These days, more and more people are setting out to buy Japanese used cars. Although most of these used car buyers have good knowledge about cars as well as car buying techniques, they are not quite sure of ‘Why they should import Japanese cars from Japan?’ and, ‘How to import used cars from Japan?’

We believe that Japan is the best place to buy used cars mainly because cars in Japan are very carefully maintained and the Japanese roads are one of the best in the world. World-class public transportation system, heavy traffic conditions, high toll and parking fees, and stringent rules of Japanese government with regards to proper maintenance of car safety system are some primary reasons why Japanese cars are used infrequently, and hence, are technically sound. Also the Japanese government discourages people to own cars more than 5-6 years through a tier based technical car examination system called ‘shaken’- the older the car is the more ‘shaken’ tax you have to pay. This system encourages Japanese people to buy new cars since shaken taxes vary greatly depending on the age of the car. Also as repair costs in Japan are very high buying a new car makes much more sense than repairing a damaged car even if it is easily repairable. All these factors make Japan a very attractive used car market and it makes a good economical sense to import used cars from Japan.

Once, you’re convinced that Japanese used cars are the best; the primary question that impinges your mind is, ‘Where to buy used Japanese cars from?’ There are several dealers and exporters who supply Japanese used cars, you can easily purchase your used Japanese car from them. However, in reality all these exporters get the used cars from major auction houses. These auction houses have a wide variety of used Japanese cars, and all of them are available at very low prices to professional buyers such as dealers and exporters. Hence, it would be a better proposition to buy your used Japanese car directly from such auction houses rather than obtain it from intermediate dealers and exporters.

However, you cannot purchase Japanese used cars directly from auctions because you cannot become a member of these auction houses. Only used car dealers and exporters in Japan can apply for the membership. Furthermore, there are several strict contract terms that have to be followed when applying for the membership. Nevertheless, there are several used car exporters as www.best-trade-car.com, who provide “Auction Agent” service, that is, they would purchase Japanese used cars from auctions on your behalf. They also handle all the necessary procedure for shipping Japanese used cars.

When you buy used Japanese cars from online auction houses, using an “Auction Agent”, you would neither get a chance to inspect your Japanese used car from close quarters nor you would have the privilege to test drive the used car before purchasing it. Hence, to know more about the condition of the car, you would have to depend solely upon the ‘Auction-Sheet’, which is nothing, but a car evaluation sheet prepared by the auction house. Although all auction houses have different criteria for measuring the condition of the Japanese used cars, but some parameters are the same. For instance, they allocate grades 2 to 5 or 6 to S for the condition of car exteriors, and grades A to C for the state of car interiors. Apart from external and internal condition, mileage is the next most crucial factor that used car buyers’ worry about. The auction houses take care of this aspect. The seller is compelled to divulge the correct mileage. If the owner rolls back the mileage to hide the true figures, he is severely penalized by the auction house.

Most used car buyers hold the opinion that it is usually difficult to import used Japanese car. Nonetheless, importing used cars from Japan is not at all difficult if you know the correct process. Here is a glimpse of the entire procedure that is put into practice while importing Japanese used cars.

1. Find out details about every law dealing with import of foreign cars in your own country.

2. If you haven’t found the right used Japanese car as yet, then you would have to send a request to the dealer to find the right car for you first.

3. Before giving a confirmation to the exporter/dealer (Auction Agent) to buy the used car, you should (1) check recent market price of your favorite car, which is usually provided by Japanese used car exporter or dealer (Auction Agent); (2) read the auction sheet very carefully; and (3) decide your budget to bid from auctions.

4. The next step is to make the payment. Before issuing the check, you should verify the authenticity of the exporter/dealer. This can be done in two ways:

(1) by getting the company registration number and address confirmed at Japanese embassy in your country,

(2) by checking if your exporter is a member of JUMVEA (Japan Used Motor Vehicle Exporter Association), which is the most reputable organization in the Japanese used car export industry, and is officially accredited by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japanese Government.

5. On arrival of the used car in your country, you would have to reproduce the documents that the exporter/dealer has sent to you. Thereafter, you would have to complete a few official procedures as paying import tax, getting your Japanese used car tested and insured etc. Once, you do that, you can drive your used Japanese car home.

During the 1970s, the country was at the center of the vortex of the oil crisis. In the post-9/11 world, Saudi Arabia has been viewed by many with suspicion, if not downright hostility. Skyrocketing costs at the gas pump have fueled an increasingly vocal chorus of those calling for energy independence. Despite the extent to which the two countries are intertwined, however, most Americans don’t know very much about Saudi Arabia beyond the images of sand and mystery that they’ve seen in movies or read about in a novel.

But even the best book notes won’t lift the veil and reveal the true essence of Saudi Arabia culture. To do that, you have to read the account of someone who has lived and worked among the Saudi people, who has experienced, firsthand, history in the making. There are few outsiders who regularly interact with Wahhabi Muslims in Saudi Arabia, for example, since most non-Arabs live in segregated compounds. The real insights into the culture come from people like those who have worked in nursing in Saudi, and thus have seen the good, the bad, and the unthinkable.

For example, something that Westerners take for granted – like an aspirin – can be rife with controversy in Saudi Arabia culture. Although aspirin’s anti-clotting properties have many useful medical purposes, for years women were prohibited from taking the analgesic. Why? The thought was that aspirin could cause longer menstrual periods, which meant that a woman would be “unclean” for a greater length of time, which in turn would lead to an absence of conjugal relations and the possibility that the husband would engage in a sinful act with another woman.

Westerners are often perplexed by even the simplest Saudi customs, such as Saudis’ traditional garb. In truth, the multi-layered robes are extremely practical as a means of trapping the body’s moisture and prevent dehydration in the searing desert sun. Although much has been made of the abaya, or black garment, that Saudi women wear for modesty reasons, most Westerners don’t realize that behind closed doors and only in the company of other women, the abayat come off. Underneath, the wealthy are often wearing the latest fashions that have been imported from New York, Paris, and Milan.

To one extent or another, each of us is ethnocentric, believing that our culture and our traditions are superior to those of another. Saudi Arabia culture is no different, in that Wahhabis believe that this Sunni sect of Islam is superior to all others. Similarly, Americans tend to believe that their culture is superior to that of Saudi Arabia. The truth, of course, is at neither extreme. Indeed, it is only through exposure to another’s culture through the eyes of someone who has lived it can we build bridges of understanding.