JDM Import guide/walk through

Axeboy

Axeboy

Axeboy

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Hi guys

I thought Id share my experience as it happens while importing another car from Japan. Quite a few people ask me about the process and Ive had a few offers from people to take some cash and do it for them. So for this, I thought it would be a good thread to just update as it happens what I do, its not hard.

I’ve done maybe 20 to 30 imports in the past 20 years. I used a number of well known importers/exporters in the earlier years but for the past 6 or 7 (I’ve lost count) I’ve used Pacific Coast JDM as the exporter: https://www.pacificcoastjdm.com/

The reason I ended up with Derek and his team was primarily due to their Youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/PacificCoastAuto

They also do walkaround videos of cars you win (if you want), such as the Impreza Spec C I bought a few months back:

They used to do walk-arounds of the auctions which drew me in, loved them. They don’t do them now, but I really liked the honesty around the process, lots of knowledge was openly shared. For example, it was (maybe is) still quite common for prices to be artificial. You bid X and funny, the car is won at a little above that price, but don’t worry, they will cover the slight extra.

I’ll likely add a lot of info over the months that it will take to get something here, but at the highest level this is the process:

1. Engage with Exporter and pay fee
2. Get access to auctions
3. Review sheets, translations and inspections
4. Bid
5. Win
6. Walk around videos/checks/photos
7. Shipping
8. Port Clearance (Shipping Agent)
9. Transport
10. MOT
11. DVLA Paperwork

Plan is to go into all of this as I go. Ill share fee information, duty, VAT etc.

So the process had started which is, I emailed my contacts there, in this case Grant, to just check that their fee is the same as always at 100,000yen (£516)

If you are a new buyer, you will likely have to sign a simple contract which I did many moons ago.
 
So, one of the first stumbling blocks with importing is the time difference. Essentially daytime here when everything is happening will be evening/night in Japan. This can cause issues sometimes with late entry cars and its normal for me to be checking at midnight here, which is 9am in Japan.

I'm kind of using the request for info as an excuse for another import, so itll be a cheap one! I have some daft ideas about what I like, so on my list is:

Nissan March 12SR
VW Lupo GTi
Daihatsu Charade De Tomasa
VW Polo GTi Cup
Nissan Bluebird SSS
Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart ver. R
Nissan Avenir gt4
Nissan March Nismo
Daihatsu Storia x4
Toyota Caldina GT
Toyota Blade Master
Suzuki Swift Sport
Mitsubishi Galant vr4
Daihatsu Boon x4
Toyota Vitz GRMN or TRD turbo
Toyota Corolla Fielder Z 6 speed
Honda Civic EP3 Type R
Honda Insight 1.0
Subaru Stella Manual Supercharged
Toyota Starlet Turbo/Glanza
Peugeot 106 S16
Toyota Altezza RS200
Toyota Levin/Trueno 20v FWD
Nissan Wingroad SR20VE
Nissan Bluebird SSS-Z (SR20VE)
Nissan Sunny, Pulsar or Lucino SR16VE
Anything interesting pre 1995 (only 5% duty for Classics)

You can access the auction tool without paying here: https://auction.pacificcoastjdm.com/auctions/?p=project/searchform&searchtype=max&s&ld

In this, you can see previous pricing for some auctions, although the largest auction, USS, does not allow access and this has to be done manually by the agent. I'll go into this more as we go. Pics, sheets and info is not readily available on all of those auction locations and this can add a time delay.

Just awaiting confirmation from Pacific Coast that fees are the same before looking in detail. I can access it now and see cars, but no point.
 
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Always wondered how this is done and the kind of risks involved together with the cost and potential savings. Obviously there is access to cars we don't get here and then the lack of constant harsh winters and salt.
 
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Yeah, depends on what you want. Sometimes cheaper here for certain cars, varies.

Good for rarer, obscure models and sometimes better condition with lower miles. However, being an import, especially for less special stuff, can reduce the value.
 
Had a reply this morning confirming fees have not changed. Sent 100000 yen to their account which with fees at my side was £545

You could get it cheaper using various international money transfer websites, but I just use my bank. On larger amounts, like the car itself, it would be worth doing it for many.

I keep records of everything for the history of the car from this point.

I now just await confirmation that the money is received, likely Tuesday or Wednesday, before starting to bid
 
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Will be watching keenly for updates. Thank you for taking the time to write up the process, it's something I've always wondered about.
 
