When you are sourcing GWM vehicles from China for sale in Russia, the CIS, the Middle East, Africa, or Latin America, the first real decision is not which model — it is whether you buy new or used. Both routes leave from the same yards in Tianjin and Guangzhou. Both arrive with the same core export documents. But they differ sharply on unit cost, working capital, inspection burden, and the kind of buyer you can serve. This walkthrough lays out the process in seven stages, from first inquiry to after-sales, with reference FOB prices and real listing data so you can decide with numbers rather than guesswork.
GWM Export is an independent exporter. We are not affiliated with Great Wall Motor. Everything below is based on our own stock and on documents we actually issue.
Inquiry — Define What You Actually Need
The inquiry stage is where export deals are won or lost. Before you ask for a quote, write down four things: destination country, model family, budget per unit in FOB terms, and whether your market accepts left-hand drive. Every unit we stock is left-hand drive, so if your destination registers only right-hand drive, stop here and check the rules first.
For used stock, the useful data points are model year, mileage in kilometres, registration date, and the reference FOB price. For new stock, you are choosing a spec and a build slot, not a specific chassis. Your inquiry should state whether you want, for example, a used H6 in the 2018–2025 range or a new unit. A typical first message to us covers quantity, destination port, and whether you need a single unit for evaluation or a container load. We hold stock at two yards, Tianjin and Guangzhou, and the yard affects transit time to your port. If you are comparing destinations, our market hubs for used cars to Kazakhstan or used cars to Saudi Arabia show how landed cost changes by country.
Quote — Reading a Real FOB Number
A quote is only useful if it separates FOB price from everything that comes after. Our used H6 stock currently runs from $5,200 to $15,800 FOB across 219 listings, model years 2018–2025. That range is not a marketing band — it reflects real odometer and trim differences. A 2020 H6 1.5GDIT Platinum Champion Version with 119,000 km is listed at $6,800 FOB. A 2021 H6 1.5GDIT Supreme with 40,000 km is $9,500. A 2023 H6 1.5T National Trend Edition Urban Edition with 20,000 km is $12,500, and a 2024 H6 1.5T 2WD Max with just 4,000 km is $15,800.
Read those four lines together and the logic of new versus used becomes clear. You can buy three high-mileage 2020 units for the price of one near-new 2024 unit. For a dealer serving price-sensitive buyers, that changes inventory velocity. For a dealer serving buyers who want a factory-fresh feel, the near-new unit wins. Ask for the quote to state the model year, mileage, steering, and reference FOB price in writing before you compare suppliers.
Sample — Verifying One Unit Before Committing
The sample stage means buying one unit to inspect before you commit to a batch. This is the single most effective risk control in used-car export, and it is where most new importers skip steps. For a used unit, ask for the listing photos, the odometer reading, the registration date, and the reference price. Then confirm on WhatsApp what the photos do not show: panel gaps, tyre condition, battery health on hybrid or EV models, and whether the vehicle has been repainted.
For new units, the sample is less about a specific car and more about the spec sheet. Confirm trim level, engine, drivetrain, and whether the unit is left-hand drive. If you are importing a pickup for African markets, the Great Wall Cannon (Poer) is a workhorse favourite, and duty on used pickups often differs from passenger cars — worth checking with your broker before you choose new or used. A single sample unit costs you one shipping cycle but can save a full container of mismatched stock.
Production — What Happens Before the Vehicle Moves
Production is a short stage for used vehicles and a longer one for new. For used stock, production means preparation: the unit is pulled from the yard, cleaned, photographed per listing, and its documents are checked against the chassis. For new units, production means the build and the allocation of a chassis number. Either way, this is when the invoice is issued.
The documents that travel with every exported GWM are the commercial invoice, the bill of lading (B/L), and the certificate of origin (COO). Your customs broker in the destination country will ask for all three. China Customs data feeds into the export declaration, and destination customs authorities will match the invoice value against their own valuation databases. This is why a transparent FOB price matters: an artificially low invoice invites a valuation dispute at the port, which costs more in demurrage than it saves in duty.
QC — What to Check Before the Container Closes
Quality control for used vehicles is about honesty, not perfection. A 2020 H6 with 119,000 km is not a new car, and it should not be priced or described as one. What QC should confirm is that the mileage is real, the model year matches the listing, the steering is left-hand drive, and the photos in the listing match the unit in the yard. We list features such as real mileage, registration date, sourced from China domestic market, and photos per listing precisely because those are the points importers check.
For new units, QC is a pre-shipment inspection against the ordered spec. Confirm the trim, the colour, and the accessories. If the unit is an EV such as the ORA Good Cat, confirm the charging equipment included and check destination-country rules for EV imports, which are often stricter than for combustion vehicles. Do not let a unit leave the yard with an unresolved spec question.
Shipping — Choosing the Route After the Decision
Shipping is where the new-versus-used choice meets logistics. Two methods move cars out of China: roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) and container. RoRo is usually cheaper per unit and suits running vehicles that can be driven on and off. Container offers more protection and suits higher-value or non-running units, and it lets you combine a vehicle with parts.
Transit time depends on which yard your unit ships from. Tianjin and Guangzhou serve different routes, so the same destination can see different schedules depending on origin yard. For a batch of used units, RoRo is often the pragmatic choice; for a single near-new 2024 H6 at $15,800 FOB, container protection may be worth the premium. If your destination is in Latin America, our used cars to Chile hub and used cars to Mexico hub set out the duty and shipping patterns; for Africa, the used cars to South Africa hub is the relevant reference.
After-Sales — What You Own After the Port
After-sales starts when the vehicle clears destination customs. For used units, your risk is concentrated in the first 30 days: consumables, tyres, and any deferred maintenance the previous owner left. Budget for a service on arrival. For new units, warranty terms depend on the model and the destination, and you should confirm what is covered before you sell the unit onward.
Keep the full document set — invoice, B/L, COO — because resale buyers and customs audits will ask for them. If you are building a repeat export business, track which model years and mileage bands sell fastest in your market. The used H6 range from $5,200 to $15,800 gives you a wide spread to test. A dealer who knows that 40,000 km units move faster than 119,000 km units in their market can order accordingly next cycle.
The Decision Itself — New or Used
Choose used when your market is price-sensitive, when you want to test demand with limited capital, and when you can accept higher mileage in exchange for a lower FOB price. The $6,800 2020 H6 is a different product from the $15,800 2024 H6, and both are legitimate.
Choose new when your buyers expect a factory-fresh unit, when warranty matters more than price, or when your destination has import rules that favour new vehicles. In between, the near-new used units — the 2023 H6 at 20,000 km for $12,500, or the 2021 H6 at 17,600 km for $9,800 — often give the best balance of condition and cost.
Whatever you choose, ask for the same four data points every time: model year, real mileage, steering, and reference FOB price. That discipline is what separates a profitable export line from a container of surprises. Message us on WhatsApp with your destination and budget, and we will send current listings from Tianjin or Guangzhou with photos and prices you can verify.