Where Japanese Police Cars go to die......

"cesariojpn" (cesariojpn)
10/24/2013 at 02:04 • Filed to: None

A fleet of Toyota Crowns, two Kei cars, and two !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Kei Van's are seen being reduced to scrap.

DISCUSSION (68)

offroadkarter > cesariojpn
10/24/2013 at 02:10

I guess they don't sell these off to the public?

Burrito de EJ25 > offroadkarter
10/24/2013 at 03:32

No.

Hopefully they're recycled responsibly and turned into new cars.

Máté Petrány > cesariojpn
10/24/2013 at 08:14

Nobody will miss the WagonR.

ThumpersBumpersStumpers > cesariojpn
10/24/2013 at 08:17

Pubes and police cars.... damn pixelation....

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > cesariojpn
10/24/2013 at 08:28

Those guys don't swing hammers with a lot of authority...

FCV-8311 > cesariojpn
10/24/2013 at 08:29

That's a shame; I guess Japan can't have a bustling used police car market like the US does.

Kinja'd!!!

dez > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius
10/24/2013 at 08:35

And none of them know anything about eye protection, just in case they actually break something with their might hammer blow.

J-Tenno > ThumpersBumpersStumpers
10/24/2013 at 08:39

I know what you saw last night.

DMCVegas > cesariojpn
10/24/2013 at 09:05

A total and complete waste of perfectly good cars.

banpei > cesariojpn
10/24/2013 at 09:12

It is a good thing they stopped using Skyline GT-Rs as cop cars then. ;)

Shane Elliott > cesariojpn
10/24/2013 at 09:14

They keep the more interesting ones around, I think. Probably as display cars. I think Nissan has an old Fairlady Z police car in their museum.

Kinja'd!!!

DoubleClutchingAutomatic > cesariojpn
10/24/2013 at 09:14

Are they breaking the light bars instead of reusing them?!

KnowsAboutCars > Máté Petrány
10/24/2013 at 09:36

Except WagonR owners club .

kloreen-beech > cesariojpn
10/24/2013 at 09:38

The Japanese concept of "scrap" is very different to ours — any of us could easily get another 15/20 years of life out of any of those cars. I'm surprised that there isn't a ready market - somewhere - for ex-Japanese police cars. Just change your paint and you're ready to go get 'em!

fintail > cesariojpn
10/24/2013 at 10:09

Used Japanese cars not sold to Russia?

JayHova > J-Tenno
10/24/2013 at 10:28

Pixels.

IDriveASaabAndNobodyIsToBlame > Shane Elliott
10/24/2013 at 10:56

Any idea on the plexi thingy on the hood? Keeps blood off the wind screen?

magman007 > cesariojpn
10/24/2013 at 10:56

Were there giant genitals in this video? why is the whole thing blurred out?

wabbastang > cesariojpn
10/24/2013 at 10:57

WTF are they even doing? The method in which it's filmed makes it appear that this is some sort of secret ritual, apparently performed by some sect of retards with hammers.

gc8foreva > DoubleClutchingAutomatic
10/24/2013 at 11:02

Well, they don't seem to be doing that very well...

rabbit21787 > cesariojpn
10/24/2013 at 11:09

Greatest job ever? Smashing cop cars? Obviously it sucks they dont sell them for reuse but come on you get to smash cop cars for a living.

Shane Elliott > IDriveASaabAndNobodyIsToBlame
10/24/2013 at 11:12

Bug and stone deflector? I honestly have no idea, sorry.

bacavoit > offroadkarter
10/24/2013 at 11:25

I believe that the U.S. is the only place in the world where they do this, they need to get some cash back after all the bullshit they buy.

d3v > IDriveASaabAndNobodyIsToBlame
10/24/2013 at 11:28

I've been wondering about that myself ever since I saw it on pics of these cars.

AudiRacer > kloreen-beech
10/24/2013 at 11:31

Well the only places that could use them would be Hong Kong, England or Australia and the cost to ship them would probably not be worth it. Thats why england has such a great used car market.

IDriveASaabAndNobodyIsToBlame > d3v
10/24/2013 at 11:37

I woulde really like to know what it is for....and hey, how come I haven't seen any attached to a true JDM-ricer-dorifto car yet!!!!

Fatamericanstig > Máté Petrány
10/24/2013 at 11:39

I will.

OtizzyStarBai > Shane Elliott
10/24/2013 at 11:52

curious as well?

Forgetnomore > dez
10/24/2013 at 11:57

I was also surprised about the lack of eye protection. This is not how it would have been handled in Germany!

bravelittletoaster > Shane Elliott
10/24/2013 at 12:04

I believe I read once that it's a bird/animal deflector, as these were all high speed cars to catch cars running/speeding away.

