New Zealand has one of the most Japanese-dominated car markets in the world. Over 60% of vehicles on Kiwi roads were made in Japan — many imported as used vehicles through dealers and auctions. Toyota Aqua (Prius C), Honda Fit, Suzuki Swift, Mazda Demio, Nissan Note, Subaru Legacy — these are the cars that fill every car park from Whangarei to Invercargill.

The beauty for workshops: Japanese cars are reliable, well-built, and parts are standardised. The challenge: New Zealand is a small, remote market. Parts that are available same-day in Sydney or Auckland can take 3–5 days if your local supplier does not stock them.

The workshops that stock common Japanese parts avoid the wait — and keep customers happy.

The Top 10 Parts Every Kiwi Workshop Should Stock

Based on the most common repairs for NZ's most popular Japanese models:

  1. Brake pads — Aqua/Prius/Fit/Swift: $30–$60 per set wholesale. Stock 10 sets. Used weekly.
  2. Oil filters — Toyota/Honda/Mazda: $5–$15 each. Stock 20. Used daily.
  3. Air filters — common Japanese fitments: $15–$30 each. Stock 15. Changed at every service.
  4. Cabin filters — Aqua/Fit/Demio: $15–$25 each. Stock 10. Easy upsell at every service.
  5. Spark plugs — common Japanese: $8–$15 each. Stock 20. NGK/Denso covers 90% of Japanese cars.
  6. Wiper blades — standard sizes: $10–$25 per pair. Stock 10 pairs. WoF failure item — instant sale.
  7. CV boots — common sizes: $25–$50 each. Stock 6. Common WoF failure on older imports.
  8. Wheel bearings — common Japanese: $30–$80 each. Stock 4. Noisy bearings are a regular complaint.
  9. Thermostat — common Toyota/Honda: $20–$40 each. Stock 4. Overheating is common in summer.
  10. Bulb assortment — headlight/brake/indicator: $5–$15 each. Stock 20+. WoF failure — instant sale.

Total stock investment: $1,500–$3,000. Everything turns over in 4–6 weeks. No dead stock because these are the most common cars in New Zealand.

The "Parts Available Now" Advantage

When a customer brings in their Honda Fit with worn brake pads, you have two options:

Option A: "I need to order the pads. Come back in 3 days." Customer is disappointed. Maybe they go elsewhere.

Option B: "I have the pads in stock. I can do it this afternoon." Customer is delighted. Job done. Invoice paid. They tell their mates.

The difference in revenue: Option A = maybe $0 (lost customer). Option B = $200 today.

Tracking What You Use

After 3 months of tracking every part on every job in Mekavo, you know EXACTLY what to stock. "We used 8 sets of Aqua brake pads, 12 Toyota oil filters, and 6 cabin filters last month." Order accordingly. No guessing, no overstocking, no understocking.

Free for Kiwi workshops. Track parts, track suppliers, track costs. The data tells you what to buy — your gut does not have to.