It must be stated objectively: used cars in China are produced according to national standards (GB) and have not been originally certified by Saudi SASO or GSO of Gulf countries. Buyers must find a local agent with customs clearance capabilities to complete the clearance through exemption documents or compliant modifications after arrival (such as wrapping or adding specific alarms).
VIN consistency is checked at customs in both China and your country, and a mismatch can block clearance. Do the following: 1. Verify early: before payment, ask for clear photos of the VIN plate (dashboard, door frame, engine bay on some models) and compare them with the VIN on the purchase contract, inspection report and any registration documents. 2. Check the characters: VINs never contain the letters I, O or Q. If you see them, the document is either fake or mistyped. 3. Decode it: the first 3 characters are the world manufacturer code, characters 4-8 describe the model and configuration. Decode it online to confirm the documents match the actual trim level you are buying. 4. At destination: when the car arrives, re-check the VIN against the bill of lading and your import declaration before accepting delivery. Any discrepancy found before shipping can be corrected cheaply; after arrival it becomes a legal problem. Make VIN verification part of your pre-shipment inspection checklist.
Under FOB terms, booking is a legal obligation of the buyer. If your freight forwarder fails to provide the shipping order (S/O) in time, resulting in vehicles exceeding the free storage period at our warehouse or port, the buyer will have to pay the high daily storage fees before shipment.
