Hi Sambar pros, I just bought a 96 Sambar in great condition while visiting Japan. The truck is in good shape and was well maintained by a rice farmer here with only 36k km. Nevertheless, I would like to purchase parts for some preemptive maintenace while here since everything is much cheaper in Japan and would easily stuff in my suitcase to bring home and use on the truck when it arrives in the US. Timing belt and water pump kit come to mind as does a fuel filter. Are there other basics I should get while here to bring back? How about a head gasket? Maybe spark plug wires? Air filter? I'd really like to get the basics while here to avoid difficulty and paying higher prices in the US. Suggestions are appreciated!
Head gaskets are not a common failure point on these engines, I would not bother with getting them. Water pumps, air filters, oil filters, fuel filters (assuming this is a carby model) can all be sourced here in the US for very cheap. How long are you there? OEM parts at a dealer will typically take a week and the parts departments are only open a few days a week. NGK Plug Wire kits, timing belts, timing tensioners.. again assuming you have a carby model, the carb valves and solenoids.. The plug wires and timing belts can be ordered on Amazon.co.jp either for shipping to japan or the US, the rest would be "easier" to get there but only marginally so. Websites like JapanParts and Amayama make it easy and cheap to get these parts often times cheaper than buying them retail in Japan since sales for export are not subject to the 10% consumption tax. That and the shipping rates tend to be quite reasonable as well.
Thank you for the insight into getting parts here versus back home in the US. It sounds like the savings snd convenience aren't that great so I think I will hold off. Since the vehicle was, from what I understand, maintained very well by the farmer who had been using it, it probably makes more sense to address issues as they arise back in the US. The experience of shopping here was great. It was obviously nice to see vehicles first hand and to test drive them before purchasing. Thankfully my hack Japanese language was helped by my Japanese wife enough to easily interact with local dealers.
