How long does it take to get the car after the VIN is issued?
4 Answers
It usually takes about a week to get the car after the VIN is issued. Here is an introduction about the VIN: Introduction: The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a unique code consisting of seventeen letters or numbers, used to identify a vehicle's manufacturer, engine, chassis number, and other specifications. Management Authority: The Automotive Industry Division of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People's Republic of China, authorized by international agencies, uniformly manages the VIN within the territory of the People's Republic of China. It is responsible for accepting applications and approvals related to the 'World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI).'
The time from when the VIN is issued to when you can pick up the car is really hard to pin down—it depends on where the car is. If it's already sitting in the dealership's warehouse and the paperwork moves quickly, you could get the invoice and insurance sorted in three or four days. But if the car has just rolled off the production line at the factory, logistics could take two to three weeks—transport trucks move slowly, and getting held up at a checkpoint is pretty common. When I bought my SUV, the sales rep promised, 'Two weeks max,' but it got stuck in customs at the port and dragged on for over 20 days. My advice: ask your salesperson for the shipping tracking number and keep an eye on the logistics updates yourself—it’s better than just waiting. Also, keep pressing the sales team; they actually have ways to jump the queue by talking to the logistics manager. My neighbor pulled that off and got his new car 10 days early.
As someone who frequents 4S shops, the waiting time after the VIN is issued entirely depends on logistics chain efficiency. If the local warehouse has the car in stock, you can drive it away within three days, but inter-provincial transportation might get stuck at around twenty days. I remember last month helping a friend track a hybrid car—the VIN was given on Wednesday, and by Friday it was just loaded onto a train, but railway scheduling delays meant it didn’t arrive at the hub station until the following Wednesday. The key is the last-mile delivery; some 4S shops use outsourced trucks that are prone to hiccups. I recommend checking the brand’s APP for vehicle tracking daily, and once it shows “arrived at store,” rush over with your documents immediately. If the delivery is delayed, don’t hesitate to ask the manager for compensation—whether it’s free maintenance or fuel cards.
The most agonizing part of my last car purchase was this waiting phase. The salesperson said the VIN being issued is like 'the baby's birth certificate is ready,' but 'bringing it home' still requires queuing for procedures. Transport via car carriers is calculated by distance: within 300 km, one week suffices, while cross-region shipments might drag on for twenty days. My car, shipped from Changchun to Hangzhou, spent five days just showing as 'awaiting grouping' in the transport system. The key is to prepare your full payment or loan materials in advance so you can inspect the car the very day it arrives at the dealership. Don’t trust the salesperson’s 'it will definitely arrive tomorrow'—get the transport driver’s contact directly for reliable updates. Don’t idle during the wait; finalize your insurance plan and license plate quota beforehand.
