Ever wished you had bought your car later whenever a facelift of that model rolled around? Do you love your car so much you want to keep it forever, but in a perpetually like-new state? Then good news (if you live in Japan), as Toyota has announced it will offer upgrading and refurbishing services for its customers’ older vehicles under the Kinto Factory banner, starting later this month.
The changes go far deeper than simply taking your car to a kedai Ah Beng for some new paint. Toyota is making upgrades at the OEM level, introducing features that were developed after the car was produced – even some driver assistance systems. For now, these features include pedal misapplication control, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert, as well as a kick sensor to allow for hands-free tailgate opening.
Another part of Kinto Factory’s services is called “remodelling” – refinishing a tired exterior or interior by replacing items such as the seat covers and cushions or the steering wheel. Toyota also said it will “personalise” owners’ cars, optimising its settings according to driving data and the customer’s personality and tastes, although that will happen later on and no specifics have been revealed just yet.
Toyota will initially offer these services on the Aqua (Prius c), Prius, Prius Alpha (Prius v), Alphard, Vellfire and the Lexus UX and NX, with the number of models set to increase in due course. The company said it intends to offer a Kinto Factory subscription further down the line to keep cars fresh and also expand the service to more countries.
In fact, such plans are already being laid out at the company’s Burnaston plant in the United Kingdom. According to Autocar, Toyota plans to remanufacture cars up to three times to keep them fresh for their next users, taking them in starting from three years old – after a usual lease contract in Britain is up.
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Come malaysia.. 10 years old car value is 25k. Refurbish cost 25k. Nahh..
Refurbish cost – Nah? How did you get that
Toyota Japan learned from Toyota Asean in keeping dinosaurs alive. Hurrah!
there are a lot of us who would like to be able to do this (getting original pattern seat covers for example) with the original proton saga or perodua kancil.
Bring to Malaysia… I want to refurbish my FJ100 to pristine condition
well done Toyota
What’s the cost gonna be first? Likely it will cost u more than the new car of same model.
“They don’t build cars like they used to”
So if you manage to find a good Toyota chassis and price is reasonable, it would be a good project.
This is what I like about Toyota. Allowing you to keep your car as long as possible with its reliability and now with its new refurbishment initiative.
Unlike other car manufacturers use obsolescence to force consumers to endless buying and changing cars.
Toyota has proven to be the largest automaker without resorted to obsolescence.
Just as their Chairman said, carbon emissions is the enemy, not ICE engines. Over to the those who’s keep saying Toyota is holding back the EV adoption and all that, they might be right in that absolute sense, but It’s about serving the community, especially those who can’t afford an EV yet. And you know EV isn’t cheap to begin with, even with the tax exemptions or any form of subsidiaries.
The biggest enemy is the excess consumption and over production of goods. Reuse and recycle what is still usable might be better to reduce emission than producing new ones. Car production consume a lot of energy and create more CO2 emission, from mineral mining to cutting down trees for wood trim to slaughtering cow for leather, and then the production line and export logistic.
Spot on, this act of Toyota is commendable and certainly an example to not just among carmakers but other industry players.
Good solution for those who want to keep sentimental cars running