My stepfather was visiting this weekend, and we were too busy working in the garden for us to look something up on t'Internet, so I'm throwing the question out there to the empeg braintrust.

Basically, he wants to import a Japanese-spec Chevrolet Dayvan. I'm not sure which year. He's planning on finding one in Japan (apparently the spec's better: more extras) and having it shipped to Europe (import duty's cheaper than the UK).

He's heard that there are various Japanese-based websites that cater to English-speaking people wanting to do pretty much this.

Unfotrtunately, we didn't have any time to hit Google before he left this evening, and I know that some of you guys have experience importing cars, so I wondered if you could give me some pointers that I can forward on to him?

If it's LHD then that is fairly easy, I don't know how to procure a car from Japan but basically once it's in the country you need to get an MOT and SVA test, then hand the certificates to the DVLA, pay some money and you are done. For SVA you can either sent it to a specialist to have all the changes done (mainly lighting), or buy the test manual and check it cover yourself. Much of the manual is irrelevant for FMVSS (US safety standard) approved vehicles and LHD is exempted for quite a lot of things, eg. folding mirrors.

RHD is trickier than LHD, basically for a RHD non-EU spec vehicle less than 10 years old you need to do an ESVA, and usually than means "renting" an ESVA certificate from somebody who has had an ESVA test, because the testing is thorough and expensive. the difference is that the gov't wanted to restrict the number of vehicles imported from Japan because it was impacting the UK sales. The official reason was supposed to be safety concerns, but I don't think any of the most popular imports are substantially different from the EU-spec models.

edit: I forgot to mention costs - basically take the purchase price, then add the ocean shipping cost. The tax due is 10% for import duty, then VAT on top of the purchase price+duty. You can have a shipping agent deal with all this, cost is around £100. I haven't shipped a car from Japan, but when buying from the US I've arranged all the shipping myself, although from Japan it might be best to buy from a dealer who arranges all the shipping for you.

There are a few (four to six) westerner-run brokers in Tokyo who will do the whole thing for you, including sourcing the vehicle at the out-of-town auctions. They do a lot of exports so you'll get the economy of scale in managing the shipping / paperwork etc.

Unless your stepfather is familiar with Japan and speaks pretty good Japanese this is the only way to go. If not, then trying to do any part of it by yourself at the Japan end is a sure route to ulcers. Can't speak to the ease of doing it at the European end.

These are probably the three brokers that get most coverage / buzz in the market here. Never used any of them myself so can't give an opinion.

http://japan-tradings.com/index.htm
http://www.occidental.co.jp/
http://www.micklay.com/

Regards

Mark

Chevy in Japan has a tie up with Suzuki, so maybe it's some Suzuki model with a Chevy badge ? I think the only "official" Chevys here are the big SUVs.

Give Miguel at Newera imports a call. He should be able to help you out

http://www.neweraimports.com

Search google for "van conversions" is maybe what I was trying to say.

One place is http://www.sterlingvans.com/newvans.htm

P.S. searching for "conversion vans" will net a different set of results.

I have heard of a few US vehicles sold in Japan, I'm not sure if they were official imports or sold by specalist dealers. The LHD problem would put off a lot of people, I don't think Chevy have made many US vehicles in RHD - the S10 and Blazer were sold in the Australian market in RHD and also sold in the UK in very small numbers (like < 1,000 total)

In the US, these automobiles would simply be called "vans", or maybe "conversion vans" if they have aftermarket modifications, especially heightened roofs. Is the difference between what you're talking about and something like a Ford Transit (not sold in the US, AFAIK) the fact that the "dayvan" is a passenger vehicle, while a Transit or its ilk is a cargo van? Because I don't think we have any real distinction between that, other than to simply call them "passenger vans" and "cargo vans", and, even then, they're the same model van with seats added or removed. I do see a Sprinter every now and then (badged as a Dodge), but not often, and always as a commercial vehicle. Not that virtually anyone drives vans as passenger cars anymore; that market has largely been taken over by minivans, which I believe you call MPVs (the Renault Espace seems to be the canonical version in Europe), and those are dorkmobiles (no offense, Derrick).