Japanese cars are deservedly popular with Russian motorists. These are reliable, comfortable and relatively inexpensive cars to maintain. Residents of Siberia and the Far East, for example, often prefer to buy used cars directly from Japan. This can be done either through an intermediary firm, or on your own at an auction.
The Russian market offers a fairly large number of used Japanese cars. But such an acquisition has drawbacks - the poor condition of Russian roads, low-quality fuel and careless maintenance of cars by previous owners negatively affect the condition of the vehicles.
Buying a car in Japan through an intermediary company
To avoid any unpleasant surprises, some people decide to bring their car directly from Japan. There the machines are operated more carefully and are sold in really good condition. If the car has problems, the buyer is obliged to inform about it.
The easiest and most convenient way is to contact an intermediary company. The buyer needs to contact the manager and choose the car he likes. A contract is concluded with the company and payment is made for the car. The latter can be produced in full or in parts, depending on the specific situation.
Of course, the middleman charges a fee for his services, which increases the value of the car. But he also solves all related tasks: communicates with a seller in Japan, meets a car at the port, and performs customs clearance. If the buyer does not live in Vladivostok, where ships with cars usually come, the seller can arrange delivery to the desired city.
Buying a car at auction
The bulk of cars in Japan are sold and bought through specialized auctions. Some buyers do not want to use the services of intermediaries and make purchases at auctions on their own. This allows you to save a certain amount, but all issues, including acceptance of the car at the port and its customs clearance, are the responsibility of the buyer.
It should be borne in mind that you will hardly be able to do without intermediaries. Going to Japan in order to personally take part in the auction and organize the shipment of the purchased car is expensive and troublesome. Therefore, you will need to find a company that is located in Japan and will help load the purchased car onto the ship.
How does the auction work? To get started, you have to make a certain amount as a deposit. This amount is several hundred dollars and is needed so that buyers do not refuse to buy when their bid wins.
Large auctions have their own internet sites where you can select a car and bid. On the site you can find not only photos of cars, but also an assessment of their condition. Defects, damages and faults must be indicated.
The general condition is usually indicated by a letter index. For example, an “A” rating indicates a near-perfect car, while “F” will tell you that the car has been in a serious accident. Of course, the auction valuation also affects the value of the vehicle. A description of each problem area can be found in the notes to the auction list.
The bidding process itself is quite simple. Participants place their bets. The winner is the one with the highest stake in the end. Expect cars to be sold at prices that are close to market prices. It is unlikely that you will be able to buy a car at an auction for half its usual price.
If your bet is won, you need to pay for the car, minus the amount of the deposit already made. After that, the car will be sent to the port and loaded onto the ship. Arriving at a Russian port, the car ends up at customs and goes to a temporary storage warehouse. To pick it up from there, you need to go through the customs clearance procedure.
If you do not use the services of intermediaries, you need to personally arrive at customs. If the inspectors have no questions about your car after the inspection, they will make the necessary paperwork. You will be issued a receipt voucher for which you must pay the fee. After that you will be given a Title Deed and you can pick up your car.
