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What are the pit falls of jap imports, iv'e been bitten once, even getting an AA inspection, diidn't help.

There are potential pitfalls regardless of what you buy however, history would strongly suggest the Japanese are not overly keen on vehicle servicing during their ownership period.

While the cars may look great, and have certified odometers, it does not always mean a regular service regime has been carried out. Stories of engines full of sludge are not uncommon within the industry which can lead to very expensive repairs.

Also, you can never assume a used import is exactly the same as the same make/model sold new in NZ. Often the engine size is different (smaller) and you can't always assume the same level of technical expertise is available even with the NZ distributors.

To be fair to the used imports, they do undergo an invasive structural body inspection as part of their compliance process and let’s be honest, they have been a very popular option for many Kiwis for many years now. And we always get the hear the bad news stories of every make/model out there.

NZ new vehicles do tend to be better serviced but it never pays to assume too much.

While structural damage/repairs are flagged for life with an import, the same cannot be said for a NZ new vehicle. A NZ new vehicle can be extensively damaged almost to the brink of being a write-off, repaired and sold and nothing is ever recorded against the vehicle.

The bottom line is to do your checks regardless of what you buy and assume nothing.