Buy Used Cars from Japan to the UK with Trusted Inspection Reports

Carbarn supplies Japanese used cars to buyers across the United Kingdom, sourcing directly from Japanese auction houses and dealer stock and shipping by RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off) to Southampton and Bristol (Portbury). The United Kingdom drives on the left, so Japanese cars arrive with the steering wheel already on the correct side. That is why everyday models such as the Toyota Prius, Nissan Note, Honda Freed and Toyota Alphard sell here as readily as the Skyline, Supra and Impreza that made Japanese cars popular with British enthusiasts in the first place.

There is no age limit on cars or vans imported into the United Kingdom, so what matters is how old the car is. A car aged 3 to 10 years has to pass an Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) test before it can be registered. A car over 10 years needs only an MOT. A car of 30 years or more is charged import VAT at 5% instead of 20%. Every listing shows the car's age and what that means for the test and the VAT, before you buy.

The United Kingdom does not require a car to be inspected in Japan before it ships. The checks happen after it lands: a Notification of Vehicle Arrivals (NOVA) is filed with HM Revenue & Customs within 14 days, duty and VAT are paid, the test set by the car's age is completed, and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency issues the first registration. Sailings run monthly with Höegh Autoliners and the voyage takes 30 to 50 days, so you know the dates well before the car arrives.