What most Irish dealers won’t tell you about importing cars from Japan

There's a side to importing cars from Japan that most Irish dealers prefer not to talk about. 

What really happens behind the scenes when importing from Japan 

If you've spent any time browsing cars in Ireland, you'll have noticed something fairly quickly — prices can vary a lot, even for what appears to be the same car.

Mileage looks similar. Specs look similar. Yet somehow, one car is €8,000 more than another.

And that's usually where the questions start.

For many buyers, importing a car from Japan only comes into the conversation later — often after they've already been through dealerships, listings, and comparisons that don't quite add up.

But once you start looking a bit closer, the difference becomes clearer.

Most cars sold locally have already passed through multiple hands before reaching the buyer. There are margins built in at each stage — sourcing, transport, preparation, resale. By the time the car appears on the Irish market, the price reflects far more than just the vehicle itself.

That's not necessarily a bad thing. It's simply how the system works.

What's different with Japan is access.

Instead of buying a car that has already been sourced, shipped, and marked up, you're effectively stepping much closer to the beginning of that chain. You're seeing vehicles at the point where they're actually entering the market — often through auctions or dealer networks that aren't visible to the average buyer.

And that changes the dynamic completely.

Because now, instead of choosing from what's available locally, you're choosing from what's available globally — with far more detail, transparency, and variety.

Auction sheets, grading systems, service records — these aren't just extras, they're standard. And for buyers who care about condition and specification, that level of information makes a significant difference.

Of course, this doesn't mean importing is always the better option.

There are still costs to consider, timelines to understand, and decisions to be made before committing. The key difference is that those elements can be seen and planned for — rather than discovered after the fact.

That's where most misconceptions come from.

Because from the outside, importing can seem complicated. But in reality, the complexity is usually just unfamiliarity.

Once the process is understood properly, it becomes far more straightforward — and in many cases, far more predictable than buying locally.

If you're looking at this from a practical point of view, it's worth understanding how the full process works: Import process guide

And just as importantly, how the real costs are structured: Full cost breakdown

Because once you see both sides clearly — local market vs direct import — the decision tends to become a lot easier.

Related Guides

Hidden costs: Hidden Costs When Importing a Car from Japan to Ireland
VRT: How Much VRT Will You Pay on a Japanese Import in Ireland