Buying a Used Intercooler or Radiator from Japan (2026)
The Rundown
- On 13 Oct 2026, used front-mount intercoolers for the S13, S14 and JZX100 were listed on Yahoo! Auctions from ¥5,489 (about $34) for a dented TRUST/GReddy core to ¥43,989 (about $275) for a TRUST S13 core listed as having no holes. These are listings we observed that day, not sold prices.
- Used radiators for the S13, S14, S15 and 180SX were listed from ¥3,200 (about $20) to ¥20,000 (about $125) the same day, and two of the three we read said 漏れ未確認: leaks not checked.
- New on Yahoo! Auctions stores, a BLITZ Intercooler SE kit for the S14/S15 was listed from ¥45,650 and a KOYORAD Type-F aluminium radiator for the S14/S15 was ¥70,809, tax included, on 13 Oct 2026.
- BLITZ states it does not sell cores or single pipes as repair parts for its intercooler kits. TRUST/GReddy does: its No.26 side tank lists at ¥26,400 including tax, checked 13 Oct 2026.
- EMS takes parcels up to 1.5 m long and 30 kg to the US, UK and Canada, but only 1.05 m and 20 kg to Australia, per Japan Post on 13 Oct 2026.
Contents
A used intercooler or radiator from Japan is cheap to buy and easy to get wrong. On 13 Oct 2026 we read the live Yahoo! Auctions listings: used front-mount intercooler cores for the S13, S14 and JZX100 were listed from ¥5,489 (about $34) to ¥43,989 (about $275), and used S-chassis radiators from ¥3,200 (about $20) to ¥20,000 (about $125). Prices and the maker and Japan Post pages were checked on 13 Oct 2026. The risk is not the price. It is a dented core, a cracked end tank or a leak that nobody tested before the part crossed the ocean.
Dollar figures use ¥160 to $1. Store prices include Japan’s 10% consumption tax, as Yahoo! Auctions shows them.
Used coolers from Japan at a glance
What does a used intercooler or radiator cost in Japan?
These are listings we observed on 13 Oct 2026, part only. They are asking prices or starting bids, not a market statistic, and every one of them will have ended or changed within a week.
| Listing (as titled) | Price on 13 Oct 2026 | What the seller says |
|---|---|---|
| TRUST/GReddy front-mount intercooler, S14 Silvia (store, Osaka) | ¥5,489 (about $34) | Core badly dented, fins and air passages bent, weld marks on a bracket, “unknown if usable as is”, no returns |
| HPI front-mount core, JZX100 (private, Chiba) | ¥12,000 (about $75), starting bid | Dents and bent fins in the title; Sagawa courier at the 160-size rate or hand-over in person |
| HKS front-mount core, JZX100 (store, Saitama) | ¥20,339 (about $127) | Repainted with heat-dissipating paint |
| TRUST/GReddy front-mount core, S14 (store, Miyagi) | ¥32,989 (about $206) | Sold as 美品 (very clean) |
| TRUST turn-flow core, S13 (store, Nagano) | ¥43,989 (about $275) | “No holes” in the title |
| KOYO copper 2-layer radiator, S14/S15 manual (private, Chiba) | ¥3,200 (about $20), starting bid | 漏れ未確認 (leaks not checked), long-term storage, hand-over OK, no returns |
| Aftermarket aluminium radiator, 180SX (store, Osaka) | ¥4,939 (about $31) | Large dent with repair marks in the core, leaks not checked, bent fins, dented hose neck |
| HPI aluminium 3-layer radiator, S13/180SX (private) | ¥20,000 (about $125), starting bid | ”No leaks, usable as is”, no claims, no returns |
Read the right-hand column before the price. The cheapest two coolers are cheap because the seller has told you they are damaged. A long front-mount core already needs one of the larger courier box sizes just to travel inside Japan.
For the S-chassis and JZX100, the S14 parts hub and JZX100 parts hub list the other parts these cars usually need.
What does a new one cost instead?
The packaged lane is buying new, so condition stops being the question. These were new-part listings from Yahoo! Auctions stores and the makers’ own price lists on 13 Oct 2026.
| New part | Price, tax included | Note |
|---|---|---|
| BLITZ Intercooler SE kit, S14/S15 (23103) | from ¥45,650 (about $285) | Several stores; some ship free only to company addresses (法人宛て) |
| TRUST/GReddy Intercooler kit Spec-LS, S14/S15 (12020480) | ¥47,080 to ¥69,300 (about $294 to $433) | Store listings, several sellers |
| TRUST/GReddy aluminium radiator TW-R, S14/S15 | ¥49,500 to ¥63,360 (about $309 to $396) | Store listings, several sellers |
| KOYORAD Type-F aluminium 2-layer radiator, S14/S15 (KH020369R) | ¥70,809 (about $443) | Store listing |
| TRUST/GReddy No.26 side tank (end tank), 70 mm | ¥26,400 (about $165) | Maker price list, repair part |
Repair parts split the makers. BLITZ states that it does not sell the core or single pipes as repair parts for its intercooler kits. TRUST/GReddy publishes a repair price list with cores and side tanks. So a used BLITZ kit with one cracked pipe is a fabrication job, while a TRUST kit can be reordered part by part.
KOYORAD’s own range page helps you read radiator listings. Type-F and Type-M are all-aluminium 2-layer cores. Type-R uses a copper 3-layer core with brass tanks, and Type-RII and Type-S use resin (plastic) tanks. A plastic tank on an old radiator is the first place to look for cracks.