Confirmation received on my deposit, so I'm good to request translations. You get a set number of requests, 20 I believe, and if you need more it's a small fee. This is to stop people just hanging on to free requests forever.

I'm away today in Stoke but I'll make a start tonight. I'll be looking for my targets and if anything pops up, I send a request for translation and if it's a USS auction, you also need copies of the sheet and photos.

So for USS it would be photo & sheet request, then translated if needed, then bid.

Most auction sheets are hand written but some are text, so you can use Google translate. However, advise is to always get a proper translation as important details can be missed by the automated software.

Pacific Coast do some podcasts that talk about this and go through some examples if it's of interest
 
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I have always wondered if there's any money to be made on importing the more quirky and niche JDM cars in the mid range price bracket?
 
Also keenly following this - I have always regretted selling my Fairlady Z Twin Turbo SWB and this seems like a good way to get another :D
 
panthro said:
I have always wondered if there's any money to be made on importing the more quirky and niche JDM cars in the mid range price bracket?
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Yeah, can do. You'll see lots of companies selling stuff, some things can be profitable, others not, it varies case by case.

Lots of Alphards and Elgrand's, Impreza's etc. It can vary though, sometimes cheaper to buy stuff here
 
A few options up:

VW Lupo GTi, grade 4, 99k kms, but goes through early morning, so I'd need to stay up tonight to bid

Toyota Caldina GT N edition, white, 72k kms, grade 4. Looks nice but goes through at 4am here, times too tight and I'm not convinced by the auto. Cheap though for a nice car.

Nissan Pulsar VZR, 125k kms, grade 3.5. Pretty rare, really like these with 197bhp and the SR16VE revving to 8600, it appeals.



All three go through tonight, I'd need to be up at midnight to get translations and bid. It's usually later in the week that the good stuff comes up.

The Lupo and Pulsar are tempting
 
So, a wee update.

The Lupo was USS auction so you need to request pics and the sheet. As the mileage was decent and it was grade 4, I asked for a translation at the same time to save time overnight. As I expected, about 1am the translation and pics came. Heres the info I get:


USS Tohoku > 6070
2004 Volkswagen Lupo GTI
1600cc Gasoline
Grade 4
Interior B
98,016 km
F6, AC, PS, PW
Original silver

Report
Steering wheel peeling
Trim wear
Shift knob and Boot peeling
Rear spoiler paint uneven
Underside surface rust
Various scratches, dents

Diagram notes
Windshield rock chip





So, as its a Grade 4, it will be pretty good. The only call out being the underside rust, but this is common on older stuff and it is surface. I could have asked for an in person inspection, but I wouldnt bother unless the spend is greater. Nothing in those notes were a concern. If the car was a rarer model then the rock chip might have been a concern as getting a windscreen can be tough for the obscure stuff.

So, I put in a bid of 300000 yen (£1553) at about 1am, went back to sleep and found out a little while ago that it sold for 315000 yen (£1631), so probably just me and one other person.

The car looked good, but Im sort of glad I didnt win it as Id rather show more of the process and an instant win would be too boring, for science!

So, back to it today. Probably wont be lots to go at, but tomorrow more should pop up
 
I should add, I use "Sold Prices" on the portal thing to check what they normally sell for. It doesnt include USS auctions but usually, you'll get an idea. 300000 is quite high for one of these, but also shows Im on the money-ish
 
Nothing much last night. I did spot a grade 4, low km's Nissan Sunny VZR and requested the photos. After I requested them, I did more digging and these go for too much money. Looks like a normal small saloon, but has a decent 175bhp 1.6, they go for much more than they should, I believe they are quite popular in some other countries.

It would go for 2 or 3 times the Lupo price



Another Lupo has just been added, grade 4, only 70k kms or so, but USS again, so I've asked for photos and a translation.
 
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Great thread so far, love seeing how this kind of things works in real life even if I'm never likely to do it I do like learning how it all works. Good luck with the purchase.

Regarding the Lupo GTI - any particular reason you would import instead of buying a UK spec? I think it was a model sold in the UK but could be wrong, is it a spec/price thing?
 
OldKitMan said:
Regarding the Lupo GTI - any particular reason you would import instead of buying a UK spec? I think it was a model sold in the UK but could be wrong, is it a spec/price thing?
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Less rust at a guess compared to equivalent age UK cars. Importing original Minis from Japan used to be a done thing for that reason (+they had factory fit Air con)
 
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