Hello from Japan! Also, questions.

[4Aaron GE]

Hey, just got registered, courtesy of Tado. I'm currently looking to get a Beat via the auctions here in Japan.

Most of the options open to me seem to have problems with the A/C system. Is there a common fault that I can expect to find if I have to go that route, or do they kind of fail in different places every time?
While I'm at it, are there any other common problems I should be looking out for?

Thanks, everyone!

[mikei]

Hey, just got registered, courtesy of Tado. I'm currently looking to get a Beat via the auctions here in Japan.

Most of the options open to me seem to have problems with the A/C system. Is there a common fault that I can expect to find if I have to go that route, or do they kind of fail in different places every time?
While I'm at it, are there any other common problems I should be looking out for?

Thanks, everyone!

welcome to the world of midship amusement

hope you find a beat soon if you are anywhere near kyushu i have a few contacts there who may be able to help

the main problem that seems to be with air con is lack of use/ maintanence and probably running on the old gas so the compressor siezes up not before throwing of the odd fan belt

are there any other common problems on a beat !!! well thats a can of worms you may have just opened to name but a few

distributor siezes up can cause no end of problems
timing belt failure
ecu faults (check if yellow light comes on and goes out )
eratic speedo /gauges
calipers sticking
vinyl roof shrinking splitting

i will stop now before gavin gets upset as i think he has experienced most of above

oh yes 1 more the inability to remove the chesshire cat grin off your face as you exit the drivers door :)

good luck in finding one

mikei

[Gavin]

welcome to the world of midship amusement

hope you find a beat soon if you are anywhere near kyushu i have a few contacts there who may be able to help

the main problem that seems to be with air con is lack of use/ maintanence and probably running on the old gas so the compressor siezes up not before throwing of the odd fan belt

are there any other common problems on a beat !!! well thats a can of worms you may have just opened to name but a few

distributor siezes up can cause no end of problems
timing belt failure
ecu faults (check if yellow light comes on and goes out )
eratic speedo /gauges
calipers sticking
vinyl roof shrinking splitting

i will stop now before gavin gets upset as i think he has experienced most of above

oh yes 1 more the inability to remove the chesshire cat grin off your face as you exit the drivers door :)

good luck in finding one

mikei

Everything bar the dizzy issue lol

[4Aaron GE]

Thanks, guys! A Beat would actually check off a few boxes on the automotive bucket list.

I'm actually up in Tohoku. I've got a guy doing the auction thing for me locally. He thinks I should be able to get a good example with working AC for about 1500-1750 pounds or so. If it passes shaken, I'll be golden. All in all, I guess I'm going to be in at about 2000 quid to get me on the road with one.

TBH, I was going to try for a Cappuccino at first, since it came with a turbo from the factory, but then someone told me that they are notorious for rusting, so I skipped out on that option. I have an AE86 in the Canadian rust belt waiting for me. I do NOT want to deal with any more rust than that. :suicide:

[Gavin]

Ah from Canada and working / living in Japan?

Yeah tbh after seeing some of the stuff go through the auctions this week just made me keep going with mine as is, the 2 yellow oem ones look good avoid the white one on there though, that one is a wreck

[4Aaron GE]

Sounds like those are going through the southern auctions? My guy is trying to get one from either Tohoku or Tokyo. I gotta say, I was mighty tempted by the yellow one with bad A/C that went through Tohoku earlier.

[steveinjapan]

Hey, just got registered, courtesy of Tado. I'm currently looking to get a Beat via the auctions here in Japan.

Most of the options open to me seem to have problems with the A/C system. Is there a common fault that I can expect to find if I have to go that route, or do they kind of fail in different places every time?
While I'm at it, are there any other common problems I should be looking out for?

Thanks, everyone!

Hi Aaron - - - I'm in Okinawa and going on 5 years with my Beat (1994 Type Z). I had some work done when I got it (re-cap the ECU, new top) and then put on a nice exhaust system and slightly oversize tires. No mechanical problems whatever, but there are not many places to drive to or drive fast in Okinawa so I have only added about 15000 kms.

Yes, the a/c is always a problem on older ones. I just replaced the leaky evaporator after getting tired of refilling every other year. Cost 80,000 yen but now I have peace of mind.

There is probably a shop in Tohoku that tends to specialize in Beats, and in any case everyone is used to working ok kei cars and know how to get parts fast and maybe cheap. You will not have any trouble keeping it on the road.

As for sourcing, I believe the Yahoo auctions are reliable sources. I got mine from a guy in Fukuoka and luckily had a friend of a friend look it over for me. I had just had eye surgery so the local Beat specialist picked it up at the port and did all the repairs and also the registration for a reasonable amount. And you know that if it has current registration it has passed shaken within the last 2 yrs.

Shipping cars internally is not expensive so the southern auctions are a viable option for you, not to mention less rust (mine had none at all). And of course if you have the time to take the train or fly down to Nagoya... If you want a recommendation for an auction dealer in Nagoya let me know. Don't forget if you buy a car from a different prefecture it has to be deregistered and then reregistered in yours. That is a pain but most auction dealers will do it for you once you commit to buying a car.

Steve

[4Aaron GE]

Thanks, Steve!

One thing that I forgot. Since you have a Version Z, is there a way to tell if a car has LSD equipped from the paperwork alone?

[steveinjapan]

Thanks, Steve!

One thing that I forgot. Since you have a Version Z, is there a way to tell if a car has LSD equipped from the paperwork alone?

I don't think so, unless the dealer has access to the original factory invoice. I could be wrong though.

[4Aaron GE]

Hm. That is unfortunate. Well, here's hoping I can find one before the long weekend in September. Weather is starting to turn over here, and I'd like to enjoy the open top before it gets too cold.

[steveinjapan]

Hm. That is unfortunate. Well, here's hoping I can find one before the long weekend in September. Weather is starting to turn over here, and I'd like to enjoy the open top before it gets too cold.

Aaron, the chances of finding a Beat for sale with LSD are very very slim. You might be waiting a long time, so my advice is to drop that requirement. Sounds like you're not keen on driving in the snow, anyway:suicide:

I love driving with the top down in cold crisp weather. Unfortunately, we don't get much of that here.

Steve

[4Aaron GE]

Haha, I meant just getting a good Beat in general. I'm not to concerned on which version it is. I figure I'd be better off just getting a Kaaz or Cusco LSD anyway. I'd just like one without the granny rack on the bootlid.

Driving in the snow, I'm down with. I'd just rather not have it flying in my face, especially if I'm mid powerslide.

[4Aaron GE]

Welp... The auction gacha machine has spoken. Let's wait for the capsule to arrive and see what I got.

[4Aaron GE]

T minus six hours!


Welp. It's gonna need some work straight out of the gate. Fun times.