Cheap, New & Used Cars Forum

These days it is important to keep expenses down. One way to save money is to import a used Japanese car. They can be purchased relatively cheaply. The price is often low enough to off-set transportation costs. It is cost effective to purchase a Japanese used car as an individual or business. Why is there such a great deal on used Japanese cars?

Japan has some of the strictest rules and regulations regarding emissions requirements and environmental laws. Cars that are fine to be used in other countries cannot be resold in Japan. They simply don't meet the emission requirements. At the same time the value of Japanese used cars is very low. A used Japanese car depreciates quickly. The associated resale value for a Japanese used car is very low compared to the resale value for the same car in another country. Than to top that the environmental laws in Japan makes it expensive to dispose of a Japanese used car.

People in Japan are stuck in a situation where their 6 year old car has little to no resale value. Any Japanese used cars that do not meet the current emissions requirement cannot be sold in Japan. So there is not much return on selling their cars, if they can sell them at all. At the same time it is very expensive to just dispose of the car. So a person in Japan would prefer to sell their car for cheap then have to pay for disposing it. All this combines to make Japanese used cars very inexpensive. There are some great deals to be found.

Many car dealership companies pick up used cars at Japanese auctions. Then the cars are exported out of Japan. Sometimes the cars have to be adjusted to meet the requirements of other countries. However, the cars are sold so cheap that it is worth buying them, paying the shipping and any adjustments. It is a great find for an individual buying a car and a wonderful way to make a profit for dealerships. The rules and regulations around vehicles in Japan benefit consumers of used cars outside of Japan.



How to import a Japanese used car

There are many many dealers around the world and in Japan who buy used cars for resale. If the dealer is in your own country then most of the problems have already been taken care of and you will be able to get a car more quickly.

However, if you buy from a dealer in Japan you will probably have to go through some or all of the following process.

First check your country's laws about importing cars

Before importing check your country's rules for importing used cars to make sure you are allowed to import the car you want. Most countries have liberal laws and are mostly concerned with emissions and safety standards.
Send the request

If the dealer has a stock of cars you can request on shown on their website in which case you will know the price and details of the car.

However if you are looking for something specific then you will have to send the dealer an email describing what you want. Most dealers have some sort of request form on their website.
Confirmation

If you are buying from stock then you will usually get a faster confirmation of purchase. If you request something else then the dealer will have to search for what you requested at an auction and send you details of prices and specifications. It is then up to you to confirm or ask for a different model etc.
Payment

Once you have decided on a car and price you will be required to pay for it. Methods and amounts vary by dealer.

Some dealers require you pay 100% upfront with by bank transfer (or telegraphic transfer T.T.) before the car is bought at auction or readied for shipping. Others require a less amount as a deposit and then a balance on completion of purchase at auction or when the car is ready for shipping.

You may feel nervous sending money to a foreign country and unknown company so you should be sure of the dealers trustworthiness before you enter into a contract or send any money. You can do this by checking to see if the dealer displays a company registration number and address on their website. Simply note this down and contact the Japanese embassy in your country to confirm the details.

You can also check the bank account. Japanese banking laws are strict when it comes to monetary movements and bank accounts. All registered businesses are required to have their accounts under exactly the same name that they registered their company.

If you are buying a used car online from Japan and the name on the bank account is different from the name of the trading company, or if its an individual, then you should investigate more.

Happily though, most dealers are honest and trustworthy and if in doubt you can also give them a call to find out more information for yourself.

Delivery

Delivery times will vary according to distance and number of ships to your country. Here is a rough guideline.

* Russia and Hong Kong: three days
* New Zealand and Australia: three weeks
* Rest of world: between four to six weeks

There may be other times to include in the delivery period such as a deregisteration certificate for the Japanese owner which shows the car has been sold by him, and finding a space on a boat to your port. These extra processes can take up another four to six weeks.
Arrival!

Your car has arrived at your port and now you have to pick it up. Take the documentation which the dealer sent you to a shipping agent who will arrange the offloading of the car from the ship.

Depending on your country's laws you may have to pay import tax, licence the car, get car safety tests done, and insure the car. Click here for more details on laws and regulations for importing a used car.

Drive it home.

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