Nissan is a world-renowned Japanese auto brand. The brand has stood the test of time and maintains its reputation for producing affordable, innovative, and high-quality vehicles. With automotive globalisation, are Nissan parts still made in Japan?
Nissan car parts and engines are still produced in Japan, even as Nissan has opened many manufacturing plants worldwide. Through joint ventures and exclusive manufacturing contracts, Nissan also relies on third-party companies to produce parts for them.
The business model that Nissan uses to source its car parts is interesting and not as straightforward as some might assume. This guide will help you understand what Nissan cars are known for and where they get their parts.
What Are Nissans Known For?
Nissan is a Japanese car brand that’s been around since 1933. Like most Japanese car brands, they’ve spent several decades enjoying a solid reputation for producing dependable, reliable, and affordable cars that last a long time.
More importantly, Nissan maintains that reputation even today, while several other Japanese auto brands have faced many problems in recent years.
On top of that, Nissan is also well-known worldwide for its positive qualities, like:
- Diversity - Has plenty of variety in its vehicle lineup, ranging from everyday cars to luxury models, electric vehicles (EVs), and Nissan 4x4s
- Innovation and quality - Continuously high levels of automotive innovation and quality in the cars they make
- Efficiency - Producing vehicles that are fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly
With its good reputation, Nissan remains a strong brand worldwide, including in Australia.
Within Aussie borders, Nissan sold 41,263 cars in 2021 alone, ranking it in the top 10 top-selling auto brands in the country.
Those sales figures also show that Nissan in Australia is most known for their ute model, Navarra. The pickup truck is the highest-selling Nissan model in Australia.
Are Nissan Car Parts Made in Japan or China?
Nissan was once known for sourcing most, if not all, of its car parts exclusively from local Japanese manufacturers.
However, like most carmakers, they’ve diversified their supply chain over the past decade. So now, Nissan sources many of its parts from suppliers worldwide, including China.
China-made automotive products account for over 800 parts used in assembling Nissan models. Some of these parts are air conditioning controllers, brake hoses, and much more.
There’s a prevailing notion that cars using China-made parts are inferior, cheap, and unsafe. Fortunately, that’s certainly not the case with Nissan and other leading car brands. Those manufacturers have benefited greatly from shifting to China-based manufacturing.
And why not? Sourcing Nissan car parts from Chinese factories significantly reduces the cost of producing vehicles. More importantly, the Chinese manufacturers have shown that they can meet, and sometimes exceed, the manufacturing quality of factories in Europe and elsewhere.
However, there are some downsides to relying on suppliers for parts. The COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a lot of manufacturing plants worldwide to shut down, was a perfect example of this.
As Chinese plants were closed during lockdowns, Nissan’s many plants worldwide stopped receiving the parts they needed to continue making cars. The parts shortage eventually led to production delays at Nissan plants in the US, UK, Mexico, and elsewhere.
Who Makes Genuine and OEM Nissan Parts?
Nissan’s model for genuine and OEM parts manufacturing is quite interesting.
Many Nissan genuine parts are made directly by Nissan at worldwide manufacturing plants that they own.
However, Nissan also gives exclusive contracts to closely related businesses in many countries to produce parts for them.
For instance, Nissan Casting Australia Pty Ltd in Dandenong (Victoria) has a casting plant with exclusive contracts with Nissan Japan. Those long-term contracts ensure that the local Aussie plant will be busy producing Nissan parts for several models, including the Nissan LEAF.
Who Makes the Engines for Nissan?
Generally, most Nissan engines are made in-house by Nissan themselves. However, some models feature other engines under the hood.
That’s because Nissan has a strong alliance with Renault and Mitsubishi, sharing designs and engineering for some of their models.
In other words, you shouldn’t be too surprised if you look in the engine bay of a Nissan only to find that it carries a Renault engine (and vice versa). Sharing engines (and other elements) this way allows for Nissan, Renault, and Mitsubishi to cut down on their costs and pass the savings on to car buyers.
Aside from shared engines, the three brands also collaborate on the car body designs and the platforms. According to their leader-follower scheme, each brand will take the lead on different projects they share.
Is a Used Nissan Good?
Yes, the high-quality and durable build of a Nissan vehicle usually means that it’ll still be a good car when you buy it used.
Of course, that’s not the only factor that determines if a used Nissan is an excellent buy or not. The quality of a used Nissan will also depend on:
- Age and mileage: Nissan cars last long, but they are not indestructible. Advanced age and high mileage will add wear to the vehicle and affect its quality as a used car.
- Regular maintenance: Nissan cars last much longer if the owner maintains them regularly. So, you can judge if a used Nissan is a good buy by asking the owner about the car’s maintenance history.
- Spare parts: A used Nissan is a much better buy if the owner used genuine Nissan parts or OEM Nissan parts. Hopefully, the owner will put in high-quality aftermarket Nissan parts, at the very least.
If you've got a Nissan, you'll want to make sure it’s in shipshape condition and shop for only the best spare parts.
Parts can be brand-new or used, as long as they’re high quality. In which case, why don’t you check out CarpartAU’s Part Finder? It’s one of the best ways to source brand new Nissan spares because it can link you up with hundreds of car part suppliers across the country.
You may also browse our Marketplace to find good deals and savings on used parts from Nissan wreckers.
By Ray Hasbollah