FAQs

Popular Questions

How does auction work in Japan?

Bidding in auctions in Japan is different to how bidding goes on trade me / other auction portals as Turners within NZ .Once you place the bid amount, it is registered on the system and as the auctions starts for that particular car – it goes very fast( 10 -15seconds) – not allowing much time to raise or change the bet. Therefore – it is suggested to put your best bid forward if you have found something that matches your requirement.

The other exciting part is - you may win the auction for a lower amount than your highest bid amount and that is all you would end up paying – the lower amount !!

Here is an example: Let’s say – you chose to bid $18000 for buying 2014 Toyota Prius alpha and place your max bid at $18,000. Once the auction starts, say the next highest bidder has placed a bid of $16,000, then you are likely to win the auction for $16,500, as you needed to beat the price of next highest bid only and beauty of the process is - you end paying $16,500 and not $18,000.

Therefore – best would be is – is to place your BEST BID!!

How long does it take to import a car?

It can take 06 – 08 weeks to import the car. Once the bid wins – it can take up to 02 week for the car to reach Japanese port from auction house followed by 03 weeks of shipping , 01 week to reach compliance centre at NZ and 01 week for getting the compliance ( depending on compliance centre workload).

How long does it take to find a car?

Auction houses would generally have a large number of options to choose from – depending on what is being searched. Also – the stock at auction houses is updated every week giving more options to the buyers. You may find exactly what you want – straightaway or can take a week to find something specific

Alternatively – you can save the search criteria and subscribe to the mailing list – wherein you will be notified automatically by email once newer cars match the search criteria. This saves you the effort and time for searching the cars

If you are unable to find what you’re looking for – get in touch with us and we will find you one!

How can I place a bid that will win?

Now that’s the most exciting part of the process!!

Though – like any other auction, there is no way – one can predict the highest amount that will win the auction – but we suggest following as a thumb rule from our experience:

  • Use the average price indicator generated by the system – as it takes into account the past sale statistics , condition and mileage of the car (circled below)
  • Place your best bid (amount) before the auction starts as once the auction starts, the car is sold within 05 – 10 seconds and you wouldn’t get another chance to raise the bet (and you wouldn’t like to lose the car for $100 either!! )
  • The other exciting part is – you may win the auction for a lower amount than your highest bid amount placed and that is all you would end up paying – the lower amount !!

Here is an example: Let’s say – you chose to bid $18000 for buying 2014 Toyota Prius alpha and place your max bid at $18,000. Once the auction starts, say the next highest bidder has placed a bid of $16,000, then you are likely to win the auction for $16,500, as you needed to beat the price of next highest bid only and beauty of the process is - you end paying $16,500 and not $18,000

Therefore – best would be is – is to place your BEST BID!!

(As some would say - No mucking around, either you win or you lose – but you get one go only, therefore if you have found something that’s matched your requirements – place your best bet!!).

Are there are any extra costs?

No – there are no extra costs.

The car calculator – would indicate upfront - the price in NZD (incl GST) that would be invoiced – once you win the auction. If you win the auction for a lower amount than your highest bid – you pay the lower amount!!

Our invoice includes – all costs upfront – from purchase to compliance (issue of new WOF) of the car in NZ.

Other costs – such as grooming, paint and polish , installing NZ radio / band expander, tow bar are optional – and do not form part of initial invoice unless you choose to get it done through us – which we can price before the auction - so you can have the entire amount upfront.

We do offer above services at very sharp price as our compliance centers offers us great deals – but it’s entirely up to the buyer to add other costs or not.

How do I pay for the car?

