With the rise in popularity of legendary JDM cars the demand to import one has never been higher. Perhaps it’s your favorite car from the Fast & Furious franchise such as the iconic MKIV Toyota Supra driven by Paul Walker. Maybe it’s the Nissan R32 Skyline GTR from Gran Turismo 1 or the mythical Panda Trueno driven by Takumi Fujiwara in the Initial D TV series.

Most of these icons unfortunately were either not available for sale in the United States or were to expensive when they first peaked your interest. Now you have decided to take the plunge into ownership of your childhood dream car.

Our Process to import a JDM Car:

Every importer has there own specific process about how they import from Japan. What we specialize in is Japanese Domestic Market vehicles that are landed and titled in the United States at our dealership in Three Rivers Michigan. You can browse through our Inventory that is currently arrived and available or our En Route inventory that is in transit and arriving soon. Of course if you are looking for something specifically we can also assist. Contact Us with a description of the vehicle you are in the market for and we can provide a free quote.

Sourcing:

If you prefer to have us source a specific vehicle this is a service that we can provide.

  1. Contact Us – We will need a Make, Model and any other specific you are in the market for.
  2. We will respond with a quote. The quote will be inclusive of vehicle purchase, transport from auction to our facility, agents fee, shipping, all paperwork (EPA, DOT waiver, export certificate both translated and original, certificate of origin and customs stamped entry summary form 7501), marine insurance, port handling, customs broker, transport from the port of Baltimore, Michigan title, basic maintenance including a new battery, oil and filter service, all fluids replaced and a multi point inspection. No hidden costs or fees. The price we agree on is the final price.
  3. We require 20% of the agreed price down to start the process. For example if the budget is $20,000 then the deposit required is $4,000. This deposit is refundable right up until the vehicle is purchased at auction in Japan. Once a purchase has been made the deposit is no longer refundable.
  4. We begin the process of purchasing your vehicle. We can send you details of what is going through the Japanese auctions each day, send inspection reports and inspection video’s through whatsapp. If you see a vehicle of interest we will place a bid, have the vehicle inspected and if it’s the right one for you bid on it. If the bid is successful we will issue an invoice for an additional 30% of the agreed budget. On a $20,000 budget, 30% is $6,000.
  5. The vehicle will be sent to our storage yard while we book a vessel for shipping. Typically after purchase we will have a vehicle on board a vessel to the United states within 1-4 weeks.
  6. The vehicle is shipped to the port of Baltimore. The journey takes on average 6 weeks. Once it arrives in Baltimore it will be inspected by customs prior to being released. Once released we will ave it transported to our dealership in Three Rivers Michigan.
  7. Once it arrives to our dealership we begin the titling process which takes on average 10-14 days in Michigan. On arrival we can provide any additional photo’s, video’s, live facetime video calls that our client would like.
  8. We perform our routine maintenance and multi point inspection. If there are additional items of maintenance you want performed we can provide this service. We will provide you with a quote for any additional maintenance.
  9. Once the new title has been issued we will issue an invoice for the remaining balance. At this point the vehicle is ready to go to it’s new home. You have the option to come drive or trailer it off our lot or alternatively we can provide you with a quote to ship it to your home.

Conclusion:

This is how to import a car from Japan in 8 easy steps. Our process is simple and straightforward. We take the mystery out of the import process and provide a vehicle that is landed and titled in the United States that you can drive away in. This avoids you having to deal with customs, shippers, agents in Japan and most importantly all of the necessary paperwork including a clean Michigan title (Transferable to all 50 states) is provided with each and every sale. For Michigan residents we can collect sales tax and register on your behalf. For out of state clients we provide all the necessary paperwork to ensure a smooth registration process in your resident state. Simply take the paperwork we provide to your DMV, pay sales tax and you will be issued a new state title in your name as well as new license plates.
California Residents please note that in order to register in your state any JDM import will have to be CARB compliant. This can cost anywhere from 5-10k.