EXW means you pay only for the car at the seller's yard—you handle everything else, including inland transport in China and export clearance, which is impractical from overseas. FOB includes delivery to the port and export customs clearance; you pay for ocean freight and insurance. CIF adds freight and basic insurance to a named destination port. For a first-time buyer, FOB is usually the best balance: the exporter, who knows Chinese logistics, handles the complicated part, while you control the freight booking and can shop rates among forwarders. Watch for exporters quoting unrealistically low FOB prices and making margin on inflated 'shipping services' later. Get a separate freight quote before signing, and compare the exporter's CIF offer against FOB plus your own freight estimate. Ask explicitly whether the price includes inspection, export license fees, and port charges—ambiguity here is the most common source of disputes.

Strict definition: All metal body parts (doors, hood, fenders) and the frame must retain the original factory paint, with uniform paint thickness readings. Minor touch-ups or replacements of plastic bumpers, as they do not affect metal corrosion protection and vehicle structure, can still be classified as "original paint" in a broad sense, but we will separately note the condition of the bumper.

Interior wear is harder to fake than an odometer and often reveals true usage better than any document. Focus on high-contact points the seller rarely restores. The driver's seat bolster shows creasing and cracking by 80,000-100,000 km even with covers. Steering wheel leather polishes smooth and darkens with hand oils; a shiny wheel with low claimed mileage is a red flag. Pedal rubbers wear through at similar rates — check accelerator, brake, and clutch depth. Second-row wear patterns tell you how the car was used: heavy child-seat indentations suggest family use (usually gentler), while uniform rear wear with clean front suggests commercial or ride-hailing duty. Check seat rails for rust (indicates water ingress) and look under floor mats for moisture staining or musty smell — flood cars often hide it there. Also examine the infotainment and instrument cluster: Chinese EVs log usage data internally, and a dealer diagnostic readout can cross-check driving hours against mileage. Request close-up, well-lit photos of these specific points during your live video inspection rather than relying on the seller's gallery.