How to set a realistic landed budget

Start with landed cost, not the hammer price

The number on an auction sheet or dealer listing is the start of the conversation, not the end of it. A realistic budget accounts for the vehicle price plus everything it takes to get that car from a Japanese auction hall to your driveway — buying and agent fees, domestic transport within Japan, export preparation, marine freight, UK duty and VAT, port handling, and registration. Treat the purchase price as one line on a longer sheet, not the whole sheet.

What typically adds up

Costs generally fall into three stages: sourcing and buying, shipping and arrival, and getting the car road-ready in the UK. The exact figures move with vehicle size, current freight rates, and the duty and VAT treatment that applies to your specific car — which is why we run a landed cost estimate before you commit to a listing, not after.

Exchange rates move between the day you bid and the day you pay, and condition reports don’t always tell the full story, so we build a contingency into every estimate. If you want a working number before you start watching listings, our cost calculator gives you a starting point in minutes.