Japanese car depreciation

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Fri 18 Feb 2005 20:11
Japanese car depreciation - uk2usa
Hi
I was looking into buying a Honda accord here in the States. The prices for nearly new ones are ridiculous, they depreciate very slowly. I suppose its because every one wants them. Back in the UK, Japanese cars depreciate quite quickly, a two or three year old accord can be had for buttons because they are generally percieved as boring "old mens cars". So why the big difference? Is the French/Spanish/Italian competition thats available in the UK and not in the US the reason that Japanese cars aren't popular?
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Fri 18 Feb 2005 20:30
Japanese car depreciation - trancer
Cultural differences thats all. There is no "old mans" stigma attached to Hondas and they are often the first choice for family car shoppers and the US version of a "Chav" or boy racer. When she was 25 and was finally able to purchase her first new car, the only car my cousin even considered was an Accord, her mother is now on her fifth Accord. Honda (and Toyota) enjoy a very good reputation for quality in the US and that is refelected in the asking prices.
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Fri 18 Feb 2005 21:32
Japanese car depreciation - Aprilia
"Is the French/Spanish/Italian competition thats available in the UK and not in the US the reason that Japanese cars aren't popular?"

Hardly! Have you seen the depreciation of French and Italian cars in the UK - they lose a few £k's before they even put the number plates on them!

Japanese cars depreciate a lot in the UK because, like most things in the UK, class comes in play. Japanese saloon cars are perceived as not having enough 'status'. Paradoxically some Japanese cars depreciate very little in the UK (e.g. the sports cars, esp. Skylines, Imprezza's, FTO's etc) fetch silly money even when 8-10 years old.
I think most US buyers buy cars more on utility, so something that works well and is reliable is more in demand.
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Mon 21 Feb 2005 00:44
Japanese car depreciation - uk2usa
I think you have got it there, Aprilia. Reliability seems to be the most important thing in the US. In the UK, the car magazines are always critical of bland styling and dull gray (grey?) plastics on the Japanese cars. That does not seem to be the case so much over here. However, I bought a used Audi A4 a few months ago and everyone has been telling me to get rid of it. Seems that even Audi is not reliable enough for the Yanks.....
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