Many people wonder what it’s like to import Japanese Domestic Market JDM cars into the United States. Because of the challenges and the time involved, many people consider JDM car imports to be too difficult or not worth the hassle. However, this guide on what to expect when importing JDM cars will give you all the information you need to know about importation, from what you can and can’t bring in and why to how much it costs and where you can find them for sale.
Things I Wish I Knew Before Buying My First Imported Car
I’ve owned many cars, including imports from Japan and Germany. And I still own a Japanese import today—but it wasn’t always that way. Before I bought my first imported car, I didn’t know what to expect. Purchasing an imported car seemed exciting and fun, but that excitement quickly turned into a plethora of new problems when I tried figuring out how to buy one.
How do you register an overseas vehicle? What are you supposed to look for when looking at a vehicle? And how do you figure out which dealer is good and which ones are bad? This post has been written with all of these questions in mind – here’s what everyone should know before buying their first Japanese car!
Things You Need To Do Before importing
Keep in mind that you need to register your vehicle, obtain a driver’s license, learn how to drive on a different roadside, and familiarize yourself with local laws. While these things might sound intimidating at first, it’s nothing compared to everything else you will have to do when importing a car from Japan.
The process can be long, tedious, and frustrating, but it is still possible for anyone living in Japan; I would recommend it if you can. If not, then don’t worry because there are plenty of people here in North America who specialize in shipping vehicles back home, so there is no reason you should not own your dream car now!
How To Choose The Right JDM Car
There are plenty of resources that tell you what to look for when buying a car in Japan. However, most of these sites cater to classic and late model cars. So how do you know what features you should look for when importing a new car from Japan? It’s quite simple.
The majority of your time should be spent evaluating a vehicle’s build quality and asking whether or not it was built with performance in mind—because those two things will heavily influence its resale value on your end. Many great online sources explain all there is to know about evaluating a vehicle’s build quality, so that we won’t go into any detail here.
Things To Consider After Purchasing Your JDM Car
Although I’ve touched on some of these previously, there are a few things you should keep in mind as you become a proud JDM owner. The first and most important is having a service plan for your car included with your purchase (I highly recommend JDM Sport Classics). This can save you thousands of dollars by helping you stay on top of simple and preventative maintenance tasks rather than waiting until they become major issues.
They will also ensure that all repairs are done properly, so your car continues to work and maintain its value over time. Another big one is insurance; while coverage may be more expensive due to non-Japanese parts, you must have coverage just in case something goes wrong.
Things You’ll Need For Transporting Your JDM Car.
A shipping container (or two) large enough to fit your car. There are several ways you can do that: You can use a regular shipping container, or you can get a refrigerated one which is better for cars because it maintains a temperature between 55 and 59 degrees Fahrenheit inside. An ocean freight forwarder.
You’ll need one of these if you plan on using a regular shipping container, but they’re not required if you use a refrigerated one; however, without an ocean freight forwarder, your customs broker will have trouble moving your shipment through customs once it arrives in port. Customs brokers, So here you will get information about crossover cars in the USA.
How Long Will It Take To Get My JDM Car?
It depends on where you live. If you live in California or nearby, it’s pretty easy and shouldn’t take more than two weeks. If you live in another state, you can still get your car fairly quickly (1-2 months) if all your paperwork is in order. But, if you don’t, it could add some time.
Where Can I Find A Trustworthy Dealer?
If you’re not planning to import a vehicle yourself, you must know where to find an honest and trustworthy dealer. Luckily, there are many sites online dedicated to helping you find dealerships within your state. We highly recommend checking out Juiced Motors for all of your import needs! We spent countless hours researching websites before deciding on Juiced Motors as our one-stop shop for anything involving imports.
