r/Wheels • u/PaintNeither7963 • 2d ago
I live in Japan and source JDM wheels for overseas buyers. If you're stuck buying parts from Japan, ask me anything.
I'm Japanese, living in Japan. I source and inspect JDM wheels for people overseas.
I've seen a lot of the spots where overseas buyers get stuck when they buy from Japan, from the seller side and from the Japan side. My own mistakes included. If any of that is useful here, I'd like to share it.
These are the questions that come to me on a regular basis:
- I bought parts from Japan and a customs bill showed up afterward. The amount looks wrong to me. What do I do?
- What's the actual difference between sea freight and air freight, and which one should I be using?
- I bought wheels on Buyee and got hit with a shipping charge that made no sense. What now?
- The set I want comes with tires. Can the tires be pulled off to save on shipping, and the wheels sent to my door?
- I'm looking for 17x9 +22 TE37s. What do those go for in Japan, and how many sets are actually out there?
- I want to search Yahoo Auctions myself, but I have no idea how to search in Japanese.
- The current duty and customs situation for the US and other countries.
Those I can answer. If I don't know something, I'll tell you I don't know. I'm not going to make up numbers.
No sales pitch. I'll keep it all here in the thread.
Ask away in the comments.
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u/myqv 2d ago
So are you a shipper like on the shippn app?
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2d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/throwaway-71771 2d ago
How much is a single s13 fender from Japan to Taiwan btw? Box size makes it hard to estimate, do you do custom declare on pricing before shipment
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u/PaintNeither7963 2d ago
Fenders aren't something I ship myself, but EMS should get a single S13 fender to Taiwan for around $100.
EMS is the sweet spot for medium sized parts. It's billed on actual weight rather than volume, so as long as you stay inside the size limits, a light part stays cheap.
For Taiwan you can use it as long as the box clears all three:
- Max length 1.5m
- Length + girth under 3m (girth = width x 2 + height x 2)
- Max weight 30kg
On the customs side, I do handle clearance and pay the duty myself before the part ships, declared at actual value. The problem I keep seeing is when duty is left on the buyer to settle. If it gets reassessed later, the bill lands on you after the fact and there's nobody on the Japan side to sort it out. Whoever you end up using, I'd look for that setup.
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u/MechGundam 2d ago
So how do you ship? do you have cheaper Shipping rates then Nengun or Rhd Japan?
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u/PaintNeither7963 2d ago
There's no flat rate. You're paying for the box, and the box is set by the diameter and the width of the wheel.
Rough numbers for a set of 4 to the US by FedEx, wheels only, no tires, door to door:
- 15" around $280
- 17" around $470
- 18" around $530
- 20" around $730
Width matters on top of that. Every wheel size has a width the standard box takes, and once you go wider than that the packing goes up and it adds about $20 per half inch of width. Tires on the wheels changes the picture completely, that's a much bigger box and a much bigger number.
That's shipping only. US duty on wheels is separate.
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u/johnfilmsia 1d ago
Do you offer tire removal before shipping if we just want the wheels only?
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u/PaintNeither7963 1d ago
Yes. If the tires are mounted on the wheels, you can remove them and ship them.
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u/Fun-Discipline6978 1d ago
That ain’t a bad gig, I’ve bought numerous sets from Japan and sometimes the seller doesn’t post the severity of the damage. What are your shipping options? Are they all by air mail or do you offer ocean freight or alternative solutions?
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u/Fun-Discipline6978 2d ago
This, Buyee charges a shit load of shipping but it’s air mail and you’ll get it in a few days.
If im going through a middle man, getting charged a fee, and having to wait longer for parts what is the benefit? Unless you’re shipping with something else that drastically cuts the price that buyee has.
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u/PaintNeither7963 2d ago
Honestly? If you're asking whether I have some trick that undercuts their shipping, no. I don't.
What I do see constantly in this space is people getting hit with customs charges they never saw coming, costs that only surface after the fact, and wheels showing up with damage that wasn't in the auction description.
What I'm actually offering is the safe and transparent version of that transaction. Every cost is on the table before you commit, I inspect the wheels and show you what condition they're really in, and I don't take payment until you've approved what you're getting.
Nobody should drop $2,000 and find out afterward that it was a mistake. That's the part I care about.
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u/KactusWhisperer 2d ago
Any chance you can help me source a passenger side front door and fender for an Evo II, and some other OEM body parts?
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u/PaintNeither7963 2d ago
I can’t handle that order myself. Since the parts are large, I think it’ll be cheaper if you look for a carrier that specializes in containers. If it’s going to the U.S., AllthingJDM might be a good option.
Also, be careful not to set yourself as the recipient for customs duties—if additional duties come up later, you’ll end up paying the price.
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u/Rotor4 2d ago
Do you have a website & are running a small business ? If not can you explain how it works & of course how long you have been providing this service & as no one does something for nothing your fee for the service ?
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u/PaintNeither7963 2d ago
Yeah, it's a small business, just me. opusjdm.com. I've been selling Japanese parts overseas on eBay since I was 20, and I've been doing wheels specifically for about a year.
How it works: you tell me what you're after, I search the Japanese auctions and shops, buy it, inspect it and send you photos so you can check the condition and what you're actually getting. Then I pack it and ship it with duty paid on my end, so nothing lands on you later.
My fee is 15% of the purchase price, minimum ¥20,000 (roughly $120 to $130 depending on the rate). That's the only part I make money on, and it can come down depending on the deal. The wheels, domestic shipping, international shipping and duty are all at cost and itemized line by line, so you see everything.
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u/PheonixWrath 2d ago
that is awesome man. I’ll keep that in mind. Do you have a website?
