When is the best time to buy a car from the Japanese car auctions?
The short answer is anytime that you see a good deal. However, seasonal factors also come into play. The Japanese Financial Year starts on 1 April. That means that fleet owners will dispose of their fleet cars, private owners will relocate and sell their car rather than pay to have it trucked to their new location and a new tax instalment becomes payable if the car is owned into the new financial year. This in turn usually means a flood of cars entering the market in the second half of March and the first half of April, which in turn usually means a dip down in prices. Also, the period starting around Christmas Day and up to the New Year break can be a great time to get cheap cars at the Japanese auctions. Foreign buyers are distracted at home with their beer and Christmas pudding and Japanese domestic market buyers are in the “Bonenkai” end of year party season just before the end of year shutdown. Auction prices will often temporarily fall and then pick up again after the New Year br
