What does an auction grade actually mean?
Japanese auction houses grade every car on arrival. Grade 5 is close to new, 4.5 is excellent with minor marks, 4 is a good honest used car, 3.5 and below means real wear or damage. R or RA means it has had accident repair. The letter alongside — A to D — grades the interior. We read the inspector's damage map too, because a Grade 4 with one kerbed wheel is a very different car from a Grade 4 with a repaired sill.
How much duty and VAT will I pay?
A car over 30 years old in original specification qualifies for historic vehicle relief: 0% duty and 5% VAT. Anything younger is 0% duty under the UK–Japan trade agreement, where the exporter supplies a statement on origin, plus 20% VAT. Without that statement the standard 10% duty applies. Both are charged on the vehicle, the freight and the agent’s fee combined — not the hammer price alone, which is why an import always costs more than the auction result suggests. The calculator above uses our Japan agent’s current rates, and we confirm live rates before every import.
Does the car need an IVA test?
Only if it's under ten years old. Older imports go through the age-related registration route instead — an MOT, the Japanese export certificate and a DVLA registration pack. We handle either. IVA costs depend on the car, because some need a speedo, headlight or fog light change to pass and others need very little — the calculator includes a safe allowance, and we confirm the real figure for your car before we bid.
Can I buy a car that isn't one of your examples?
That's most of what we do. Tell us the model, spec and budget and we'll watch the auctions for it. Typical wait is two to six weeks to find the right one — longer for genuinely rare cars, and we'd rather wait than put you in a bad one.
How long does it take, start to finish?
Eight to twelve weeks from winning bid to delivery. Roughly two weeks for export paperwork and loading in Japan, five to six weeks on the water, then two to three weeks for customs, registration and MOT in the UK.
What if the car arrives damaged?
Every car is marine insured for its full landed value, door to door. We photograph each one at the Japanese port and again on arrival in the UK, so any transit damage is documented and claimed without you chasing it.
