Japan has been
a rich source of used cars for
many years and each day thousands
of people buy a used car direct
from Japanese car auctions.
The benefits are many:
· Good quality, reliable, economical
and famous Japanese brands such
as Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi.
· Low milage. Most cars come with
less than 100,000 kilometers on
the clock
· Good condition. Regular servicing
and repairs due to strict Japanese
Government safety checks.
· Many options. Many owners choose
several options, so your car will
come feature packed.
· Cheap! Cars can start at auction
for 1 yen, although you'll probably
pay a little more than that!
· And more...
In this article I'll cover the
following points to help you understand
the Japanese used car market and
make a more informed choice about
buying a car for export to your
country.
· Japanese used car dealers
· The buying and importing process
Japanese used car dealers
The process of buying and importing
a used car has become much easier
with the advent of the internet.
There are thousands of dealers
throughout Japan and around the
world who have websites offering
cars they have in stock, or offering
a custom car search service where
they take your specifications
and search the auctions until
they find a car to match your
exact needs.
There is a wide variety of export
car dealers. Some dealers are
huge organisations dealing with
large volumes of cars while others
are single entrepreneurs who run
their own businesses. Of course
the larger a company the bigger
the overheads and so probably
you'll end up paying slightly
more in dealer fees, but you get
more security from dealing with
an established business. The choice
between price and reliability
is yours.
The Japanese Government recognised
JUMVEA (Japanese Used Motor Vehicle
Exporters Assosciation) maintains
a member list of companies which
"was created to address this
problem [of poor quality cars
and dealers], being composed of
used car exporters of excellent
credentials and high credibility"
JUMVEA website.
Their aim is to give membership
to those companies which show
their reliability and service
over time, so if you are particularly
worried about trust then look
for a company with this accreditation.
You can check the list of members
on the JUMVEA website, and accredited
members will proudly display their
membership on their website.
However not many companies have
JUMVEA membership so before buying
from a non member do the following
checks:
· See if the exporters bank details
are listed on the website
· Call the company at least once
to ask about any questions you
may have. Bona fide companies
will have no problems with talking
to you over the phone, although
be patient with their English
abilty!
· Ask for testimonials
· Check the quality of response
to your enquiries. If the dealer
is obscuring or dodging an issue
then move on
In general use your common sense
and if something is suspicious
or dosent feel right then don't
proceed and find another dealer.
The buying and importing process
Check your country's law
Before importing check your country's
rules for importing used cars
to make sure you are allowed to
import the car you want. Most
countries have liberal laws and
are mostly concerned with emissions
and safety standards.
However these can add extra to
the cost of importing so make
sure you research the compatibility
of the model you want with laws
in your own country. If you choose
a car which is way outside the
limits then you could be spending
a large amount to make it conform.
Check with the dealer and your
local department of motor vehicles
if in doubt. You don't want to
be left on the docks with a bill
for several thousand to make the
car conform before you can take
it home!
Sending the request
If the dealer has a stock of cars
you can request on shown on their
website in which case you will
know the price and details of
the car.
However if you are looking for
something specific then you will
have to send the dealer an email
describing what you want. Most
dealers have some sort of request
form on their website.
Confirmation
If you are buying from stock then
you will usually get a faster
confirmation of purchase. If you
request something else then the
dealer will have to search for
what you requested at an auction
and send you details of prices
and specifications. It is then
up to you to confirm or ask for
a different model etc.
Payment
Once you have decided on a car
and price you will be required
to pay for it. Methods and amounts
vary by dealer.
Some dealers require you pay 100%
upfront with by bank transfer
(or telegraphic transfer T.T.)
before the car is bought at auction
or readied for shipping. Others
require a less amount as a deposit
and then a balance on completion
of purchase at auction or when
the car is ready for shipping.
You may feel nervous sending money
to a foreign country and unknown
company so you should be sure
of the dealers trustworthiness
before you enter into a contract
or send any money. You can do
this by checking to see if the
dealer displays a company registration
number and address on their website,
then ask the Japanese embassy
in your country for confirmation
- although this may take a long
time and cost you extra.
You can also check the bank account.
Japanese banking laws are strict
when it comes to monetary movements
and bank accounts. All registered
businesses are required to have
their accounts under exactly the
same name that they registered
their company.
If you are buying a used car online
from Japan and the name on the
bank account is different from
the name of the trading company,
or if its an individual, then
you should investigate more.
Delivery
Delivery times will vary according
to distance and number of ships
to your country. Here is a rough
guideline.
· Russia and Hong Kong: three
days
· New Zealand and Australia: three
weeks
· Rest of world: between four
to six weeks
There may be other times to include
in the delivery period such as
a deregisteration certificate
for the Japanese owner which shows
the car has been sold by him,
and finding a space on a boat
to your port. These extra processes
can take up another four to six
weeks.
Arrival
Your car has arrived at your port
and now you have to pick it up.
Take the documentation which the
dealer sent you to a shipping
agent who will arrange the offloading
of the car from the ship.
Depending on your country's laws
you may have to pay import tax,
licence the car, get car safety
tests done, and insure the car.
Now your car is legally imported
and in your hands. Drive home
carefully!
Summary In conclusion buying and
exporting a used Japanese car
is fairly straightforward, and
can save you a fair bit of money
compared to buying a car in your
own country. Choosing a reputable
firm is probably the biggest priority
to ensure a smooth transaction,
and you should be aware of any
extra costs your government may
impose to make the car conform
to safety and emission standards.
For more information please visit the Japanese
used car exporter portal. Includes
detailed information, dealer
directory and car reviews.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Keith_Taynton
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