Japanese Motors Inc. | Ichibanjdm

Reviews

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  Paul Verderosa
a week ago
I waited a year to post this review. 2004 Accord K24, original owner transmission went out at 424,272 miles. Figured best to replace engine and transmission. Called Ichibanjdm they had a engine and transmission that came from Japan already mated. Some parts needed to taken off original engine and transmission and switched to the new one to be compatible with my car. Pain in the @$$. But engine and transmission are running PERFECT !! O oil consumption. Ive put on a little over 10,000 miles on her. All the work was done by me.I'm attached to this car. Thank You for having this engine and transmission!!

  ronald Jordan
6 months ago
Hello to all it's the Lexus guy again so after a dire diagnostic at another shop and filled with frustration we decided to replace the transmission so I had home work to do on which route I wanted to go and where to purchase a trans from and having a shop I know put it in or do it my self Sooo after looking for a decent place to purchase a transmission and weighing all my options I found Ichiban JDM. After reading their reviews the negative and positives I decided they were the best place to go for 2 main reasons..pricing and the fact that you have the option to have them install it purchasing from them and having installed elsewhere would be costly cause if trans is bad you'll be paying double for labor so for me it was easier to have them complete the task. 1st let me thank Nick for a seamless transaction and Gabriel as well for keeping me in the loop and riding with my wife in the test drive this has been officially one of the rare occasions that I have had an expirence with a repair shop that we left feeling satisfied and most of all no issues or excuses with this or why that is doing what it's doing ,brought vehicle in they had the car for about a week worked out the kinks and released a well shifting Lexus gs300 that on the way home from Buena Park to Victorville achieved 25mpg in stop and go traffic an 77 mile drive with no issues , it's several days later and we took the car for smog which it passed ,the trans was causing a check engine light for not shifting going into limp mode, so with that being said read the reviews Ichiban team are good people and one of the better experiences I've had doing business with automotive mechanics and goodsThank you again Nick & Gabriel JOB well done

  yue nan
2 years ago
Found a JDM miata 1.6 engine on eBay and know which is IChibanjdm selling it, googled ichibanjdm and found out some bad reviews, but I know if the parts don t have problems people may not leave reviews and only leave reviews when the part doesn t like their expectations, so I am taking the risk and give it a try, luckily the results is perfect. Picked up the engine on 12/14 and swapped it on, when I was swapping the Usdm camshaft for the usdm camshaft angle sensor, I had to open the valve cover, the internal is in gold color and even not have scratches on camshafts and bearings, I know the engine is in a pretty healthy condition, after swapped everything on, the engine started at the first try, good compression, everything runs perfect. I know I have to give Ichiban a five stars to correct some thoughts. Thank you Nick will see you next time for some ej engines!P.S. Nick please get a new compression meter lol

  kaleb van der Linden
a year ago
Honestly some of the best customer service I ve ever had. Bought my engine and did the NB6 swap on my Miata. I received it with a cracked oil pan which they took care of the same day I took it back. Then I installed the engine and whenever I had any questions Nick always would walk me through what I needed to do and it was very much appreciated. He did not have to help me as much as he has but it just goes to show how good this place is. I never leave reviews but felt I should, so if I ever need another engine I know where I m going!

  Fadi Nabhan
5 years ago
I really had high hopes purchasing a Mazda MZR L3-VDT from Ichiban on Ebay. Unfortunately, the whole process was somewhat of a debacle. The engine arrived poorly tied to the pallet. The pallet was pieced together and falling apart. The ECU was broken. The turbo bypass valve nipple was broken. The engine was never compression checked as there was no evidence that the top mount intercooler and the spark plugs/wires were recently removed. Upon further inspection of the engine before installation, it turned out that the VVT actuator was broken causing a stretched timing chain which was hitting the underside of the cam cover. Pieces of the VVT actuator had fallen down into the oil pan. Not to mention that the engine was way out of time. This would have required a complete timing system overhaul and removal of the oil pan to retrieve the loose pieces. Not an inexpensive and quick task on these MZR engines. Labor and parts would have cost me $1200 (per Mazda parts and Alldata hours). Ichiban offered me $300-$400 to repair it. Somewhat a slap in the face. Fortunately, they ended up taking the engine back and refunding my payment. I gave 2 stars because they were untruthful about the compression test, damage to engine internally and during shipping, and email communication was really slow (phone communication was better). The only saving grace is that my contact, Chris, was polite and seemed really understanding when I spoke to him over the phone.

