The purchase price is only one part of importing a car from China. A useful budget follows the exact vehicle from sourcing to the agreed handover point, then separates the remaining destination expenses. It also makes clear who has quoted each amount and which items remain unconfirmed.
Fix the vehicle specification before comparing prices
Start with the model, production year, trim, energy type, battery or engine, drive and seating requirement. An attractive headline quote can concern a different version. Compare a G9 625 Max with the same configuration first, or identify the additional equipment in an alternative 680 AWD Max offer.
Ask for the quoted condition, availability, odometer and VIN when allocated. Separate optional colours, wheels, cabin packages and accessories from the base vehicle line. Record the currency, quote validity and conditions attached to the offer.
Build the budget in separate cost groups
Use the worksheet below to identify quoted, excluded and still-to-be-confirmed amounts. Request a written scope beside every charge; a total called “all inclusive” is difficult to evaluate if the handover point is unclear.
| Cost group | What to record | Evidence to request |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle | Exact trim, condition, options and sourcing price | Vehicle-specific offer and equipment sheet |
| Origin services | Inspection, inland movement, documentation and loading | Included services and separately charged items |
| Main transport | Origin, destination, mode and booking basis | Dated shipping offer and cargo acceptance |
| Insurance | Coverage, insured value, exclusions and claims contact | Policy or written insurance scope |
| Destination | Broker, terminal, taxes, local movement and registration-related work | Current local assessment for the exact vehicle |
| Contingency | Items that have not yet been fixed | Named assumptions, expiry dates and change process |
Name the trade term and the handover point
ICC’s Incoterms guidance separates delivery obligations, cost allocation and risk transfer. If a quote uses FCA, FOB, CIF or another term, record the complete named place or port and the applicable version. Ask which transport and insurance services are included and where responsibility changes.
Do not assume that payment for ocean transport also covers destination charges, registration or every loss in transit. Have the parties identify the insurance scope and the remaining buyer responsibilities in the written offer. Review the commercial agreement alongside the transport and insurance documents.
Keep destination amounts with a local source
The destination importer or broker should assess the vehicle’s eligibility and the current charges for the proposed transaction. Supply the model, VIN when available, production date, powertrain, condition and value basis they need. This worksheet does not set a universal tax rate or establish registration eligibility.
Keep the date and assumptions attached to a destination estimate. If the vehicle specification or shipping route changes, ask which cost lines must be updated. A quote for one country or port should not be reused for another without a fresh check.
Compare two offers line by line
Copy both offers into the same worksheet. Highlight a different trim, excluded inspection, changed shipping mode or different destination port. Resolve those differences before treating the lower total as a saving.
For example, a larger Audi Q6L e-tron enquiry should include the actual dimensions and selected options rather than a global Q6 assumption. Review the shipping scope and the inspection requirements with the vehicle quote.
Write the final budget as a traceable calculation
Add the confirmed vehicle and service amounts, then show provisional destination amounts separately. Keep a list of unresolved items rather than disguising them inside a single total. Before ordering, ask who approves changes and how additional charges will be communicated.
Retain the source of each figure and the version of the quotation it belongs to. This makes a changed sailing, trim substitution or additional service easier to review and helps a fleet buyer apply the same comparison method across multiple vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
Can the vehicle price show the full import cost?
Only when the scope identifies every included service and the exact handover point. Check remaining destination costs separately and mark unconfirmed amounts in the budget.
Does a CIF quote automatically cover registration?
Ask for the written scope and the complete named port. A trade-term label should not be interpreted as a promise that destination registration, taxes or local services are included.
Why is there no universal shipping or tax figure here?
The vehicle, route, booking, destination and transaction differ. Obtain dated, vehicle-specific offers and a local destination assessment before deciding.
What makes two export quotes comparable?
The same vehicle configuration, condition, quantity, delivery scope, included services and cost assumptions. Identify every material difference before comparing totals.
Related buying checks
To turn this comparison into an acceptance record, use the vehicle-specific landed-cost worksheet. Keep the vehicle price, origin services, freight, insurance and destination charges in separate dated lines before comparing the total.
Send a useful sourcing enquiry
Include your destination country and port, intended use, exact model and configuration, quantity, colour preferences and requested delivery scope. Identify any feature or service that is essential to your order. Send the requirements for an itemized vehicle export quotation →
References: ICC Incoterms overview; ICC Academy on CIF and CIP. Manufacturer configurations and carrier requirements should be checked for the exact order and booking.