Our payment schedule is simple and straight – payment is made in two parts:

  • On winning the auction – You pay - 20% of the total amount.
  • Once the car is ready after compliance: You pay the balance 80% of the total amount
  • The payment is made in our NZ business account with ANZ bank – so you can be assured there are no overseas payments or exchange conversion rates – that you need to worry about
  • You can also pay by Credit Card (3% surcharge applies) or EFTPOS
  • If you have a pre approved loan from us , you may not need to pay us anything (depending on the loan deposit conditions)
What cars cannot be imported into NZ?
  • Generally cars between years 1997 to 2004 that do not meet NZ Emission Regulations.
  • Some left hand side cars - but not all.
  • 4wd that are less than 20 year old and do not have ESC (electronic stability control).
  • For more info about importing visit: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/resources/factsheets/44/docs/44-importing-motor-vehicle.pdf
Do you import old sport cars?

Yes – we can, however for specialized cars, we suggest buyers to liaise with Import certifiers (as VTNZ, AA) before hand to ensure these can comply with NZ Import regulations. We would not take responsibility for compliance of specialized vehicles – as they come with lots of modifications and are priced quite high due to their rarity / performance unless arranged otherwise with us prior to importing.

Can I import a car for parts only?

Yes – any car can be imported for parts and it does not need to pass compliance – and we can arrange transport to your place or pick up from compliance centre.

Can I import a car for the track or farm only?

Yes! If you are going to pick up the car and use it on track only or just drive it on your farm - can import any car, any year - and no compliance needed!

How do I know about the condition of a car?

That’s where we come into play!

Our system allows you to have a transparent access to auction grade sheets and offers translation of these before the bid is approved. Further – our agents physically inspect the car and points out if there are any obvious visual issues, aims to answer any specific questions you may have for the car

We only import cars that are high auction grade and will pass NZ compliance quality standards.

Is the car insured?

Yes, your car is insured all the way from an Auction House in Japan to a Compliance Centre in NZ.

Do I need to make a deposit before bidding?

No, you do not need to make a deposit until you win the auction.

Is there a guarantee that the vehicle will not come with scratches on the panels or rips in the seating?

We base our buying decision on what's written in the auction list. Japanese people are honest and when it comes to the car description, they are very meticulous as well.

On the car diagram you can see the marking like A is a scratch and A1 is a very small scratch, will come out after wash, A2 will need a cut n polish and A3 might get away with cut and polish and touch up, or might need painting.

Same goes to the U marking – where U is a dent.

Therefore – minor scratches / dents – as to what is there on the auction sheet will generally be there on the car, however as a standard practice – these cosmetic scratches can be easily done up here in NZ.

We can arrange to have these done at the compliance centre before pick up. We would suggest the added price for doing these before approving the bid so buyer can make the bidding decision accordingly.

What is an Auction grade sheet and how to read it.

Auction grade sheet comes with every car auction and can tell you a lot about the car. Basics are that marking A stands for the Scratch / U for the Dent. A1 is small - will come out with cut and polish. A2 is also can be polished. A3 might do with touch up or needs paint. These are the basics.

Why some cars are cheaper to buy locally in NZ?

It's true – some cars are not worth importing as they are already cheaper in NZ such as :

NZ New Cars - we have internal market for registered NZ Cars like Mazda 3 or Toyota Camry - they always cheaper to buy locally. In Japan we have to compete with international buyers and its different price from NZ market.

Cheap car like $5500 to $6000 NZD like Toyota Vitz, Mazda Demio, Honda Fit, Toyota Corolla - they are cheap in NZ - because there are so many of them, and sometimes dealers sell them below cost just to turn stock.

Can I import car with auction grade 3.5C is it worth it?

Yes for sure as grade 3.5 cars sell much cheaper then grade 4 or 4.5.

They are still nice cars - but would have more marks around the body - like scratches or dents. We talking here - light "supermarket" scratches and nothing serious. Some marks can be cut and polished or be done with a touch up. Some dents can be removed with simply paintless dent removal that is quite cheap

Generally - to paint a panel is $150+.

Many buyers / dealers - buy grade 3 and 3.5 and would do up the panels in NZ for less than $500 - you can do the same - and save even more. We can arrange to have these done at the compliance centre before pick up. We would suggest the added price for doing these before approving the bid so buyer can make an informed bidding decision.

