South Africa? Japan?

[corolla_2004]

Ive got an Ascent. No idea if its a South African made or Japanese made

how do i tell?

[eddy_torrezz]

i dont think theres any from japan out here yet is there?

[corolla_2004]

i dont think theres any from japan out here yet is there?

←

so ive been told there is...

[Northy]

my accest sport was made in japan, i was not aware any of them came from SA?

[corolla_2004]

my accest sport was made in japan, i was not aware any of them came from SA?

←

they do... well not all of them...

there has to be a way dammit....

[Azza]

Apparently (according to the parts guy at Strathpine Toyota yesterday)

All Sportivo's are SA built (we know this already)

Approx 30% of all Ascent & Conquests are also SA built.

A handful of Ultima & Levin's are SA Built.

The rest are Japanese.

I guess look at your compliance plate in your engine bay....

[spec_black]

my ascent said "australia"

or maybe it was complied in australia

dont know

just say the australia bit

[Romp]

my ascent said "australia"

or maybe it was complied in australia

dont know

just say the australia bit

←

All corollas up to conquest are landed as ascents.

They just dress the cars up when they arrive.

e.g. ascent arrives, they paint the handles, stick on a rear spoiler and alloys and voila its a ascent sport.

they add power mirrors and its a conquest

anyhow the engine code is the way to tell the diff between a jap and SA built car.

you can also tell by the carpet on the parcel shelf thingy .. but ud need to know how to compare them to tell.

[rolla02]

All corollas up to conquest are landed as ascents.

They just dress the cars up when they arrive.

e.g. ascent arrives, they paint the handles, stick on a rear spoiler and alloys and voila its a ascent sport.

they add power mirrors and its a conquest

That is not right.

The build plate (not the Compliance Plate) and the VIN (if you can decode it) will tell you where it was built.

SMH/The Age Drive Article

[Romp]

All corollas up to conquest are landed as ascents.

They just dress the cars up when they arrive.

e.g. ascent arrives, they paint the handles, stick on a rear spoiler and alloys and voila its a ascent sport.

they add power mirrors and its a conquest

That is not right.

The build plate (not the Compliance Plate) and the VIN (if you can decode it) will tell you where it was built.

SMH/The Age Drive Article

yer sorry VIN number is what i meant ..

←

[kcorro]

Edited July 25, 2009 by kcorro

[teddy1386]

Just look at the front passenger door and there is a badge there printed south-africa or japan. you will find it when u open the door.

[MAP81]

Vin Decoder

From rolla02's link

[BigBum]

the compliance plate should tell you. if not look out for characteristics like

tyres on south africa is usually bridgestone

inside the wheel wells on south africa it is hard material so it makes a lot of sound when gravel hits it. the better built japanese use a soft coating which is better to reduce road noise.

also i think the springs from japanese are gloss black whereas from south africa it is semi flat black. have heard the fluids are different colour slightly too.

←

my levin is from japan, springs aren't gloss black.

although tyres are a good way to tell, but VIN number helps more.

of course, u can check the metal plate on the front passenger door side... that'll give you your answer :P

[DrVY]

yes, just open passage door n check the bulid plate! It show clearly where its from.

[Bobjones]

Vin Decoder

From rolla02's link

←

Yep this works perfectly!!

Says mine is Japan, and it is according to the build plate which says Nov 01, but complied Jan 2002.

Oh and alot of the cars come to Oz as ascent, the additional parts for the conquest and sport are supplied separately and assembled here depending on demand. they do not "paint" the door handles, they merely swap them for colour coded etc, stupid exercise but hey...

[Romp]

Vin Decoder

From rolla02's link

←

Yep this works perfectly!!

Says mine is Japan, and it is according to the build plate which says Nov 01, but complied Jan 2002.

Oh and alot of the cars come to Oz as ascent, the additional parts for the conquest and sport are supplied separately and assembled here depending on demand. they do not "paint" the door handles, they merely swap them for colour coded etc, stupid exercise but hey...

←

nah they just take the handles and strips off and paint em in one go - dont believe me? pull ur door handle and look underneath its all black plastic

Edited October 5, 2005 by Romp

[Otaku]

Vin Decoder

From rolla02's link

←

Yep this works perfectly!!

Says mine is Japan, and it is according to the build plate which says Nov 01, but complied Jan 2002.

Oh and alot of the cars come to Oz as ascent, the additional parts for the conquest and sport are supplied separately and assembled here depending on demand. they do not "paint" the door handles, they merely swap them for colour coded etc, stupid exercise but hey...

←

nah they just take the handles and strips off and paint em in one go - dont believe me? pull ur door handle and look underneath its all black plastic

←

Trust me, they would not paint door handles locally after import.

Edited October 5, 2005 by Otaku

[Bobjones]

Vin Decoder

From rolla02's link

←

Yep this works perfectly!!

Says mine is Japan, and it is according to the build plate which says Nov 01, but complied Jan 2002.

