The technician will start the vehicle and turn on the air conditioning system, measuring the actual temperature at the vents at the lowest and highest settings with a thermometer; at the same time, they will connect a manifold pressure gauge to check if the refrigerant pressure in the high and low pressure lines is within the normal range, determining if there is a chronic refrigerant leak.

Customs clearance at destination is usually handled by a licensed customs broker, not the exporter. You can hire one yourself or use a broker recommended by your shipping agent. The typical flow: your broker files the import declaration using the documents the exporter must provide — the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, and the certificate of origin. Depending on your country's rules, you will also need to pay import duty, VAT or sales tax, and any excise or environmental levies before the car is released. Things that commonly delay clearance: mismatched VIN numbers between documents, missing pre-shipment inspection certificates (required in some African and Middle Eastern countries), or non-compliance with your country's used-car import age limits. Budget 3–10 working days for clearance after the vessel arrives, plus storage fees if documents are incomplete. Tip: send all documents to your broker for review before the ship departs China — fixing errors at origin is much cheaper than demurrage at destination.

It depends on the brand and model, so verify before you buy. Three things to check. First, connectivity: many Chinese EVs use embedded SIMs tied to Chinese carriers. Abroad, remote app control, live navigation and some cloud services may stop working unless the car can switch to a local SIM or the brand operates servers in your region. Second, language and navigation: ask the exporter to show the system menu in English or your language, and confirm the maps can be switched to your region — some head units carry China-only map data. Third, charging: verify the charge port standard (GB/T, CCS or Type 2) and whether the onboard AC charger accepts your local grid voltage and frequency. Also ask about OTA updates: official overseas models usually receive them; grey-import cars often do not. Get these answers in writing from the seller, and test the connected features over a video call before shipping.