Our Services
Your eyes and hands in Japan's car markets.
Auction Bidding
Japan's car auctions, including USS, TAA and CAA, are dealer-only, so overseas buyers can't get in. We bid for you. You get the translated auction sheet (the Japanese original on request) and a recommended max bid based on five years of final auction prices from Tokyo. We never bid above the limit you approve.
Dealer Sourcing
Some cars rarely come up at auction. For those we go straight to Japanese dealerships. We flag the car and call ahead once you confirm interest. Then we inspect it, and we only start negotiating if it matches the description.
Physical Inspection
Our team or one of our specialists inspects the car in person. That includes 3 to 5 paint gauge readings per panel, photos and a video call. Auction cars can only be inspected on auction day, usually about 4 hours before the lot runs. Inspection is covered by our commission.
Export & Shipping
We handle de-registration (ćšćśçťé˛), export certificates, and Ro-Ro or container booking ourselves. Our licensed export partner processes the transaction and ships the car. The service is port to port. Customs, duty and taxes at your end are paid by you.
Inside the Auction
Straight from the auction floor in Japan. This is where we inspect and bid on your car.
Two Ways to Buy
Dealer stock is simpler and faster. Auctions get the best prices. Either way, we pick the car with you and you never pay for a car before it's checked.
Dealer stock
- Pick a car together. Choose from our dealer listings, or tell us what you want and we'll find it.
- Hold it with a 10% deposit. This reserves the car while we check it and counts toward the car price. It's refunded in full if the car doesn't match the listing or sells before we get there.
- We inspect it. In person, with 3 to 5 paint gauge readings per panel, photos and a video call. You decide whether to go ahead.
- Pay the balance. Once you approve, you get one itemized invoice for the car, fees, FOB and freight. We buy the car once your balance is in. Your balance is held and only released once the Bill of Lading is issued.
- Ship. We handle the paperwork, transport inside Japan and the booking, then send you the vessel details and an arrival estimate.
Auction
- Pick a lot together. We go through auction lots with you and set a recommended max bid from five years of real Tokyo auction results.
- Agree the plan. A quick call before auction day to confirm the lot, the expected price and your max bid.
- Place your bid guarantee. 10% of your max bid on a refundable invoice. It counts toward the car price, and goes back in full to the account it came from if we don't win.
- We bid. We bid for you on auction day and never go above your max. If we win, you get one itemized invoice that day for the car, fees, FOB and freight.
- Pay the balance and ship. The balance is due within 3 days of the win, or the bid guarantee is kept. It's held and only released once the Bill of Lading is issued. Then we ship as above.
Pricing & Where We Ship
Everything is on one itemized invoice: the car, purchase handling, service fee, commission, FOB and ocean freight to your port.
Serving US military on Okinawa.
We help service members stationed on Okinawa buy cars straight from Japanese auctions, with a team that regularly visits the island.
Pricing
Purchase handling: 4% of the car's final purchase price · Service fee: 1% of the car's final purchase price
| Car price (USD) | Commission |
|---|---|
| Up to $20,000 | $1,250 |
| $20,001â30,000 | $1,750 |
| $30,001â40,000 | $2,450 |
| $40,001â89,999 | $2,950 |
| $90,000â149,999 | $6,500 |
| $150,000â249,999 | $9,000 |
| $250,000 and over | Negotiated |
Included in the commission: in-person inspection with paint gauge readings, translated auction sheet, recommended max bid based on real auction results, video call, and bidding on your behalf.
FOB: $1,600 per car. Covers auction fees, inland transport to port, de-registration and export customs clearance.
Ocean freight: quoted for your port. Rates change with the market, and your exact rate is confirmed when the car is booked. RoRo or container, your choice.
Where We Ship
Sea time from departure in Japan.
| Destination | Estimated Transit |
|---|---|
| Hong Kong | ~7 days |
| Australia | ~15 days |
| US West Coast | ~15 days |
| Dubai (UAE) | ~25 days |
| US East Coast (Baltimore, Newport RI) | ~30 days |
| Central Asia & Europe | Quoted per route |
Transit times are sea time from departure in Japan and depend on vessel schedules. Your exact sailing date and estimated arrival are confirmed once the car is booked.
What an Order Actually Costs
A real-world example, itemized the same way your invoice will be.
$30,000 car to Baltimore, USA
Every order is billed on one itemized invoice. Here is how a $30,000 car shipped to Baltimore breaks down: the car itself, our fees, and the cost of getting it to your port.
| Car | $30,000 |
| Our fees | |
| Purchase handling (4%) | $1,200 |
| Service fee (1%) | $300 |
| Commission | $1,750 |
| Fees subtotal | $3,250 |
| Shipping | |
| FOB | $1,600 |
| Ocean freight | ~$2,400 |
| Shipping subtotal | ~$4,000 |