Japanese cars ready to import to the USA and Australia

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Japanese auction cars built 25 or more years ago, so they can be imported to the United States under the 25 year rule and to Australia under concessional RAV entry. Updated through the day from the auction houses.

The US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards exempt vehicles 25 years or older, counted from the month they were built. Every car here meets that rule on its build date. We arrange shipping from Japan to the United States: send us your city or ZIP code before you bid and we will prepare a delivered quote covering the car, Japan costs, shipping and customs.

Questions

What is the US 25 year rule?

The United States lets a car that does not meet its Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards be imported once it is 25 years old. The age is counted from the month the car was built, not its model year, so a car built in March 2001 qualifies in March 2026, not on 1 January. The emissions exemption comes earlier, at 21 years, so 25 years is the rule that decides.

How do you know when a car was built?

We use the build date from the auction listing, or the date of first registration where that is all the listing gives. A car is registered at or after it is built, so this never makes a car look older than it is. A car with no date at all is never shown as ready to import to the USA or Australia.

Can you ship a car to the United States?

Yes. Send us your city or ZIP code before you bid and we will prepare a delivered quote covering the car, Japan costs, shipping and customs.

How do I bid on a car?

Choose a car, set the most you want to pay, and we bid for you at the auction in Japan. Bids close at 9pm UK time the evening before the auction. The deposit is £2,000 for a maximum bid up to £30,000, or 10% of the maximum above that.

How long does shipping take?

It depends on where you are and the sailing: to the UK it typically takes Depends on your country. For other countries we give the time with your delivered quote.

What does Autoselecta do?

We buy cars at Japanese auctions for customers in the UK and abroad. We translate the auction sheet, bid for you at the auction up to the maximum you set, then arrange export from Japan, shipping and the import paperwork. Your deposit is held on your card (or paid by bank transfer over £30,000) and only kept if you win.