1. How many miles do Japanese Engines & Transmissions have ?
This is what everybody wants to know. The good news is that Japan is the only country in the world where they have strict automotive rules that impel Japanese people to discontinue using their vehicle within 4-5 years. It is very expensive to own a car in Japan. Gasoline, Highway tolls, Labor, cost of repairs & insurance cost up to 4 times more than U.S. One needs parking permit before they purchase a car, average parking in a commercial area is over $500 per month. No one can buy a NEW car in Japan if they don't have a parking space rented out as Japan is a small country and space is big problem. It costs just $100 to travel from Osaka to Tokyo by bullet train (Shin-Kansen) and evade the hassle of parking & fuel cost. There are no after-market parts, very few body shops and no Salvage yards like in the U.S. It is not uncommon to spend $150/day to use a car in Japan. Most people use their cars on weekends & take shin-kansen (bullet train) or subway to work. Moreover all Japanese cars go through a stringent bi-annual inspection called SHAKEN. The cost of complying with these tests can run as much as 30% of the vehicle value. Cars with minor body damage are considered unsafe. There are few cars over 6 years old in service. Cars are recycled early. Compound these costs with propensity of Japanese consumers to drive only the latest models. The result is vehicles with tremendously low mileage are recycled. Vehicles in Japan suffer quick depreciation as cost of repairs is extremely high.
Therefore the bottomline is that in Japan vehicles are used just for 4-5 years and Engines & Transmissions are pulled out from such vehicles at extremely low miles. In the U.S the only source for Engines & Transmissions is Salvage Yards where they are pulled out of Crashed cars Only !
The "40,000-50,000 miles" theory is famous. This theory originated by taking the average yearly miles driven and multiplying that figure by the average years the vehicle stays in use in Japan.
Low Mileage is Important but at the same time, just like a young man can die before an old man, in the same way even low mileage Engines can fail. Every mechanical aspect of our Engines & Transmissions is tested before we ship it. Therefore low mileage from Japan & fully tested is the best way to ensure good quality.