  Justin Matson
9 months ago
Nick is the man! I bought an engine from them and have little to no mechanic experience. Nick spent many phone calls talking to me helping me diagnose the issues that I created from not knowing what I was doing! From looking up vacuum diagrams to helping with fuel issues, he was there and answered every time I needed help. I can't imagine better service than what I recieved. Thank you so much for being an awesome company, please continue to take care of your employees because they are more valuable then my words can explain!

  s garcia
a year ago
About a year ago I bought a transmission from this company they made it seem everything was perfectly fine. I ended up finding out a year later. When I purchase this transmission a part of it was weld it. No wonder my transmission been leaking my mechanic found the problem. I got it for an Infiniti M 35 waste the money I recommend shopping around with other companies I should ve stayed with the company that I bought my engine from. Thank you guys for me wasting my money Wow I regret this purchase. I hope no one else makes the same mistake. Don t forget you re gonna buy a transmission and you still have to pay the mechanic to install it.

  paris risk
4 years ago
Bought an SR20DET engine and trans as well as an S14 front and rear subframe. The subframe was most likely in a bad accident, arms were bent and the rear knuckle was cracked. The rear wheel bearing was bad and could not be used either. Even worse... the SR20DET I bought from them was blown up, the pistons are chewed up all the way down to the ring and the cylinders are also chewed up. I tried to contact them and ask for a refund and they said they would see about it and contact me back. Never got a call back about it so I called them again and again and again, they said no refund and if you open the engine up the warranty is void lol! How would you know if the engine was blown unless you open it? If you go through all the effort to install it later to find it blown it would be even worse having to pay to have it removed and rebuilt. Once they have your money they don't care about you anymore and will dodge you as best they can. These guys are very unprofessional and shady!! I would definitely stay away. They won't let you talk to the owner nor will they give you his name, one guy even said his name was jon then he said it was sam, then he said he's the manager and then he said he's just a guy that works there.. I worked hard to get this engine and subframe, now I'm stuck with something that needs extra work and money put into it, I'm putting this review out here in hopes that other hard working people won't get screwed over by these terrible people! STAY AWAY!

  Anthony Susilo
5 years ago
Chris was awesome. Called a few different places for a 1ZZ engine, their price was actually a little higher than some of their competitor. What sold me was his professionalism and how nice he was over the phone.When I got there, I was greeted and taken care of immediately. Chris and his employees helped me picked out an engine that was super clean. Top top it all off, they helped me load the engine into my car, even helped me strapped it so it doesn t fall over.I have told all my friends about this place. Everyone was nice to deal with. They have many engines with low miles, go check them out if you need an engine!Thanks again Chris and team!

  Mall
a year ago
I got a engine for my Maxima from itchbanjdm. It was my first time ever called them they were helpful with any questions I had beforehand to do it. Got help from Nick and another guy good people. After installation, my car has been doing excellent. the engine runs great. I recommend them to anyone interested. Thanks team Itchbanjdm.

  Robocop Ps5
7 years ago
Awesome they help me so much bought a 2.0 engine from them and put it on my Nissan Altima 2005. You did an awesome job really reliable. Would recommend to anyone who needs to buy an engine especially because offered the swapping of the old engine to the new one. Price is great.. nice and honest people.... my wife is happy with having her car back...

