Buying cars direct from auction in Japan is a great way to give you access to thousands of vehicles and of course, save you money. At first it may seem like a daunting process, but with the assistance of the Blue Line Exports team you will quickly see that it’s easy and actually quite fun! This is the Japanese used cars auction buying process.
Here is a quick overview of how it all works. Don’t hesitate to get in touch for a full explanation and to ask any additional questions you may have.
| 1. First register an account with Blue Line Exports, its free, simple and we will not send you any spam. Registering will give you access to the Japanese used car auction houses. |
| 2. Put in a deposit. Deposits start from JPY 150,000, are deducted from your invoice total after you win an auction and are refundable at anytime prior to winning an auction. |
| 3. Start browsing the auctions. Auctions run from Monday to Saturday at over 150 locations across Japan and auction stock is constantly being updated. It’s best to check at least twice a day to make sure you stay on top of what’s available. |
| 4. When you see something you like, get in touch and tell us the auction house name and lot number. We will check the condition report and if there are any problems then we will tell you right away and you can move onto another target. |
| 5. If the car is ok, then we will fully translate the condition report into English for you and also give our comments on the car. |
| 6. On the day of the auction we will personally go and check the car for you, make sure the actual condition and the auction sheet condition are the same and get additional photos / video for you. We can call you while at the car and answer any specific questions you have. |
| 7. Once you are happy with the car and know what you are bidding on, you set a bidding budget. We will then bid on the car for you, up to that amount if necessary. If the bidding goes over your budget then we stop, move onto your next target and you pay nothing. If the car sells for less than your budget then you win the car, and that’s the amount you pay. |
| 8. After you win an auction, Blue Line Exports will pay for the car in full and send you an invoice for the balance due. After that is paid we can ship the car to you. |
| 9. We will then send you the documents you need to import the car into your country via courier. |
That’s it in a nutshell, we recommend you get in touch with Blue Line Exports prior to putting in a deposit, have a chat and ask any questions you have.
Costs, charges, fees etc
Car Price – depends on the car – get in touch for more info
Buying fee – depends on the price of the car, see the below table
Inland transport – To move the car to a port for shipping – Depends on the location of the auction – We will advise before you bid so you can budget accordingly
Shipping – Depends on the destination port and the size of the car – get in touch for a quote
Insurance – Depends on the value of the car
Buying Fee
Buying Fee schedule (based on car cost)
0 – ¥999,999 = ¥100,000
¥1,000,000 – ¥1,499,999 = ¥110,000
¥1,500,000 – ¥1,999,999 = ¥120,000
¥2,000,000 – ¥2,499,999 = ¥130,000
¥2,500,000 – ¥2,999,999 = ¥140,000
¥3,000,000 – ¥3,499,999 = ¥150,000
¥3,500,000 – ¥3,999,999 = ¥160,000
¥4,000,000 – ¥4,499,999 = Y170,000
¥4,500,000 – ¥4,999,999 = Y180,000
¥5,000,000 – ¥5,499,999 = Y190,000
¥5,500,000 – ¥5,999,999 = Y200,000
¥6,000,000 – ¥6,499,999 = Y210,000
¥6,500,000 and over = 3.5% of the bid price rounded up to the nearest ¥10,000
¥6,500,000 – ¥6,999,999 = Y220,000
¥7,000,000 – ¥7,499,999 = Y230,000
¥7,500,000 – ¥7,999,999 = Y240,000
¥8,000,000 – ¥8,499,999 = Y250,000
¥8,500,000 – ¥8,999,999 = Y260,000
¥9,000,000 – ¥9,499,999 = Y270,000
¥9,500,000 – ¥9,999,999 = Y280,000
Over ¥10,000,000 = 4% of the car price rounded up to the nearest Y10,000
We need a deposit from you before we can bid, it comes off your invoice total after you win a car
Bidding deposit
¥150,000 for cars up to ¥1,500,000 in value
10% for cars ¥1,500,000 to ¥3,000,000 in value
Over ¥3,000,000 – To be discussed on a car by car basis
There are no charges for bidding and we can refund the deposit anytime before you actually win an auction. There are no additional charges for car inspections.