I wonder if the "importer" on Faceplant was not the owner, and posting it for sale before actually winning the auction.
They do have some cars in stock for sale, but they mainly act as a buyers agent to bid on cars and take care of all the importation docs. They even can store the vehicle till it is 25 years old. They are in Ferndale WA.
Jdm Importer | United States | The Import Guys
https://www.facebook.com/jdm2usa/
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS!
We are very overdue for this post, so here goes.
Who are you?
-We are The Import Guys, an importer based out of Ferndale, Washington, USA.
What services do you offer?
-Our primary business is importing vehicles from Japan, whether that be cars we have purchased for inventory or cars purchased from the auctions in Japan for a US buyer. We also offer export services from Japan to countries outside of the US and export of vehicles from the US.
What is this page for?
-This page is to highlight vehicles going through the dealer auctions in Japan which are available to be purchased and imported using our services.
What does the process look like?
-Unless a car is rather expensive, we take a $1000 deposit in order to bid. If we are unable to secure a car for you, this deposit is refundable minus the Paypal fee. If we do win, we will issue an invoice for the full cost of the car and import to be paid within 48 hours. From there, the car gets sent to our exporter's lot or straight to the port. The car is then shipped out either to the port of Tacoma if the car will be picked up from our shop or to a port of your choice. We can arrange shipping within the US at a buyer's cost. Providing there is available space on ships, the process usually takes 6-12 weeks.
If a car is under 25, can you store it?
-Yes! We have both indoor and outdoor short- and long-term storage in Japan. Buying a vehicle before it turns 25 can be a great way to save money by beating the US market.
What is your fee?
-In most cases, our fee is a flat $1200 on top of cost
What other costs can I expect?
-For most cars, shipping from Japan to the US is $800-2300 (present shipping availability from Japan means that costs are higher at the moment)
-The auction house in Japan has fees of $100-500
-US import tariffs are 2.5% for cars, 25% for trucks and commercial vehicles (this includes things like cargo vans), along with an additional 0.3464% filing fee
-The logistics company takes a $142 fee
-If going through the port of Tacoma, there is a $104 ramping fee (variable)
-Customs brokerage costs ~$215
-International wire costs $50
-Certified translation costs $90
-Dirt cleaning in Japan costs $100
-Our auction agent in Japan takes a $500-1000 fee
-Transport from the Port of Tacoma to our shop is $200
What should I do if I have questions?