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import from Japan, there's a few options?

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Old 15 March 2020, 05:09 PM
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salsa-king
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Default import from Japan, there's a few options?

Just asking.

Importing a car from japan..... you don't just have to buy from auction?

is it the same process when you see these japan sites selling 'stock' cars?

I that it they are cars not at auction and are being sold at a 'dealer'.. like buying a car from a car lot/dealer over here?

Looking on here, I see you can search dealer cars
http://www.autospecsltd.com/

is that a better way to buy a car (it may be a bit more to buy than auction) but they look better condition with service history and more information and pictures than those going in auctions?

like on here....
cars look well prepared.. https://www.goo-net.com/usedcar_shop.../showroom.html

anyone else bought off a dealer in japan and not at auction?

TIA

Last edited by salsa-king; 15 March 2020 at 05:14 PM.
Old 15 March 2020, 05:24 PM
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neil97rs
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I brought mine from a dealer
Via japaneseusedcars.com
Got lots more pictures but you pay more money and still no guarantee its going to be a good one. Just as many unscrupulous dealers in japan as in the uk. Buy them cheap at auction give them a clean and sell on.
Still need to be careful and do carvx checks etc
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Old 15 March 2020, 09:17 PM
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A bimta mileage certificate is a good thing, uk site, alot of clocked cars in japan. If you use an agent, they can check over the car. The auction sheet gives more info than a dealer would, as well. Unless you want a specific car at a dealer, I would go auction.
Old 15 March 2020, 09:56 PM
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Unless you are after something rare or special personally I wouldnt buy from the Japan at the moment due to the exchange rate. Better off looking for a car already in the UK and at least you can drive it and give it a look over yourself.
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Old 15 March 2020, 11:32 PM
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Originally Posted by RAF1
Unless you are after something rare or special personally I wouldnt buy from the Japan at the moment due to the exchange rate. Better off looking for a car already in the UK and at least you can drive it and give it a look over yourself.

I'm thinking more on that line TBH
Old 16 March 2020, 08:57 AM
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Originally Posted by salsa-king
I'm thinking more on that line TBH
Agreed. I imported my spec c hatch 4 years ago, and the rate was about 180 yen to the pound. It dropped soon after, and similar cars were suddenly 2k more. Years ago, Ian Litchfield told me he would only import at around 200 yen to the pound, to be commercially viable
Old 16 March 2020, 08:36 PM
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I wouldn’t even be thinking about it with everything that’s going on at the moment.

Only 130 Yen to the £ now too, which is pretty much as bad as it’s ever been in recent history.

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Old 17 March 2020, 03:17 PM
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Originally Posted by rossyboy
I wouldn’t even be thinking about it with everything that’s going on at the moment.

Only 130 Yen to the £ now too, which is pretty much as bad as it’s ever been in recent history.

you mean importing or even buying a car already over here?
Old 17 March 2020, 04:32 PM
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No problem buying one here - especially as fuel is getting cheaper!
Old 17 March 2020, 04:40 PM
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Originally Posted by salsa-king
you mean importing or even buying a car already over here?
If you want a low mileage grade 4b look on Harlow Jap Autos they have some fantastic examples
Old 17 March 2020, 06:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Russell38
If you want a low mileage grade 4b look on Harlow Jap Autos they have some fantastic examples

looking at Forester Cross Sports.

but the way the world is going maybe hold off as we may all be dead by Xmas
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Old 20 March 2020, 07:30 PM
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I was away with work so did not get a chance to reply in the other thread to your question, I'll do it here. I wanted a 2.0 Turbo the turbo uk ones are the 2.5 engines that have some problems so I had no other choice but to import.

In terms of auctions vs. dealers a car I was looking at and I wanted to bid for sold for about 480000 JPY and the next day It was on a dealer's website in Japan for 750000, if you go to pacific coast JDM and make an account, you can see sold cars and at what price they sold for at the auctions.

This is some info I received about acutions:''The vehicles are checked at auction by auction inspectors, they write the notes on the auction sheet for the vehicle – this is a 3rd party inspection and not something that either the buyer or seller can influence. The inspection is thorough but not comprehensive, the inspectors will note strange sounds, shakiness, smoke, oil leaks,rust,corrosion but it is not an exact science and they do not take the vehicles for long test drives (just 5 - 10 mins or so)...

I would be cautious of vehicles from Hokkaido or northern Japan in general – yes, many are underside treated / sealed but Hokkaido sees an enormous amount of snowfall and rust / corrosion are a more common problem with these vehicles.''

And also that they write down any small defect to cover the auction house against claims, for example the auction sheet will say rust under , even if it's just a little on the exhaust pipe.

If you want to get something expensive (£10000) I'd just go with torque GT for peace fo mind.


Last edited by MB84; 04 May 2020 at 11:56 PM.
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Old 20 March 2020, 08:57 PM
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Interest rate is ****ting itself at the moment
Old 20 March 2020, 09:24 PM
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Originally Posted by hedgecutter
Interest rate is ****ting itself at the moment
Exchange rate even
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Old 20 March 2020, 09:48 PM
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Originally Posted by rossyboy
Exchange rate even
Good point. In mitigation, it's Friday night.

