Importing a BYD vehicle from China involves a clear sequence of decisions and checkpoints. This walkthrough covers the full timeline — from your first inquiry through after-sales — and explains where the new-versus-used choice changes the process, the documents, and the landed cost.
Inquiry: Defining What You Actually Need
Every export order starts with a simple question: are you sourcing for resale, for a fleet, or for personal use? The answer determines whether you pursue new factory-direct wholesale or used real domestic-market listings. BYD Global Export maintains 157 new BYD trims at factory wholesale pricing and 477 real used listings with actual photos and verified mileage. New units are quoted with a factory price range, MOQ, lead time and warranty terms up front. Used units are individually listed with that specific vehicle's actual mileage, registration year, engine specification and photos — pricing is confirmed directly with the sales team. At inquiry stage, share your destination market, expected monthly or annual volume, and whether you need left-hand or right-hand drive. This single message saves days of back-and-forth later.
Quote: The Landed-Cost Breakdown
The quote is where new and used diverge most sharply. For new vehicles, you receive an itemized landed-cost breakdown: unit price, freight, insurance, duty and VAT. For used vehicles, the same structure applies, but the unit price is confirmed per specific vehicle rather than from a catalogue figure. Freight is quoted to 15 export markets worldwide. A proforma invoice is issued for your records and procurement approval. There are no hidden fees added after the deposit is paid — the quote you approve is the quote you settle. If you need a fast estimate before committing, the landed-cost calculator produces an instant figure. Always verify duty and VAT rates for your specific market using World Bank or IMF data, since these vary widely across Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
Sample: Verifying Before You Scale
For new orders, a sample is usually a single vehicle shipped ahead of a bulk allocation. For used orders, the sample is effectively the listing itself: photographs, verified mileage, registration year and engine specification. If battery health is a concern on a used unit, request a battery health verification before purchase — this is a documented step in the buyer guide. New vehicles carry factory warranty terms stated at quote stage; used vehicles do not. That difference is the core trade-off. A sample shipment lets you confirm the vehicle matches the listing, test the charging behaviour in your local conditions, and validate your customs broker's handling before you commit to a container. Lead times for samples are typically shorter than full production runs.
Production: Allocation, Not Assembly
For new vehicles, "production" means factory allocation from Shenzhen channels, not custom manufacturing. Bulk orders are scheduled against available allocation, and your deposit locks in both the price and the slot. For used vehicles, there is no production step — the vehicle already exists, and the process moves directly to inspection and payment. This is the single biggest timeline difference between the two strategies. New orders are planned; used orders are opportunistic. If you are building a repeatable resale programme, new allocation gives you predictable lead times. If you are responding to a specific buyer request or a market gap, a used unit can move faster because it is already built. Either way, the balance is due before container loading.
QC: Inspection and Documentation
Quality control differs by sale type. New vehicles are inspected against factory specification before loading. Used vehicles are inspected against the specific listing details — mileage, registration year, engine specification and photographs. This is also where the export document set is assembled. Every shipment includes a commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and Certificate of Origin. These four documents are non-negotiable for customs clearance in most emerging markets, and missing one can stall a container for weeks. Confirm your broker can handle the Certificate of Origin before you approve loading. For used units, add the battery health verification report to the file. For new units, add the warranty terms and factory specification sheet. Documentation quality is the most common reason importers lose margin.
Shipping: Yantian Port to Your Market
Vehicles load at Shenzhen Yantian Port. Freight is quoted to 15 export markets worldwide, and the cost depends on destination, vehicle size and whether you are shipping a single unit or a full container. New and used vehicles ship under the same logistics framework, but used vehicles may require additional cleaning or fumigation depending on your market's import rules. The bill of lading is issued at loading, and the balance payment must clear before the container is released. Insurance is itemized in the quote — do not skip it. For a full freight breakdown, the export process documentation covers the cost components in detail. Lead times from payment confirmation to vessel departure vary by allocation and port scheduling, so build buffer into your resale commitments.
After-Sales: Warranty, Parts and Repeat Orders
After-sales is where new and used strategies diverge permanently. New vehicles carry factory warranty terms stated at quote stage, which you can pass to your retail buyer or use as a resale differentiator. Used vehicles are sold as-is, so your margin must absorb any post-sale service. In both cases, the export document set — commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and Certificate of Origin — is what your buyer needs for registration. For repeat orders, new allocation becomes easier because your specifications, destination and documentation are already on file. Used sourcing resets with each vehicle, which is why many importers run a hybrid programme: new units for volume and used units for margin. Choose the mix that matches your market's demand and your working capital.
Choosing Between New and Used: A Practical Rule
Use new factory-direct wholesale when you need predictable lead times, warranty terms, and repeatable specifications for resale. Use used real domestic-market listings when you need lower entry cost, faster availability, or a specific vehicle for a specific buyer. Verify battery health on every used unit. Confirm duty and VAT with World Bank or IMF data for your market. And always request the full landed-cost breakdown in writing before paying a deposit. The process is the same timeline either way — inquiry, quote, sample, production or allocation, QC, shipping, after-sales — but the risk sits in different places. New risk is timing and allocation. Used risk is condition and documentation. Price your margin accordingly.