Plan for roughly 25-40% on top of the vehicle price. The main items are: 1. Pre-purchase: deposit (10-30%), third-party inspection fee (100-300 USD). 2. In China: inland trucking to the port, export declaration fees. 3. Shipping: ocean freight (container 20ft usually 1,500-4,000 USD depending on destination), marine insurance (about 0.3-0.5% of car value). 4. In your country: customs duty, VAT/GST, port handling and storage, customs broker, quarantine or pre-shipment inspection if required, registration and plates. Always ask the exporter for an itemized landed-cost estimate for your specific port before paying the deposit, and confirm which Incoterm the quote is based on (FOB, CIF or DDP makes a big difference).

Chinese passenger cars produced after 2005 have fully transitioned to asbestos-free brake pads, clutch plates, and gaskets. However, for export to countries with strict regulations, buyers must pay for sampling and testing by a NATA-accredited laboratory before shipment, and obtain an asbestos-free certificate.

The technician will put the vehicle in neutral on the lift, rotate the wheels, and listen for any abnormal metal gear whine from inside the motor reducer, and check for gear oil leaks at the joints of the reducer housing.