While it remains a personal choice - some buyers prefer car in excellent condition - and therefore they can choose to bid on grade 5 cars while others don't mind much about a wee scratch here and there – as they know they will add more to it J - then 3.5 grade and associated savings is a way to go.

What is the car Auction Grade and what does it mean?

Auction grade can accurately tell you the overall car condition. The car diagram explain marks and flaws locations on the car while numbers as 1,2,3,4 – gives out the severity (minor, small, medium, or major) of the dent / scratch , description will explain the comments made by seller and inspector.

The following letters represent the type of flaw or damage:

A – Scratch marks
B – Bend/distortion or dent
BP – Panel repair
C – Corrosion or rust
E – Dimples or dents
F – Film/tinting on glass
G – Chip in glass
H – Hole
K – Flaw
M – Mark
P – Paint damage
R – Rust
R – Repaired crack in glass
RX – Repaired crack in glass that needs to be replaced
S – Rust
T – Temporary spare tyre
U – Dents
W – Wave in paint (Often caused by repair work)
X – Damage
X – Crack in glass
XX – Body-part replaced
XXX – Body-part replaced
Y – Crack or hole

In most cases size 1 will come off after car wash and waxing.

Size 2 can be removed with cut and polish.

Size 3 and 4 would require panel to be painted - however still can mask it with cut/polish and touch up - if you not fused about look of the car.

Also – for some strict auction houses like Toyota TAA, Nissan NAA, and Honda - their markings of A1 or A2 will be hard to notice when you look at the car, most marks like A1 or U1 - you would need to get very close to the panel to be able to see it.

With our experience and inspection – we will advice you about the car before bid is approved - so you don’t have to worry.

We stand by you – during the entire process!!

How does the bidding occur?

Bidding in auctions in Japan is different to how bidding goes on trade me / other auction portals as Turners within NZ.

Once you place the bid – we arrange an inspection of the car with our agents in Japan to ensure it meets the quality as well as import standards for NZ regulations. Once that’s all good – we approve your bid and it’s placed in the auction house. As auctions starts for that particular car – it goes very fast( 10 -15seconds) – not allowing much time to raise or change the bet – therefore either you win it or lose it.

Therefore – it is suggested to put your best bid forward if you have found something that matches your requirement. The other exciting part is - you may win the auction for a lower amount than your highest bid amount and that is all you would end up paying – the lower amount !!

You can always see the auction outcome – the sold price for the car at your dashboard (electronic office)

Here is an example: Let’s say – you chose to bid $18000 for buying 2014 Toyota Prius alpha and place your max bid at $18,000. Once the auction starts, say the next highest bidder has placed a bid of $16,000, then you are likely to win the auction for $16,500, as you needed to beat the price of next highest bid only and beauty of the process is - you end paying $16,500 and not $18,000

Therefore – best would be is – is to place your BEST BID!!

What time auctions start in Japan?

Auctions start from 9 am and last up to 9 pm Japanese time (all days except Sundays)

We strongly suggest to have your bid placed before 10am NZT , that is - 6am JPT( as there is 04 hours time difference) to ensure inspection can occur for the cars you want to bid on . The auction system allows browsing of all cars that are available at auctions for next 05 days – so you have plenty of time to choose what car you would like to bid on

You would not be allowed to bid after a certain time (as 10 am NZT / 6am JPT) for auction of cars for the same day – as we are unable to carry out inspection for cars after that time as inspectors leave after that

If we win car cheaper than my bid - do I pay less?

Yes - this is a beauty of the auction, you pay what you win the auction for , which could be lower than the bidding amount you placed!! You can always see the auction outcome – the sold price for the car at your dashboard (electronic office)

Here is an example: Let’s say – you chose to bid $18000 for buying 2014 Toyota Prius alpha and place your max bid at $18,000. Once the auction starts, say the next highest bidder has placed a bid of $16,000, then you are likely to win the auction for $16,500, as you needed to beat the price of next highest bid only and beauty of the process is - you end paying $16,500 and not $18,000

At the same time - good bidding strategy is to set high bidding price, in order to secure the car too.

