The BIG thread on how to import from Japan

Where did you get the idea that there is no VRT?

I just done a quick VRT calculation on a 2020 leaf from japan, it gives 0 euro for VRT, the rate is 7 % but there must be a rebate or some thing, as you said an incentive.

5% duty and 23% vat on top difference.

Who or where said that a leaf cannot be charged here? Just curious on that .

I have a Japanese imported prius phev, charges fine on AC, Japanese use type 1 and chademo, so for AC charging a type 2 to type 1 cable is needed, which is for used for pre 2018 leafs, outlanders etc. here. Even European makes like BMW in japan will have the type 1 socket on the car.

Rapid DC chademo charging I have no idea, but why complicate things.

The things that would worry me is battery condition and its a leaf, short range EV at best.

With a phev, I factored in a 50% capacity drop and so far I find no problem with it, the half capacity would manage my daily needs and I would have petrol anyway.

Sorry, didn't realise that it was EV.

Following this discussion. I am really considering importing a Leaf from Japan. Prices here have gone up massively here since the beginning of the year. I have a type 1 (UK originally) and love it. I would not like to be the first importing one...

The highest spec you'll get is an F-Sport, and personally I'd buy from a dealer here with a years warranty minimum. Hybrid batteries show their age from around 7 years old, so if one fails within the year of owning it'll be covered under warranty.

I’ve had 2 hybrids no issues whatsoever with the hybrid batteries

my second insight- Honda Insight forum

( Insight central ) check it out some with half a million miles plus no issues

Hi there.

I've read the whole thread but nobody mentioned what is the best site to auction for importing japanese cars. Plus do you recommend FOB or CIF?

I have a few questions:

Once the car arrives to Dublin Port, we have 7 days to go through the NCT. However I need to put the car license reg first to the car. Are these provided once we go through VRT? How do you manage?

I mean... what is it the right process once the car arrives to Dublin docks?

Copying and pasting from the NCT:

"An appointment to have your vehicle inspected must be made within 7 days of the vehicle entering the State in order to register and pay the VRT (and any other tax liabilities due on the vehicle). You must then complete the registration process within 30 days of arriving in the State."

How do you move the car from the docks without NCT, car license, Motor tax or car insurance?

I'm looking at the Audi A7 3.0tfsi, a dealer in Dublin has 5 of them, all Jap imports. However when I look on ros VRT calculator to how much it would cost to VRT one it doesn't list the car when I tick the box for a Japanese import. If I untick it, so it goes through as a UK import then it recognises the newer more powerful version.

Is there any difference in the VRT rates between jap and UK imports?

It comes back as just over 6k! I can't see how a dealer has bought one, imported it, paid customs and VAT, then VRT and sell it for a profit at around €19,995.

To make any decent profit he would have had to have bought the car for around 8k Max.

Am I missing something?

Thanks.

A 2011 A7, 77000km 3.5 grade. It sold for 6000 euros 2 weeks ago at an auction in japan, then its + + + + everything until you vrt it, I would think that an English car would be valued a little more and you would pay more vrt as a result

In the above image, is the last figure on the right the average price?

Trying to make sense of it all.

Thanks

It's confusing, 450,000 yen is only 3067 Euro, so surely a 2017 Civic Type R wouldn't sell for that low. However 4 million yen is over 30k Euro, so wouldn't be that high. What if it's actually in Euros, as JDM is based in Ireland, maybe that's the conversion? But again 4.5k for a Civic Type R 2017, surely that's too low.

On a side note the VRT calculator website is fairly useless. When choosing the Japanese import option it has hardly any cars listed. I tried Subaru's, Evo's, even a Nissan GTR and it doesn't have any of them even though the majority of those cars in this country would have came in via Japan. I expected that once a car had gone through once it would be in the database, but doesn't seem to be the case.

There's also no logic to it. I thought it was mostly based around emissions, yet I've put in details for 4+ltr V8's that come back at around 2-3k, yet a 2ltr Golf R or Civic Type R are over 10k 🤔

On a happy note, I was able to get an insurance quote from a comparison site for a 2008 Nissan GTR for €680 😂

Thanks for replies 👍