Last edited by hedgecutter; 20 March 2020 at 09:50 PM.
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Old 21 March 2020, 10:10 AM
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Originally Posted by MB84
I was away with work so did not get a chance to reply in the other thread to your question, I'll do it here. I wanted a 2.0 Turbo the turbo uk ones are the 2.5 engines that have some problems so I had no other choice but to import.

In terms of auctions vs. dealers a car I was looking at and I wanted to bid for sold for about 480000 JPY and the next day It was on a dealer's website in Japan for 750000, if you go to pacific coast JDM and make an account, you can see sold cars and at what price they sold for at the auctions.

This is some info I received about acutions:''The vehicles are checked at auction by auction inspectors, they write the notes on the auction sheet for the vehicle – this is a 3rd party inspection and not something that either the buyer or seller can influence. The inspection is thorough but not comprehensive, the inspectors will note strange sounds, shakiness, smoke, oil leaks,rust,corrosion but it is not an exact science and they do not take the vehicles for long test drives (just 5 - 10 mins or so)...

I would be cautious of vehicles from Hokkaido or northern Japan in general – yes, many are underside treated / sealed but Hokkaido sees an enormous amount of snowfall and rust / corrosion are a more common problem with these vehicles.''

And also that they write down any small defect to cover the auction house against claims, for example the auction sheet will say rust under , even if it's just a little on the exhaust pipe.

If you want to get something expensive (£10000) I'd just go with torque GT for peace fo mind.

Heres how my final bill looked like for the Subaru I won at auction for 380000 JPY

494,000 Forester
159,000 Sea freight
11,000 Insurance
3,000 Mandatory Radiation Check
667,000 Yen Total*

To this I'll have to pay VAT and duty through customs. The duty rate of a vehicle is 10% while the import VAT is 20%. To compute the import duty, refer to the formula below:
  • 10% x (car’s price + shipping fee) = import duty of the car
  • To calculate the import VAT, refer to this formula:
  • 20% x (car’s price + shipping fee + UK duty + admission fee) = import VAT


all in, what has it cost you and for what car.. pix?


£5100 you won at.. so add £2k for everything else?
Old 21 March 2020, 03:34 PM
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Originally Posted by salsa-king
all in, what has it cost you and for what car.. pix?


£5100 you won at.. so add £2k for everything else?

I was initially looking for a 2007 Cross Sports and I regeret a bit not going for that to be honest a really good one sold yesterday 2007 year with about 25000 miles for 187000 JPY FOB price at auction......so there's good bargains to be had, look at the sold prices on pacific coast JDM to get an ideea..... I think buying from Japan vs UK is not necessarly going to be cheaper (because of the exchange rate at the moment) but you'll get a lower mileage car and better condition for the same ammount of money and maybe with some upgraded parts like the (STI suspension and STI exhaust on the one I got)....

The STI Foresters have increased in price lately in Japan maybe because they are getting more popular...

Last edited by MB84; 04 May 2020 at 11:57 PM.
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Old 22 March 2020, 11:16 AM
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And here is a bit more info on the price in Japan and how it works, the price you win for at acution will not be the final price let's say you place a max bid of 400000 JPY for a car and you win it for 350000 you have to add the below to the price so the final price of the car when it leaves Japan will be JPY 350000 plus the below:''Vehicle purchase price = (??)

Japan exporter service fee = JPY 100,000 - 120,000 (+ 5% on any purchase amount over JPY 1,000,000) (This covers all the necessary paperwork, translated documents and postage of the documents to UK so you can register the car here).

Inland transport in Japan (at cost) = JPY 15,000 – 50,000 depending on the auction location of the vehicle in Japan.

Insurance (optional) = usually JPY 8,000 – 15,000 (depending on the cost of the vehicle)

Ocean freight to Southampton, UK (at cost) = roughly JPY 120,000 - 170,000 for a Forrester depending on the Boat, time of year...etc''

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Old 22 March 2020, 01:53 PM
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when it's in Southampton, can you get the conversions done there before you drive it home?
Old 22 March 2020, 02:26 PM
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Originally Posted by salsa-king
when it's in Southampton, can you get the conversions done there before you drive it home?
No, because of the delay in registering with DVLA, even if there was someone near the port to do the work.
Old 22 March 2020, 04:19 PM
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Originally Posted by salsa-king
when it's in Southampton, can you get the conversions done there before you drive it home?
For the MOT there is one thing only you need to do and that is to install a rear fog light, so if you can do that you can drive it straight to a pre-booked MOT from the port.

Nothing else needs to be done to a JDM import it does not need to be converted form miles to KM for the MOT or anything else and import cars over 10 years old only need MOT and that's it.

Last edited by MB84; 22 March 2020 at 04:20 PM.
Old 22 March 2020, 05:42 PM
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Originally Posted by salsa-king
looking at Forester Cross Sports.

but the way the world is going maybe hold off as we may all be dead by Xmas
Don't wait you cant take your money with you .
Old 22 March 2020, 09:27 PM
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Originally Posted by lockheed
Don't wait you cant take your money with you .

might get a better deal in a few weeks if nothing is selling
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