Why brokers?

[noise]

Why do we all use brokers to import cars? Is it really that hard to do it all yourself? I am currently using a broker for the second time and am totally pissed at how little they really do for you for the amount they get.

Has anyone done the whole process themselves? Any info or stories?

[chaos]

probably doing it yourself would be harder, as in having to organise it all yourself

[RiverSide]

whoops....i actually thought you meant Customs brokers.

As far as finding a buyer in japan is concerned.......just keep in mind that you will probably be a once off customer......and you are going to send your hard earned money to someone that quite possibly speaks very little english...lives half way around the world and all this without a reference from someone in the industry?

I trust my buyer totally.......if i did not i would not be doing business with him. Without trust and honesty........you really are taking a risk.

For all you know the guy you send you money too might not even be an exporter.

[LegnumVR4]

Why not just find a buyer in Japan, they are the ones that do all the work from this side, such as sourcing the car, buying it, booking it on the ship, delivering to the port, exporting and doing all the paperwork that goes with that. From that point on, all you have to do is receive the car and have it complied. If you use a buyer who knows what they are doing they can also introduce you to engineers and customs brokers in Australia who can clear your car have it delivered to the engineers, complied and then forwarded to you for registration. Sounds the same as what you do now anyway, but without the brokers fees!

Just my .02

VR4

[ylwgtr2]

this is something that i have always asked myself......WHY DO PEOPLE DO THIS??Its so easy to find a buyer in japan.....after you find what you want get them to buy it and call automotive freight brokers in tullamarine.....they do all the paperwork a lot of these so called "Import brokers"anyway ....they stick a grand on top and its all done....its got me

[SteveL]

Its so easy to find a buyer in japan

OK....so why don't you (or LegnumVR4) create an FAQ in the import section explaining EXACTLY down to the last detail how to do this ??.

I'm serious....it's oh so easy to make statements like the above, but there are many, many, many people - like me - who wouldn't have a clue about where to start 'looking for a buyer in Japan', and that is why brokers are useful.

[ylwgtr2]

do a search on the internet.....find a vehicle exporter and call them up.......Wheres the problem???They deal with foreigners all the time...they know the export side of things so pay them a fee(which you pay for using a broker anyway)...thats all there is to know!!Damn you people have got it farto easy these days....i had to do it the hard way when i was younger and backpack japan to meet people...its all at your finger tips these days....

[ylwgtr2]

http://www.trade.co.jp/

heres one.....my friend use to work for this company.....

[ylwgtr2]

http://www.autorec.co.jp/

heres another......mizuno san is a nice guy....just keep your eye on his klms....

[ylwgtr2]

http://www.aucnet.co.jp/e/index.html.....contact these people and ask them for an agent's contact details.....Or if anyone is ever in japan while i am there i will gladly take you to buy a car....I have USS,JU.RAA and Jaa cards

[Guest]

It isnt that hard but you need a good buyier, I have two that I personaly recommend for friends and dealers and then even after that it takes a bit of work finding the car.

The thing is you want to buy a car but havent the faintest idea how to do it, it takes a lot of time explaining the go to people and then you dont buy anything.

Or you tell him to buy a car and dont pay for it because you change your mind (it has happened even the "Brokers" owe money).

I know of a couple of guy's who paid a deposit to a RAW to secure a plate and then went to the buyier in Japan "if I dont pay for the car I asked you to buy the $1,100 is yours" which covers their cost of putting back through the auction.

It is a pain in the arse helping people for nothing, if you know what you are doing and have contacts their isnt a need for a Broker but if you dont know what you are doing it is a different story as you dont want a damaged car like some of the Dealers in Japan sell.

Costing $1,100 to $1,200 is a different story for a car that was just cut and paste off a site, if they say the car will leave at this date or we pay you, condition is guaranteed or we refund the money is a different story.

Talk to the RAWS who are indepentent (not a dealer or a Broker them self) and ask who they recommend to bring in clean cars and who not to use.

Use the forums that is what they are for and ask for a reference to show you are serious which is what it is about.

[Guest]

http://www.autorec.co.jp/

heres another......mizuno san is a nice guy....just keep your eye on his klms....

But do you want to buy from a company called "Auto Rec" and I have seen the cars so I know what I am saying.

....just keep your eye on his klms.... 3 Pajero's with 104/105/106,000 klm to start.

How about Mark Hocking at www.mytrading.org who you will know from HPI and Hard Tuned Imports, email him and see what R33's he might have.

[ylwgtr2]

But do you want to buy from a company called "Auto Rec" and I have seen the cars so I know what I am saying.

....just keep your eye on his klms.... 3 Pajero's with 104/105/106,000 klm to start.

How about Mark Hocking at www.mytrading.org who you will know from HPI and Hard Tuned Imports, email him and see what R33's he might have.

Ummm thats why i said watch the klms.....mark is a nice guy too....i met him once in USS saitama about 4 years ago...just last year i done some work on a car in melbourne and the owner says"i bought this from a guy named mark in japan...he said to say hello"Its quite funny how names get around

[ylwgtr2]

oh and heres another idea for you guys......keep a look out on brokers mail outs then get the auction number of the vehicle then contact someone like mark to check/buy the car direct from auction and cut out the middle man...the days and sometimes the background decifer on which auction the car is at....cut the pic out and paste it off to mark or whoever along with the details...i assume he would help you sort it out

[re2]

Mark Hocking is the guy I bought my car through!

I've only heard Great things about him from people who deal with him.

[Guest]

We have got a lot of cars from Mark, for some models they are cheaper and of exceptional condition since their is a lot less Snow so lest Rust. Watch Hard Tuned Imports and you can see him at Gold Auctions.

[re2]

You give us ALOT of information. Thanks, and you work for a dealership?

[Guest]

You give us ALOT of information. Thanks, and you work for a dealership?

I work only at the RAW not the dealership so we are independent and dont sell imports.

I dont sell cars all I do is get the information that is out their and tell people were it is, I dont like buying cars f,or people due to hassle's if something goes wrong, all I do is give somebody a mud map.

[funkymonkey]

didn't automotive freight broker's go belly up a while back? or am I thinking about some other shipping agent in tulla that used to do container runs?

As for buyers in japan... try to get original auction sheets wherever possible, there's a few out there (I'm sure DRIFTT can name a few for me ) who I've personally seen advertise cars with K's lower than what the auction report for the car stated. Other things like sniping cars really cheap at auctions (especially the smaller ones) and then putting really big markups on it are also common, so an auction sheet is a must wherever possible.

As for brokers, I work for one (J-Spec) so I can't really comment if you should use a broker or not as I probably will be biased, I don't do the importing part in the company myself nor work with customers, I build the software that lets us place bids at jap auctions, find cars from non auction sources, even automate listing of cars sent to us by japanese exporters.

Personally I think you pay a broker fee for peace of mind. Also its easier to have one contact point instead of two or three. Plus as I've found out after starting work at a broker, its a lot easier to point the finger at someone local when something dosen't go to plan Also brokers have access to multiple agents, sometimes we come across cars being handled by an agent for a different broker, and due to loyalties or higher agent fees they may refuse to buy the car for our client.

Another thing I've noticed, is that some of the more popular agents are spoken for by brokers here, ie they would rather sell the car to a broker they deal with regularly than a once off customer, so usually if you go thru an agent as a first time buyer or once off buyer, the cars you get are well... "what John West rejects".

[Guest]

As for buyers in japan... try to get original auction sheets wherever possible, there's a few out there (I'm sure DRIFTT can name a few for me )

Dont get me started on those guys and I know dealers even use J-Spec to source the harder cars they have to have.