Why Rentamania LTD Imports Cars Directly from Japan Instead of Buying Them in Cyprus
BEHIND THE SCENES Why Rentamania LTD Imports Cars Directly from Japan Instead of Buying Them in Cyprus
From the team at Rentamania LTD, Chloraka, Paphos.
Many customers ask us a simple question: why are most of the vehicles in the Rentamania LTD fleet imported directly from Japan instead of being purchased locally in Cyprus?
The answer is simple: our priority is safety, reliability and transparency — not simply buying the cheapest available cars.
01 How We Started
When Rentamania LTD first entered the Cyprus car rental market, we initially purchased vehicles already available on the island. However, after only a couple of purchases, we completely changed our strategy.
During inspections and market research, we repeatedly encountered vehicles that had previously been involved in serious accidents and later professionally repaired before returning to the market. There is nothing illegal about repairing accident-damaged vehicles when repairs are performed correctly and declared appropriately. However, as a rental company responsible for hundreds of customers every year, we decided that we preferred a purchasing strategy with greater transparency regarding each vehicle's history.
02 Better Vehicle History
Today, almost all new additions to our fleet are purchased directly from licensed Japanese vehicle auctions. Japanese auction houses provide detailed inspection reports describing:
- vehicle condition;
- mileage;
- previous repairs (if any);
- overall technical assessment;
- auction grade.
This allows us to make purchasing decisions based on documented information rather than assumptions.
03 Exceptionally Low Mileage
Japanese drivers often own more than one vehicle. Excellent public transportation and shorter daily driving distances mean many five-year-old vehicles have travelled only 20,000–30,000 km. For a rental company, this is an excellent starting point for several more years of reliable service.
04 Right-Hand Drive
Cyprus drives on the left side of the road. Japanese domestic vehicles are also right-hand drive, meaning no steering conversion is required. This preserves the vehicle's original engineering and factory safety standards.
05 Lower Import Costs
Direct sourcing lets us compare the auction purchase price, shipping, duty, VAT, registration and preparation as one total acquisition cost. When the documented condition and total cost justify it, importing can provide better long-term value than buying an equivalent vehicle locally.
06 Five-Year-Old Vehicles Offer the Best Value
Our purchasing strategy focuses mainly on vehicles that are approximately five years old. Why? Japanese taxation makes ownership of older vehicles increasingly expensive, encouraging many owners to replace them while the cars are still in excellent condition. At the same time, these vehicles remain eligible for import and registration in Cyprus.
This creates an excellent balance between purchase price, condition, reliability and future resale value.
Curious which cars we run? Browse our fleet — low-mileage Japanese imports, prepared and inspected before every season.
07 Why We Prefer Japanese Brands
Over many years of experience in vehicle financing, fleet management and car rental, we have found Japanese manufacturers to offer an excellent combination of reliability, fuel efficiency, affordable maintenance and readily available spare parts in Cyprus. For these reasons, many vehicles in our fleet include models such as the Nissan Note, Nissan March, Toyota Vitz (Yaris), Toyota Sienta and Honda Fit Hybrid. These cars have repeatedly demonstrated excellent performance under Cyprus rental conditions.
08 Our Vehicle Selection Process
- We identify models best suited to Cyprus roads and customer needs.
- We search licensed Japanese dealer auctions.
- We carefully review the official auction sheet and inspection report.
- We verify mileage and overall condition.
- The vehicle is imported to Cyprus.
- It undergoes another technical inspection before entering our fleet.
- It receives servicing and preparation before being offered to customers.
Our goal is not simply to expand the fleet — it is to maintain consistent quality across every vehicle.
09 Why This Matters to Our Customers
Many customers never ask where a rental car comes from. We believe they should. A rental vehicle is not just transportation — it is something our customers trust with their holidays, families and safety. For that reason, every purchasing decision we make is based on long-term reliability rather than short-term savings.
FAQ Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn't Rentamania LTD buy used rental cars already in Cyprus?
We prefer to build our fleet using vehicles with documented histories obtained directly from Japanese auctions, allowing us greater confidence in each vehicle's condition.
Why are Japanese imported cars popular in Cyprus?
They are right-hand drive, reliable, economical to maintain, and spare parts are widely available throughout Cyprus.
How old are your vehicles?
Most new additions to our fleet are approximately five years old when imported.
Why are the Nissan Note and Toyota Vitz among your most popular vehicles?
These models combine excellent fuel economy, proven reliability, affordable maintenance and are particularly well suited to Cyprus roads.
Is buying directly from Japan more expensive?
Not necessarily. Although importing requires additional logistics, competitive auction prices and documented vehicle condition can make it an economically sound long-term strategy.
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FINAL Our Philosophy
At Rentamania LTD, buying a vehicle is not simply about finding the lowest price. Every purchase is a long-term investment in customer safety, reliability, service quality and the reputation of our company. We believe that careful fleet selection today creates better travel experiences for our customers tomorrow.
Author: Rentamania LTD
Location: Chloraka, Paphos, Cyprus
Last Updated: July 2026