Vracktal > DoubleClutchingAutomatic
10/24/2013 at 12:06

They're breaking them to stop the junkyard reselling them for kids to put on their cars and imitate police. Plus the new light bars are LED which is much better than these old incandescent designs.

offroadkarter > bacavoit
10/24/2013 at 12:51

Canada does it to

n1zm0 > cesariojpn
10/24/2013 at 12:53

I wonder if there are any extras for Japanese policecars in terms of performance, we have loads of JDM importers here for cars and front clips, I figure the Japanese police don't beat on their cars nearly as much as the cops do here in Canada. could potentially be some nice powerplants to be acquired there.

n1zm0 > Burrito de EJ25
10/24/2013 at 12:57

At least give up the front clip! I feel that Japanese police cars aren't driven nearly as hard as North American cop cars.

n1zm0 > Forgetnomore
10/24/2013 at 12:58

This is not how it should be handled in any developed country with EH&S type laws, but I guess junkyard workers will be junkyard workers regardless of which country.

945T > bravelittletoaster
10/24/2013 at 13:13

Yes that's right.

Ugh so this is my life > Vracktal
10/24/2013 at 13:21

I just got back from a trip to japan, I did not see a single emergency vehicle that used LEDs in japan (granted I only saw 6 or 7 different police cars, 2 fire trucks, and about 10 ambulances).

M54B30 > cesariojpn
10/24/2013 at 13:35

The Japanese censor the weirdest stuff

tobythesandwich > Burrito de EJ25
10/24/2013 at 14:27

Depending on the drivetrain, many are removed by recyclers and they sell many to the US and other markets. It's how there are so many various RB swaps on ebay and the like.

Yuri_77RUS > fintail
10/24/2013 at 14:29

Nowadays it is not economically viable to import a JDM car in Russia. There are tons of brand-new Chinese, Korean, and French econoboxes offered through dealerships, which are replacing these imports. Mostly the diehard fans of Japanese cars are buying them in the Russian far east.

fintail > Yuri_77RUS
10/24/2013 at 14:35

Ah yeah that's what I was thinking, imports to the east where shipping is easier. I was thinking of that ship that lost a lot of its Russia-bound JDM cars in rough weather a while ago.

PS9 > IDriveASaabAndNobodyIsToBlame
10/24/2013 at 15:05

Don't give them any ideas damnit!

SpeedSix > fintail
10/24/2013 at 15:21

A lot of them are exported to Australia, since they're RHD and its relatively close.

Goshen, formerly Darkcode > Burrito de EJ25
10/24/2013 at 15:52

Sure, because recycling processes involving huge amounts of energy are totally responsible and all.

madmolf > cesariojpn
10/24/2013 at 16:40

Kinja'd!!!

I went to Japan and enjoyed watching the cops zoom around in those. What i found pretty smart is the light bar. I haven't seen it anywhere else... When the car is stopped and the cops need to signal their presence it is raised. Like in the linked picture.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8938550…

cesariojpn > M54B30
10/24/2013 at 16:41

It's more of a privacy issue in this case, mainly the workers.

Sometimes the censoring is applied kinda weirdly, like in this case.

The censor blurring covers pedestrians and the moron being jumped on by SP , yet not the cops themselves.

cesariojpn > IDriveASaabAndNobodyIsToBlame
10/24/2013 at 16:43

Wind deflector. Cause of the lightbar due to it being not aerodynamic.

fintail > SpeedSix
10/24/2013 at 16:50

I suppose Limeyland and Canuckistan snap up a few too, the ones without inspection issues anyway.

Chase > Shane Elliott
10/24/2013 at 16:55

You missed one

Kinja'd!!!

FCV-8311 > madmolf
10/24/2013 at 17:00

The NYPD has a similar idea with the Highway Patrol's highrise lightbars.

Kinja'd!!!

Forgetnomore > n1zm0
10/24/2013 at 18:00

That is true. I'm appalled at the ignorance of work safety here and I live in one of the sensible Nordic countries. Last day a truck hit a skylift, one of the guys in the skylift did not make it. Two weeks ago or so, two guys drowned in/was crushed by coal tar. I know a guy died at a junkyard less than a year ago. But as long as it's cost effective and quick for the employer...

Louis Subearth > cesariojpn
10/24/2013 at 18:14

I would buy some and your them around for kids to see the majestic cars Japan once used to enforce the law

Louis Subearth > J-Tenno
10/24/2013 at 18:15

Hentai?

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > FCV-8311
10/24/2013 at 18:23

Very true. In fact, the used car market in general is awful—abandoned sports cars everywhere, late-model Supras, RX7s, Skylines, and others in junkyards, etc. There are many legendary limited-run cars that are just rotting away because Japan has the opposite problem than the rest of the world has: underpopulation, resulting in decreased demand.

parkingking > Máté Petrány
10/24/2013 at 18:37

Not even the Wagon R RR??

Kinja'd!!!

kznichihachigo > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
10/24/2013 at 19:03

The population isn't the problem. The issue for used cars is how anti-theft laws make it near impossible to restore a worn down car. Anything that has a VIN (engine, transmission, ect.) can't be swapped between cars. So if you blow out your engine and it's beyond rebuild, your car ends up in a junkyard. All this on top of high priced inspection and taxes that make it vastly more economical to drive a new Kei car vs a older anything awesome.

