Vehicles sold domestically in China only have the "Environmental Information List" and the "Vehicle Qualification Certificate," which are not the COC of the European system. We will provide a notarized English translation of the Chinese qualification certificate. If local customs strictly require the original European COC, the vehicle will not be able to clear customs.

The technician will check the production date codes and brand logos in the lower left corner of all the car's glass (including the windshield, four doors, and rear window) to see if they match the vehicle's factory date on the nameplate. If any glass is found to have a date later than the vehicle's production date, it will be recorded as evidence of a "previous damage replacement."

A professional pre-shipment inspection typically costs a small fraction of the vehicle price and routinely pays for itself. A thorough inspection covers: paint thickness measurement across 30+ points to map body repairs; structural assessment of pillars, rails and crossmembers for accident damage; engine and transmission operation; a full electronic scan for fault codes; suspension and underbody checks for leaks and rust; and, for EVs, battery SOH and thermal management performance. You receive a written report with photos before the car is loaded — if the car fails, you can stop the shipment or renegotiate. Skipping the inspection to save a small fee is the classic false economy in used car importing: discovering a problem after arrival is far more expensive than preventing it at origin.