 The import of used Japanese cars is an increasing trend. Although naturally many used Japanese cars on our roads were bought new in the UK it is quite common to import used Japanese cars from Japan. Why is this? Well, the basic reason is that in Japan there is no market for used Japanese cars, and to import the used Japanese cars to the UK makes a lot of sense. UK dealers can buy used Japanese cars, import them to the UK, and sell them for a tidy profit. It’s a good idea. The dealer does of course have to find the money to import the used Japanese cars which he has gone to the trouble of buying in Japan, but once you import used Japanese cars to the UK you can sell them for a tidy profit.
In fact many dealers have made a lot of money from the import of used Japanese cars. Of course, the dealer has to know his stuff. He has know how to import used Japanese cars, and when to import used Japanese cars, and the type of used Japanese cars to import. In other words he has to know his market. It makes no sense after all to import used Japanese cars if your customers really want lorries. And it makes no sense either for the dealer to import used Japanese cars made by Nissan when really his customers want him to import used Japanese cars made by Honda. Equally he shouldn’t import used Japanese cars made by Mitsubishi when his customers really want him to import used Japanese cars made by Isuzu. Even worse is to import used Japanese cars made by Toyota when his customers want him to import used Japanese cars made by Lexus, or to import used Japanese cars made by Mazda when his customers really want him to import used Japanese cars made by Subaru. Know your market, that’s the name of the game!
How does a dealer proceed when he wants to import used Japanese cars? The first step is to take advice from the Japanese government: JETRO, the Japan External Trade Organisation is a useful body here. JETRO will give advice on the import of used Japanese cars. They produce a comprehensive guide on how to import used Japanese cars, and they also have a very helpful website with details on aspects of the import of used Japanese cars to the UK, for example procedures for the import of used Japanese cars, inspection when the import of used Japanese cars takes place, and registration for the import of used Japanese cars. The website also gives very helpful information about the fraudulent import of used Japanese cars into the UK; this is a danger that anyone who wants to import used Japanese cars should guard against. They are known as grey imports. You have to make sure when you import used Japanese cars that they really are registered in Japan and do not have a shady past. You might find that the used Japanese cars you import are not actually registered as having been made in Japan at all.
When you import used Japanese cars the easiest way is to buy from a dealer in Japan, because information on private sales is limited. The dealer will probably be able to arrange any necessary maintenance work, as well as help with paperwork and shipping. Or you can ask a freight forwarder to import your used Japanese cars to the UK. The shipping company will require the original invoice as proof of purchase, and the deregistration certificate. Also, when you import used Japanese cars, payment to the shipping company must be cleared in advance before the cars can be shipped.
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