Buying and importing a used vehicle – mistakes to avoid

Publised : November 21, 2013

There are some key points when importing a car that are often overlooked, turning them into mistakes which are easily avoided; here I’m going to talk about these mistakes and how to avoid them.

Mistake 1

Buying a vehicle when it has obvious defects such as visible rust spots; if the vehicle has been exposed to roads that have been salted to de-ice them, the vehicle’s under-body may have rust issues which can lead to some seriously costly repair bills or worrying safety issues. To avoid any rust issues, be sure to check pictures of the vehicle carefully. If there are no photographs of the vehicle’s under-body where rust issues are the most important to check for as they can affect the structural integrity, do not be afraid to ask the dealer to provide them. Any reputable dealer will happily meet your request to provide you with photographs and information that you need.

Mistake 2

Check your country’s emission standards, especially with older model cars that you are looking to import, as these cars will need to be modified to comply with the standards your country has set. To check the emissions, again do not be afraid to ask the dealer to supply the information and inquire about the standards that need to be met.

Other Important issues to avoid

Be sure to avoid vehicles that drive on the opposite side of the road such as being a left hand drive (LHD) vehicle in a right hand drive (RHD) country; although it’s not impossible to drive a vehicle which has the steering system on the opposite side it is much more difficult and can lead to some safety issues. Overtaking is much more difficult if you are on the opposite side of the norm as you cannot see oncoming traffic or obstacles.

With this in mind head on over to www.realmotor.jp to check out their excellent stock of  Japanese imports!