Terms of Service
Hello, and thank you for your interest in purchasing a vehicle through Pacific Coast Auto.
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Pacific Coast Auto Imports LLC. is a registered dealer, purchasing agent, and exporter of used vehicles based in Yokohama Japan.
Pacific Coast Auto Imports Business Registration Number 0200-03-004982
Registered Dealer Of Used Goods Number 451400004404.
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This document outlines the terms and conditions for purchasing a vehicle through Pacific Coast Auto Imports LLC. (hereafter referred to as PCA).
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Purchase terms
PCA acts as your agent to purchase directly from both Japanese dealer auctions, and used car dealerships. PCA is strictly an agent for your purchase, and does not warranty purchases made. Vehicles purchased from auctions and dealerships, should be considered in “as-is” condition with no warranty implied by PCA. Vehicles purchased from PCA inventory have no warranties implied and should also be considered "as-is".
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Fees and costs
PCA has a flat rate service charge. Our standard fee is 100,000 yen. This fee includes all the costs listed on our pricing list – www.pacificcoastjdm.com/price. For vehicles over 1,000,000 yen, we charge an additional 5% on any amount over 1,000,000 yen. You will also pay the inland transport as outlined here – www.pacificcoastjdm.com/inland-transport. Customers will also pay the auction purchase fees, which varies from 10,000 - 20,000 yen in most cases. PCA will do our best to notify you if there will be any other costs before bidding. There may be times where further costs are not known until after purchase. In particular- low vehicles, tall vehicles, or those older than 25 years old have a higher chance of extra costs.
PCA does not charge consumption tax on any costs (vehicle, transport, mechanical work, parts, etc). For non-vehicle invoices, you may be charged the 2,500 yen receiving fee (depending on transfer method).​
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Security deposit
PCA requires a security deposit for all bidding or dealer inquiries.
Bidding up to 1,000,000 yen requires a deposit of 100,000 yen​
Bidding over 1,000,000 yen requires a deposit of 300,000 yen
Bidding over 5,000,000 yen requires a deposit of 50% of the bid amount
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The customer can decide if the security deposit is used to pay for the invoice, or if PCA will hold it for further bidding. Once a car is won, the deposit is frozen until that invoice is paid for. Customers wishing to win multiple vehicles will need multiple deposits.
Deposits are refundable any time for any reason. There is a 5,000 yen fee to have your deposit sent back if you do not make a purchase. This covers the costs of sending/receiving the money. Deposits MUST be refunded to the same account with the same account name if not used toward an invoice.
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Payment
Payment for all invoices needs to be received within seven calendar days from the PURCHASE date regardless of when your invoice is issued. Please ensure that you are familiar with how to send money prior to placing any bids so there are no delays in receiving the payment. We strongly recommend using the same transfer method for the security deposit as final payment.
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Payments that are received later than 7 calendar days from the invoice date may incur a penalty except where late payment permission is explicitly granted. If the payment date lands on a holiday in Japan, the payment date moves to the next business day. There is a 5,000 yen penalty PER DAY for late payments, starting from the 8th day regardless of the invoice amount. Failure to pay within 14 days may result in the forfeit of the deposit of the amount attached to that purchase.
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Auction Sheet
The auction report (or auction sheet) gives you an outline of the condition of the vehicle and is used as the main determiner of the vehicle condition before purchase. However, there are times that the auction report misses vehicle damage. In most cases, this is not claimable to the auction. PCA is not responsible for the accuracy of the information on the auction sheet. Vehicles over 15 years old, with lower grade, or with higher mileage will have higher chances of missed damage by the auction inspector. Each auction house has their own policy for claims. For more information, please ask your sales representative.
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You will be supplied with an English translation of the auction inspection report upon your request. Every attempt is made to translate all auction reports in time, but there may be times when we are unable to translate with enough time to bid on a vehicle. Although unlikely, there may be human error by PCA staff in the translations of the auction reports. In this case, we will negotiate with the buyer regarding a resolution.
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It is the buyer's responsibility to read and understand the following information before bidding on cars.
www.pacificcoastjdm.com/auction-information
Bidding​
Please email your bids to the address given to you by your sales person. Bids should be sent in as early as possible. Bids sent in within one hour of the auction time will likely be too late to register. PCA cannot guarantee that we can set all bids in time. Customers can bid on multiple vehicles in a day on a single deposit. PCA will cancel any future bids once you run out of deposit amounts.
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Bidding and Translation Limits
Customer accounts will be given a quota of free TRANSLATION REQUESTS and free BIDS.
Standard customers receive 20 free translations and 10 free bids.
Additional 10 translations and 5 bids cost 5,000 yen and will be placed on your account until your next invoice.
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Remaining translation requests or bids are non-refundable and do not roll over to future bids. Once a customer makes a purchase, the quota is automatically reset back to the max 20 translations and 10 bids regardless remaining bids and translations.
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Pacific Coast Auto Vehicle Report
For an additional fee of 20,000 yen, PCA will do a report on your vehicle condition including approximately 80 pictures and 15 minutes of video. For this, the vehicle must be sent to the PCA lot, not the port directly. The purpose of this report is to give you detailed information about the condition of your vehicle. By doing the report, we do not warranty the information given, and don't accept claims for missed problems with the vehicle.