What goes wrong with a used intercooler or radiator?
Coolers fail in a few predictable places. These are the checks that decide whether a listing is a part or a core for repair:
What we check on a used cooler
- Fins: flattened or bent areas, which block airflow through the core
- Core face: dents (凹み) and old repair marks (修正跡), which often hide a weak tube
- End tanks and welds: cracks along the tank seam and weld marks (溶接跡) on brackets
- Inlets and outlets: dented or oval necks that will not hold a hose clamp
- Leaks: capped and pressurised with air, then checked for escaping air or seepage
- Corrosion: white powdery aluminium or green copper deposits inside the necks
Learn three listing phrases before you translate the rest. 漏れ未確認 means leaks not checked. 漏れなし means the seller says there are no leaks. 手渡し or 引き取り means hand-over in person. The full decoder for ジャンク, 現状渡し and ノークレーム・ノーリターン is in reading Yahoo! Auctions listings.
Can a used intercooler or radiator be shipped from Japan?
Usually, by size. Japan Post’s EMS table on 13 Oct 2026:
| Destination | Max length | Length + girth | Max weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 1.5 m | 2.75 m | 30 kg |
| UK, Canada, New Zealand | 1.5 m | 3 m | 30 kg |
| Australia | 1.05 m | 3 m | 20 kg |
| Germany | 1.05 m | 2 m | 30 kg |
BLITZ lists its Intercooler SE core at 266 x 610 x 68 mm. TRUST lists its TYPE24F core at 600 mm long and its largest, the TYPE29F, at 710 mm. So a bare core is under even the 1.05 m limit before packing. A full kit with polished pipes and hoses is a bigger, lighter box, which is where courier volumetric weight starts to bite. The route comparison is in EMS vs courier vs sea, and long items are covered in shipping oversized JDM parts.
Fins bend in the box, not on the car
An aluminium core packed in a used carton with a little paper arrives with crushed fins. It needs a rigid face panel on both sides, the necks capped, and a radiator drained and dry. Damage claims run from Japan, so read damaged or lost parts before you pay.
Where do buyers get stuck?
Here is the step that breaks most cooler buys. The seller writes 漏れ未確認 and 返品不可 (no returns), or offers hand-over in Chiba and a domestic courier only. A proxy or forwarder receives the box, weighs it and re-boxes it. Nobody pressure-tests the core, looks at the end-tank seams or counts the bent fins before it crosses the ocean. You find the leak when the car is back together.
We test the cooler in Japan before it ships
We take on the part in Japan: we ask the seller the questions above in Japanese, inspect the core, fins, end tanks and necks, and pressure and leak check it where possible. You get photos and a video walkthrough before you decide, and we pack it with rigid protection for the trip. The total is actual cost plus our handling fee, quoted in full before you pay. Send us the intercooler or radiator listing for an inspected, quoted buy.
Duty depends on your country, so check the import duty guide. If you are also replacing the turbo on the same build, the same seller questions apply to buying a used turbo from Japan. A used cooler from Japan makes sense when the leak test comes before the money.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a used intercooler cost in Japan?
On 13 October 2026, used front-mount intercoolers on Yahoo! Auctions Japan were listed at ¥5,489 (about $34 at ¥160 to $1) for a badly dented TRUST/GReddy S14 Silvia core, ¥12,000 (about $75) for a dented HPI JZX100 core, ¥20,339 (about $127) for an HKS JZX100 core, and ¥32,989 to ¥43,989 (about $206 to $275) for TRUST cores for the S14 and S13 sold as very clean or with no holes. These are asking prices we observed that day, not sold prices, and they are before proxy fees, domestic shipping and international postage.
Can I ship a used radiator or intercooler from Japan by EMS?
Usually yes for a bare core, but check your country. As of 13 October 2026, Japan Post's EMS limit is 1.5 m maximum length and 30 kg for the US, UK, Canada and New Zealand, but 1.05 m and 20 kg for Australia and 1.05 m for Germany. BLITZ lists its Intercooler SE core at 266 x 610 x 68 mm, so the core itself is under 1.05 m before packing. A full kit with aluminium piping takes a bigger box, so get the packed size first and compare EMS with courier and sea routes.
Can I buy a replacement end tank or core for a damaged Japanese intercooler?
It depends on the maker. As of 13 October 2026, BLITZ states on its Intercooler SE page that it does not sell the core or single pipes as repair parts for its intercooler kits. TRUST/GReddy does sell repair parts: its No.26 side tank (70 mm, used on the TYPE24 kit for the JZX100 and S14) lists at ¥26,400 including tax, and its TYPE24F core at ¥94,600. So a used BLITZ kit with a missing or cracked pipe has to be repaired or fabricated, not reordered.
Do I need to check a used radiator for leaks before buying it from Japan?
Yes, because many Japanese listings do not. On 13 October 2026, a KOYO copper 2-layer radiator for the S14/S15 on Yahoo! Auctions (¥3,200 starting bid) and an aftermarket aluminium radiator for the 180SX (¥4,939) were both marked 漏れ未確認, meaning leaks not checked, and both listings refused returns. A pressure or leak test before the radiator leaves Japan is the only way to know, since a return from overseas is rarely possible.
Buying an FRP or Carbon Bonnet From Japan: Prices and Shipping (2026) 
Used Front Bumpers From Japan: Sold Prices, S13 to JZX100 (2026) 
Used Bucket Seats & Harnesses from Japan: Dates & Checks (2026) 
Used S13, S14 and S15 Doors and Body Panels From Japan (2026)