  Dan Heintzel
5 years ago
I ordered a transmission from eBay. They immediately called me to inform me that I would need to swap the rear differential as well to prevent damage from ratio mismatches. It was a very courteous gesture on their part. Shipping was very quick and I received the transmission a couple days after placing the order.I got unlucky and received a bad transmission, which seems to be a rare occurrence for them. Fortunately, I was able to fix the transmission myself at a semi low cost.

  jeffrey godinez
3 years ago
*update!!!*Red Flag do not i repeat do not buy from this location i got sold the wrong transmission went past the 30 day due to manager being sick and me living 6hrs away and they wouldn't do anything not even store credit to make the situation right!! Very bad business I have bought over 7 engines and 3 transmission from other shops and have had good experiences this one was horrible and will never give them my business again!!!I assure you the bad reviews are true and stay away!!!!!!!! You have been warned!!!!!Just picked up a low mileage awd transmission for my crv which went out!!! Shop is full of great stuff motors, transmission, wheels, clusters, clips and so on..... will update once installed and tested but everything looks clean and legit so shouldn't have any issues :) 10/19/2020 thanks to the great customer service definitely would drive the 5hrs+ again without hesitation.

  Kenneth Galvin
3 years ago
I purchased a JDM engine from Japanese Motors Inc. in the beginning of September. The knowledge displayed and the assistance given to me on the initial contact was very encouraging. The from California to New York was quick too. After installing the engine and driving it the past 3 months, I am VERY happy with my purchase. For me, Japanese Motors Inc. was an excellent choice.

  J C.
4 years ago
I don't recomend this place due to that they don't honor their warranty.bought an engine that needs to be time after installation, had many problems getting it to work call for support and ask for warranty I was denied that.now, a few hundred dollars out and a week of wasted time, I learned to stick with the places I usually buy engines from.soken trade, and soshin trade, I never have any problems when it comes to warranties and their warranty is 6 months not 30 days like this guys.over all a bad experience.

  Erik L
3 years ago
Called about a b20 high comp got the price ($695)Go to pick up the motor about a hour after I called got there talk to (Nick) paid for the motor no big deal got the motor home get it in the car and I look at some of the stamps on the motor and it points to being a low comp that goes for $500-550 online while high comps go for $600-700 ONLINE so 695 not bad on, the high end. but I heard good things about this shop so go with it so after finding out that it s not a high comp call back a week later then was told high comps are $750-800 from (Chris the owner) then I have my friends call and see what they say pretty sure it was (nick) said that high comp are $695 then I have my brother call and ask for Chris, and do the same thing ask for a b20 high comp now it s $700-800 yes on the same day, I m mad that I ended up with a low comp motor when I said Multiple times on the phone I wanted a high comp. And hella over paid for it would not go here for anything they offer to refund if I brought the motor back but not worth my time pulling it back out again so f this place if you do buy something here make sure you check all the numbers and stamps on the motor to make sure it s what you want

  Chase Olivas
4 years ago
Bought a L3-VDT engine for my Mazdaspeed 3 around the end of last year and installed the motor. it ended up burning a quart of oil every 150 miles or so and smoked so bad it was like a smoke screen. The only saving grace was that Ichiban honored their 30 day warranty. With about 2,000 miles on the exchanged motor i am now convinced i have a reliable motor that doesnt have damaged internals. I give them 5 stars for Chris, a man of his word and made things right.

  Veronica Fuentes
2 years ago
Worst customer service, I drove from San Diego to pick up a transmission, gave me the wrong one. Spoke to the owner and he was cool was supposed to meet me Sunday morning, I drove back again from San Diego even though they were closed he never showed up I waited over an hour on Mothers day with my wife and kids in the car for him. Now I need to come back a thrid time because of theyre mistake. Just completely unprofessional.

  Touge 86
2 years ago
RED FLAG!!!!Don't go to this shop. These guys don't keep their words and they're very sketchy. I bought a motor there a few months ago and as soon as warranty was over, the motor started having issues. The timming was really retarded and it blew up my motor. They also took their time installing the motor and the transmission was put in a crooked position!!!

