American vehicles differ in their optics and non-standard measurement units on the dashboard, but this issue is easily resolved. The car owner gets a car with familiar kilometers, degrees Celsius, and optics that meet European standards.
If you are interested in buying an American vehicle and already envision a nice Camry or a stylish Passat in your garage, then it's time to choose an assistant for buying a car from America. But it definitely shouldn't be just any company found online that promises all the benefits on earth without any supporting information.
Browsing American car auctions without a prepared plan for selecting and buying a car will also be of little use. The buyer will only waste a lot of time. It's important to consider many nuances for a quick and fruitful search for a good car at the most favorable prices.
Like any deal, this one also has its advantages and disadvantages. It's better to know about them in advance. Many companies are involved in importing cars from the USA. But there are true professionals capable of minimizing all risks. And there are fly-by-night companies that profit today and may be gone tomorrow.
Potential buyers of American cars must find out exactly how the deal works. Is there a real benefit for the Ukrainian car enthusiast in importing and clearing an overseas vehicle? Also, what is behind the boom in American cars, and will it ever end?
What is the strength of cars from the USA?
A few years ago, Ukraine adopted laws that allow car enthusiasts to import more used foreign vehicles from any country with reduced taxes and duties. This indeed led to a boom in foreign cars. But Ukrainians preferred America, although they can consider any secondary market in the world.
The point is that competing with the American market is practically impossible. The only thing that upsets buyers is the remoteness of American platforms selling used cars. After purchase, it will take about two months to bring the car from across the ocean. But it is the largest and most developing market in the world.
In the US, over 20 million cars were sold in 2018 alone. In Europe, 22 million cars were sold over the same period. However, the population on the continents differs: about 324 million people live in the US, while Europe has over 700 million.
Americans are more interested in cars than anyone else. They have the highest purchasing power. Automakers worldwide try to release new models exclusively for Americans and update their car lines considering the demands of overseas drivers, who love durable and maximally comfortable cars. Therefore, automakers develop unique models and the most generous trim levels for the American market.
The American secondary market accumulates used cars in huge volumes. There is nowhere to store them, and they are practically not in demand among the local population. The only way to sell used cars from the US is to interest foreign buyers, including Ukrainians. Hence, used vehicles are sold in the US at minimal prices that even Ukrainians can afford.
The largest Ukrainian importer of foreign cars, Carfast.express, is engaged in bringing cars from the USA for Ukrainian motorists. And at any moment, it can check any model that interests the customer. In the US, there is an insurance system that records all information about a car in a national database: road accidents, thefts, flood damage, vandalism, and natural disasters.
Such cars are not interesting to Americans – it's unprofitable to restore them. The only way to get at least some money back is to sell them quickly and cheaply to buyers who might be interested, i.e., foreigners. Therefore, auctions are held where cars are listed with a brief description and photos. Several participants from different countries can bid on each lot. The one who offers the highest price wins.
Do American auctions only sell flooded and damaged cars?
The lion's share of vehicles is presented in not a very presentable form: defects of varying severity, untidiness. This stuns many Ukrainian buyers and immediately scares them off. In fact, attention is paid not to beauty, but to damage and operating history. If a car was maintained for three years and then was hit by hail and abandoned – this is an ideal purchase option. Defects are eliminated easily and cheaply; the main thing is that the car's key components are in working condition.
In America, the category "cars after an accident" includes all cars with various damages that were recorded as participants in a road accident. Therefore, cars with engine or generator damage also fall into the category of vehicles after an accident, as do cars with a slight dent in the bumper.
Specialists at Carfast.express guarantee that models selected by their pickers at US auctions will start, drive on their own, and have no violations of body geometry. Finding a car with minor damage and at a ridiculous price, in good condition, is indeed possible.
Dents or broken windows and mirrors allow Ukrainians to save a lot. Because of these defects, the car immediately drops in price, but they are not critical. Plus, the buyer immediately sees how badly the car is damaged and where. You can estimate the cost of future repairs and assess the benefits of purchasing a specific model.
Some auctions restore cars and sell such lots a bit more expensive. They eliminate various defects, but it's hard to judge the quality of the repair. The work of professional auto mechanics in the US is very expensive, so no one will seriously repair vehicles – their cost would increase several times, and no one would want to pay such money.
Private car owners and resellers also trade on the platforms. They can also cosmetically restore a car, and it will look like new. The price will be slightly increased. But in reality, there can be no talk of any repair. Such cars are called "dolls." They should be feared the most. It should be alarming if a beautiful foreign car, like new, is sold at the price of a well-used car.
Although there are national databases AutoCheck, Carfax, which allow checking all information about a car. It is here that "wrecks," "dolls," "flooded cars," and "rollovers" are identified. There is complete information about each car: thefts, accidents, vandalism, loans, leasing, mileage, repairs, and maintenance. So, by checking the model, the buyer will be convinced that the car is good or will reveal fraud. The check is done independently or by requesting a report from Carfast.express experts.
