Challenges To Expect When Importing Second Hand Vehicles From Japan

If you are like millions of people across the globe who admire Japanese engineering and the incredible performance of their auto machines, then you may want to get yourself one. It is one of the leading automakers and home to dozens of top industry vehicle brands. Whether you are looking for a second hand mini truck, a mini van or any other vehicle, Japan has plenty to offer. However, you have to be extra cautious when shipping or importing your second hand vehicles from Japan. Some of them might not be exactly what you expect and at times, you could go through too much hassles before getting your vehicle delivered. In this guide, we will go through some of the challenges and things to look out for when choosing a second hand vehicle from Japan. This will help you get a good quality vehicle at a good price.

Beware Of Cons

How keen are you when buying a second hand vehicles? Fraudsters are all over and you need to be extra cautious when buying a vehicle overseas. You should also beware of the payment option you choose. If the payment requirements by the seller sounds fishy, then avoid it and consider another option. While it is riskier getting something that has been used, it is also an affordable option. And there are plenty of good ones that will give you good value for your money as compared to getting a new one.

Instances of bait and switch are to be expected in every market and when getting your second hand vehicle from Japan, this is something that you have to be extra cautious about. Not always will you get what you see in photos and sometimes it is very important to ask for a video walk-though of the video to give you better understanding and also learn more on the vehicle performance.

Getting Overcharged For Shipping And Duty

We all love to spend less when buying something. However, when importing a second hand vehicle from Japan, you need to be extra cautious and keen on the pricing and charges that you will incur in the process. Otherwise, you could end up paying a lot of money that could make the whole importation process too expensive and unrealistic.  Some of the things that you should be keen on is the shipping costs which includes transporting the vehicle from the sales point to the ship and the shipment costs.

It is always recommended to use a known courier or work with the seller of the vehicle to get the best deals that will cut down the costs. You should also do a importation expense research before the whole process so that you know what to expect and which tricks you can employ to lower the expenses.

Getting Non-Street Legal Vehicle

Imagine getting a vehicle from across the world, only to find out that you cannot drive it on the road as you expected. Every state have their own laws and regulations on street legal vehicles and as such, you should know what you are getting before hand and whether you will be able to use it for your intended purposes. Age limit on vehicles is the most important and crucial factor used in many states. You should know the age limitation and requirements in your state before you consider importing a vehicle abroad.

One of the things that you should be very keen to look at before even thinking of importing a vehicle are the state’s regulations and the kind of vehicles that are street legal. This will help you avoid spending too much on something that you will not use. Although it isn’t a common thing to find people getting vehicles that they cannot use, it happens sometimes.

What You See Isn’t Necessarily What You Get

Although you cannot test drive a vehicle since it is overseas, there are a number of things that you can do to make sure that the vehicle you are getting is exactly what you expect. One needs to understand that a second hand vehicle might have had problems or mechanical damages that are sometimes hard to resolve. You need to request photos and video demonstration of some of the critical parts of the vehicle that you feel necessary. Through this, you will also get to learn more about the engine, gearbox and other things that are hidden under the hood.

One should avoid buying or importing from a company that doesn’t offer such kind of demonstration and proof before buying. You should get all the details that you need clarified and hat is the way you get what you see. One should also avoid companies that have poor reputation or those that are still new. This is simply to avoid fraudulent and being victims of getting a vehicle that isn’t in their expectation. If you do not have experience and don’t know what to look for in a vehicle, then you can simply hire or request an experience mechanic to help you select and analyze a vehicle before you buy it.

Final Word

Importing second hand vehicles from Japan is something that many people do. It is a good alternative to whelp you save tons of investment as compared to getting a new local vehicle. Besides that, you are getting a good quality vehicle with a proven track record and performance. With the guide above, you should be able to avoid some of the most common issues that most importers face and cut down tons of expenses.

Be sure to check out our vehicle listing which includes tons of mini trucks, minivan and many more US street legal vehicles that come at unbeatable prices. We also help our clients get the best shipping options and ensure that they get their vehicle safely in time. Our vehicles have also been well vetted for any inconsistency and performance issues to make sure that our clients are getting what they expect. With Substar, you should expect nothing short of the best service.

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