  Riker Goodrich
4 years ago
I am foreign and domestic automotive repair shop owner / operator with over 15 years experience. We purchased a transmission for a 2001 Honda odyssey listed with a 90 day warranty on January 21 2019 . The transmission was installed in the van along with a new radiator to ensure there would be no contamination from the old built in transmission cooler. The transmission would not shift correctly from the very first run. Further diagnostics was performed and the transmission was found to be damaged internally. Upon contacting ichiban I was informed I needed to flush the transmission and clean all electronic solenoids and screens. I entertained their request knowing this would not solve the problem, which it did not. Ichiban was again contacted with no reply. I finally got ahold of chris with ichiban on april 19 2019 and was told he would speak with management and get things taken care of. That was the last time I have heard from ichiban up to todays date. I have made several attempts to get this taken care of and yet there has been no resolution as well as next to no communication from ichiban. As a business owner I feel this to be very unprofessional way of handling things. I have been calm and patient with ichiban but feel they are not willing to resolve the problem. I am not normally one to leave a poor review for any business however given the situation I feel this is something any future customers of ichiban need to know. Update it is now 7/21/2019 I have been speaking with a gentleman by the name of Del who has promised me three times they would get a replacement transmission shipped out to me. As of now it has been over a month and a half since the first promise to send a replacement transmission and still no replacement. I was also told that if a replacement could not be sent ichiban would refund the full amount however now when I call I I am told that Del is on vacation and apparently has been for the last several weeks. To date I have spoken with Chris, John, Del, and Rudy all of which have agreed they could resolve the issue and yet no resolution.

  Liz s.
5 years ago
Desperately needed a specific engine to get my car going. I called to ask for one and left my information because the receptionist said he'll check and call me to let me know. Didn't get my call. A couple days later a friend shows me a ad from this place showing that specific engine for sale and it was posted the day or the day before I called and I'm pumped and ready to drive a few hours to buy it asap.I called to ask about it and I'm told to call back in the morning but they should have it. I called in the morning "ugh, I don't think we have those engines but give me your info and I'll check and call you back. 3 hrs later I call back and I get " yeah we don't have that engine but we have other similar engines" that's like me wanting to buy a Toyota Corolla and you offer me a Chevy Silverado. Way to loose a customer buddy

  Anavee Chanvechsat
5 years ago
I contacted Ichiban regarding an EJ25 engine and was fortunate to speak with Chris. I explained my situation to him. He was extremely helpful and understanding, and even took down my info to keep me on a list for the engine just in case I did need it. I ended up not needing it, but I am thankful and appreciative of his customer service and will definitely keep these guys in mind in case I need anything in the future.

  Rob s
4 years ago
I sent my nephews to pick up a subaru engine that we seen advertised on there website, specifically that one, when they got there they were told that that paticular one was not in stock. Maybe the saw the naivity on the and sold him a different one that was the "same" but it had some corny mods and a badly damaged turbo. They didnt want to work with us on getting a refund or exchange. Now i have to either replace or rebuild the turbo and hope the internals aren't damaged. I wont buy here again and i do plenty of jdm swaps.

  Thomas Keeling
2 years ago
There service was great and it was super easy to get exactly what I wanted. They have great selection of engines and other jdm car parts. I'll definitely be visiting them again.

  Bryant Chavez
6 years ago
Chris was great when i went to pick up my jdm 1jz! i got a really good motor really clean to. helped me out alot with other issues while doing my swap to. always responded fast and was very helpful.10 out of 10 will buy again!

  Steven Blanco
6 years ago
Chris was great to work with! Purchased a replacement engine for a Subaru Outback couldn't be happier with the service and price. I will definitely be buying more engines from Ichiban JDM.

  Jack Alayu
7 years ago
Bought a Subaru Version 7 engine from these guys. Everything was perfect, and runs strong. Super easy transaction, at a great price. Would recommend to anyone looking for an engine.

  Pirate_ships Pirateships
8 years ago
I purchased a RB25 NEO, and it was in immaculate condition! Very clean, no cut wires. Awesome people to work with. Definitely would highly recommend to anyone looking for any JDM engine.

  Ray Saldivar
3 years ago
Best price I found. I live in the Inland Empire and drove out to the OC and did not regret it. Got a low mileage engine with a warranty and compression test. Highly recommend it.

  Giovanni Szabo
7 years ago
I Purchased a Version 7 sti front clip from ichiban jdm and not only was the front clip in immaculate condition but their service was amazing. Great prices and great service. You can count on these guys to help you with the purchase and if you have issues or concerns afterwards.Thanks ichiban - Gio