Landed-cost calculator
Do the sums
Enter a winning auction bid and the car’s year. We’ll add shipping, duty, VAT, approval or MOT, registration and plates — the same sum we use for the price guide — then our service fee, and show every line.
Your car
Worked example
Estimated total to you
about £11,200 Estimate
A car bought for ¥1,000,000, first registered in 2016, with 0% duty: about £10,350 landed plus our £830 service fee. Rounded to the nearest £50.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Car — winning bid ¥1,000,000 at £1 = ¥208.33 | £4,800 |
| Japan-side costs Auction fees, transport to the port, export paperwork — ¥128,000 | £614 |
| Sea shipping and insurance Japan to a UK port | £1,800 |
| Customs value Car, Japan-side costs and shipping | £7,214 |
| Import duty 0% — with proof of Japanese origin | £0 |
| Import VAT 20% of customs value plus duty | £1,443 |
| UK port handling and customs clearance | £450 |
| MOT and modifications Car is about 10 years old | £450 |
| First registration fee | £55 |
| Number plates and preparation | £250 |
| Contingency 5% of everything above | £493 |
| Estimated landed cost | £10,355 |
| Coggy Cars service fee (8%, min £600) 8% of the estimated landed cost, minimum £600. Fee shown excluding VAT if applicable. | £830 |
| Total to you Landed cost plus our fee, rounded to the nearest £50 | £11,200 |
Without proof of origin (10% duty) the total to you would be about £12,150.
Our service fee is 8% of the estimated landed cost, minimum £600, rounded to the nearest £10. Fee shown excluding VAT if applicable. Not included: insurance, vehicle tax, fuel, and repairs or upgrades beyond basic preparation.
The method
How the sum works
- Car and Japan-side costs. The winning bid plus auction fees, transport to the port and export paperwork (¥128,000), converted to pounds at £1 ≈ ¥208 (2 October 2026).
- Shipping. Add sea shipping and insurance to the UK (£1,800). Car, Japan-side costs and shipping together make the customs value.
- Import duty. 0% of the customs value with proof of Japanese origin, or 10% without.
- Import VAT. 20% of the customs value plus duty.
- UK costs. Port handling and clearance (£450); a vehicle approval test and modifications for cars under 10 years old (£900) or an MOT and modifications for older cars (£450); first registration (£55); number plates and preparation (£250).
- Contingency. 5% on top of everything, for the unexpected. That gives the estimated landed cost.
- Our service fee. 8% of the estimated landed cost, minimum £600, added on top of the landed cost for the total to you. For example, a car that lands at £5,000 carries a £600 fee, and one that lands at £15,000 carries £1,200. We agree the fee in writing before we bid. Fee shown excluding VAT if applicable.
Historic vehicles. Unmodified cars 30 or more years old may qualify for 0% duty and 5% VAT. HMRC conditions apply, so we check each car before relying on it.
Not sure what a car sells for at auction? Browse the price guide for typical landed costs by model, generation and mileage.
Found the one?
You pick the car. We sort out everything else. Tell us the car and spec you want, and we’ll come back with a written all-in quote before we bid.
£30 sourcing deposit, fully refundable and deducted from your final price. You get it back if you cancel within 14 days, or if we can’t find a matching car within the search window we agree with you. Just a question? Ask us.