Sports cars, everyday saloons and SUVs, and EVs or hybrids — we bid at the Japanese auction houses, ship RoRo into the UK, and handle every bit of compliance in between, whatever's on your list.
Every car ships with its original Japanese auction sheet, and every EV or plug-in ships with a battery health check on top. Grades and notes are read straight from the paperwork — we don't rewrite the assessment to make a car look better.
This is the actual sequence a car goes through, from the moment it's spotted at auction to the moment it's on your drive — whether it's a GT-R or a Prius.
We search live Japanese auction listings against your spec — model, grade, mileage ceiling, colour — and bid on your behalf with a hard limit you set in advance.
Once we win the car, we send you the original auction sheet, translated, plus extra photos — and for EVs and plug-ins, a battery state-of-health reading — before anything is paid for in full.
The car goes RoRo or in a container from a Japanese port to Southampton or Bristol, depending on sailing schedules — typically 6–9 weeks.
We handle HMRC import declarations, NOVA notification, and DVLA registration, including IVA testing where the age and spec of the car require it.
Fully registered with a UK plate and V5C, delivered to your door or ready for collection in Nelson.
Import cars are usually paid to the Japanese seller in stages, which makes them awkward for some lenders. We work this out before you commit to a car, not after — whatever you're financing.
Cash price, landed and pre-registered
Example only, based on typical rates — not a quote. Finance is subject to status and available to UK residents 18+. Northern Car Imports is a credit broker, not a lender, and may receive commission from the finance provider we introduce you to.
Northern Car Imports began in 2013 when our founder, tired of paying UK dealer markups on cars Japan already had in huge supply, started bringing in his own from the Osaka auctions and doing the compliance work himself. That started with sports cars — but the same auction houses move just as many well-kept saloons, SUVs, hybrids and EVs, so the stock grew to match what people actually asked for.
We're still a small team — no call centre, no sales targets. The person who bids on your car at auction is the same person you'll call when it's time to arrange delivery.
We bid on your behalf at Japanese auction houses, pay and inspect the car once we win it, ship it to the UK by RoRo or container, then handle HMRC import declarations, NOVA notification, and DVLA registration before delivery.
Yes. Once registered with the DVLA and, where required by age and specification, passed through an IVA test, an imported Japanese car is fully road legal in the UK, the same as any other registered vehicle.
Japanese auction houses inspect every car before sale and issue a grade, typically from 1 to 6 with an A to D condition rating, covering bodywork, interior condition, and accident history. We pass on the original auction sheet with every car.
From winning the car at auction to delivery in the UK typically takes 6 to 9 weeks, depending on sailing schedules and how long compliance and registration take once the car lands.
Yes. Japan has a large supply of well-maintained hybrids and EVs due to short ownership cycles. For electric and plug-in hybrid imports we also provide a battery state-of-health reading alongside the standard auction paperwork.
Yes, hire purchase and PCP are both available, subject to status, along with part-exchange and bridging finance on cars already landed and registered in the UK.