We thoroughly rule them out by checking if the cabin wiring harness is melted, if the seat belts have water stains or mold, if there is unusual rust or debris in the seat tracks and cigarette lighter, and by verifying with the insurance company for any "total loss claims." These two types of cars are an absolute sales ban for us.

The battery pack is 30–50% of an EV's value, so its inspection should be the most detailed part of the pre-shipment check. Require these items: 1. BMS data readout: state of health (SOH), full-charge voltage, cell voltage deviation, cycle count, and fast-charging percentage. SOH above 90% is good; below 80% means a costly pack replacement is approaching. 2. Physical inspection: check the underbody for pack dents, coolant leaks from the battery cooling circuit, and corrosion on high-voltage connectors. 3. Range test: a real drive of at least 30–50 km, comparing energy consumption against the rated figure. A pack with poor cells overheats and depletes fast. 4. Charging test: verify both AC and DC charging work, and record charging speed and any error messages. Get the raw diagnostic data, not just a summary. If the inspector won't share the BMS report, assume the battery is the reason why.

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.