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Japanese Import Cars

An increasing number of people are now buying Japanese used cards. Though the movement is seeing plenty of activity and plenty of these buyers are quite sure about themselves as well as the volume of knowledge they possess that makes them an expert on cars, what most of them do not know about are all the procedures and complications involved when it comes to importing used cars from Japan.

This raises a more basic question that about procedure. That question asks why would people want used Japanese cars anyway when there are plenty of used cars of local manufacture. In other words, why are people willing to go through all the additional paperwork required to get a used Japanese car? The most obvious reason is that Japan has been among the world's leading car manufacturers for several years now. Brands such as Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Suzuki, and Toyota are recognized all over the world for their quality and reliability. The second reason is that there are more car models and features to choose from because Japanese cars are provided with all the technological advances like air bags, power steering, air conditioning, power windows, and powerful engines.

Another reason why people wish to buy used Japanese cards is that they are found in better condition on the outside as well as the more important inside. Since the Japanese government insists on maintaining a world-class transportation system, high toll and parking charges, and many other rules that are very strict regarding car safety and maintenance, the cars are naturally well maintained and in better condition as the owners do not use them as frequently as in other countries. This maintains their paint job and the engine condition.

Online auctions are very convenient but they are also a bit risky because you never get to physically examine the car and you certainly cannot take it for a test drive. Auction websites use what are called Auction Sheets that are nothing more than simple evaluation reports that are prepared by the main auction house and hence not always reliable. Combine this with the fact that every auction house has its own criteria for judging the condition of used Japanese cars and you never really know what is going on. Common elements include grading standards that use grades A-C for the interior of the car and numbers 2-5 or 6-S for the exteriors.

Besides the condition of the exterior and interior, a crucial process of evaluation involves the mileage of the used car. Auction houses also take this into account when assessing used Japanese cars. Sellers are required to provide accurate information regarding mileage. Tricks like rolling back the mileage lead to severe penalties issued by the auction house.

Similar to mileage, accident records also need to be truthful. Discovering truth about this particular aspect is not an easy thing to do and that is why auction houses will usually not take responsibility for the accuracy of a used car's accident record. In case such information is available it will be mentioned in the Auction Sheet.

There is no shortage of horror stories about how people had to go through a long and difficult process of importing used Japanese cars but most such difficulties are a result of lack of due preparation because the procedures, in themselves, are not really complicated at all.

Given below is a rough outline of what steps are involved in importing use Japanese cars.
1. Discover the details of all the legal aspects regarding importing Japanese cars into your country.
2. Study the cars themselves so that you can select the right one or tell the dealer to look for the one that interests you.
3. Check the current market price of the car you chose. The auction agent provides this price. Make sure you check everything in the Auction Sheet so that you can assess the provided price accordingly. Also make certain about your budget before bidding. Recheck everything before confirming your bid with the auction agent.
4. Once everything is complete you will need to pay for the car. However, you must verify the authenticity of the car dealer and exporter. These are two simple options for doing this. One is to get the registration number and the address of the exporter confirmed through the Japanese embassy and the second is to verify the exporter is a registered member of the Japan Used Motor Vehicle Exporter Association (JUMVEA).
5. When you car arrives you must present the documents provided by the exporter. After this there will be some local formalities like import tax, car test, insurance and so on.

That is all that is required to import used Japanese cars.

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