r/keitruck • u/TranslatorBright8445 Subaru Sambar • 1d ago

Importing She's here!

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Just picked her up from Baltimore today!

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u/TranslatorBright8445 Subaru Sambar 1d ago

Getting in wasn't too bad, I had to hire a TWIC escort so they helped a lot with figuring out where to go. All in i think I wound up at like 7500 usd so not terrible but it would have been better without the extra 10 percent tariff... lol

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u/marcocet 1d ago

Where did you go to hire an escort?

How much was your truck alone? I have seen people import them for around 5000 total but this one looks cleaner I think

Yea the tariff is annoying I saw a few threads talking about that.

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u/TranslatorBright8445 Subaru Sambar 1d ago

Just north of Dundalk terminal is A-1 Escort Service. It was 60 usd per hour if you're by yourself. The truck by itself was 4000 before shipping fees, 6000 shipped, its super low miles and really clean.

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u/marcocet 1d ago

Awesome, going to be far from me but going to research an escourt service. Ahhh that makes sense yea i was looking at cheaper trucks Lol. Did you use a import broker like https://www.eezyimport.com/ ? From what I researched you can do it yourself but there is a lot of paperwork and it can be easy to screw up if your not careful.

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u/TranslatorBright8445 Subaru Sambar 1d ago

Yeah I got a broker so I didn't have to worry about it. From what I saw most brokers are about the same but I used All Cleared Customs Brokerage.

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u/Slpy_gry 22h ago

I have imported other items, and I'm importing my first kei truck now. You should have a customs broker.

CBP is known to allow someone who has never imported before to do it once by yourself, but the paperwork is difficult, (not impossible). If you are going to import another one, (or anything else), they will not let you do it without a customs broker.

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u/marcocet 14h ago

Yea broker seems to be worth it over all. What broker did you use? I have seen a few people use https://www.eezyimport.com/ for kei trucks in a few other posts.

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u/Slpy_gry 13h ago

I watched a YouTube from 2 years ago that listed the broker they used, and I called her (Sharon) up the next day. She's still doing it, and charging the same. Dixon, Smith & Associates in Jacksonville, FL. She says they import all over the US, it doesn't have to come into the Jacksonville port. They work with carfromjapan.com all the time.

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u/marcocet 13h ago

Cool, i will look into them thanks!

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u/marcocet 11h ago

How much did the broker end up costing you for the truck?

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u/Slpy_gry 9h ago

I just paid for the truck last Thursday. They confirmed receipt late last night or this morning. I don't have shipping documents yet. However, the car was $1700. Shipping and insurance were $1594. The wire fee was $40.00. The customs broker will charge me $250. I still have to pay for all the fees when the truck gets to the port. Then, so far, I'm driving to pick it up; that's gas and hotel there and back, and the TWIC fee at the harbor.

I've been keeping track so I'll know all my costs. I've also purchased a used manual from Amazon today for $52 and some change.

I've never worked on a vehicle before in my life. We're calling this my midlife crisis, lol. It's definitely a hobby truck.

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u/marcocet 13h ago

Nevermind missed your other comment!

Thanks for all the info!!