Importing from Japan???

[ian2144]

Importing direct from Japan?? to save on the dealers cut. Is it worth the effort and what are the saveings?? I'm looking at mid to late 90's S/H 4x4's, Toyota Surffs or Mitsubishi chalengers.

[Risotto]

Whether it's worth it depends on the price you pay for the car at auction, the amount of paperwork your prepared to do and how handy you are with a spanner. The exchange rate has a significant impact too (it's currently pretty poor).

If you're talking about doing it as a business, there are the associated costs of trade plates/insurance/accountants etc. If it's just a single car for your own use, the basic process goes something like this:

Find an auction agent in Japan and tell them what you want (or pay a bit more and buy from a dealer who has what you want)

Pay a handling fee to the agent/dealer to cover their fee and the cost of getting the car to the port

Pay shipping to get it here (including insurance if you got the car FOB)

Pay 10% import duty

Pay 17.5% VAT on the car and the import duty

Pay a customs fee

Arrange delivery from the UK port

Pay for the parts you need to fit before esva/mot'ing the car

Pay someone to fit the parts (or just fit them yourself - the exception is the immobiliser on a car under 10 years old which must be fitted by a VSIB approved installer)

Pay for insurance

Arrange and pay for an esva test (if under 10 years old)

Rent a model report for the esva test (if under 10 years old)

Pay for an MOT (if over 3 years old)

Pay a registration fee

Buy road tax

Buy plates


You can pay a middleman in this country who will do all this for you (i.e. you tell them what you want and they'll buy/import/register it for you) but at that point, it's no cheaper than buying from a normal UK dealer.

Edited by Risotto on Saturday 9th February 17:09