It is very well organized, it ensures unsafe cars are kept off the road. Most civilized countries have a similar test. It has a reputation for being strict and expensive but is just a test of vehicle safety and if you take the car to the test center yourself and avoid dealers, its not expensive at all.
I think the interval of 2 years for older cars is too short! Rather than safety and environmental concerns, it is a system set up to get people to frequently buy new cars. In the area where I live for the last 13 years, most people have changed their cars 2 or 3 times. The high expense of shaken (and getting a driver's licence), has put a lot of young people off owning a car. The government is trying to encourage young people to relocate to rural areas. But if you live rurally, you're going to need a car and a driver's licence which takes quite a chunk of money.
I think it's fantastic. And to anyone bemoaning the cost, you can easily do a "User Shaken" yourself at the city test centre like the previous poster mentioned.
I agree with Mr. Kipling - keeps the clunkers off the roads, which has positive all around benefits for traffic. I just got back from Atlanta and could not belive how many traffic delays and jams there were because of breakdowns and stalls on highways and surface streets. Keep cars in good working order, eveyone benefits.
DatAss Yes, user shaken is cheap! My husband always does it himself. But many people can't even change a tire these days. And also, you will have to take a day off work! And if something is wrong you will have to fix it and return.
I don't say shaken is a bad thing. Maybe 5 years for a new car and 3-year intervals for an older car would be better!
Here in the USA I take my 12 year old Mazda into a trusted Mazda specialist once a year and know my car is "good to go". This year I paid for oil/filter and inspection which cost around $150.
Generally shaken is a good thing. It keeps a check on the roadworthiness of vehicles, thereby to a large extent ruling out mechanical failure / poor condition as a reason for accidents.
Just sometimes they nit pick - like sorry you have to change your slightly blue hued front lights ( read - superior) as the law says white lights only. And I know the dealers/mechanics pressure people who know zilch about cars to fix the unbroken - oh your battery is 3 years old, your wipers are a little worn, etc. Showing knowledge and interest goes a long way in getting good service.
But shaken is the simple reason in addition to the make, why 2nd hand Japanese cars are eagerly sought after world wide.
And cost is not unreasonable. If you source a dependable mechanic, the costs will be minimal with most fees being for govt registration taxes and charges.
Interesting that my home state South Australia has no inspection system for private vehicles even with ownership transfers. When questioned about this the govt said it's research into accident causes showed mechanical failure incl tires etc were the cause in only about 1% of cases. Human failure and road conditions were the primary accident cause by far.
As beneficial as it might be, shaken is one of the reasons that put off from owning a car in Japan.
Shaken, vehicle tax, insurance and parking lot. Just owning the car before I even count using it, would set me back at least 200k a year. And that's not entirely a bad thing. Not everyone needs to open a car (or more).
The main costs I pay at shaken time are compulsory insurance which I'm unlikely to use (like 99% of people, we have supplementary private insurance) and a silly weight tax. You still pay these costs even with a user shaken. You can pass shaken if the car gets to 40km/h on rollers, so a car with a broken transmission that won't go into high gear may still pass. If you have a hole in the exhaust, you can pass shaken by taping it up with thermal tape. The tape only has to last one day. I mention these as counterpoint to anyone saying shaken is a "strict" inspection.
If you go to the shaken test center, that's what the test is. Its like a short conveyor with different sections. The "test the engine one" is about getting the car to 40 on the speedo and checking this with the speed of rollers. The easiest way to fail this is to change your wheel size, because it throws the speedo out. Most of the test at the center is checking the indicators, brake lights, and whether the headlights are aligned. There is an extensive mark sheet about all kinds of important things, brake wear etc., but you simply have to tick some boxes saying "I measured it". No government person physically checks the actual car, they just take the check sheet answers on trust. If you do shaken at a garage, they probably do a proper tenken and honestly fill in the sheet, possibly in a very strict way. However, this process is not "shaken" itself, it is a garage "tenken" which is optional and can be omitted if you do a self shaken, usually because you want to save money. You can tick the boxes on the tenken sheet without checking anything and all the government will check is the indicators and whether you car will hit 40 with 40 displayed on the speedo.
Fwiw, if you ever build a house, the government inspections of them are an even bigger joke. Choose any builder you use carefully, and do not expect the government to protect you as a consumer.
So that kinda confirms that the govt testing centers are a bit of a mockery.
Seeing most of their customers would be commercial drivers - trucks, vans etc - as opposed to private drivers, I guess they're geared up for the quickie "Howyagoin Taro, Yep all ok no probs. Seeya. Yeah cheers mate" style of inspection.
Lots of cracks in the regulatory systems here - don't have to look far.
Witness health checks in restaurant kitchens for one.
While periodic vehicle inspections to ensure safety and eco compliance are indeed beneficial, the shaken inspection is far more detailed than it needs to be to meet those standards.
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Mr Kipling
It is very well organized, it ensures unsafe cars are kept off the road. Most civilized countries have a similar test. It has a reputation for being strict and expensive but is just a test of vehicle safety and if you take the car to the test center yourself and avoid dealers, its not expensive at all.
mountainpear
I think the interval of 2 years for older cars is too short! Rather than safety and environmental concerns, it is a system set up to get people to frequently buy new cars. In the area where I live for the last 13 years, most people have changed their cars 2 or 3 times. The high expense of shaken (and getting a driver's licence), has put a lot of young people off owning a car. The government is trying to encourage young people to relocate to rural areas. But if you live rurally, you're going to need a car and a driver's licence which takes quite a chunk of money.
