The inspection report only represents the physical condition of the vehicle at the moment the inspection was completed (down to the minute). Once the vehicle begins long-distance inland towing or international shipping, the report no longer guarantees the future condition due to drastic environmental changes.

Electrical faults are among the most annoying problems to discover after import, because they rarely stop the car from running. Ask the seller for a live video walkthrough testing each item: all four windows up and down, sunroof open/close, central locking (including with the key and remote), infotainment touchscreen, Bluetooth pairing, all cameras (reversing and 360-degree if fitted), parking sensors, interior and exterior lights, and the horn. Also watch the dashboard during startup: every warning light should illuminate briefly and then go out. A light that never appears, or stays on, tells you something needs attention. Pair this with an OBD scan to catch stored fault codes the seller might not mention. If a feature "only works sometimes," assume it is broken and price the repair into your offer.

The main export hubs are Shanghai, Guangzhou/Shenzhen, Qingdao, Tianjin, and Ningbo. Shanghai has the most RoRo and container sailings to Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Southern China (Guangzhou/Shenzhen) is best for Southeast Asia and Oceania. Qingdao and Tianjin serve Korea, Japan, and northern routes efficiently. Choose based on three factors: sailing frequency to your port (weekly is ideal), total inland logistics cost from the car's location to the port, and whether your exporter has used-car export qualification at that port—some only operate from one or two ports. Also confirm the terminal handles used-car export declarations, since not every port processes them. Your exporter should recommend the optimal port-to-port combination with a written quote breakdown.