Journal. Notes on importing cars from Japan.
Practical know-how about Japanese auctions, import costs, customs paperwork and Polish registration. Myths, facts and concrete tips — drawn from 20 years in car import and 11 years on the Japanese market.
Toyota Supra MK5 from Japan: production ends, the legend begins
Supra MK5 production ended in March 2026. Our catalog of Japanese auctions holds 392 Supras, all right-hand drive: the three-litre A90 RZ opens at a median of 5.49 million yen with 11,000 km median mileage, and the import bill with 18.6% excise closes customs at around 219,500 PLN.
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Japan car import companies in Poland: rules, deposits and reviews compared
Stradale Classics, Arkam Cars, Carfactor and Sakura Motors: we checked public price lists, deposits and reviews as of 18 August 2026 and put our own rules beside them. Of the four, none publishes a full flat fee on its own website (only the fifth in the lineup, US&JDM Cars, does); ours is stated outright: 8,000 PLN after the car is delivered.
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Mercedes SL R129 from Japan: the last SL built with no expense spared
The Mercedes R129 is the last SL designed with no regard for the budget. We check the versions and engines, median starting prices from our auctions, typical faults and the import bill with 18.6% excise.
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Right-hand drive and registration in Poland
A right-hand-drive car imported straight from Japan cannot be registered in Poland under the general rules. § 9(2) of the technical-conditions regulation prohibits it, and the exception covers only new cars with EC type approval or cars previously registered in the EU. We set out the provision, three routes that work and two we are unsure of.
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KIDPNPP and the UC95 bill: what changes for non-EU car imports
The KIDPNPP procedure is not in force. We verified the status on 27 July 2026 in ISAP, the Sejm print register, the Government Legislation Centre and at TDT: it remains draft bill UC95 at the government stage. We explain what it proposes, what it should cost, when it could take effect, and why a data-plate photograph taken in Japan is the cheapest insurance today.
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The 2JZ and other JDM legends: the pact that froze spec sheets at 280 PS
The Toyota 2JZ-GTE, Nissan RB26DETT and Mazda 13B-REW shared one catalogue number: 280 PS, because that is what the manufacturers' pact allowed. We explain where the cap came from, why it built engines with a huge strength reserve, and what cars with these units cost at Japanese auctions today.
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Cadillac Escalade from Japan: 96% left-hand drive
Cadillac is a niche in Japan: a few hundred registrations a year and a small, well-kept pool of cars. We cover Escalade generations, starting prices by model year from our auction data, and what importing one to Poland costs.
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Lamborghini Urus from Japan: showroom-mileage super SUV
In 2023 six out of ten new Lamborghinis were Uruses. We break down the versions from base to the hybrid SE, show median starting prices and mileages from our auction data, and calculate step by step what importing a Urus from Japan to Poland costs.
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Mercedes G-Class from Japan: hundreds of left-hand-drive Gelandewagens
The Mercedes G-Class from Japan: 448 cars in our catalog, every one left-hand drive, median mileage 40,000 km. We show the 2018 price step, medians by model year and the worked G 63 import bill: around 543,600 PLN all in against Polish asking prices from 640,000.
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Toyota Chaser from Japan: the family sedan that became a drift legend
The Toyota Chaser was a plain Japanese family sedan that became one of drifting's defining platforms. Our catalog holds 142 of them, nearly 70% manual, and we work out what importing a clean JZX100 Tourer V to Poland actually costs, item by item.
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Mercedes-AMG GT from Japan: one name, two different cars
What a Mercedes-AMG GT from Japan costs: a median starting price of 11.0 million yen for the coupe and 8.0 million for the four-door X290, the import bill worked through, and the 2000 cc threshold worth nearly 64,000 PLN. All 74 cars in our catalog are left-hand drive.
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Mercedes CLS 63 AMG from Japan: two different V8s under one name
The Mercedes CLS 63 AMG is two generations and two different V8s: a naturally aspirated 6.2 M156 and a twin-turbo 5.5 M157. We check the engines, the median starting prices from our auctions and the import bill with 18.6% excise on a big V8. Every example in our catalog is left-hand drive.
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Maserati Ghibli from Japan: low mileage instead of a low price
Maserati Ghibli from Japan: median starting prices, half the local mileage and the import maths where excise drops from 18.6% to 1.55%.
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What is JDM? A guide to Japan's domestic market
JDM means cars built for Japan's home market, with different spec from export versions. We explain the definition, the categories from kei to halo models, and why a Polish importer has an edge over an American one.
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Kei car: what Japan's mini-cars are and whether importing one pays off
Kei is Japan's smallest car class: at most 3.40 m, 660 cc and a notional 64 PS. We explain the rules, the iconic models from the Honda Beat to the Autozam AZ-1, the kei van and kei truck, and when importing one to Poland actually pays off.
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How much does it cost to import a car from Japan? Full 2026 breakdown
The winning bid is only the start. We break down the full cost of importing a car from Japan to Poland: commissions, freight, duty, excise and VAT, with official rates, typical totals by segment and two worked examples on real cars.
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Japanese car auctions — the secrets of buying cars from Japan
A huge selection of vehicles and attractive prices — the two main reasons more and more people choose to import directly from Japanese auctions. How it works from the inside, and what to keep an eye on.
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A Mercedes from Japan is a good idea!
Reliability and attractive pricing — the two key reasons to consider importing a Mercedes from Japan. What sets Japanese examples apart from European ones.
Read →Facts and myths about importing cars from Japan
Plenty of myths have grown around importing from Japan — from supposed registration problems to quality misconceptions. We address the most common ones.
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USS auction sheet from the inside: how to read an inspection in 6 steps
Every Japanese sheet has two grade fields (1–6, A–D), a map with A/U/W/S/X symbols, and inspector's notes. 90% of import scams happen where buyers don't know the codes. Step-by-step guide.
Read →2026 excise on Japanese imports
Excise rates depend on engine size: 3.1% up to 2000 cc and 18.6% above, charged on the customs value plus duty. Hybrids pay half, electrics and hydrogen are exempt. Statutory rates, formalities, common mistakes and worked examples.
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Container or RoRo? Japan → Poland routes
RoRo is cheaper and simpler, a container pricier but safer and with room for parts. We compare cost, transit time, risk and insurance, and suggest when to pick which way to ship a car from Japan.
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