Financing an import into the United States works differently to a dealership loan. Tell us what you’re planning and our team will talk you through the options for your vehicle and your timeline.
Start a finance enquiryMost American buyers importing a vehicle under the 25-year rule find the same thing: the car is the easy part, and the finance is where it gets awkward. Mainstream auto lenders are built around a dealership transaction with a VIN, a book value and a lot to repossess from. A vehicle still sitting in Japan fits none of that.
It’s entirely doable — collector-car lenders, specialty finance and asset lending all handle imports routinely — but the structure depends on the car, the landed cost and your own position. There’s no single product we can point everyone at, which is exactly why this page is a conversation rather than an application form.
Send us the outline below and we’ll come back to you with what we’ve seen work for vehicles like the one you’re after, and what documentation we’ll provide to support it.
The purchase price is only part of it. Ocean freight, marine insurance, customs entry, duty, port fees, and DOT/EPA compliance for a 25-year-rule import all sit on top — and lenders want to know the whole figure before they'll quote sensibly.
Many US banks price off a book value that simply doesn't exist for a grey-import R34 or a low-mileage European classic. Collector-car and specialty lenders will, but they underwrite the vehicle as an asset — which means the paperwork on our side matters.
Vehicle documentation, chassis and specification details, an independent pre-purchase inspection and a clear invoice showing the landed cost — the evidence a specialty lender needs to value what you're actually buying.
Want the landed cost before you talk to anyone about borrowing? Run it through our import cost calculator first — a lender’s first question is how much you actually need.
Three quick steps. Rough numbers are fine — nothing here is a credit application, and we don’t run any kind of credit check.
Already know the car you want? Browse the inventory and note the Car ID in the last step.
Rough figures are fine — this just tells us what to talk to you about. All amounts in USD.
Importify Cars is not a lender, credit broker or financial adviser. We do not provide credit, assess applications, run credit checks or guarantee that finance will be available for any vehicle. Any lending is a matter between you and your chosen finance provider, on their terms.
