does anyone have experience in Importing from Japan?

[D7neo 5]

Do any of you guys have any 1st hand experience of importing from Japan?

I would like to look into the possibility of bringing over a few vehicles for my self rather than to sell on, particular the small coachbuilt motorhomes they do, like the Toyota toyace?

 

Thanks!

Edited February 2, 2018 by D7neo

[Andy Entwistle 96]

yep, imported 3 in the last year....

 

[Earunder 69]

Not imported, but exported.

Careful on importing cars from abroad.  Make sure parts are available for them at a reasonable price and time scale.  Nothing more worrying than a car going wrong and you trying to explain to a customer you can't get parts for a few months.  Will get pretty costly.

Edited February 5, 2018 by Earunder

[Autolink100 34]

I was doing this on a fairly decent scale between about 2001 and 2006. I was bringing in mainly 4x4 stuff such as Pajero's and Toyota Surf' etc  and it was very lucrative for a while. I knocked it on the head when the exchange rate went south and the Russians started pushing the price of the 4X4 stuff through the roof. I made a couple of trips over there and found myself an agent who took me around the auctions and bought for me when I was here.

I do see a few people still at it but seemingly on a much smaller scale with mainly MPV and camper type stuff and a few sporty bits. Remember for anything under 10 years old you will have to put it through an IVA test or an SVA as it was back then and this can be a bit of a ball ache. There are plenty of agents/buyers over there and personally I would suggest getting yourself on a plane and going over to see whats's going on, its a fascinating place.

[Scooby who 40]

Was at it large scale till the crash in 2008. Always kept a few japs since then but prices have risen in recent times. Sports cars have just gone through the roof in price and the 6-8 week shipping lead time is frustrating.

I have a very reputable contact out there who's Irish and very trustworthy. PM me if you need more info

[D7neo 5]

6 hours ago, Scooby who said:

Was at it large scale till the crash in 2008. Always kept a few japs since then but prices have risen in recent times. Sports cars have just gone through the roof in price and the 6-8 week shipping lead time is frustrating.

I have a very reputable contact out there who's Irish and very trustworthy. PM me if you need more info

will do mate thanks

On ‎05‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 0:42 PM, Andy Entwistle said:

yep, imported 3 in the last year....

 

Do you mind saying how you went about it?

[Andy Entwistle 96]

Bought mine through an import agent, there are plenty out there, was more for fun/ interest  than any outright profit.

It must be older than 10 years or you will have a real pain trying to register it, unless the model in question was officially sold here. Factor in that they will all need a good service, likely some bodywork and you'll need to fork out a few quid on getting it converted ( speedo, radio, fog light etc), also factor in that it could turn up with no service or book pack ( likely). Its a small market now, so unless its something special do you really want to tie up a few thousand quid in a piece of metal that will be sitting on a boat for two months?

[Arfur Dealy 823]

Imports = Clocked / written off wreck

The days of 10 year old shagged out Pajero's showing stupidly low mileage are long gone. It still amazes me people buy imports with no history thinking its good value.

I know now it is well controlled and there is still value, but remember those first initial years before BIMTA.......

[trade vet 697]

I met a Jap importer about 8 years ago who changed from importing Jap stuff to importing Discovery’s and Freelanders from Japan  ? He was in an oldish Freelander and it was mint ,he appeared to be doing OK.

[Arfur Dealy 823]

3 hours ago, tradex said:

Yup, clocked on the boat, and a over the side with the service books, but as they say "you can fool some of the people all of the time".

Having lived in Japan for a while I can say that they really do have service books over there, also they do rack the miles up, the same as we do.

Exactly 100%.

[D7neo 5]

On ‎08‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 2:03 PM, Andy Entwistle said:

Bought mine through an import agent, there are plenty out there, was more for fun/ interest  than any outright profit.

It must be older than 10 years or you will have a real pain trying to register it, unless the model in question was officially sold here. Factor in that they will all need a good service, likely some bodywork and you'll need to fork out a few quid on getting it converted ( speedo, radio, fog light etc), also factor in that it could turn up with no service or book pack ( likely). Its a small market now, so unless its something special do you really want to tie up a few thousand quid in a piece of metal that will be sitting on a boat for two months?

The vehicles are after only seem to be in japan, small coachbuilt motorhomes on a diesel 4x4 chassis, they'll be for myself as opposed to selling them on. there a chap in Bristol who imports them but they seem to be a lot of money from him....

 

Or to be fair, maybe they aren't, but that's why I would like to find out the true cost of one to compare the difference

Edited February 13, 2018 by D7neo

[BHM 994]

I’m sure you’ll be able to import them yourself for significantly less than buying from one of these import specialists - there’s one not to far from me & his prices are telephone no.s. 

I agree with what Arfur wrote regarding suspiciously low mileage beauties - I find it strange that no one in Japan seems to do more than a few miles per year.