A realistic budget has several layers beyond the vehicle price. First, inland logistics in China: moving the car to the export port typically costs $300-$800. Second, export handling: inspection, customs declaration and paperwork usually add $500-$1,000. Third, ocean freight. A 20ft container to most destinations runs $1,200-$3,000 depending on route; RoRo shipping can be cheaper for driveable cars. Add marine insurance, usually 0.3%-0.5% of the car value. Fourth, destination charges: port handling, customs duties, VAT/GST and local registration fees. These vary widely; some countries charge duties of 20%-80% of the vehicle value plus an excise based on engine capacity. Finally, any compliance work: inspection certificates, modifications to meet local standards, or homologation. Ask your exporter for a full CIF quote and have a local customs broker confirm destination taxes before you commit.

Unlike new car exports, there are currently no large national export tax rebates for used cars in China. Therefore, our FOB price is purely the vehicle's residual value plus compliant operating costs, leaving no room for price wars using subsidies.

As rubber seals age, "slight oil seepage (oil stains but no dripping)" is very common in used cars and is not considered a major fault. Our recommendation is: as long as the oil level does not drop abnormally, just clean and monitor it regularly after arrival, without the need to immediately incur high costs to disassemble and replace the seals.