japanese or american?

[krystalgrey]

I'm looking to replace a right side power mirror on my 95 camry, but I'm finding 2 different part numbers - one for japanese-made cars and one for american-made. How do I find out which camry I have? Should I just assume that it was made in America...?


beck

[Brian R.]

Welcome to the AF!

Use your VIN to find out the country of manufacture. Find the VIN on the inside of the driver's door or under the windshield on the driver's side.

If the 1st digit is the letter J, then it is a Japanese-made car. If the 1st digit is either the number 1 or 4, then it is an American-made car.

Save yourself some trouble and buy a mirror that is pre-painted your color....

[jdmccright]

Odd...my 92's VIN starts with a "4", but I have always had to buy parts for the Japanese version. Could the year be the difference?

Most notably was the radiator-mounted fan temperature switch. Bought and compared many at the parts store, but none were the correct size. Ended up having to get one from the dealer (OUCH), but it was an exact fit.

I just replaced my passenger mirror (again Jap version). If you can find a painted one, I would agree with Brian, though a new one might be hard to find. Mine arrived black, but I disassembled it easily and painted it with color-matched spray paint from the AutoZone. But I first sanded down that gawd awful mold parting line that was there, even on the OEM mirrors. Prime, sand, multiple color coats, and two clear coats.

The only real issue I had was snapping the mirror back onto the motor frame. I had to use a needle-nose pair of pliers and a soft cloth against the mirror face to put enough force on it to snap on without breaking the frame or mirror.

Good luck!