Another drawback of buying American cars is the possibility of conducting a technical inspection of the desired vehicle only after purchase. Until that moment, the potential buyer has only theory. An in-person, live inspection of the car is impossible.
There is no guarantee that the car will behave impeccably when it arrives in Ukraine, even if it had only one owner throughout its operating history, timely maintenance, no accidents, and an excellent appearance.
To protect against such surprises, Carfast.express offers the help of an expert in the US. He will go to the auction site and personally inspect the car. He will take additional photos of the model and record video. But this additional service will have to be included in the overall cost. Calling an expert in the US costs from $100.
Payment for the appraiser's work is made in any case, regardless of whether the customer subsequently buys this car or not. Plus, specialists inspect the car visually. They do not have the opportunity to organize a full-fledged inspection of the car with a lift and test drive.
Can you buy a car from America on your own?
The most convenient, profitable, and hassle-free solution is to entrust the purchase of a car from the USA to foreign car importers. Companies work at car auctions, successfully bid to the customer's advantage, properly handle all documents, and promptly bring foreign cars to Ukraine. It's also important to have connections in many organizations that significantly speed up the transaction.
In Ukraine, such intermediary companies began to grow like mushrooms after rain when the state introduced laws on preferential customs clearance. Customers choosing American models have plenty to choose from. You can find excellent companies with experience and enormous capabilities. This will still be better and easier than doing the process yourself.
After all, you must visit the US to process documents for the car and arrange its delivery to Ukraine: get a visa, buy tickets, book a hotel, find logistics companies, and get access to the car auction. But even the buyer's personal presence in the US will not allow him to check the technical condition of the selected model before purchase.
Auctions also have plenty of lots that cost a few hundred dollars and have a 10-15 year operating history. But it's unprofitable to bring them to Ukraine – customs clearance would be too expensive (possibly 2-3 times more than the car's cost itself). It makes sense to choose younger and more promising cars in the US. It is on them that customs benefits apply:
- the car came off the assembly line after 2010;
- at least Euro-5 class;
- maximum engine displacement for gasoline – 3.0 L, for diesel – 2.5 L.
Carfast.express employees state that a good car, considering the above requirements and all additional costs, including the company's professional services, will cost about $8,500. Finding a decent foreign car with similar data for the same money in Ukraine is simply unrealistic. The same car on the domestic market will cost several thousand dollars more.
For such money, you can choose good models in the mid-price category:
- Toyota Corolla;
- Honda Accord;
- VW Golf;
- Skoda Octavia;
- Ford Focus, etc.
But the most tangible and significant benefit comes from buying a used premium vehicle. Therefore, Carfast.express experts recommend choosing from more significant models: VW Tiguan, Audi Q6, Toyota RAV4, BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Volvo V90. Buying an "American" costs from ten thousand dollars. And at home, they will ask at least $20,000 for such models.
How to order a car from America? What do you have to pay for?
First, the car enthusiast decides on a model. If there are no special preferences, then he browses auction offers and decides what suits him. The most popular car auctions in America:
- Copart,
- (IAAI) Insurance,
- Manheim.
All other issues are handled by specialists of the chosen car import company from the USA: participation in bidding, buying the car, documentation, and organizing cargo transportation to Odesa. No one enters bidding for a lot until it has been meticulously checked. If a company employee is confident that the car is worth buying, there are no problems, the history is clean, and the information is correct, then he enters the bidding.
The simplest breakdown of all costs for buying a vehicle from America, which the buyer pays:
- budget category car: $2,500-$4,500;
- importer company services: $700-$1,100;
- auction commission: $400-$800;
- land transfer of the car to the seaport after purchase: $350-$700;
- sea transportation of the car from the USA to Ukraine: $650-$1,000;
- freight forwarder and broker assistance, taxes, deductions, and fees: $1,600-$3,200.
The calculator on the company's website will help more accurately calculate the total cost of the car if you enter some initial data:
- initial lot price;
- engine displacement;
- year of manufacture, etc.
From the moment Carfast.express employees start working with a client until the buyer receives the desired model, up to three months pass. This is taken into account if the car is bought as a gift, in preparation for a vacation, etc.
Summary on buying cars from America
Inconvenient aspects:
- a trusted person is needed to process documents;
- the money transfer is made by the buyer via international payments;
- additional money and time for customs clearance;
- to get benefits, you need to buy a car younger than 2010. A budget option in the range of $3,500-$6,500 is not suitable (2005-2009);
- a thorough diagnosis of the car is possible only after the fact, when the "American" is bought and delivered to Ukraine.
Advantages of the deal:
- it's really possible to choose an almost new car with symbolic mileage in excellent trim;
- a wide selection of models that have never been sold anywhere except America. For Ukraine, this is exclusive;
- you can earn well by reselling the car: buy cheaply in the states with damage, repair in Ukraine, and sell at Ukrainian secondary market prices, not American. That means 20-30% more expensive.
US car auctions are for those who want a premium car but only have money for a budget option. Purchases in America are profitable with solid savings of at least $5,000-$8,000, especially when buying premium foreign cars.
