Is it troublesome to buy a used car across provinces?
2 Answers
Buying a used car across provinces is actually not troublesome. As long as the used car has proper documentation and both parties have complete certificates, the cross-province transfer process is no different from transferring within the same city. Pay attention to the car's performance: When selecting a used car, pay attention to tapping the body and listening for any abnormal sounds. Start the car and listen to whether the engine sound is normal. Pay attention to the chassis and frame: If any deformation is found, do not purchase the car. After an accident, even if the car's exterior is well repaired, its frame and chassis are difficult to restore. Pay attention to the appearance when buying the car: Observe whether all corners and parts of the car have been repainted. Pay attention to whether the car's documentation is complete: When buying a used car, documentation is very important. It generally includes the registration certificate, vehicle license, purchase tax, and other fees, proving that the car has complete documentation and is not a problematic vehicle.
Last year I bought a used SUV from a neighboring province, and it took me almost half a month to complete all the paperwork. Cross-province vehicle transfers are much more complicated than local ones—you have to first check the emission standards of the destination city, as some only accept China VI compliant vehicles. I had to visit the DMV twice to get a temporary out-of-province license plate, and the document mailing alone took five days. The biggest headache was the vehicle inspection for file transfer—the broker I hired said the engine number had been tampered with, and it almost failed the transfer. My advice: don’t just go for the cheap price. When you factor in travel costs, accommodation, transfer fees, and potential repair expenses, it might end up being more expensive than buying locally. If you really want to go through with it, it’s best to hire a third-party inspector to check the car. My neighbor skipped the inspection and paid a hefty price for it.
