＊This article is entirely my own impression of using the service, with no requests or influence from manufacturers or interested parties.

Why We Decided to Sell the Nissan Note e-POWER NISMO S

We have decided to sell our Nissan Note e-POWER NISMO S, which we bought used last January.

My husband initially considered the Note e-POWER for commuting, but said, “Considering resale value, the NISMO version sells for more, so I’ll look for a NISMO.” He ended up purchasing a 2018 model with 3,900 km on the clock, equipped with navigation, full manufacturer options, and highly rated both inside and out.

When it was delivered and he drove it, as expected from the NISMO S, the motor’s performance was so enjoyable that he used it not only for commuting but also for touring Shikoku and driving to business trips in Tokyo, accumulating over 10,000 km in just 1 year and 3 months.

It was a great car—excellent driving, the best fuel economy among our vehicles, and just the right size to take anywhere. But there are two main reasons we decided to let it go.

First, due to the impact of COVID-19, my husband started working from home more, drastically reducing his commuting frequency. Just a few months after buying the Note, the state of emergency was declared, and his company switched almost entirely to remote work.

Although he occasionally went to the office after the emergency was lifted, the prolonged pandemic meant he’s been commuting even less this year, so the Note has hardly been used lately.

He still drove it for quick local errands or when visiting shops with tight parking, but recently we often said, “The Note hardly gets used at all—it feels like such a waste.”

The second reason is that I bought my own manual transmission car (though it hasn’t been delivered yet). My new car can seat five and is easy to maneuver, overlapping somewhat with the Note’s role.

However, since I ordered it new, the recent semiconductor shortage means production and delivery timing are completely uncertain, so even after selling the Note, it might be a while before my car arrives—but that’s just how it is.

At first, I was looking for a used car, but then developed a strange desire to “add decals,” and also thought “I don’t really need a navigation system as long as the screen supports CarPlay.” While researching, I found that “the price difference between new and used wasn’t that big,” so I decided to buy new.

If I had gone used, it would probably have been delivered by now, but there’s nothing I can do. I’ll wait patiently.

Selling via the Private Sale Mediation Service “Kababa”

Regarding selling the Nissan Note e-POWER NISMO S, we considered simultaneous trade-in appraisals like when we sold our BMW 320i, but this time my husband chose to sell through a private sale mediation service called Kababa.

He heard from an acquaintance who recently sold their car via Kababa and thought, “This looks like a great service.” According to him,

When buying and selling used cars, dealers take a middle margin, so sellers get less and buyers pay more. Especially with major used car dealers, the costs of maintaining stores, stockyards, staff, and excessive advertising are staggering. With Kababa, sellers basically receive the full asking price. Buyers only pay a contract fee (30,000 yen) plus optional delivery-related costs, making it cheaper than buying from a dealer. So, while I’m selling the Note this time, I think this system is especially beneficial for expensive cars like Porsches—for both sellers and buyers.

On the Day: Interview and Appraisal

A few days later, my husband went out to meet the Kababa representative at the Royu Driveway observatory for a car interview.

He thought it would just be “taking photos at the observatory and checking the car’s condition,” but it turned out to be a thorough interview lasting nearly two hours, including video footage of the car in motion, which surprised him.

About the interview, my husband said,

I thought it would just be photos and about 30 minutes, but they spent 1.5 to 2 hours carefully interviewing and inspecting the car. They started with an owner interview, checked the car’s condition, took interior and exterior photos, and even filmed it while driving. And they didn’t charge any interview fees—that’s amazing.

By the way, our Note e-POWER NISMO S is already listed on Kababa’s site. My husband set the price about 200,000 to 300,000 yen lower than typical used car listings, just under 2 million yen…

Hopefully it sells soon!