Claims Policy

 
 

J-Cars Co., Ltd. – Claims Policy

J-Cars Co., Ltd. possesses extensive expertise in the exportation of used vehicles from Japan. Over time, the company has documented numerous recurring issues associated with various makes and models of used vehicles purchased and supplied. Although every vehicle supplied by J-Cars undergoes multiple inspections prior to export, certain faults may not be detectable at the time of inspection or predictable post-delivery.

Accordingly, the specific vehicle types and defects listed herein are excluded from coverage by J-Cars, and no claims relating to these vehicles or faults will be accepted. It is strongly recommended that clients familiarize themselves with this list and review it regularly, as updates and modifications may occur periodically.

Claim Submission Requirements:

  • Notify your designated J-Cars sales representative within 30 days of vehicle receipt.

  • Provide photographic evidence and detailed descriptions of the identified issue.

  • Submit two written repair estimates from authorized service providers.

Please note, should you anticipate any form of assistance or reimbursement for repair costs, you must obtain J-Cars' prior written consent before undertaking any repair work. Claims will be unequivocally rejected for any vehicles, makes, or models enumerated in the exclusion list below.

Exclusion Criteria for Claims:

  • Claims submitted after the vehicle has been retailed.

  • Claims or Repair Certification pertaining to commercial vehicles involving damage to or replacement of rear slam panels and/or underbody corrosion.

  • Claims for vehicles assigned an Auction Grade of 3.5 or below, including grades designated as "R" and "RA." or with an interior grading of C or less.

  • Claims related to items or issues disclosed to the claimant at the time of purchase, whether communicated verbally or documented via the pre-purchase dialog record or email.

  • Claims on vehicles that have not been paid for in full.

  • Claims for issues with a value less than $500 plus applicable GST (NZD for New Zealand, AUD for Australia) / €250+VAT / $300 USD / $400 CAD.

  • Claims for missing or stolen parts occurring after the vehicle has departed Japan.

  • Claims on vehicles inspected and verified personally by the claimant or their company.

  • Claims for any interior or exterior damage valued under $500 plus applicable GST (NZD for New Zealand, AUD for Australia)/ €250+VAT / $300 USD / $400 CAD.

  • Claims for incidental expenses not directly arising from the reported issue.

  • Claims for costs related to the absence of a TDN Number on Japanese export certificates.

  • Claims concerning discrepancies between the manufacturer’s year and the registration year as recorded on the Japanese Export Certificate.

  • Claims for expenses attributable to normal wear and tear consistent with the vehicle’s age and mileage.

  • Claims on vehicles aged ten years or older or with a milage that exceeds 100,000kms.

    Maximum Liability (Mechanical):

    • Repairs must exceed the following thresholds to qualify for coverage:

      • $500 + GST (New Zealand / Australia)

      • €250 + VAT (Europe)

      • $300 USD

      • $400 CAD

    • Liability covers 50% of the repair costs exceeding the above thresholds.

    Exclusions:

    • Subaru engines

    • Rotary engines

    • Diesel engines

    • Electric Vehicle (EV) and Hybrid batteries, including all related components

    • Engines equipped with Diesel or Gasoline particulate filters

    • Engines with direct injection

    • All transmission and drivetrain components (due to inability to fully test prior to vehicle purchase)

    Cancellation of Vehicle:

    • Maximum liability is limited to the landed cost of the vehicle.

    Repairs Covered Under Warranty:

    • For repairs qualifying under coverage, maximum liability is:

      • $2,000 (New Zealand / Australia)

      • €1,000 (Europe)

      • $1,200 USD

      • $1,600 CAD

    • Taxes are excluded from coverage, as these can be reclaimed by the purchaser.

    Maximum Liability (Bodywork):

    • Liability is limited to restoring the vehicle to the condition quoted prior to purchase.

    • The vehicle must be photographed upon delivery, and a claim must be submitted within 24 hours of delivery by the shipper.

    • Underbody rust repairs qualifying under compliance requirements are covered up to $500 + GST (applicable to New Zealand and Australia only; other markets are excluded).

    • Liability covers up to 50% of repair costs exceeding the threshold amounts:

      • $500 + GST (New Zealand / Australia)

      • €250 + VAT (Europe)

      • $300 USD

      • $400 CAD

    General Provisions:

    • J-Cars Co., Ltd. reserves the right to choose between repairing or refunding for all accepted claims.

    • Claims will be addressed in a fair and timely manner to ensure a mutually agreeable resolution.General -

      Claim Exclusions

      Certain vehicle makes and models are known to have common or inherent defects, which are frequently classified as manufacturing faults. Such faults, when they result in failure, may necessitate costly repairs.

      By electing to purchase these vehicles, you acknowledge and accept the existence of any pre-existing manufacturing defects or known common faults associated with the specific model. This acceptance is made at your sole risk.

      J-Cars will verify the compliance status of vehicles manufactured from 2006 onwards to ensure they meet New Zealand’s standards and equipment requirements. However, J-Cars disclaims any liability regarding the compliance status of vehicles manufactured prior to 2006. We strongly recommend that clients independently verify the compliance status of such vehicles prior to bidding on or completing a purchase.

      Note: For all European vehicles, the maximum payout is limited to $650 NZD/AUD or €325 plus VAT.

    No claims accepted for these vehicles.

  • Alfa Romeo

    No claims accepted for these vehicles.

