Supply of Used Cars
Used car exporters, sometimes referred to as export agents, have a number of sources at their disposal. Japanese used cars are mainly sold inJapan at auto auctions by car owners and dealers. At auto auctions, owners are hidden from bidders while the auctioneers provide independent car evaluations (called Inspection Sheets) and place for sellers and buyers to meet. Although auto auctions are primarily for Japanese residents seeking an alternative from buying at dealerships, many exporters, acting as a bidding agent for the importer, use this as their main supply. There are over 30 major (over 200 total) auto auction groups operating throughout Japan including JAA, JU Group, TAA, USS, and ZIP.
Besides auto auctions, Japanese exports have access to two other supplies. One being dealerships which are more expensive to purchase from, and second being private sellers which can prove difficult to use.