Big demand for used Japanese car parts

Press, 19 May 1984, Page 8

Big demand for used Japanese car parts

BRUCE ROSCOE

in Tokyo

At least three Japanese companies are shipping used car parts to New Zealand but the demand still appears to be outstripping the supply. Japanese traders traditionally have exported used parts to South-East Asian countries that cannot afford to buy new parts. The main Japanese supplier of the parts to New Zealand, Mizuho Corporation, of Yokohama, will send its fifth container load to Auckland next month.

Mr Hiroshi Shimbo, president of the corporation, which supplies Fuji Auto Parts of Auckland, said he knew of a Tokyo company and an Osaka trader that were also involved in the trade. Mr Shimbo arrives in Auckland on Monday for a week of talks with Fuji Auto Parts, Japanese trading companies’ branches and other New Zealand

Demand for used parts was exceeding supply because the car models most popular in New Zealand were least popular in Japan. “In New Zealand, Mitsubishi, Honda and Mazda for some reason appear to be extremely poular. But there is a shortage of used parts for these cars. After a new model is introduced, it takes about six years for parts to become available,” he said. Mr Shimbo said he first shipped used parts to New Zealand in March last year. “We are shipping about one container each two months,” he said. Each container held about 500 parts weighing on average 3.8 tonnes.

Used parts in Japan were much cheaper than new ones. A Toyota sedan door, for example, cost about SNZ47O to $540 new, but used ones could be bought for about $75 to $lOO. A tail light unit, including the plastic shield, sold for about $65 new but cost only about $l4 if used.

Mr Shimbo said he was researching the market for used parte in the South Pacific. Talks were under way with a buyer in Suva, Fiji. He will bring a portable facsimile machine to New Zealand to demonstrate to prospective clients. The machine, which fits into a briefcase, “photo-copies” documents over telephone lines.