by Keith Taynton
Japan has been a rich source of used cars for many years and each day thousands of people buy a used car direct from Japanese car auctions. The benefits are many: * Good quality, reliable, economical and famous Japanese brands such as Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi. * Low milage. Most cars come with less than 100,000 kilometers on the clock * Good condition. Regular servicing and repairs due to strict Japanese Government safety checks. * Many options. Many owners choose several options, so your car will come feature packed. * Cheap! Cars can start at auction for 1 yen, although you'll probably pay a little more than that! * And more...In this article I'll cover the following points to help you understand the Japanese used car market and make a more informed choice about buying a car for export to your country. * Japanese used car dealers * The buying and importing processJapanese used car dealers The process of buying and importing a used car has become much easier with the advent of the internet. There are thousands of dealers throughout Japan and around the world who have websites offering cars they have in stock, or offering a custom car search service where they take your specifications and search the auctions until they find a car to match your exact needs. There is a wide variety of export car dealers. Some dealers are huge organisations dealing with large volumes of cars while others are single entrepreneurs who run their own businesses. Of course the larger a company the bigger the overheads and so probably you'll end up paying slightly more in dealer fees, but you get more security from dealing with an established business. The choice between price and reliability is yours. The Japanese Government recognised JUMVEA (Japanese Used Motor Vehicle Exporters Assosciation) maintains a member list of companies which "was created to address this problem [of poor quality cars and dealers], being composed of used car exporters of excellent credentials and high credibility" JUMVEA website. Their aim is to give membership to those companies which show their reliability and service over time, so if you are particularly worried about trust then look for a company with this accreditation. You can check the list of members on the JUMVEA website, and accredited members will proudly display their membership on their website. However not many companies have JUMVEA membership so before buying from a non member do the following checks: * See if the exporters bank details are listed on the website * Call the company at least once to ask about any questions you may have. Bona fide companies will have no problems with talking to you over the phone, although be patient with their English abilty! * Ask for testimonials * Check the quality of response to your enquiries. If the dealer is obscuring or dodging an issue then move onIn general use your common sense and if something is suspicious or dosent feel right then don't proceed and find another dealer. The buying and importing process Check your country's law Before importing check your country's rules for importing used cars to make sure you are allowed to import the car you want. Most countries have liberal laws and are mostly concerned with emissions and safety standards. However these can add extra to the cost of importing so make sure you research the compatibility of the model you want with laws in your own country.If you choose a car which is way outside the limits then you could be spending a large amount to make it conform. Check with the dealer and your local department of motor vehicles if in doubt. You don't want to be left on the docks with a bill for several thousand to make the car conform before you can take it home! Sending the request If the dealer has a stock of cars you can request on shown on their website in which case you will know the price and details of the car. However if you are looking for something specific then you will have to send the dealer an email describing what you want. Most dealers have some sort of request form on their website.ConfirmationIf you are buying from stock then you will usually get a faster confirmation of purchase. If you request something else then the dealer will have to search for what you requested at an auction and send you details of prices and specifications. It is then up to you to confirm or ask for a different model etc.Payment Once you have decided on a car and price you will be required to pay for it. Methods and amounts vary by dealer. Some dealers require you pay 100% upfront with by bank transfer (or telegraphic transfer T.T.) before the car is bought at auction or readied for shipping. Others require a less amount as a deposit and then a balance on completion of purchase at auction or when the car is ready for shipping. You may feel nervous sending money to a foreign country and unknown company so you should be sure of the dealers trustworthiness before you enter into a contract or send any money. You can do this by checking to see if the dealer displays a company registration number and address on their website, then ask the Japanese embassy in your country for confirmation - although this may take a long time and cost you extra. You can also check the bank account. Japanese banking laws are strict when it comes to monetary movements and bank accounts. All registered businesses are required to have their accounts under exactly the same name that they registered their company.If you are buying a used car online from Japan and the name on the bank account is different from the name of the trading company, or if its an individual, then you should investigate more. Delivery Delivery times will vary according to distance and number of ships to your country. Here is a rough guideline. * Russia and Hong Kong: three days * New Zealand and Australia: three weeks * Rest of world: between four to six weeksThere may be other times to include in the delivery period such as a deregisteration certificate for the Japanese owner which shows the car has been sold by him, and finding a space on a boat to your port. These extra processes can take up another four to six weeks.ArrivalYour car has arrived at your port and now you have to pick it up. Take the documentation which the dealer sent you to a shipping agent who will arrange the offloading of the car from the ship. Depending on your country's laws you may have to pay import tax, licence the car, get car safety tests done, and insure the car. Now your car is legally imported and in your hands. Drive home carefully!SummaryIn conclusion buying and exporting a used Japanese car is fairly straightforward, and can save you a fair bit of money compared to buying a car in your own country. Choosing a reputable firm is probably the biggest priority to ensure a smooth transaction, and you should be aware of any extra costs your government may impose to make the car conform to safety and emission standards.
November 28, 2007
How to buy and export a used car from Japan
Car loans - things to consider before you get started
by Alexander Anderson
For many people purchase of a car is associated with the search for a suitable auto financing institution or a lender. One may become frustrated and confused if he or she doesn?t understand the whole process of getting a loan. There are many options out there when it comes to car financing. Established companies and small lenders offer different interest rates and conditions. And it?s better to find out what you should anticipate from your car loan quest before you get started.
Quite obvious that no one wants to pay high interest rates if there is a chance to find a low cost car loan. However, it?s not as easy as it can seem at the first glance. Cheap car loan is a possible thing, but you need to spend some time before you find a suitable car loan. You?ll also need to take some steps to be qualified for such a loan. But the very first thing you should do is to make a decision about the car you want to buy. Once you have done it, you will know the exact price of the car, hence the exact amount of a loan to get.