How about underbody rust - how do we know if car doesn't have rust in Japan.

For higher grade cars as grade 4.5 / grade 4 – these would generally come with no rust. However for lower grade as 3.5, if our agents / inspectors would see rust – we would not approve the bid and notify you the reason for not approving the bid. We aim to avoid cars from northern auction where there is lots of snow and generally cars are found rusty.

What happen if the car does not pass compliance in NZ?

That’s where you don’t have to worry – as we take that as our responsibility! We did not have even one case till date – where car did not pass compliance.

Having said that – please keep in mind though that compliance is one variable part of the process – where independent inspectors who check the car can ask for some minor fixes as – change lower arm bushes or brake pads – same when you take your car for a WOF check.

But the best part here is – any such additional cost needed for compliance will be borne by us – and that’s why we say its “100% risk free” ( except for specialised / performance vehicles).

Can I import car on finance?

Yes, now you can if we have pre - approved your finance application by one of our lenders. You can apply for finance through our website – it simple, straight and upfront – Click here

Are the vehicles insured whilst in transit?

Yes, car is insured all the way from Auction house in Japan – to Compliance Centre in New Zealand.

How cars are transported - by container or other way?

To major ports like Auckland, Wellington, Lyttleton and Nelson we use a Roll On Roll Out (specialized car carrier ships). Cars are driven on the ship, positioned and tied, then driven off the ship in NZ.

Is it okay for me to just look for the cars from Japan?

Yes – you can just browse the auctions while do not choose to bid, there are no fees for browsing through the cars at the Japanese auctions.

BUT - we are positive – when you would compare the savings and options – you may choose to import one!

Do cars from Japan come with correct mileage?

Every single car odometer is checked before auction by Japanese Auction House and before shipping to the NZ – it is checked by MAF NZ, further comes with an odometer certificate.

Can I choose and buy a car from another company in Japan and use you just to import the car into NZ.

We import cars directly from the Japanese auctions. Auction house are obliged to inspect and write up a report for every car. Companies selling cars from stock in Japan are less regulated and do not go to such extent to describe the actual condition of the car.

We find it safer and cheaper to import from Japanese auctions as against any company.

What is the most essential information do I need to provide to get an accurate importing estimate?

Please make sure to include three things when inquiring:
- Year
- Mileage
- Engine Size
- Your Budget

What do 'numbers' written right next to wheels mean? (e.g. 7 or 8)​

This is shows how many percent of the tread left on the tyres from 1 to 10.

Example - 5 is 50%, 7 is 70%. Cars with 1-2 still can pass compliance and get WOF, but would need to be changed during next WOF. ​

What does 'dot' generally on two doors mean? (it may look like number 0 as well.)

This is a small scratch or imperfection.

What does 'T' mean generally on the bottom of a sheet?

Have a spare tyre.

How do we know a bit details on interior? (e.g. Fabric or Leather, Reverse Camera and MP3 USB port, any options, etc.)

​Interior condition is generally described in the auction sheet . We translate it for you after you place a bid and only buy if you are happy with translation. Many things can be seen from the pictures too.

I believe when I place a bid, I will have to put a price, then I still don't understand how you can advise me of a car state and possible bidding strategy after a price has already been placed?

We realise the bidding process in Japan – is a bit different to bidding in NZ.

You can take it that– your bid acts like a conditional expression of interest. It is yet to be approved – based on inspection and car meeting quality and import standards that are notified to you once these are carried out.

Only and only – if you happy with the condition and price, the bid you placed is approved and the process of importing starts if your bid wins. We also provide with detail photos (up to 20 ) – when your bid wins and car arrives in the yard for shipping. You still have the option to take or leave it, if something you find is not right!!

Register today to start bidding

Register Today