Perfect day of a buyer flying to China for a car

China car trip · Buyer’s guide

Perfect day of a buyer flying to China for a car

This guide is written for buyers from Europe – Lithuania, Latvia, Poland,
Italy, France, Germany and other countries – who want to fly to China,
choose a car on the spot, test-drive it and start the export process with
their own eyes on every step.

1. Before the flight: tickets, hotel, interpreter

A “perfect day” in Shanghai starts long before the plane lands. To make
a weekend trip like “Rome / Warsaw / Berlin → Shanghai for a car” smooth,
prepare three things in advance:

• Tickets. A night flight works best: you sleep on the way
  and arrive in Shanghai in the morning, with the whole day ahead of you.
• Hotel close to a used-car market. Choose a hotel in the
  same district as one of the big used-car hubs – this saves time and money
  on long cross-city rides.
• Local interpreter. Negotiations with Chinese dealers,
  checking documents, understanding the culture and style of bargaining –
  all this without Chinese quickly turns into a lottery.
  A good interpreter who understands cars and can negotiate usually costs
  around 200–350 USD for an 8-hour day in Shanghai.
  You can find one yourself or book a trusted interpreter through
  our Myron Trade / Myron Cars team.

2. Morning: arrival in Shanghai and meeting your interpreter

The perfect scenario looks like this:

• morning arrival to Shanghai Pudong (PVG) or Hongqiao (SHA);
• your interpreter meets you at the airport with a sign;
• you go together to the hotel, drop your luggage, drink coffee and review the plan.

Already at this stage the interpreter helps to:

• confirm the route to the chosen used-car markets;
• call the dealers and inform them about your visit;
• check which cars are truly available and which exist only in photos.

3. Daytime: visiting the car market and inspecting cars

Shanghai has several large districts where used cars are concentrated.
In the perfect day you manage to visit at least one big market and see
3–5 real options that match your budget.

3.1. Visual inspection on site

Together with the interpreter you:

• check body panels, gaps, glass, paint, interior, steering wheel and pedals;
• ask the seller to show the service book and basic documents;
• if possible, take a short test-drive near the market;
• compare the real condition with the photos and description in the ad.

Ads almost always say “no accidents, one owner, perfect condition”.
Reality becomes clear only on the lot: low mileage and nice photos do not
guarantee a healthy car.

3.2. Inspection report and the ChaBoShu company

Some cars already have an inspection report. Others have outdated reports
or no inspection at all. In a perfect scenario you do not rely only on
dealer promises – you order a fresh, independent check.

In China there are specialised inspection services, one of the best known is
ChaBoShu (查博士). The process is simple:

• through the seller or interpreter you send car data and location to ChaBoShu;
• an inspector visits the lot and performs a detailed inspection;
• within up to 48 hours you receive a full report.

The report usually includes:

• which panels were repainted or replaced;
• possible accident history and major repairs;
• remarks on engine, suspension, electronics;
• overall condition and a reasonable market price.

4. Evening: choosing the car, paying a deposit and starting export

Let’s say you have found “your” car, the ChaBoShu report confirms it and
you are ready to buy.

4.1. Deposit to the seller

In China it is common to pay a deposit after you agree on
a price, so the dealer reserves the vehicle for you. Size and rules depend
on the seller and the market.

Important: avoid giving large amounts of cash with no paperwork.
At minimum you should have:

• written confirmation of the deal;
• full company details of the seller;
• clear conditions for refund if the inspection reveals serious hidden issues.

4.2. Why you need an exporter with a license

Even if you can pay for the car, you cannot just “drive it home to Europe”.
To legally export a vehicle from China you need:

• to deregister the car in the Chinese traffic police (GAI);
• to transfer ownership to a legal entity that has an export licence for vehicles;
• to issue an export declaration and export permit for that specific car.

This is where companies like Myron Trade / Myron Cars come
in: we take over the process from you and the seller, buy the car onto our
company and handle the entire export chain.

5. What happens after your “perfect day”

In many cases you can fly back to Europe just 2–3 days after arrival, once:

• the car is chosen and inspected;
• the deposit is paid and purchase terms are fixed;
• you have signed an agreement with an export partner (for example, Myron Cars).

5.1. Chinese traffic police and re-registration on the company

The following stages happen without your presence:

• the car physically arrives at the traffic police office – it cannot be done by photos only;
• in Shanghai this usually takes 2–3 working days; in other cities it may take longer;
• the car is deregistered from the previous owner and registered to Myron (or another exporter);
• we submit the documents to the Chinese commerce bureau to obtain an export licence for this vehicle;
• after about 2–3 working days we receive the export licence and declaration and the car can legally leave China.

5.2. Transport to port and export

Once the paperwork is ready, the car is sent:

• by car carrier truck or driven to one of the exit points – most often to a
  seaport for shipment to Europe (for example Shanghai, Tianjin, Ningbo,
  Guangzhou);
• at the port our broker completes export procedures on the Chinese side;
• the car is loaded into a container or onto a Ro-Ro vessel and shipped
  towards Europe – usually to ports like Rotterdam, Bremerhaven, Koper or
  another hub chosen for your route.

6. What the buyer does on the European side

When the car arrives in Europe, your local customs broker takes over.
By that time we provide a full set of documents:

• sales contract and commercial invoice;
• Chinese export declaration and export licence;
• packing list, insurance documents, CMR / bill of lading;
• payment confirmations and any extra papers requested by customs.

Then your side handles:

• submitting the import declaration for the vehicle;
• paying import duty, VAT and any local registration or CO₂ taxes;
• arranging technical inspection where required;
• registering the car in your country and obtaining plates.

7. How many days do you really need in China?

With a well-planned trip a typical schedule looks like this:

• Day 1 – arrival, hotel, first visit to a used-car market;
• Day 2 – detailed inspection, ChaBoShu order, negotiations, deposit;
• Day 3 – backup day: second market, extra options or simply sightseeing.

After that you can fly home while your export partner finishes the traffic
police procedures, export licence and shipping arrangements.

8. Perfect day: example schedule

This schedule doesn’t force you to work only with us. It is a check-list
that helps you not to get lost in China and to understand what should happen
at every stage of buying and exporting a car.