Our 8 Step Import Process Explained

Read How Our Team Import Your Dream Vehicle From Japan

At Garage Apex, we make importing vehicles simple and stress-free. Our step-by-step Import Process guides you from the initial consultation to driving away in your fully registered and compliant car. With expert support at every stage—from auction bidding to shipping, compliance, and registration—we ensure a smooth, transparent, and efficient experience from Japan to your driveway.

Every step tracked live,

in your Auction Portal account.

Every lot from Japan’s major auction houses, with photos, auction sheets and past sale prices

✔ Bid results the moment the hammer falls

✔ Shipping and arrival updates

✔ Compliance progress and your pickup date

Example: a 2022 Toyota Noah S-Z, Lot 4580 · USS Tokyo, moving through seven stages from finding your car to ready for pickup.

1

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Initial Consult

You tell us what you’re after, e.g. year, specifications, etc. We’ll check recent market averages and send you an estimate. If you’re happy with it, you’ll pay the Broker Fee at this point.

2

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Auction Search

Our specialist buyer team searches daily and sends through relevant vehicles before bidding. You can also set a budget and we’ll automatically bid on matching listings.

3

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Auction Win

Congratulations! You’ve won the car of your dreams. We’ll convert the currency based on the current exchange rate, and you’ll have 5 business days to settle payment.

4

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Shipping

The vehicle is transported to our depot in Japan for dispatch. Allow an average of 2 months for shipping.

5

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Arrival

The vehicle arrives in Australia. Allow 2 weeks for customs clearance. After that, it’s transported to our workshop.

6

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Compliance or Engineering

We perform a Vehicle Compliance Check per ADR. Allow an average of 2 weeks for this step. If the car is over 25 years old, it instead goes through the VASS engineering channel.

7

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Roadworthy Inspection & Registration

As a one-stop-shop service, we can conduct roadworthy inspection and register your car for you, making sure it’s both safe and legal to drive.

8

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Hit the Road!

We’ll arrange a day for handover when you’ll settle the final shipping and compliance or engineering costs. Then, you can just hop in and drive your new whip!

Two ways to start
Both end with your car compliant, registered and ready to drive.
WE FIND IT FOR YOU
Tell us what you're after
Our buyers search the auctions daily and send you cars that match, before they bid.

✔ A buyer working on your search

✔ Market check and estimate first

✔ No account needed

FIND IT YOURSELF
Browse the auctions live
See every lot from Japan's major auction houses and pick the car yourself. We handle the rest.

✔ HD photos and English auction sheets

✔ Real sale prices for any model

✔ Free account, no payments

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