Takumi tax

[AE86R]

Hey fellas,

I have regularly been browsing through yahoo.jp and many other japanese car oriented selling sites and cant come to justice why we pay close to 4 times the amount the japs are buying and selling it for.

I understand how the yen is going bad, and money needed to cover import costs and shipping etc but i sat down with a very screwed on import fella and had a chat and discussed how it does cost a tad more but not the crazy amount were buying stuff at.

Even when the yen was good i still believe things were a wee bit expensive, and as a few people may know me im not bothered to fork out a couple of grand for grouse gear but i guess its come to the point where many of us 86 fellas stop fiddling with our cars and buying bits cause of how pricey it is. Makes me want to get a 40ft to japan buy bits and sell them what gear should be sold at, just enough to cover my cost and make minimal profit.

I know money makes the world spin but were either a car club or people tryna make money off everything. I think the money making bit should be left out of the car scene and back into the work scene.

Anyways thats my two cents

[Intense]

Import stuff, works out cheaper and better.

It's pretty funny really, jdm washer tanks are like 150 here? or some crap like that, you can get them for $5, yes FIVE dollars in japan. Whiteline tail lights cost like $50 bucks each, watanabes are worth nothing, longchamps are cheap as chips, even second hand nardis are cheap.

[Matt-AE86]

A nardi will still work out to be around $150-$250 dollars, A washer bottle (second hand) will work out to be $80 dollars. We can get a second hand one from our local 86 importer here for $70-80 dollars or a new one for $150.

also show me a washer bottle for 5 dollars. You need to go join the bfk crew and smoke some more crack. "And when you here this *click click* da-bois are com'n... and when you here dis *click click* da-bois are coming... AK47 shotgun rifle... IT WAS A MUSGI-GUN!~"

yerp.

[AE86R]

yeah, i actually have a full set of jdm washer bottles that i was trying to sell, following the aus markets price of 2nd hand ones and never come across to there real price but in japan 120 australian can buy them brand new and thats for both windscreen washer and overflow.

Also it happens to all car clubs but us 86 guys do get a shitload imported to many other car affilated sites

[slydar]

there are a few very legitimate reasons why 86s stuff costs more.

1 like you conceded. it costs comparatively more in Japan, 86 after market stuff, compared to nissan stuff.

2 it is quite rare. there really isnt that much to go around.

3 it is a small scene here, compared to silvias ect. meaning the scene can not support a proper wholesaler. no one with enough money to make it work can be bothered, cos there is not that much money in it.

another small problem is, it is not that easy to just go to japan and "fill a 40ft container" because there is not an abundance of parts, you just cant buy tons of hot 2nd hand 86 shit for cheap and bring it back. related to this is that, if you're there in japan, its not uncommon to find yourself in the situation being a "buyer" where the japanese are unwilling to sell to foreigners. they dont (understandably) like seeing it all going over seas.

obviously yahoo is the exception, but yahoo alone cant really support a proper business.

86s are in the realm of true enthusiasts now. there, and here as well almost, they are not owned by people who logically sit down and think about what car will best suit there needs.

because there is a car that is cheaper and will better suit your needs 100% of the time. you have to really want to own an 86, and that means conceding that some stuff just costs more

[AE86R]

i totally agree, but we really do need a proper wholesaler.

[slydar]

then though, if you are just objecting to rampant profiteering. dont play the game. there are ways around it 100% of the time.

that sort of thing though happens everywhere.

like.. this website, does not represent the true core ae86s enthusiasts. its just a bunch of kids who are starting to get into them. once youre into it, you know the ins and outs, you know where to buy stuff, and where not to.

[AE86R]

oh for sure, though sometimes its just that one bloke who is holding you from your finished 86 to unfinished 86.

and i dont mind profiteering in anyway, but the amount of mark up some items have are unbelievable, i can understand if its that rare part or super expensive brand but so many common parts cost a whole lot more then they should.

[ae86hachiroku]

The word takumi tax was created by people who could not afford the market price, and therefore resulted to try and bring the people who were reaping the benefits down.

Much like the theory of the Will to power by Nietszche (If anyone has read it) about slaves and nobles.

Simple, if you can't afford it, then don't buy it, or give it a try yourself and see how easy a task it is (No, this does not mean contacting a certain importer from Japan), bringing large amounts of stock in, trying not to screw yourself over and making a decent profit (or else it's not worth it).
And let me tell you, even if you do make a profit, sometimes it's still not worth it. The amount of capital involved to get something succesful in the car industry going is ridiculous for the reward returned. It's a vicious cycle, you will make the money back, but you will always need to pump money back in, all in all, you haven't really made decent earnings from your original investment.

Add to that, it's not particularly simple dealing with customers, especially over the internet. You need to provide pictures, you have to spend a few emails or phone calls describing what it does, you usually get haggles, and if the product turns up and doesn't work or described as intended, then there is a big hassle in returning items and exchanging of funds, or to an even serious matter, legal action. Picture the same setting but in a cafe, you sell coffee, there's no need to describe, or show pictures, the price is there, you want coffee, buy it, doesn't taste good? Have another one on the house. The point here is that the outlay in car parts is so high, to make a profit back that is usually not more than 50% of the cost of the item, include the stupid amount of competition, other importers, and a market that wants to always pay the cheapest (which is fair) there isn't many options left, being such a small market (how many everyday people are car enthusiasts that purchase aftermarket parts) comparably to other industries, it makes it that much worse

You're not just paying the markup, the import costs, the bank fees, but you're also paying for the time, effort and sweat to bring these for customers convenience. It's the same deal as Coles or any commercial firm. You can go get apples at the shop, pay about 4 times, or take the time and effort if you really want to save and to your local market. Any non sellers/sponsors have an idea how much labour time it takes to constantly have to package goods properly, deliver to post office/couriers? Time is money.

Good luck filling a 40ft let alone 20ft container of goodies, unless you have a large amount of halfcuts or some cars, not only will you not get the most out of the space, you won't break even. Little tinkly winkly bits like lights, bodykits, bonnets or door trims won't do shit.

Take a good look at our scene, the AE86 club is generally quite small, but we are all mainly aftermarket enthusiasts, with a lot of importers (have a look at the sponsor section) and a small population, if anything, I think the competition for AE86 gear is higher than most, since everyone knows everyone and every shop. At least state wise, Nissan drivers will always have a local shop they can go to, how many AE86 specific garages do you have in each state? Not many at all. We don't have the luxury of huge aftermarket support by big brands that can produce enough products to go around the world, cheap enough to stock and sell, because it is a old car, and in Japan, is beginning to phase out (even in drifting). The most popular car now is Chasers and obviously always, the Silvias.

No offence intended to anyone, just giving my insight on this whole matter on why there is a 'mark up'.

[Intense]

Wrong,

I was the one who coined the term takumi tax on toymods way back and it was simply my observations of ae86's rising in value from around the $2000 mark to over $4000 for the same car in the space of just a few years. I wanted one but couldn't justify spending $4000 for a stock corolla, so I got a heavily modified rx7 that would rip the ever loving shit out of any $4000 ae86 in aus