The First Parts to Replace After Importing a JDM Car to Australia

Quick answer: Assume nothing has been serviced and do a baseline service in your first few weeks: engine oil and filter first, then coolant, hoses and radiator cap, the timing belt (if your engine has one and there's no proof it was done), brakes and brake fluid, tyre date codes, and the filters, plugs, wipers and battery.

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Your car has cleared the wharf, passed compliance and finally sits in your driveway. The auction sheet said grade 4, the photos looked clean, and you're itching to drive it. Hold that thought. The car knows exactly when it was last serviced; it just isn't telling.

So assume one thing: you don't know when anything was last serviced. Japanese service records often stay with the previous owner or the dealer, and many cars spend their final months sitting in an auction yard. A "baseline service" in your first few weeks turns an unknown car into a known one. (For the non-mechanical shocks of owning an import, see 10 week-one surprises of a Japanese import.)

Here's the order we'd tackle it in.

1. Engine oil and oil filter (do this first)

Cheap, quick, and it tells you a lot. Drain the old oil and look at it: very dark sludge, a milky colour or metal flakes are worth asking a mechanic about before you drive far.

  • Use the oil grade listed for your engine, not just whatever's on special.
  • Fit a new filter every time. Turbo engines (RB26, 2JZ, 4G63, EJ20) are especially hard on old oil.

→ Toyota genuine oil filters (04152 series)

2. Coolant, hoses and the radiator cap

Australian summers are harder on a cooling system than most of Japan. Old coolant loses its protection, and rubber hoses go hard after 20–30 years.

  • Flush and refill with the correct coolant type.
  • Squeeze each hose. If it's crunchy, swollen or cracked, replace it.
  • A radiator cap is a cheap part that's easy to forget.

3. Timing belt (if your engine has one)

This is the big one. Many classic JDM engines (RB-series, 1JZ/2JZ, 4A-GE, B-series VTEC, EJ20) use a timing belt, and on several of them a snapped belt means bent valves.

If there's no sticker or receipt proving when it was done, budget to replace the belt, tensioner and idler soon after the car arrives, and the water pump if it's driven by the belt. It costs a lot less than a rebuilt head.

4. Brakes and brake fluid

  • Check pad thickness and look for scoring or lips on the rotors.
  • Brake fluid absorbs water over time, so replace it unless you know it's fresh.
  • If the car has sat for months, check the calipers aren't sticking.

5. Tyres: check the date, not just the tread

A car can arrive on tyres with plenty of tread that are still unsafe because they're old. Find the four-digit date code on the sidewall (for example, 2316 = week 23 of 2016). Old rubber goes hard and loses grip, especially in the wet.

6. Filters, plugs and the small stuff

  • Engine air filter and cabin filter. Usually filthy, and cheap to replace.
  • Spark plugs. Worth checking on any car with unknown history.
  • Wiper blades. Japanese-market blades are often perished from sitting in the sun.
  • Battery. If it struggles to crank, replace it before it strands you.

7. Little things that make life in Australia easier

  • A dash cam. Useful for insurance, and many Japanese units don't suit local apps or settings. → Front and rear dash cams
  • A portable jump starter, for the car that lives in the garage between weekends. → Jump starters
  • An OBD2 scanner. Fits most cars from the late '90s and 2000s (older JDM cars often use a different, Nissan- or Toyota-specific plug). → OBD2 scanners
  • Keep the Japanese plate? Many owners hang it in the garage. → Genuine Japanese plates

Bought a Skyline?

If your import is an R32 or R33 Skyline, read our main site's guides to R32 and R33 common faults and R32 and R33 running costs before you plan your first service. For RB26 parts specifically, see Buying RB26 parts on eBay.

Where to find parts in Australia

Local suppliers carry common service parts for popular imports, but for anything model-specific, such as OEM gaskets, trim and Japan-only options, eBay is often the widest pool. Sellers in Japan, the US and the UK all ship here, and eBay Australia shows listings from around the world.

That's why we built YOU SHOULD, SHA. Parts. It's a parts finder that searches eBay by model and part type, so you don't have to guess the right keywords. You choose how to sort the results (price plus shipping, newest, item location) on eBay itself.

A few rules we follow when buying:

  1. Match the part number, not just the photo. Search the OEM number when you have it.
  2. Check total cost: price + international shipping + GST.
  3. Read the seller's return policy before you buy anything expensive.
  4. Be wary of "genuine" parts priced far below everyone else.

Heard that eBay parts are all fakes, or always cheaper? We sort the truth from the pub talk in 7 myths about buying car parts on eBay.

Your baseline-service checklist

✔ Item
☐ Engine oil + filter
☐ Coolant flush, hoses, radiator cap
☐ Timing belt kit (if applicable, with no proof of replacement)
☐ Brake pads, rotors, brake fluid
☐ Tyre date codes
☐ Air filter, cabin filter, spark plugs
☐ Wipers, battery
☐ Gearbox and diff oil

Do this once, write down the date and odometer reading for each item, and you'll know exactly where your car stands from then on.

FAQ

What should I replace first after importing a car from Japan?

Start with the engine oil and oil filter. It's cheap and quick, and the old oil tells you a lot: very dark sludge, a milky colour or metal flakes are worth asking a mechanic about before you drive far.

Should I replace the timing belt on a JDM import?

If your engine uses a timing belt and there's no sticker or receipt proving when it was done, budget to replace the belt, tensioner and idler soon after the car arrives, plus the water pump if the belt drives it. On several engines a snapped belt means bent valves, which costs far more than the belt kit.

Are old tyres on an imported car safe if they have plenty of tread?

Not necessarily. Check the four-digit date code on the sidewall (for example, 2316 means week 23 of 2016), because old rubber goes hard and loses grip, especially in the wet.

Will an OBD2 scanner work on my JDM car?

It fits most cars from the late '90s and 2000s. Older JDM cars often use a different, Nissan- or Toyota-specific plug.

Where can I buy parts for a Japanese import in Australia?

Local suppliers carry common service parts for popular imports, but for model-specific parts like OEM gaskets, trim and Japan-only options, eBay is often the widest pool. Match the part number, compare price plus international shipping plus GST, and read the return policy before buying anything expensive.

Ad / Affiliate links: YOU SHOULD, SHA. Parts links to eBay. We earn a commission from eBay on qualifying purchases made through those links, at no extra cost to you. We are not eBay and not the seller. Always confirm fitment with the seller or a qualified mechanic.