DatAss
I think it's fantastic. And to anyone bemoaning the cost, you can easily do a "User Shaken" yourself at the city test centre like the previous poster mentioned.
collegepark30349
I agree with Mr. Kipling - keeps the clunkers off the roads, which has positive all around benefits for traffic. I just got back from Atlanta and could not belive how many traffic delays and jams there were because of breakdowns and stalls on highways and surface streets. Keep cars in good working order, eveyone benefits.
mountainpear
DatAss Yes, user shaken is cheap! My husband always does it himself. But many people can't even change a tire these days. And also, you will have to take a day off work! And if something is wrong you will have to fix it and return.
I don't say shaken is a bad thing. Maybe 5 years for a new car and 3-year intervals for an older car would be better!
YeahRight
It's a pain in the butt (and the wallet), but at least you know your car is good to go.
deanzaZZR
Here in the USA I take my 12 year old Mazda into a trusted Mazda specialist once a year and know my car is "good to go". This year I paid for oil/filter and inspection which cost around $150.
browny1
Generally shaken is a good thing. It keeps a check on the roadworthiness of vehicles, thereby to a large extent ruling out mechanical failure / poor condition as a reason for accidents.
Just sometimes they nit pick - like sorry you have to change your slightly blue hued front lights ( read - superior) as the law says white lights only. And I know the dealers/mechanics pressure people who know zilch about cars to fix the unbroken - oh your battery is 3 years old, your wipers are a little worn, etc. Showing knowledge and interest goes a long way in getting good service.
But shaken is the simple reason in addition to the make, why 2nd hand Japanese cars are eagerly sought after world wide.
And cost is not unreasonable. If you source a dependable mechanic, the costs will be minimal with most fees being for govt registration taxes and charges.
Interesting that my home state South Australia has no inspection system for private vehicles even with ownership transfers. When questioned about this the govt said it's research into accident causes showed mechanical failure incl tires etc were the cause in only about 1% of cases. Human failure and road conditions were the primary accident cause by far.
R B Quinn
Safety First (Anzen Daiichi)!
Garthgoyle
As beneficial as it might be, shaken is one of the reasons that put off from owning a car in Japan.
Shaken, vehicle tax, insurance and parking lot. Just owning the car before I even count using it, would set me back at least 200k a year. And that's not entirely a bad thing. Not everyone needs to open a car (or more).
kohakuebisu
The main costs I pay at shaken time are compulsory insurance which I'm unlikely to use (like 99% of people, we have supplementary private insurance) and a silly weight tax. You still pay these costs even with a user shaken. You can pass shaken if the car gets to 40km/h on rollers, so a car with a broken transmission that won't go into high gear may still pass. If you have a hole in the exhaust, you can pass shaken by taping it up with thermal tape. The tape only has to last one day. I mention these as counterpoint to anyone saying shaken is a "strict" inspection.
browny1
kohakuebisu -
Guarantee such things as a broken transmission and a taped up exhaust leak would never pass any shaken test to places I've been.
Don't know where you go to, but you must have a good "wink, wink" relationship with them.
I guess it happens as some of the modified cars I've seen around, always amazes me as to how they pass shaken.
MiuraAnjin
Mr Kipling makes exceedingly good points.
kohakuebisu
If you go to the shaken test center, that's what the test is. Its like a short conveyor with different sections. The "test the engine one" is about getting the car to 40 on the speedo and checking this with the speed of rollers. The easiest way to fail this is to change your wheel size, because it throws the speedo out. Most of the test at the center is checking the indicators, brake lights, and whether the headlights are aligned. There is an extensive mark sheet about all kinds of important things, brake wear etc., but you simply have to tick some boxes saying "I measured it". No government person physically checks the actual car, they just take the check sheet answers on trust. If you do shaken at a garage, they probably do a proper tenken and honestly fill in the sheet, possibly in a very strict way. However, this process is not "shaken" itself, it is a garage "tenken" which is optional and can be omitted if you do a self shaken, usually because you want to save money. You can tick the boxes on the tenken sheet without checking anything and all the government will check is the indicators and whether you car will hit 40 with 40 displayed on the speedo.
As for holes in exhausts...
https://www.send-freedom.com/entry/2117
Fwiw, if you ever build a house, the government inspections of them are an even bigger joke. Choose any builder you use carefully, and do not expect the government to protect you as a consumer.
Hervé L'Eisa
It's legalized extortion. The car manufacturers support it because they profit handily from the high turnover of slightly used cars.
And it's a logical reason for younger generations to avoid purchasing a car of their own.
It should be (but never will be) abolished entirely.
browny1
Thanks kohakuebisu -
So that kinda confirms that the govt testing centers are a bit of a mockery.
Seeing most of their customers would be commercial drivers - trucks, vans etc - as opposed to private drivers, I guess they're geared up for the quickie "Howyagoin Taro, Yep all ok no probs. Seeya. Yeah cheers mate" style of inspection.
Lots of cracks in the regulatory systems here - don't have to look far.
Witness health checks in restaurant kitchens for one.
Eastmann
every two years car is completely checked with full maintenance so pass user shaken is a breeze.
robert maes
It is one of the very good things in Japan. Anything and everything can be improved but it is good.
garypen
While periodic vehicle inspections to ensure safety and eco compliance are indeed beneficial, the shaken inspection is far more detailed than it needs to be to meet those standards.