In Pakistan, when you go out to buy a used high-budget car, especially a sedan, you can have two best options, one from Japan and the other from Germany, used option. German vs. JDM has been a long debate since 1970; answering one option in one word would make no sense at all.
So here we are. We’ll try to clear some bushes on German vs. JDM and tell you which one is good for which purpose.
Diagnosing the Error? Germans are a Pain in the Neck!
You know that you’re screwed when you get a check engine light on your German car. These old Beamers, Mercedes’s and Audi’s are over-engineered, and a regular mechanic never understands them. Even most workshops in Pakistan will refuse to work on these; they don’t want to be that hectic. It’s all luck that you may find a good mechanic who can correctly diagnose the error and resolve it without further issues.
JDM? It’s smooth as cream on the cake. They are just so simple to work on and don’t give any hectic. Basically, Japanese like Toyota, Honda, and Suzuki design their cars, making sure that any 3rd party mechanic can work on them, especially if it’s older Toyota and Honda. They are just simply engineered cars.
Luxury and Comfort? Beamers and Mercedes, Anyday!
Everybody knows that Germans are best in luxury and comfort. Although Toyota does have options to beat Dutch engineering, like Crown and Lexus, Germany is the first choice when it comes to luxury and comfort.
Regular JDMs like Suzuki and Honda do offer good comfort, but they are nowhere near what BMW and Audi offer. Although, if you want to pay the same amount of money, you can get very good high-budget JDMs like LC, Crown, and Lexus.
Value for Money Deal? JDMs, No Doubt
You buy an old Toyota Camry 2008 model, put its ad on the PakWheels, and you’ll start getting offers the moment it goes live. Old JDMs hold their value, and we’re sure that if you plan to sell your old imported Honda, Toyota, and Suzuki, they’ll resell for a good price within a few days to weeks.
Old BMW, Audi, and Mercedes don’t work like that. People hesitate to buy a 1-2 decade old Germans. Everybody knows that a 2008 Beamer, one day you’ll drive it, and one day they’ll drive you. And even more, their spare parts are so expensive that if you decide to build a car just by spare parts, it’ll cost
Spare Parts Availability and Pricing? JDM, Anyday!
JDM’s spare parts are always cheaper than those of German cars. You can even find some cheap used Kaabli parts from Bilal Gunj, which is not possible for the Germans. Moreover, even if you need to import the parts, you can do it for cheap for JDMs; you may usually find it from Dubai, which is pretty cheap. For Germans, they’re always expensive, and if you had to import them from Germany, good luck with your wallet!
Status Symbol? Of course Germans
Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Suzuki are indeed 4-wheeler cars, and they do have some status symbols in the Pakistani market, but Germans checkmate them. Just think for a second; on one side, you see a 2018 Toyota Camry, and on the other side, you see a 2014 BMW 5 Series. Although both are of the same price, in fact, the Camry is newer in comparison; your brain will automatically process the BMW 5 Series as a high-budget car even if the Camry is more expensive that the specific Seris 5. It’s all about the image of the brand. BMW is considered a luxury brand, and Toyota is a value-for-money brand. Now, people would be bashing us that “Toyota also makes luxury cars, JDM luxury is this and that,” look, we don’t influence the market; we just mentioned what the market thinks, and we can’t change this fact.
Safety? Tie!
While Germans do come with a good pack of features, JDMs aren’t left behind if you are willing to pour money. Cars like Camry, Accord, and Land Cruiser are indeed some of the safest cars and are 5-start NCAP Rated, just like BMW and Mercedes.
Germans focus on safety first cars, but JDMs are not behind either; they also spend good R&D on their cars’ safety. If you buy any Japanese car with a budget above 1 Cr, we bet that it’ll be one of the safest cars on the planet.
Remember the recent Karachi accident in which a woman driver ramped four people with her high-speed Land Cruiser? She killed 4 people on the spot, totaled one Honda City, but she, herself, didn’t even get a single scratch. That’s proof of how safe are high-budget JDM cars.
Conclusion
In conclusion, whether you lean towards Japanese reliability or German luxury, the choice ultimately depends on your priorities. If you value hassle-free maintenance, affordable spare parts, and resale value, Japanese cars are the way to go. On the other hand, if you crave luxury, comfort, and status, German cars will always have the upper hand. Both have their strengths, so it’s all about what you need and want in your vehicle. Choose wisely, and happy driving!
Curently in the country, they are more germans cars than expected, it is true diagnosing german engines is a different stories than japaneses cars and others brands
But with more features and technologies in all cars brands, the diagnosis will get more complicated
That’s why i always said we should be happy with the models launched in the market, despite being one generation old compared to rich countries
But peoples will understand little by little
Anyway as is the saying : someone who can aford a german car can afford the cost and repairs