Japanese built and designed cars have flooded the North American market for over forty years now. Over time, many nameplates have come and gone, but Japanese cars continue to gain market share and acceptance with a growing number of motorists attracted to their high quality and durability. There are nine Japanese automobile manufacturing companies in existence. Can you name them? Let’s take a look at the list:

Toyota – The second largest automaker in the world is Toyota, maker of the Camry, the Corolla, Avensis and a host of SUVs, trucks, passenger cars, and a van. Toyota’s Lexus division produces luxury cars, while its Scion division manufactures youth oriented vehicles.

Honda – The Accord and the Civic are Honda’s two most well known models, followed by the Odyssey minivan, the Ridgeline truck, the Element, and several other passenger vehicles. Acura is the name given to Honda’s luxury car division.

Nissan – Drive a Datsun and then decide. Up until the early 1980s, Nissan’s North American nameplate was Datsun, but was switched to Nissan to give it a more global name. The Sentra, Maxima, and Pathfinder are amongst the division’s best selling vehicles. Infiniti is Nissan’s luxury car division. Renault Motors of France owns a controlling interest in Nissan.

Mitsubishi – Originally imported exclusively by Chrysler, Mitsubishi began to sell cars under its own name in the 1980s. Top selling models include the Lancer, the Eclipse, and the Montero. DaimlerChrysler owns a chunk of the company.

Mazda – The Tribute, Miata, and the “6” are some of the most well known Mazda models. The Mazda 6’s platform also powers several Ford Motor Company cars including the Mercury Milan. Ford owns an important stake in the company.

Subaru – Think all wheel drive and you may just think Subaru. The Forester, Outback, and Legacy are all top selling Subaru models. Fuji Heavy Industries [FHI] owns Subaru; General Motors has a 20 percent stake in FHI.

Suzuki – 20% owned by General Motors, Suzuki is as noted for producing cars as it is for manufacturing motorcycles. The Grand Vitara is one of its most noted models.

Isuzu – Did someone say General Motors? Again, GM owns a stake in Isuzu. At one time Isuzu imported cars to the US, but those days are over. Currently, Isuzu has a miniscule presence and the two vehicles they do sell – the Ascender SUV and I Series pick ups – are simply rebadged GMC vehicles.

Daihatsu – The Charade and Rocky were two models introduced by Daihatsu when the car company started selling vehicles in North America in 1988; four years later its North American operations were closed. In 1999, Toyota assumed controlling interest over the company.

So, there you have it: there are nine Japanese automakers, two of which are still independent. Much like the American market further consolidation is likely with nameplates disappearing entirely just like the Packard, Hudson, Oldsmobile, Plymouth, and a host of other North American nameplates have driven off into the history books.

If you own a pickup truck you might have the desire to change it up a little. Doesn’t matter what kind of change or look you are going for you can get the right parts that will transform the look of your car.

You can get accessories at the dealer you bought your car from, but buying the accessories online will give you a wider rang of selections. Not only will shopping online give you a wider selection but you can save quite a bit of money. You will more likely encounter deals and bargains on the internet.

Let’s talk about exterior accessories first. There are many different exterior accessories available to change the outside of your truck. Some of the accessories are air dams, bug shields, bumpers, bras and masks, fender flares, graphics and emblems, grille guards, hoods and scoops, mirrors, roll pans, truck steps, rack and cargo accessories, wings and spoilers and the list goes on. However you should select items that will complement your truck, make sure it doesn’t look all cluttered.

Changing the interior of your car is more the comfort then anything else. Some example of accessories you can get are seat covers, door accessories, floor mats, horns, cargo trays and liner, 12 volt accessories, instrumental panel covers, pet accessories and much more.

Another way to change you interior is by adding electronic features. Such as GPS and navigation systems, CD or satellite radio, radar and laser detector, security systems and antennas, remote starters and many other things.

It is hard t list all the different types of accessories that you can add to your truck in one article. You will be able to see and find out more accessories available on the internet. You might just find what you are looking for. Whatever you have in mind you will be able to get the truck you’ve always wanted.

Negotiating, haggling, horse trading, whatever you like calling it, is essential when it comes to buying a car. If you don’t partake, for any reason, then you’ll pay more for the car than you had to. And don’t forget, you’ll be paying interest throughout the life of your loan on an amount that could have been lower.

Negotiating the price of a car puts a lot of people into their uncomfortable zone. But, it really should not; especially today with all of the information available to the consumer. The key to confidence and a higher level of comfort comes in the form of knowledge and research.