Car/Vehicle Shipping Cost from Ho Chi Minh City to Yokohama

Importing a Car from Vietnam to the USA starts at a cost of $3,250 USD with an estimated turnaround time of 30 days, depending on make and model of the vehicle, the nearest departure port in Vietnam and whether the destination in the USA is on the east or west coast.

Japan's "3-year car rule" refers to the first mandatory safety inspection, called Shaken, which new private cars must pass three years after their initial registration; subsequent Shaken inspections are then required every two years, with costs and vehicle age influencing owners to often replace cars, though it's a myth they must scrap them, as cars can last much longer.

Generally, driving is cheaper than shipping for shorter distances, but the cost difference shrinks and shipping can become a better value for long hauls when factoring in hidden costs like wear & tear, time, and your own travel expenses (lodging, food). For very long trips (1000+ miles) or unreliable cars, the added costs of driving (depreciation, maintenance, fatigue) might make shipping more economical overall, say Move.org and SoFi.