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Customers not opting for the Vehicle Report will get a set of pictures from the port, typically 8-10 and no videos. PCA staff will not see the car before export.
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Vehicle Mechanical Liability​
Once a bid is successful, you will become the de facto owner of the vehicle and as such will be liable for any costs incurred as a result of vehicle mechanical problems. This includes, but is not limited to, mechanical repairs, transportation costs, port removal fees, etc. In the event of problems, your sales person will explain options for you to either have the vehicle repaired, or re-sold in Japan.
The transport company might refuse to drive vehicles that are potentially problematic. In this case, the vehicle will be carried by a car carrier at a higher cost. Vehicles older than 30 years old MUST be carried at an extra cost. PCA will search for the lowest price option on your behalf, but the customer must agree to the higher costs of transport. Vehicles that exit the port for maintenance will have to pay a port-exit fee. This is usually about 4,500 yen plus storage costs for each day it was in the port. Customers expecting to pay for maintenance in Japan, or those buying risky vehicles are advised to have their cars sent to the PCA lot before export.
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Spare Parts
Auction vehicles sometimes come with spare parts in the vehicle. These parts can be shipped to you at an additional service fee. This is only available on vehicles shipped to the PCA lot before going to the port. All port-direct vehicles will have parts automatically disposed of. Parts can’t be shipped inside the vehicle as per regulations for RORO carriers.
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If you wish to have the parts sent to you, PCA will charge you a handling fee of 2,000 yen, packaging fee (typically between 500 – 2000 yen), and shipping fee. In the event that these parts are not wanted, Pacific Coast will dispose of the parts as we see fit. We do not offer services to purchase the parts from you, or sell them on your behalf. Disposal fees (if any) will be the responsibility of the buyer.
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Extra Costs for Special Cases
Any vehicle registered as a camping vehicle will have an extra fee of 90,000 yen.
Customers located in Japan are charged an additional 50,000 yen, will be charged 10% tax, and are subject to extra terms.
Some countries require additional testing before export. This is charged separately.
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3rd Party Mechanic Work
PCA has a network of third party shops to complete work on the vehicles before export. PCA charges a 15% fee for managing the mechanical work that is outsourced, but will pass down our volume discounts when applicable. PCA will not charge the 10% tax.
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Customers will be sent a quote for the of the work including the price and the recommended work. You need to give us the okay to do the work. All mechanical work is not guaranteed by PCA including to but not limited to problems found after shipping, extra costs above the quote, broken parts during maintenance. Vehicles over 20 years old are particularly vulnerable to mechanical failures or special challenges that can be difficult and costly to repair.
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Storage
All vehicles that are to be exported immediately will be given free storage. Vehicles not exported right away due to mechanical problems, delayed shipping, or at your request, will receive free storage of 30 days at the port. PCA does not offer storage at our lot except cars waiting for mechanical work. After the 30 days, we will invoice you the actual amount of storage. This is typically 450 yen per day, but will depend on the port of export.
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Post
PCA will pay for the cost of shipping documents to the customer via DHL. Manuals and other paperwork will be placed in the car. PCA will pay a maximum of 5,000 yen for document sending. Amounts above that will be charged to the buyer.
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Shipping​
Vehicles can be shipped via RORO or container. You will be recommended the ideal shipment type for you. Not all shipping types are available to all areas or all ports. Vehicles will not be shipping until full payment for the vehicle is received.
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The cost of freight will be invoiced at the time of purchase. We do not offer COLLECT shipping payment terms. The freight will be calculated on the purchase date using the exchange rate on that day.
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It is possible for vehicles to have mechanical or other problems preventing loading. The buyer is responsible for these extra costs and must understand that delays and extra storage are likely. PCA is not liable to compensate you in these cases.
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Full coverage insurance is available upon request and at an extra cost. This insurance policy covers the vehicle from natural caused damages and human errors from the time of vehicle loading, until the time you receive the vehicle. It does not cover vehicle mechanical failure, or costs associated with such. The insurance is a third party company and PCA accepts no liability for claims or performance of the insurance company. There is no deductible for insurance, but claims are subject to the insurance company's approval. For extra information, please ask your sales person.
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The vehicle age is documented on the Japanese registration papers based on the month and year of the FIRST REGISTRATION IN JAPAN, not the date of production. In some cases, vehicles will differ in production and first-registration dates. PCA does not offer a service to provide proof of manufacture date. This is up to the buyer to source when necessary.
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Pickup and import
PCA acts as an exporter only. We are not responsible for the import of the vehicle into your country. You may ask your sales representative for advice on importing, but the full liability will be on you. This includes, but is not limited to – Import duty, taxes, port fees, customs costs, storage, etc. In a case that buyers attempt to import vehicles that are not legal, PCA has no liability for any costs or loss. ​
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Third Party Purchases
For customers purchasing on behalf of another buyer- You will be responsible for any late payment fees or lost deposit due to non-payment on behalf of anyone you choose to buy for. It is strongly recommended to have a deposit of equal or greater value from your buyers.
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Closing
At PCA, we strive to bring value to our individual customers and dealer buyers. If you require clarification on any part of this document, please ask a sales rep before submitting it.
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By submitting the below forum you agree to the terms of service outlined here. From that point on, any time you bid on a vehicle, you are agreeing to the current version of the Terms of Service at the time of the bid.