid system etc. and just putting in the AS&G increases fuel economy by 14%.

The Delica D:5 was first released in 2007 with the continuing Delica goal of a people mover that transports people to their destination in comfort and safety. It still had the SUV look and toughness but with the minivan comforts.

The Delica D:5 already offered a good environmental performance, with emissions that were 75% lower than the required Japan 2005 Emission Standards and the car qualified for a Vehicle Green Tax exemption by giving a consumption in pre-2010 days at a level 10% better than Japan’s 2010 Fuel Economy standards.

Delica D:5

Provide Cars, we provide you with the largest selection of vehicles available from 115 car auctions in Japan each week

BMW 2002

jonfrench — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 22:27:58 +0000

The BMW classis 2002 produced in the late 1960’s and ’70s. BMW needed to expand into new niche markets and a range of light but powerful compact two door cars was seen as the answer.

Power and yet agile was their reputation. They had many success in touring races. It was powered by the BMW four-cylinder M10 engine. The initial line up bringing a four-door sedans and a two door coupe, a new line was broadened to the two-door sports sedans with the addition of the 02 Series 1600 and 2002 in 1966. The two-doors’s success cemented the firm’s future an an upper tier performance car maker.

The one in today’s auction passed at 695,000yen.

Unfortunately the number plate does not sell with the car!

BMW 2002

BMW 2002, look at the number plate!

Provide Cars, we provide you with the largest selection of vehicles available from 115 car auctions in Japaneach week

Pirates can drive nice cars!

jonfrench — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:25:02 +0000

I boils down to: if you want to own some great cars without much work, you need to work in the borderline/grey area of the internet. The founder of “Megaupload” Kim Dotcom was arrested in his mansion in NZ on request of the American authorities who…. YOU know the story, probably seen a few pictures of the huge German as well. Well the other side of the story is he had a love for cars as well as number plate names. Take a look at a couple here:

Dotcoms cars up for auction?

If you can’t read those number plates, one says “God” and the other says “Mafia”. Probably one reason the NZ judge wouldn’t give him bail!

Here is another one:

Dotcom guilty

Now that is not the best of number plates to own when you are on trial and being held in custody!

I know this is not related to the Japanese used car auctions, but it is a little interesting!

Provide Cars, we provide you with the largest selection of vehicles available from 115 car auctions in Japan each week

Work around Provide Cars

jonfrench — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:52:30 +0000

We all have various roles and various jobs at Provide Cars.
Not JUST buying cars for customers from the used auctions.

I am not sure what this job classification comes under but probably “other work”.

Provide Cars, we provide you with the largest selection of vehicles available from 115 car auctions in Japan each week

Lexus GS 250

jonfrench — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:31:15 +0000

On the 26th, Lexus revealed in Japan its new model changed GS250. Powered by a 2.5 liter V6 with a direct-port injection producing 206 brake horse power. This will give the GS 250 at top speed of 142mph, enough to loose your licence on the Japanese highways anyway. Not the most fuel efficient vehicle on the road however, this is not the market Toyota is marketing too (hey this is a Lexus, not a Prius!). People who buy Lexus’ aren’t supposed to be that worried about the fuel gauge!

This 2.5 liter V6 will be matched with Lexus’s Super ECT-i close ratio six speed automatic transmission, having the manual override function. This in theory should allow faster shifts, improve acceleration from low speeds and deliver a throttle blip on downchanges that any middle aged rally dreamer would love.

Interior Luxury

Compared with the current GS, this Lexus will have a more spacious interior with improved legroom and headroom for rear passengers. And to help take the concentration away from driving, Lexus will provide the driver the latest touchscreen media interface on the market. This should guarantee a few crashes!!

Improved driving dynamics

Thanks to a much stiffer (14%) bodyshell and adjusted suspension, Lexus is promising significant improvements in driving dynamics and a more responsive chassis compared to the present (and outgoing) GS. What this means to the Japanese public (before on-selling into the used car auctions) is that before loosing their licence driving at 142 MPH, they can enjoy a nice clean turn around the last turn before the policeman’s speed camera ends their rally driving fantasy.

Anyway, all things work for good of those who buy cars from the auctions. More lost Japanese licences means more cars available in the Japanese used car auctions.

Lexus GS 250

Provide Cars, we provide you with the largest selection of vehicles available from 115 car auctions in Japan each week