After weeks of waiting your car has finally arrived at the port of Mombasa. Congratulations!
While your agent clears and registers the car at the port, there are a few things that you need to take care of on your end. It is important to do these things now so that you can enjoy your car without any problems.
1. Insurance
You need to buy an insurance cover for your car so that it is insured as it leaves the port. This is important especially if your car will be driven on road to your location.
2. Car Track
After the car arrives to your location the next thing is to install a car track system. The advantages of installing car track are obvious. Installing a tracker from a reputable company allows you to:
• Know the location of your car at any given time, including where it has been
• Stop theft- in case your car is stolen you can stop the engine from anywhere from your phone
• Geo fence routes- this allows you to set an area of operation for your car e.g. Nairobi, especially if it’s a taxi/ car hire
3. Engine Service
The car you have imported is pre-owned. This means somebody was driving it in Japan. While the Japanese take excellent care of their cars, it is important to start on a fresh slate. Perform a full engine service to be confident as you drive.
4. Car Identity
This is etching of the registration number on side mirrors, windows and front lights etc. This is a great deterrent to petty thieves; no one will steal a marked mirror. Car identity is also important because it helps to identify your car in instances of theft where the registration plates are missing.
5. Securing Spare Tire and Removable Parts
The unfortunate reality in Kenya is that petty crime thrives. You need to secure your spare tire especially for 4WDs, so that it’s not easily removed. Other small removable parts are riveted in.
6. Install Sump Guard
A sump guard is a metal plate fitted under the chassis of the car to protect it from mud, corrosion, debris and other impact especially when going off road.
7. Radio System
Most cars coming from Japan will have a Japanese radio system. This is quite useless in the Kenyan market. Fortunately you can change it to install something of your preference.
8. Tire Change
This is not always necessary, but if your tires have less than 50% treat you might want to buy new ones and start on a clean slate.
Thinking of importing a car? Talk to Jap Imports Ltd for clean imports and a smooth import process!