Buying Imported Cars: What You Need To Know?

Thinking about buying imported cars from Japan or anywhere around the world but you don’t know where to start. Don’t worry! We’re going to talk about some of the top things you need to know If you’re looking for an imported car. Now let’s take a look:

Buying Imported Cars: Everything To Know

Imported cars mean that a vehicle is legally imported from another country to your country through channels other than the maker’s official distribution system. These models often have unique styles and cost advantages. From the outperformance of Japanese cars to the luxury design of German sedans or the advanced technologies of Korean hatchbacks, these models represent outstanding performance and prestige. 

Typically, imported vehicles are divided into three different categories: personal, grey, and parallel imports. Let’s go through each method: 

Personal import

As its name suggests, Personal Import means that you will import a vehicle into the country by yourself and for personal use instead of using the assistance of an importer’s services or any third parties. When choosing this type of import, you will play the role of an importer and you have to be responsible for all steps of the importing process from finding the car to handling customs clearance, and registration…

In case, you’re buying an imported used vehicle, you should find as much information as possible about the vehicle’s condition or accident report to get the best used car. 

With this importing method, you can find better deals by buying the vehicle directly from the country of origin, however, purchasing a personal import car is also a complex and time-consuming process as you need to do all the paperwork, calculate your car shipping cost, customs declaration, and legal requirements. 

Grey import 

This term refers to dealers or companies that import vehicles yet are not franchise holders of the car instead of being imported by official automakers or a car dealership. It is also called the third-party importer which excels at buying vehicles from another country. These importers are often car collectors who purchase luxury sports cars that are common all over the world. However, you can also find other types of imported cars like hatchbacks, kei trucks, or SUVs which are much more affordable for everyday driving from professional dealers according to the grey imports. 

Compared to personal import, what are this method’s pros and cons?

Advantages

• This will make the importing process much easier and save time since the importers will handle all the aspects of paperwork and logistics.
• Grey importing will give you access to a wider selection of vehicles than what’s available locally. You’ll get unique vehicles not officially sold in your country such as the Nissan GT-R, Mazda MX-5, or Honda Beat…

Drawbacks 

• Grey imports may come with challenges such as higher costs, less control, and securing finance. Normally, importers in this case will increase their prices to cover their costs and profit margin that’s why when choosing this method, the price will be slightly higher than personal import. 
• Another disadvantage of grey imports is the lack of warranty support, genuine spare parts, or proper documentation.

While buying a grey import car, we highly recommend performing an import VIN check. This report offers Japanese data records held for the car. 

Parallel imports

Parallel importing is similar to grey import but focuses on importing cars that are already sold in the local market but at high prices. These models will be imported and sold in a country through channels instead of the official manufacturer’s or authorized dealer’s distribution network. Depending on the brand you’re dealing with, you may be subject to some restrictions from overseas manufacturers or authorized distributors, so in this case, the parallel importer will help you handle this issue. 

Parallel importers eliminate third-party dealers by importing directly from the country of origin of the vehicle—for example, they purchase a Nissan car directly from its manufacturer in Japan. 

Pros

• Importers can manage your requirements: all the logistics and paperwork more efficiently. With the flexibility to bring in almost any car at very attractive prices, always at a lower price than locally sold vehicles.
• Like grey imports, this method will provide a wider range of models than authorized dealers and they sometimes offer limited-edition vehicles.

Cons

• Warranty coverage and after-support are the problems you should consider when choosing this method. The vehicle you obtained through parallel importers may not come with the same warranty provided by authorized distributors. 
• In some cases, this importing method may be unlawful in some territories when it infringes on intellectual property rights or otherwise violates laws or regulations.

These are three main methods to buy imported cars, each method will have its pros and cons, so the best import method for you depends on your circumstances, budget, and also experiences. Remember to thoroughly research each method, compare prices, and understand the associated risks and benefits before making a decision.