What You Need To Know When Buying Left Hand Drive Cars For Sale In Japan

Getting a car from another country can be complex, and given to delays as well as added costs. The process gets even more complicated when you happen to get your vehicle from a country that speaks an entirely different language from yours, like Japan. So then you might have to hire an interpreter, which takes more money and more time.

But the process doesn’t have to be so stressful, and so costly. You can take certain steps to keep the complexities of buying left-hand drive cars for sale in Japan in check. Here are some of those steps:

Search local

Before you think about importing a left-hand drive car, you might want to look through the local market. You could source from local sellers, which might cost less than importing.  You can use the current prices in your local market as a reference for buying your imported vehicle from Japan. This should give you an idea of the going rate for the specific car you want.

Work out a budget

How much are you willing or able to spend for the car you’re getting from Japan? Once you’ve decided that sourcing locally limits your options or the local market doesn’t have the kind of left-hand drive cars you want, you need to prepare a budget for importing the vehicle. Aside from the price of the car, you need to include importation costs — from inland freight and shipping from Japan to import duties payable in the country you import to.

Photo by halfrain

Find a reputable exporter in Japan

TS EXPORT, which provides professional and outstanding exporting services from Japan, recommends going with an exporter that has a proven track record and has services that match your specific requirements. You’ll want an exporter that can find cars from the usual sources, like auctions and dealers, and from not-so-usual sources, like private sellers.

Japan is a right-hand drive country and most cars for sale are right-hand drives. In fact, some models are only available in right-hand drive. However, you can still buy these and then convert cars in Japan to left-hand drive if you select an exporter who can arrange this for you.

You should also verify licences and registration to make sure that the company is a legitimate exporter. And find a company that has people who speak your language, so you don’t have to hire an interpreter.

Make sure you’re well aware of the process — from start to finish

It’s good to know how the process will go, what your exporter’s responsible for, and what you need to do once the left hand drive Toyota cars for sale in Japan have been shipped to your location.

Get confirmation on the condition of the cars

Finally, never complete a purchasing agreement without knowing the exact condition of the car. Certain cars need to be tested for roadworthiness and emission levels. So make sure you request an independent inspection if this is required for the car to be imported to your country.