There is no debate: Japan is one of the biggest car exporters in the world and arguably the best option, thanks to major brands hailing from the country. If you hear someone is importing a vehicle, a wild guess is that they are probably getting it from Japan. But why is it so? Apart from being the home of many world renowned car makers, there is also a high supply of cars in the country which surpasses the demand. The rule of the thumb is that when the demand is low and supply is high, the cost swings low. This is the situation, which has also opened up opportunities for people across the globe to acquire used Japanese cars at an affordable cost.

So how does one get hands on a pre-owned Japanese car? In this guide, we will go through the simple steps that one can easily follow and have the car of their dream shipped to them, wherever they are.

Step By Step Process Of Buying And Importing A Japanese Used Car

Here are the things that you need to keep in mind right before you even think of buying or importing the vehicle you want.

Select The Car That You Want

You can’t start importing just any car blindly. So to get started, you should know what kind of a car you want to have. You should weigh in the needs that you would like that particular car to offer you and also know that it is within your budget. If you would like to buy a mini truck to start or boost your construction business needs, then you should also have a budget in mind.

The next step of selecting the car is to head over to an online Japanese used car exporter website where you can pick the one that you need. We also have tons of vehicles in our inventory which you can check out at any time.

Verify The Car Requirements With The Authority

Since every country and state have their own rules as far as transportation and motor vehicles are concerned, you need to make sure that the car you plan on acquiring is usable and within the set rules. Otherwise, I could be costly for nothing and could cost you a lot to cancel the shipment and returns.

 Get An Invoice Of The Vehicle You Want

The next thing you’ll want to do after you have verified that the vehicle is fit for use in your state or country is to inquire and know more about it. This can be easily done simply though the use of online forms available at the website of the Japanese used car exporter. You can also make a phone call if provided and you should expect to be given all the details you need about the vehicle.

Some of the things that you must ask for include the vehicle’s mechanical condition, its history, cost, faults if any among other things. The information should give you clear pictures if the vehicle can perform what you intend to use it for.

Make Your Payment

When it comes to making the payment, there are many ways to do so. Many Japanese used car exporters accept wire transfers while others have other quicker and safer options you can choose from. Here at Substar for example, we accept wire transfer and Paypal payments. We believe that this makes it easy for many people to make convenient and fast payments making the whole processing task easy. You should then get a confirmation of your order. In other instances, especially for inexperienced buyers, it is recommended to use a local import agent who will help you with clearance and many other things.

The Vehicle Is Then Shipped

After the order has been made, the ball is rolled to the exporter’s court and the shipping process should begin. Depending on the agreement made on whether you will have cleared the shipping costs (CIF) and or want to clear them after the shipping has been done (FOB), you should be prepared to receive the vehicle and make the necessary clearance at the port. Among some of the things that you should expect while clearing the vehicle are custom duty charges, tax fees, insurance and other petty clearances.

Registering and Picking The Vehicle

Lastly and the final step before you hit the road with your ride is to have it registered. During registration, you need to have all the importation details and certifications showing how the vehicle was bought and cleared by the import and customs authorities. Depending on the state, there could be some registration fees included which you should clear before being approved. After this, you should organize to get the vehicle plated and then you can start running your errands with it.

Importing Your Vehicle Through Substar Inc

You may be wondering how to find a good Japanese used car exporter. Fact is, we are one of the best that you can count on for quality services and shipping process.

We understand that some people are not familiar with the importation of vehicles, but that should not limit them to getting that vehicle that they have always wanted. We help them with all the shipping process and advise them on the right path to take to avoid more expenses and costs that they may incur. Truth be told, there is no other Japanese exporter who gets their customers that close attention, and our customers love us for that.

Final Word:

Often at times, most people get the notion that importing a car from Japan could take a long process, therefore ignoring the great chance to cut the dealer and save a lot. You need to keep in mind the fact that your local dealer is looking to make a kill out of it while there is actually no difference on the costs and process involved in shipping the vehicle.

If you are serious about getting a used Japanese vehicle either from our listing or need us to help you take advantage of the auctions, we are here to help. You are just a few mouse clicks away and we can help you get that dream vehicle that you have always wanted.