Import cars you can trust

 Global brands have truly gone beyond the borders of their home countries, expanding their reach worldwide. This is true for car manufacturers, 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 is therefore imported.

It should be noted that even if two cars are of the same make and model, one can still be an import if it was launched abroad before being sold locally. Differences may also be present in some technical settings, such as suspension settings, tire specs, and steering (left or right drive).

Today, it is difficult to know if a car is imported or not; simply judging by brand is not enough. Japanese car brands like Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi have factories and assembly lines in North America, Europe, and other parts of Asia. The best-selling Japanese passenger car in the United States, the Toyota Camry, is actually built in Kentucky. Honda's Accord was also built in the United States. In fact, Honda has six facilities in the state of Ohio alone. Other cars may have had their parts built in three different countries.

Having a global automotive business is not easy to maintain, especially if global expansion and distribution are a priority. To develop products and increase sales, the proven strategy of automakers is to create partnerships with other brands. General Motors, an American brand, uses Japanese engineered engines. The company also partnered with Toyota, using the same parts and engines for its cars. As a result, similar cars are produced, which differ only in name.

Used imported cars are easier to tell apart, because wherever they have been manufactured, if shipped from another country, they are automatically considered imports. Many used cars have been traveling around the world to their new owners, usually in countries where there are few or no locally made cars. In southern Africa, Zimbabwe is among Paris top used car importers. Second-hand cars from Japan are in very good condition and may even be considered good, as new Japanese policies make it difficult to maintain a car over five years old, and in addition, every few years new models are introduced and sold in the Japanese market. , resulting in a surplus of automobiles.

The Zimbabwean government strongly recommends that those importing automobiles be thoroughly checked by a competent mechanic upon arrival in the country. One thing to keep in mind about imported 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 of Japan, but they may need only a few adjustments before they can reach the roads of Africa. For example, tires should be checked to see if they are suitable for tropical conditions. However, if you are considering importing cars, Japan is a good place to get them.