Personnally importing cars from Japan...
 

Has anyone done it? I'm not talking about just going onto a site and getting them to do all the work, i mean actually going out to Japan, getting to know different people/places and doing the job yourself. Be it, auction's themselfs out there, shipping, tax's, etc, etc? Quite fancy bringing a couple of car's in, but would MUCH rather go and see what goes on over there first.

Theres little point; the auctions are 'closed' and Japan might as well be another planet. You need to find a good agent through whom you can see all of the cars available throughout the country on the following day and take it from there.

Simon

How do you mean m8? Like someone to discuss stuff from here in the UK, or someone who i meet up with out there? Isn't there just plain secondhand car sales out there even?

There are second hand car sales yes; but virtually no one speaks English and if they can theyll be reluctant to incase they arent very good. When youve bought a car how will you arrange transport; shipping and re-registration? It is a mistake to assume that there are any similarities between the Japanese market and our own.

You have to be a member of Japanese auctions to attend/bid and you arent; as a tourist you cant join, if you could you couldnt pay for the cars or arrange the necessary shipping and formalities. The only option is to find a Japanese agent who can offer the service that I originally described; visiting Japan is pointless; its drab and its damned expensive.

Simon

Lol! Thanks m8. :)

http://www.nikkyo.gr.jp/

Sign up, wait to be sent your password and you'll start receiving twice daily e-mails of stock and specials, and also the odd e-mail reminding you they will take specific requests.

Deposit £500 to enable you to view further information and actually bid on cars.

They'll arrange shipping with one of two main options:-

1) win the car, they put it on the boat straight to the port of your choice.
2) win the car, they take it to their garage, assess it, make any necesary repairs/tweaks and then put it on the boat to the port of your choice..

They'll also arrange marine insurance etc.

Sounds good Angry, cheers. :)

Sounds good advice to me.

Cheers Paul; personally I would think long and hard before sending anyone a ¥100,000 deposit just to find out what the craic is..... A reputable agant wont ask for this.

Simon

Ive just had another look at this site and, as an experienced importer Im afraid that I dont see anything at all that would encourage me to deal with this firm; nor encourage any one that I know to either. Read into that what you will.....

Simon

Ive just looked some more and I wouldnt touch them with a ****ty stick.....

So i take it you have your own people out there bud?

Why GC8? :confused:

Some of the lads on the GT-R OC have used them and recomended them.

Well; I dont know them of course, but any company who asks for ¥100,000 before you can even find out what the craic is rings an alarm bell with me. Ive looked at so many sites like this in the three years that Ive been importing.....

Regards

Simon

I have an agent, but the bloke doesnt work for me. They dont usually work in small volumes (this is a hobby for me); I was fortunate in this respect because he is a personal aquaintance.

Simon

Cool. What would you do otherwise, if you didn't have this acquaintence? It is just a bit of a lottery then is it not? Hope for the best and if it comes out good, deal with the same people again next time?

Try these people: here... The owner is/was called Keith, although he may have passed away; if so his family will still run the business. They are aquainted with a buyer in Japan called Gary and whilst you wont get real-time access to lots of auction houses listings Ive heard that he is ok.

Simon

Good man. Thanks very much. :)

The sight is very different now and theres no mention of the bloke; Id suggest ringing them up.

Simon