A solid contract is your main protection in a cross-border deal. It should specify: 1. Vehicle identification: VIN, year, mileage, trim level, and photos of the actual car appended as an annex — not just「a 2021 Toyota」. 2. Condition guarantees: no accident, no flood or fire damage, no structural repairs, supported by a third-party inspection report referenced in the contract. 3. Price and Incoterm: total amount, currency, the named port, and whether freight and insurance are included. 4. Payment schedule: e.g., 20–30% deposit after contract signing, balance against copy of the Bill of Lading. Avoid 100% upfront. Use T/T to the company's corporate bank account only — never a personal account. 5. Timeline: inspection date, estimated loading date, and latest shipment date, with remedies if delayed. 6. Dispute clause: governing law and arbitration (CIETAC or your local chamber) rather than foreign court litigation. Ask for the contract in English (or bilingual) with the supplier's company chop. A company that refuses a written contract or pushes for full prepayment is a red flag.

The "usage type" section on the vehicle registration certificate has legal validity. Any vehicle that changes from "commercial" to "non-commercial" has a usage intensity far exceeding that of personal vehicles, and we will label these prominently. Such vehicles are usually cheaper but have more severe mechanical wear.

You can watch the car through live streaming or VR, or entrust a local third-party agency to inspect the car for you. Transparency about the car's condition is the foundation of trust.