Oh and alot of the cars come to Oz as ascent, the additional parts for the conquest and sport are supplied separately and assembled here depending on demand. they do not "paint" the door handles, they merely swap them for colour coded etc, stupid exercise but hey...

←

nah they just take the handles and strips off and paint em in one go - dont believe me? pull ur door handle and look underneath its all black plastic

←

Trust me, they do not strip and re-paint door handles.

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THEY ARE NOT REPAINTED!!! I agree with the last POST 100%

The process is highly involved...ever seen dickheads paint their own bumpers and the paint flakes...same deal!!!

[Buddha]

my ascent said "australia"

or maybe it was complied in australia

dont know

just say the australia bit

←

All corollas up to conquest are landed as ascents.

They just dress the cars up when they arrive.

e.g. ascent arrives, they paint the handles, stick on a rear spoiler and alloys and voila its a ascent sport.

they add power mirrors and its a conquest

←

I don't think you've actually seen a Conquest by those statements ... the Conquests also have power windows, different seat trim, body colour side mouldings, standard passenger airbag ... there is no way known that Toyota would bring in Ascents and then spec them up to that extent. It might be correct for the Sport, but that's it.

[Romp]

my ascent said "australia"

or maybe it was complied in australia

dont know

just say the australia bit

←

All corollas up to conquest are landed as ascents.

They just dress the cars up when they arrive.

e.g. ascent arrives, they paint the handles, stick on a rear spoiler and alloys and voila its a ascent sport.

they add power mirrors and its a conquest

←

I don't think you've actually seen a Conquest by those statements ... the Conquests also have power windows, different seat trim, body colour side mouldings, standard passenger airbag ... there is no way known that Toyota would bring in Ascents and then spec them up to that extent. It might be correct for the Sport, but that's it.

←

nah i have a mate at headoffice and also confirmed with dealer when i went shopping for my rolla.

It comes in as basic car and then they dress it up

OF COURSE they dont sit there and hand paint the handles ... they have all the handles and spray them in bulk and do everythign in bulk.. this way they keep the costs down..

This is why you dont see the exact same models overseas because its specced according to how the locals want to dress the car up.

[Otaku]

my ascent said "australia"

or maybe it was complied in australia

dont know

just say the australia bit

←

All corollas up to conquest are landed as ascents.

They just dress the cars up when they arrive.

e.g. ascent arrives, they paint the handles, stick on a rear spoiler and alloys and voila its a ascent sport.

they add power mirrors and its a conquest

←

I don't think you've actually seen a Conquest by those statements ... the Conquests also have power windows, different seat trim, body colour side mouldings, standard passenger airbag ... there is no way known that Toyota would bring in Ascents and then spec them up to that extent. It might be correct for the Sport, but that's it.

←

nah i have a mate at headoffice and also confirmed with dealer when i went shopping for my rolla.

It comes in as basic car and then they dress it up

OF COURSE they dont sit there and hand paint the handles ... they have all the handles and spray them in bulk and do everythign in bulk.. this way they keep the costs down..

This is why you dont see the exact same models overseas because its specced according to how the locals want to dress the car up.

←

Dude, they do not have a paint shop at the dock. Sure they may fit replacement parts painted by the supplier, but they do not paint parts before fitting them.

And a good point was made by the previous post, how is it that they fit passenger airbags? Do they take out the whole dash and cut a hole and fit it?

Also, why then do the vehicles have different Katashikis (model codes) coming out of Japan?

The only parts that I would think are fitted locally are dealer-fit accesories, such as window tinting and air conditioning.

Edited October 5, 2005 by Otaku

[Bobjones]

Yes they have different model numbers out of Japan,

However, as these cars are all shipped, some parts are changed upon arrival in Australia or anywhere else.

They do NOT come in as all Ascents...

However, some items, such as on the ascent sports are added here, like the spoiler as there is too greater risk of damaging it in transit.

This is also the case for door handles as far as I have been told, obviously I do not work for toyota but have seen the holding yard in Brisbane and Sydney and they are the same. Sum parts are changes EXTERNALLY only not interior for the mere fact to protect the car.

And they do not repaint door handles. The spray booths are for items such as spoilers and other dealer fitted items so that they do not have to be sent to Japan for painting when someone orders it on a new car...

[Azza]

Vehicles are NOT 'specced up' on the docks as this would create a massive labour intensive task which in such a cut throat industry, is not a very good business decision. (Maybe that's why Mitsubishi is in the poo-poo lately ;) )

Although the different models in other countries have different specs, you'll find that the production line is set up in such a way that they produce runs of a particular 'spec'. ie: they will do a run of Acents for 3 days, a run on Levins for 2 days etc....

For local exclusive limited run vehicles such as the AE112R 'Turbo' Sportivo and the Ascent 'Sport' etc, then these extras are 'bolt on' at the holding yards.

[Azza]

Your build plate at the top of your firewall (usually to the left of the Australian Compliance Plate) will also quote

Toyota South Africa Motor Corporation or something similar...