The import process
in 6 steps

After your first consultation — by phone, video or in person — we jointly set the budget, vehicle type (e.g. Porsche 911, BMW M3, Mercedes-AMG G 63) and timeframe. Once the order is placed, you lodge a deposit (typically €500–1,500) in our German escrow account.

The escrow account is legally separate from our operating assets: your money is secured until the vehicle is physically handed over. You receive a written order confirmation with all agreed key details.

Our team in the Nagoya region searches the leading Japanese auction platforms (USS, TAA, JU) daily for premium and luxury vehicles that match your wish profile. For each candidate, a complete auction report (incl. body diagram, mileage certificate, damage history) is obtained and summarised in German.

For vehicles of auction grade 4 or better, you receive photo documentation and, on request, an on-site inspector's report from our local partner. You decide before we bid.

Japanese vehicle auctions are licensed, non-public trading events. As a licensed bidder, we take part with your maximum bid agreed in advance. You receive a real-time status update (opening bid, progress, won or not won).

On a successful bid, we send you the official auction record and the vehicle report immediately. The purchase price is offset against the deposit — the balance is due within 5 banking days before the vehicle is transported away.

After collection from the auction yard and Japanese export customs clearance, the vehicle is shipped. We offer two methods:

• Ro/RoThe most economical option (~€900), the vehicle is driven onto the ship under its own power. Recommended for vehicles up to approx. €40,000 in value.
• ContainerFull protection against the weather and theft (~€1,400–1,800). Recommended for high-value premium vehicles from approx. €80,000 or rare configurations.

Sea route from Nagoya/Osaka to Bremerhaven: approx. 70–80 days. You receive tracking updates as soon as the ship sets sail and on arrival at the EU port.

On arrival at the EU port, we handle the complete import customs processing: 10% import duty on the vehicle value + freight costs (CIF value) plus 19% import VAT. These costs are already fully itemised in your cost breakdown prepared in advance.

Next comes the technical reconditioning and the individual vehicle approval by an officially recognised assessor (DEKRA, GTÜ or TÜV). We coordinate all necessary adaptations (e.g. headlights, speedometer, OBD diagnostics) and accompany the vehicle through to successful approval. On request, we also coordinate a left-hand-drive conversion before the inspection.

Once the vehicle is registered, it is delivered to you or you collect it in person. At handover, you receive — all in German:

• Vehicle title (registration certificate part II)
• Purchase contract with statutory liability for defects (12 months on hidden defects)
• Original auction documents from Japan
• Import duty and tax receipts
• TÜV individual approval report
• Complete vehicle history in German