Under international practices and our standard CIF/FOB terms, the THC at the port of origin (China) is borne by the seller; all THC and port miscellaneous charges incurred at the destination port during unloading are to be paid by the buyer (consignee) upon local customs clearance and pickup.

Beyond the FOB price, expect: ocean freight (typically $800–2,500 depending on destination), marine insurance (about 0.3–0.5% of the car's value), port handling charges at both ends, customs duty and import tax/VAT in your country, compliance or homologation certification, and inland delivery to your city. Add currency transfer fees and the inspection fee if you hire a third party. Ask the exporter for a landed-cost breakdown and confirm exactly what the quote includes. A cheap FOB price with everything else shifted to you can add 30–50% to the real total. Budget a 15% buffer on top of the estimate, and get fixed quotes for freight and insurance in writing before paying the balance.

The "usage type" section on the vehicle registration certificate has legal validity. Any vehicle that changes from "commercial" to "non-commercial" has a usage intensity far exceeding that of personal vehicles, and we will label these prominently. Such vehicles are usually cheaper but have more severe mechanical wear.