Challenges Of Importing Vehicles From Japan

Are you thinking of importing a vehicle from Japan? Well, you must have heard all the reputation that the Japanese vehicles have. And just before you conclude that it is just hype, then you have to remember that Japan sells more vehicles than any other country in the world, which simply means that they are trusted and their vehicles can be relied on.

Perhaps one of the things that many people are always afraid is the process of importing these vehicles. The reality of the matter is that importing isn’t as hard as many people think. In this guide, we will go through everything that you need to know to know about importing a vehicle from Japan. Whether it is a brand new car or a second hand vehicle, then these pointers will help you out.

Why the Japanese Vehicles?

importing used trucks from japan Japanese mini truck

To help you further understand why there are lots of people considering the Japanese vehicles and not any other, here is the nitty-gritty where we cover most of the common things with the Japanese vehicles.

First off, the reliability of Japanese vehicles are among the best in the world. So, if you are looking for a reliable vehicle, that is something that you will love with these vehicles. They are well constructed with quality materials under high level of engineering. This makes them durable and sturdy hence can be used on almost any kind of roads and terrain.

Besides the quality of Japanese autos, you will also love the fact that they are very economical and require less to maintain. We all love vehicles that consume less fuel and offer good service that can be relied on. For most of these vehicles, you can expect them to go a long way and carry a lot reliably without being too heavy on the fuel.

Importing Japanese vehicles is easier than what most people perceive it to be. Many people have made importing a vehicle sound like an almost impossible thing to do while the opposite is true. There are also lots of agents that one can use to have their vehicles easily imported. This makes it easy for you if you do not have a lot of time and don’t want to go through a lot when importing. Now that we have covered everything you need to know about Japanese vehicles and how to import the, let’s go ahead and see some of the challenges that one can expect.

Challenges When Importing From Japan

Here are some of the things that you can expect to go through when importing a Japanese vehicle. Be it a mini truck, a used mini van or a sedan vehicle, these are the most common challenges to watch out for.

Online Scams & Fraudsters

If there is one big challenge that one has to be extra cautious about, it has to be the surging online scams and frauds that one can find themselves in. There are thousands of people who get baited by these scammers all the time when they are importing. However, there are lots of ways that one can easily spot and avoid them. First off, you have to make sure that you are dealing with a legitimate seller who has been in the industry for a while. Doing this will help you to avoid and filter out most of the scammers since they are usually not stabilized and stayed long on the business.

Most of the scammers are usually not in the current country, in this case Japan. To evade and avoid them, users may want to confirm the address of the user to make sure that their location isn’t any other place other than the one they have advertised. And you do not need any special software to help you understand that. Most of them will ask you to deposit the money in an offshore account. And this is usually the first sign to know that you are dealing with fraudsters. When you come across such, then you need to back down and stop the transaction because it will not end well. The handling of the transaction should be the part where you are careful about and make sure that everything on this step is spot on.

Getting The Wrong Vehicle

Another issue that almost resembles being scammed is getting bait-switched. Many people have received vehicles that they did not order. There are many ways that one can use to determine whether the vehicle they are getting is the right one that they got as advertised or not. It is more common than many people think and is also something that one must be cautious about. So, if you are shopping for the right vehicle to import from Japan or anywhere else, you need to take some measures to ensure that it is the right one.

Among some of the things that you can do is to make sure that the vehicle you get is to confirm using some of the software applications such as Skype. Here you can check some of the crucial things like manufacturer’s number on the vehicle which cannot be hanged as well as other features that should come out clearly. You should also consider working with known and more authoritative sellers who have been in the industry for a long time.

Ignoring State Requirements

Another issue that many people have had to deal with more recently with importation of vehicle, and not just from Japan is the fact that there are some state requirements in every country. Some states and countries have restrictions, especially on second hand used vehicles. You have to make sure that the second hand vehicle that you are  getting is good to be used and is street legal in your country.

Among some of the things that could happen when you ignore this could lead to a lot of catastrophic situations where users can have their vehicles impounded or even worse get it destroyed. This can lead to a huge loss and would just be easily avoided by checking with the authorities to ensure that it is good and street legal in your country or state. Using import agencies in your areas should also help you get through this smoothly.

Not Observing Your Budget

second hand mini truck

Do you have a budget in mind? Like when buying everything else, you need to make sure that you have a budget and since you are spending  a lot on a vehicle, it is high time you give this some consideration. Why should you do this? You will end u spending too much. You should know the kind of vehicle you are getting and make a realistic budget and fix it at that. This will help you avoid getting carried away and not been able to account for your purchases.

Did you know that you can bargain a vehicle online, just the way you would do it offline in the yard? If there is one other thing that most of us are not taking advantage of is the power of bargaining. This is a very good way if you would like to save a lot in the process. There are a lot of softwares designed to help you with this. Some including Skype will also give you the convenience of seeing the vehicle in real life through its video capturing feature. And if this doesn’t make it easy and convenient for you to choose the vehicle of your desire, then nothing else will.