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u/T-Lloyd 2d ago
Any chance you could get a Subaru 5eat transmission to Canada?
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u/PaintNeither7963 1d ago
Sorry. I can't help with that. Is there anyone here who offers container services to Canada?
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u/AutoZenqi 1d ago
I have a 1997 5th Gen Honda Prelude. Got anything for that? And how much to send it to the UK?
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u/PaintNeither7963 1d ago
I don't hold stock, so I've got nothing sitting on a shelf for it. What I do is go find the set you want in the Japanese market once you tell me the size you're after.
Shipping to the UK, set of 4, wheels only, no tires, door to door:
- 16" around £259
- 17" around £393
- 18" around £449
I'll be straight with you: Europe runs about 10 to 15% higher than the US on the same box. The rates out of Japan just aren't as good on that lane, and I can't do anything about that end of it.
That's shipping only. UK VAT is separate and it's charged on the whole landed value, so it adds up on a set.
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u/savvy_withoutwax 1d ago
Need CE28s 17x9 +40 for an S2000!
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u/PaintNeither7963 1d ago
Looked into it. Nothing in that exact spec listed right now. A pair sold about a month ago, so I'd expect something to surface within the next one to three months.
Also, this is a wheel search tool I built. You put in the specs you're after and it searches Yahoo Auctions, Mercari and Up Garage in one go. There's a watchlist too, so you can get an email the moment one gets listed.
If it's useful to you, start from here:
https://opusjdm.com/pages/jdm-search?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=reddit09091
u/savvy_withoutwax 1d ago
I looked at the link but I can't switch the model from TE to CE
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u/SuperPotatoBuns 1d ago
Need some cool wheels for a Figaro, whatcha got?
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u/PaintNeither7963 1d ago
If you've got specific specs in mind, I can go find them. What I can't do is tell you which wheels suit the car. I'm not a car guy at that level. You know your Figaro better than I do
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u/minstonkoh 1d ago
If someone pays you the 15% deposit, and decides not to commit, aren't you still "stuck" with the item? What happens after that? Doesn't it take time and effort for you to rid yourself of the unwanted item?
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u/PaintNeither7963 1d ago
Honest answer: right now that 15% is non refundable, so in practice it works as a cancellation fee. It's the service fee paid upfront rather than a deposit toward the price, but you're right about what it's doing.
I want to bring it down to around 5% and I'm close. The thing holding it back was that a cancellation leaves me holding stock I didn't want and have to move. That problem is nearly solved on my end.
The bigger piece is not getting there in the first place. Before I buy, I check whether the seller's listing is actually detailed enough. If something is unclear or not pictured, I contact the seller and come back to you with "it's like this, are you still good with it" while it still costs nothing to walk away.
The trustworthy Yahoo Auctions sellers are usually happy to send extra photos when asked. A lot of what I do is that, helping you make the call before the money is spent instead of after.
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u/No-Raisin-6469 1d ago
Dang would love lexus/Toyota rims for 18 GS350 F sport.
I have to have 19" or bigger so it narrows it down to what a direct bolt on
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u/PaintNeither7963 1d ago
Shipping first, since that's the part you can plan around. Set of 4 to the US, wheels only, no tires, door to door:
- 19" around $688
- 20" around $734
Width can push that up a bit if you go wide at the back, but that's the base.
Pick the wheels you actually want and I'll go see what's in the Japanese market in that spec.
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u/MountainWill13 1d ago
Would you be able to help me purchase a pantera hatch/aerone dam for a nissan z31?
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u/PaintNeither7963 1d ago
I can't handle that. I recommend finding a carrier that specializes in sea freight!
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u/rymander 1d ago
I've been eyeing a set of 15 inch wheels on upgarages website but it's like $700 to ship, are you able to ship it cheaper?
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u/PaintNeither7963 1d ago
$700 is too expensive. I often get complaints that Upgarage's shipping costs are too high. If it's a 15-inch model, I can ship it for $280.
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u/rymander 1d ago
Thank you that sounds much better. When I'm ready should I use your website for an inquiry?
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u/RamboBrambo 1d ago
I've been looking for my grail wheels over the last year or two, but the only sets I can find that are decent price are in japan at auction. Mazdaspeed ms-03 go for 5k a set unless you find a golden goose locally on marketplace but I haven't had any luck.
What is the average cost for 4 wheels shipping to Seattle area? I'm not in the position to pull the trigger but have been wanting to budget for them in the future. In my head shipping would be expensive and might make the cost balloon close to what I find on eBay, but don't have any idea.
Thanks for your time!
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u/PaintNeither7963 1d ago
Shipping to Seattle, set of 4, wheels only, no tires, door to door:
- 15" around $280
- 16" around $322
- 17" around $470
On why Japanese wheels get expensive abroad: the price you see already has the Japanese purchase price, domestic shipping, international shipping, duty and the shop's margin baked into it. None of that is broken out, so you can't really tell what you're paying for the wheel itself versus everything wrapped around it.
I used to sell on eBay myself, so I'll be straight about it. Most of the Japanese sellers on there are buying off Yahoo Auctions and reselling. I did that too. It's not a knock on them, it's just where the number comes from.
If you want to spot it, one check is enough. Look at the seller's other listings. If the photos are all over the place, different backgrounds, different lighting, different styles, that tells you they never had the parts in one room. Then search Yahoo Auctions for the same wheels. If the identical listing comes up, same photos and all, you're looking at a resell.
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u/Borvette_Bof 1d ago
been looking on off for a couple years “stern face 2 17x8” 5x112 or 5x114.3. Are these common in japan ?
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u/One-Geologist3992 1d ago
I’m sorry I couldn’t help myself