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > kznichihachigo
10/24/2013 at 19:13

Ah, thanks for the info. I also remember reading something about there being a mileage cap on engines in Japan, which is why so many get shipped to eastern Africa and other less wealthy areas. Motorsport is no longer what it once was either, from what I hear, which may also be a contributing factor.

kznichihachigo > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
10/24/2013 at 19:27

It's strange that we see Japanese motors of the past being capable of 200k miles easy yet the common sense belief here is a car with 100k kilometers is just unreliable. There are tons of new cars on the road, they're just all Kei cars. It's a real treat to see sports cars old and new, I appreciate that driver putting out the cash so I can see it. The taxes and gas prices don't make it easy on them.

Shane Gardner > cesariojpn
10/24/2013 at 19:46

Japan has such an unfortunate set of laws regarding automotives. Not much in the way of resto-mods there. Makes it a bit nicer for people state side to import to JDM.

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > kznichihachigo
10/24/2013 at 19:59

Totally agree; do the Japanese have different maintenance methods or something? It is quite a big sacrifice to own a car there, so let's hope people still have some money set aside for cars. How long have you lived in Japan, if you don't mind my asking?

kznichihachigo > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
10/24/2013 at 20:41

The cars will run well past the "common sense" time frame of 100k and the mechanics are very good. They can even tune a rotary engine without replacing the apex seals! I've got a 3.0L TD that'll get me to 300k easy but that's because I can do my own repairs and order some parts cheaper from the states. My wife's STI Forester is a bit more expensive to operate but it has over 175k km. The aftermarket for car parts is basically nonexistent, no AutoZone/O'Rielly type stores. If you need to replace parts, even consumable parts like rotors, you're going to have to buy OEM at your dealership. On top of that, mechanics charge high rates for repairs. The cost becomes too high at some point to keep an older car inspected, and repaired to pass inspection. You can fail due to something as simple as worn bushings and have to pay a high price to get it fixed. Coming from a state with no inspection, it's just crazy to me.

It's all rooted in history though, cars were originally owned by the rich, so the government found it fitting to tax them on their "privilege". Road tax, weight tax, inspection, compulsory insurance, accident insurance. As time went on, cars became affordable for everyone else but the government share was still taken like before. It makes you average citizen either forgo a car due to public transport options, or in less populated areas, buy an appliance car and still pay $7 a gallon.

5 years.

cesariojpn > bacavoit
10/24/2013 at 20:57

I've seen auction pages for ex-British cop cars.

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > kznichihachigo
10/24/2013 at 21:10

Good to know; glad to get some insight into the issue as I've been wondering about that for a while. While it must be a nuisance to have such strict inspections, it must be nice to have well-maintained cars. A quick drive in Maryland (2 year inspection state) will reveal that most cars are only limping along, to pollute and be wasted at the hands of a crusher. Awesome that your wife has an STI Forester, BTW—I wish we got those over here. How welcoming are most Japanese people about Americans? I've heard they're more insular when it comes to some nationalities, but I've heard both sides when it comes to Americans in JP.

kznichihachigo > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
10/24/2013 at 22:50

Being an island nation, corrosion can be a big problem here. Luckily they don't expound the problem in winter months by spreading salt on the roads. Severe snow rated tires are required in my area from Nov 15 to Mar 15. Usually when you buy a new to you car, the dealer will have already coated the underside to improve your corrosion resistance (and maybe to cover the bad spots) and help pass inspection . You're right, it does keep cars in good condition as long as someone is willing to maintain them and make repairs prior to inspection. Since all of Japan is only the size of California and longer distance travel usually involves high speed rail or air, it's easy to find a 10 year old car with less than 50,000 miles. My '96 4Runner/Surf had 40,000 miles on it when I bought it for $5400 in 2009.

I'm a nice guy, people in general are nice to me. Outside of my wife, son, and immediate family, I really don't expect to become fully accepted/integrated here. I'm just fine with that. It's such a safe country with good citizenry, I'll accept any shortfalls that come my way.

BTW, for a good look at the used market, here are my two favorite used car sites in Japan.

http://www.goo-net-exchange.com/ (for everything)

http://www.flexnet.co.jp/ (because I want an 80 series Land Cruiser)

Mockngbrd > cesariojpn
10/24/2013 at 23:42

Save the Crowns!!! :(

IDriveASaabAndNobodyIsToBlame > PS9
10/25/2013 at 09:56

mMMMkay. Guess its late now.

MTY85 > FCV-8311
10/27/2013 at 06:21

Since when is the Caprice part of a "bustling used police car market?" The newest Caprice is old enough to vote. The only PD still using a Caprice has to be broke as hell.

FCV-8311 > MTY85
10/27/2013 at 10:44

I just wanted to have to photos in that post, don't bring logic into this! xD