Final Word

Now that you know the challenges that come with importing vehicles from Japan, you can do the necessary steps to avoid them. Evading them and getting the right vehicle that you desire isn’t as hard as many people tend to believe. By following the steps above, you will be able to get your vehicle delivered

However, the most important part is to always work with a credible company. One that has gained authority in the industry. This way you will be able to receive good customer service and avoid some of the frauds an issues such as bait and switch. We here at Substar have been dealing with second hand vehicles for many years. In our large yard we have plenty of vehicles ranging from salons to Japanese mini trucks and mini vans. We make it easy for our clients and customers across the globe to shop and get their vehicles cleared and delivered. You can also check out our car sales page to see some of the vehicles that are currently on sale. So, why not get in touch with us today and we will help you with that? We are always ready and open for business and we guarantee you the best and smoothest service you can ever think of.

Common Mistakes When Importing Second Hand From Japan

There is no doubt and nobody can debate on Japan being a leader in auto making. The Japanese automakers have been in the global industry for close to a century and today they are the leading country producer of vehicles. There is however another market that has grown robustly and there are no signs that it can slow down anytime soon. And that is the second hand auto market, which has been a phenomenal industry all over the world. Since the Japanese autos are known for their superior quality, performance and reliability, everyone across the globe is scramming to get them.

The other main reason why there is such a huge market for these vehicles is because they are considerably affordable and one can even get a good deal on a recently owned vehicle. One might be tempted to ask why these vehicles come at a low cost, even more than you will find with any other vehicle models. There are a number of reasons and things that makes the Japanese second hand vehicles so cheap, and one of them is the fact that newer vehicles in Japan attracts lower insurance. So, as many Japanese car owners are trying to ease that burden, it opens up another cheap vehicle markets for the world.

In this guide, we will go through some for the crucial things and mistakes that many people make every single day when they are importing a second hand vehicle from Japan. Understanding this will help you get a way around it and get to import second hand Japanese vehicles much smoothly.

Failing To Do Due Diligence On The Vehicle

There are a lot of things that one needs to keep in mind when purchasing a vehicle. And these things will determine whether you will get a good service out of it or not. You need know and understand many things about the vehicle and ask the dealer as much questions as you can. For most advanced car dealers, like here at Substar, you will be provided with photo footage of the vehicle and one can also ask for a video footage to learn how the vehicle runs and idles. Doing this can be very beneficial in avoiding faulty vehicles that come and break down.

Among some of the things that one should check to ensure that they are getting a good vehicle that is ready to go includes tires, body, paint-work, engine performance, gear box, the hydraulic system among others. This might seem like a lot of things to check out, but it is really worth it. Sometimes getting a mechanical report or maintenance record on the vehicle is also important in helping asses and better understand the vehicle that you are getting. This will help you know the problems that the vehicle has had and whether there is a serious issue that could come up soon.

Ignoring Scams

One needs to be extra vigilant and watchful about every move that they make in order to get the vehicle that they are yearning for. Scams are on the rise and that is something that can come to anyone out there. A good example of a scam instance is when a scammer pretends to be owning a car dealership and that they are selling vehicles from Japan. They will always try to make one believe that they have been in business and will do anything to convince person that they are getting a good deal. In most instances and in such cases, you will find that the scammers are from different countries and not even based in Japan. To avoid such kind of scammers and many others, you need to first know the car dealer that you are working with, check out their website and do more to really ascertain that they are in business and doing that. You can always check car dealership forums and discussion boards and see if there are good or bad reviews or scam alerts to steer away from such.

Failing To Negotiate

Second hand vehicles are pre-owned and with that perception, we all know that they have been subjected to different kind of work and they cannot all have the same price tag. Perhaps the best thing with getting second hand vehicles is that there is always room to bargain and that there is always that vehicle that will suit one’s budget which is nothing that you will see in brand new vehicles.

Car dealers and owners are always willing to compromise and negotiate the price of a vehicle since there is no fixed price and in most instances they are looking to dispose the vehicle to get another one which makes it better for you as the buyer.

Buying To Repair

blankSome people always believe that they can find a vehicle that is in bad shape and have it repaired and assume that they will be getting a good deal. While this can be true, it is pure gamble and you could find yourself in a fix. This is especially if you are still new to second hand vehicles and moreso with the fact that you are importing it from Japan and you may not have physical contact or get to see the vehicle first hand. It could end up becoming to expensive to repair and make the necessary adjustments to the vehicle and as such, you should avoid these vehicles an only focus on getting one with good records and ready to be driven.

Final Word:

There are lots of nightmare stories that car buyers have had to go through when buying second hand vehicles abroad. Hopefully, this guide will shine a lot of light on that and help someone do the right thing to get the vehicle that they have always wanted.

Please take some time and check out some for the vehicle that we have in our listing page. We have plenty of second hand Japanese mini trucks, mini vans and many other vehicles. You can then get in touch with us for more details.