But don?t plan more than you can afford. Adjust your desires to your budget. If you have too many financial obligations and your income hardly covers them, you will most likely be able to pay small installments. Your family budget revision will enable you to avoid future problems with the payment of your debt.
The process of getting a cheap car loan implies thorough research. To make you research easier you can use the Internet. Almost all reputable auto finance companies have their web sites online. You can obtain all the necessary information from these sites. But don?t get confined to one company. Instead, collect offers from different lenders and compare them. Pay close attention to interest rates and fees. Read all details carefully to be sure you don?t miss important points, because these details can have a great impact on your future payments. The whole process may become a time consuming procedure, but it is worth of the benefits you?ll get in the future.
Your credit record is in the direct relation with the interest rates and the repayment terms. The better your credit record is the lower the interest rates are. But, what if your credit record is not as perfect as it should be? Is there any chance to get a car loan? The answer is ?yes?. There are special car loans for people with a bad credit history. In fact, car loan is a perfect tool to rehabilitate your financial reputation. If you pay installments in time your credit score will improve and you?ll get more trust from moneylenders, hence you may be qualified for lower interest rates.
Car dealers can also offer you an auto loan when you are ready to purchase your dream car. But be cautious: the deal may seem most favorable, but most likely it will have hidden charges that will make it more expensive than any loan received from a regular moneylender. Of course, that doesn?t mean that all car dealers offer unfavorable deals. They may offer a good one, but it doesn?t happen frequently.
A thought-out approach to auto financing will allow you to get the best deal. Be prudent and follow the basic rules explained here.
How to Legally Buy or Sell a Used Car
by David Fagan
It is important to complete an car bill of sale form when selling or buying a used car. For the seller, an car bill of sale form provides proof that title to the used car has been legally transferred. For the buyer, the auto bill of sale form documents the purchase of the used car. The auto bill of sale form should contain: 1. name and address of the buyer; 2. name, address and signature of the seller; 3. complete vehicle description, including the Vehicle Identification Number(VIN); 4. description of trade-in, if any; 5. purchase price of the vehicle. Car bill of sale forms are required in many states to register the newly purchased used car. These states usually require a state specific auto bill of sale form that documents specific information such as the purchase price for tax assessment or to obtain the actual mileage/odometer reading of the used car. A generic auto bill of sale form will not be accepted in these states. You will need to obtain a state specific car bill of sale form.To register a used car in other states, all that's required is that the title assignment section on the title be completed and signed. Many of these states have added to the title assignment section of the title the information that was previously collected with separate documents (i.e. odometer disclosure statement, sales price/tax statements, etc.). In these states, an auto bill of sale form is not required to register the used car and is used by the seller/buyer to document the initial sale/purchase of the automobile. A promissory note form is a written promise to pay money to someone. A promissory note form can be used to create a legally binding agreement when financing the sale of personal property, such as a used car. You can complete a promissory note`s payment schedule to fit your needs. You set out the terms of the car loan in a secured promissory note form: how much is loaned, the car loan interest rate, the car loan rate of repayment and the car loan security interest.
November 27, 2007
How to Buy a Used Car That You're Happy With
by David Fagan
Most people want to know how to buy a used car and still get the car of their choice at the best price. Most consumers feel that having car payments is an unavoidable fact that haunts you, so you think that you might as well just buy a new car rather than an older one. This article will help you get every advantage of buying a used car while teaching you how to avoid the pitfalls.
Thanks to the quality cars manufactures have put out over the years, a well-maintained car should remain on average reliable for at least 10 years and 100,000 miles. The U.S. Department of Transportation reported that the average life span all vehicles is 128,500 miles. According to surveys conducted, on average, a consumer trades in or sells a car when it is only four and a half years old with just 41,000 miles on the odometer. Which means that a most used cars out there have more than half their life left in them! Also when you buy a used car expensive, speakers, power assists, convenience options, and other equipment are less a factor in the resale price, compared to a with the same features.
Consumers Reports publishes excellent information on used cars, they include all of the expected maintenance and repair information. Now your at a point where you want to narrow your search for a particular type of car to one or a few.
To check the recall record of any car, all you need to do is call the U.S. Department of Transportation Auto Safety Hotline at (800) 424-9393. They will tell you if a has ever been recalled before and send you all available information concerning that recall. You could also visit alldata.tsb.com for the same recall information and other technical information about the car.
Its very important that you know how much the car your looking at is worth. To find out the standard book value of the vehicle check the N.A.D.A. (National Automotive Dealers Association) Official , for the book value on your trade-in. You can find the Official Used Car Guide at public libraries, credit unions, and banks. The N.A.D.A. updates their every month, so do not hold onto an old copy for to long. Also, pick up a copy of the newspaper and check the classifieds section for the type of car you want. Use this to help you get a feel of how much you want to spend on the car and what you feel is a fair price.
Now that you know how much you need, now you will need financing and insurance. Do not automatically accept the dealer financing, check with your bank and credit unions to compare the charges. Also while you at the bank consider reproved credit, which might help you get the price you want and your car the same day if your going to buy through a . Now your going to want to call your insurance company, and get a quote for the vehicle you want to purchase. Now figure out if you can afford both your car payments, your insurance payments, and a little extra put aside for repairs. Check your local Better Business Bureau, Consumer Affairs Office, and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (1-800-435-7352) for information on local automobile dealerships. Don't be afraid to make sure the dealers are licensed by the Division of Motor Vehicles. Ask to what professional associations they belong (Florida Independent Automobile Dealers Association, Chamber of Commerce, etc.). How long has the dealership been in business?
Now you are ready to find one of the many available sources for automobiles, equipped with the knowledge of a fair price you are now protected from over-valued cars. Good Luck
