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What should I know about Japanese used cars?

The style and build quality of Japanese cars makes them superior to that of their rivals. There is a huge demand of Japanese used cars throughout the world. The main reason behind this popularity is the great selection of quality used cars and easy to handle dealerships. Japanese used cars are well maintained and everyone is aware of the quality of roads in Japan, which makes these cars highly desirable. Various online auctions and dealerships allow anyone to purchase used cars from Japan. If you are looking to import Japanese used cars then the best way is to consider these online portals. In this article, we are going to discuss some important tips, which will help you in buying used cars from Japan.

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Tips for Purchasing Japanese Used Cars

In this section of the article, we are going to discuss some important tips that will help you in overall process of purchasing used cars from Japan.

• Importing rules and regulations: The first step is to check the rules and regulations for importing cars for your specific country. Many factors must be considered and mentioned under these rules and regulations. Some of these factors include type of vehicle, import duty, age of vehicle, engine CC, and mileage of the vehicle.
• Age of the car: One of the most important benefits of purchasing Japanese used cars is the strict car examination system followed in Japan. The government discourages people to buy cars older than 5 to 6 years, which mean you will get a fairly less traveled vehicle.
• Setting Budget: Generally, there are cars available in all budget categories. It’s best to decide the overall budget beforehand and set it to an affordable figure. The vehicle should match with the lifestyle of the person. The budget of the vehicle changes according to the requirements like the size of vehicle, seating capacity, safety features, and mileage.
• Research for authorized exporter: After deciding the vehicle, the next step is to find out the best-authorized exporters in the area. The best way is to look over the internet and find the dealers as per the requirement. There are some important factors to be considered like the charges offered by the company, insurance, time for delivery, and site-to-site delivery. Try to find out the reviews of latest customers of the company for better idea.
• Compare Prices: When planning to purchase Japanese used car, try to get quotes from multiple dealers and websites. It’s best to send your inquiry to as many dealers as possible and try mention important details about the vehicle like make, year range, color, model, mileage, fuel type, engine capacity, drive type, and price range. Providing these details will ensure the delivery of most suitable vehicle as per the requirement of the customer. Compare the price offered by different dealers and make your choice accordingly.
• “Shaken”: Anyone planning to purchase Japanese used car must be aware of the term “Shaken.” The automotive inspection system is called Shaken in Japan and it rates the maintenance of every vehicle running in Japan. Shaken has a huge impact over the cost of the vehicle. A car with remaining shaken of a year and few months is costlier than one without any shaken. Anyone planning to import the vehicle is advised to purchase a car without Shaken, as the car is not going to be driven around in Japan.
• Inspection of the vehicle: It’s important that the vehicle must be inspected for proper functioning and other factors like mileage, car condition, performance, and other factors. There are independent agencies and exporters who can do this job. Further look out for the rating provided by the government and that should define the condition of the car automatically.
• Negotiation in price: Usually Japanese cars do not lose their value easily but it’s advised to do some negotiation before finalizing the car. Try to pick up different factors especially color of the car, seating capacity, age of the car etc. Negotiate the price until it is in your budget and then go for it.
• Payment and documents: After the deal has been finalized, the car will be shipped to the desired address along with all the important documents. There are some special documents to be looked out for including bill of lading, Inspection Certificate, Japanese De-Registration Certificate and its English counterpart, customer invoice etc. These documents are required for clearing vehicle from the custom. Make sure to ask for these certificates clearly before shipping.
• Terms of Shipment: Make sure to clarify the terms of shipment before making the payment. There are some dealers, which may charge extra money for delivering the car to its final destination. Some important points like time of delivery, mode of transportation, cover against any damage, and proper packaging of the car should be discussed up front. This is the last step involved in the process and it is important to follow these tips while purchasing Japanese used car.

Final Thoughts

Car built in the US are richly crafted and so are Japanese vehicles. However, most used cars have hidden issues buyers are unaware of. To avoid this problem, make sure the car still functions properly and is reliable, especially used Japanese vehicles. Test driving used cars is the best method to see if the car runs smooth or terrible. If the car stalls, jerks, or turns on and off, then most likely the car has mechanical problems. Putting used cars on scanners is a safe, effective method in trying to find hidden mechanical issues. The better the car runs, the longer it will last.

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