Why Would One Use An Exporter?

[jarthel]

I was looking at importers at first but there is a recent thread about exporters.

why would I use them?

I was looking at the services an importer provides and it seems importers takes all the hassle away (from buying the car all the way to compliance).

What service does an exporter provides other than selecting/buying the car and putting it into a boat?

Thank you

ps. I did a quick search and nothing came up.

Edited March 28, 2008 by jarthel

[Blipman]

The only reason you'd use an exporter specifically over an import broker is that you then don't pay the import broker their service fee, so you save a little bit of money.

The reaons you'd use an import broker and pay that bit more are:

- the import broker is probably more familiar with local import laws and can make sure you don't get into trouble there

- an exporter will only have very limited access to a small number of cars from a small number of sources so that will limit your choices a lot

- SOME exporters are not very good and don't care about burning bridges with a one off customer who you'd be as there's nothing to lose, whereas when exporters are dealing with import brokers they have long term relationships to worry about and so can't afford to screw them over

- GOOD import agents will know which exporters to AVOID. Probably the biggest exporter who sells cars to members of the general public in Australia is actually sadly one of the dodgiest and we refuse to deal with them, for example. SO MANY people we've seen think they're saving money by going direct to this exporter, when in reality they get screwd on price, screwd on condition and end up paying a lot more for a poorer car than if they'd gone with an import broker whose first decision would be to avoid these guys. It annoys me so much....

- importers will know what to do when the car arrives, will help with customs clearance, finding a good compliance workshop who does good work at good prices, and a whole lot of other things.

- import brokers have no vested interest in cars since they don't own them, so they can give honest opinions on condition and weather a car is worth buying or waiting for a better one to come along.

And more reasons but that's the basics.... ultimately you need to decide if those points enough to justify paying an import broker, or if you'd rather forego those things and try to save a bit by going to an exporter directly.

Note: I AM an import broker (J-Spec Imports) so assume whatever level of bias you think is appropriate here

Ben

[jarthel]

  Blipman said:

The only reason you'd use an exporter specifically over an import broker is that you then don't pay the import broker their service fee, so you save a little bit of money.

snip...

Well, the amount of money the importer requests is quite small in the scheme of things (depending on the value of car).

thank you. I suppose that somehow confirms my suspicions on the use of exporters instead of importers.

Edited March 28, 2008 by jarthel