Key documents to request and verify: 1. Export declaration (报关单): proves the car legally left China. Check the VIN, model and exporter name match the car. 2. Commercial invoice: must match your payment amount; customs uses it to assess duties. 3. Bill of lading: confirm the consignee is you or your agent, and the VIN/container number is correct. 4. Certificate of origin: needed for tariff preferences in some markets. 5. Condition/inspection report: ideally from an independent third party, with photos and dates. Verification tips: cross-check the VIN on every document — any mismatch causes customs holds. Ask your destination customs broker to review scanned copies before the car ships, and release the final payment only after documents pass that review. A legitimate exporter will provide all of these without hesitation.

No, this is a serious customs violation. Complete vehicles (HS Code 8703) and auto parts (HS Code 8708, etc.) are subject to completely different import tax rates. Combining them on one invoice could lead to the invoice being returned by customs and may expose you to tax fraud accusations at the destination port.

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.