  • Audi

    Audi/VW products manufactured between 2005 and 2014 fitted with DSG type gearbox – prone to failure.

    Audi Allroad fitted with Air Suspension – prone to height-control leaks.

  • Bentley

    No claims accepted for these vehicles.

  • BMW

    3 Series – Engine noise described as “tappet like.”

    Brake rotors, pads, wear sensors – component wear/damage.

    Vehicle electrical problems attributable to battery poor condition.

    Oil leaks (from any location).

    Failure due to lack of “Ad Blue” emissions additive (late models).

  • Chevrolet

    No claims accepted for these vehicles.

  • Citroën

    No claims accepted for these vehicles.

  • Ferrari

    No claims accepted for these vehicles.

  • Fiat

    No claims accepted for these vehicles.

  • Ford

    Focus – Automatic transmission issues.

    Explorer – Gearbox, differential, ABS, power steering, and air-conditioning issues.

  • Honda

    Accord Euro – Rust around the rear sub-frame.

    Accord CL9 – Chassis underbody rust.

  • Hummer

    No claims accepted for these vehicles.

  • Hyundai

    No claims accepted for these vehicles.

  • Jaguar

    No claims accepted for these vehicles.

  • Land Rover

    No claims accepted for these vehicles.

  • Mazda

    All Mazda 2.2 Diesel engines installed in the Atenza, Axela, or CX-5 models have known issues, including blocked engine oil pickups within the sump, diesel particulate filter (DPF) blockages, and wear on the inlet and exhaust camshafts. These problems frequently result in the need for complete engine replacement, including turbochargers. Warranty claims related to these issues are not accepted.

    For the MPV Turbo (LY3P model), turbocharger failures are commonly observed beyond 60,000 kilometers.

    The Atenza MPS, Axela MPS, MPV Turbo, and CX-7 Turbo models experience wear in the valve actuator VVT unit and/or timing chain tensioner, as well as stretched timing chains.

    Additionally, the Atenza model is prone to surface rust in the suspension towers.

    The Atenza 4WD variant has been identified to have transmission valve body issues.

  • Mercedes Benz

    Class A, B, C, - Transmission and torque converter issues.

    Window regulators, Air conditioning systems/components.

    AMG models - No claims accepted for these vehicles.

  • Mitsubishi

    Outlander and Pajero – rust

    Outlander PHEV – any PHE components

    Galant Fortis (Ralliart) - transmission

  • Nissan

    Elgrand - rust in the front crossmember, transmission issues

    Note / Tiida / March - rust.

    NT31 X-Trail 4WD - rust in the rear suspension towers, front lower radiator support panel

    NT32 X-Trail Hybrid and non-Hybrid- transmission valve body and oil pump issues,

    ALL - air-flow meter and coil pack failure.

    Dualis – Transmission issues

    Teana - rust.

    Vanette / Bongo / Delica – Rear axle and Differential issues

    Serena and X-Trail - rear suspension beam bushes

  • Opel

    No claims accepted for these vehicles.

  • Peugeot

    No claims accepted for these vehicles.

  • Pontiac

    No claims accepted for these vehicles.

  • Porsche

    No claims accepted for these vehicles.

  • Range Rover

    No claims accepted for these vehicles.

  • Renault

    No claims accepted for these vehicles.

  • Subaru

    All - steering rack issues

  • Toyota

    All hybrid models, including Prius, Crown, Estima, Alphard, Vellfire, and Aqua, may present hybrid battery issues that cannot be inspected or tested during purchase.

  • Volkswagen

    See - Audi / VW

    Further Blanket Exclusions:

  • Commercial Vehicles

  • All Vans, Trucks, Buses, Cranes and vehicles 20 cubic meters and over.

  • Convertible vehicles

    The mechanisms responsible for hood operation are often complex and delicate. While J-Cars staff will always strive to verify the proper functioning of the hood, we cannot guarantee the durability of its performance or the correct operation by any individuals following the time of purchase.

    Diagnostic Scans – Many modern vehicles necessitate diagnostic scans and fault resets to deactivate warning lights. This may be required for various reasons, including flat batteries, low voltage, or improper jump-starting. For example, a light bulb may fail unexpectedly, triggering the vehicle’s “light failure” warning system.

  • Spare Keys and Remotes

    At the time of purchase, J-Cars sales representatives may not always be informed of the exact number of keys and remotes included with the vehicle. Typically, the vendor supplies only one key initially and may provide additional keys and remotes along with the documentation once the vehicle is sold.

  • Modified Vehicles

    J-Cars does not guarantee the integrity of any modifications made to a vehicle. This includes any related components or areas, as well as any damage resulting from such modifications.

  • Performance Vehicles

    All performance vehicles clutch and associated parts are not eligible for claim.

  • Transmission & Drive-train including differential

  • Suspension and related components

  • Brakes and related components

  • Tyres (Countries have varying rules and some even require new tyres regardless)

    HID or LED Lights (Countries have varying rules / lights can fail with out notice)

    It is not possible to test drive vehicles therefore cannot identified faults that may be evident when driven.

  • NO Claim Models

    Any "FLAGSHIP" model such as Audi A8 - BMW 7 Series, BMW 5 Series - Mercedes Benz S Class, E Class, Lexus LS, Toyota Century, Nissan President, etc is not covered due to their electronic sophistication.

  • Liability extent

    All rights to file a claim cease once a vehicle is sold to another party or 30 days have passed since the vehicle has landed in the destination country.