Recently, I have been pondering a lot the idea of getting a japan used cars. A friend of mine has just got a small hatchback from an online auction there, and I am shocked at how clean and low-mileage it was compared to what is typically available here. This got me into browsing a few sites that are offering used cars from Japan, but to be honest, I am still trying to find out the whole process and its steps.
Do you purchase cars from Japanese dealers directly, or is a local agent who takes care of the import paper works and shipping the safer way to go? Also, I am curious about what sort of inspection or verification people do prior to making the purchase considering the fact that it is all done remotely.
If anybody has experience in importing a car from Japan I am all ears about what happened. Was it a smooth road or did you run into some unexpected situations with customs, shipping duration, or hidden costs?