The purpose of this worksheet is to turn a broad model-name search into a decision that can be checked, quoted and handed over without silently changing assumptions.
Define the quotation boundary
Clarify whether a number covers the vehicle only, delivery to a Chinese warehouse, loading port, ocean freight, insurance or destination charges. Incoterm-style language helps only when the listed inclusions and exclusions are also written plainly.
Record: Save the source, capture date and VIN reference beside this finding so another candidate cannot inherit it by mistake.
Normalize the vehicle value
Compare model year, first registration, mileage, gearbox, equipment and condition. A lower vehicle price may hide accident repair, missing export documents, overdue maintenance or tyres that require replacement before use.
Record: Enter the verified value and the evidence owner. If the seller supplied the answer, label it seller-stated until independently checked.
Include preparation honestly
Inspection, diagnostics, fluids, battery testing, cleaning, minor repair, inland transport and port storage are separate activities. Price them as explicit lines instead of assuming every seller quote includes the same preparation.
Record: Record what was inspected, what remained inaccessible and who performed the check; silence is an open item, not a pass.
Choose freight by route
Container and RoRo availability, port pair, sailing date and local handling rules change. Obtain a dated freight basis and identify whether terminal, documentation, insurance and destination unloading charges are included.
Record: Note every destination assumption behind this conclusion and reopen it when the port, buyer country or registration route changes.
Model destination costs separately
Import duty, VAT, excise, registration, inspection, broker fees and inland delivery belong to the destination. Use a licensed local adviser and the correct customs value and vehicle classification rather than copying another buyer's rate.
Record: Attach the supporting photograph, report page or document reference and preserve the original language where translation could alter meaning.
Keep a contingency line
Currency movement, storage, document correction and schedule changes can occur. A visible contingency is better than hiding uncertainty in an inflated vehicle figure, and it makes competing quotations easier to audit.
Record: State the commercial consequence: accept, reject, reprice or request more evidence, together with the person responsible and deadline.
Close the note with a decision record
Write the selected candidate, rejected alternatives, evidence reviewed, unresolved questions, responsible person and next deadline. If another vehicle replaces the candidate, reopen identity, inspection, cost and destination checks. A copied conclusion is not valid for a different VIN.
- Define the quotation boundary: confirmed / open / not applicable
- Normalize the vehicle value: confirmed / open / not applicable
- Include preparation honestly: confirmed / open / not applicable
- Choose freight by route: confirmed / open / not applicable
- Model destination costs separately: confirmed / open / not applicable
- Keep a contingency line: confirmed / open / not applicable
Questions buyers should still ask
Define the quotation boundary: what should the buyer retain?
Retain the dated document, image or test result that closes “Define the quotation boundary”, together with the VIN and the name of the person who supplied or checked it. A listing label alone is not sufficient evidence.
Normalize the vehicle value: what should the buyer retain?
For “Normalize the vehicle value”, write down what is verified and what remains an assumption. An open point may be acceptable, but it must stay visible in the price, inspection scope or handover conditions.
Include preparation honestly: what should the buyer retain?
Recheck “Include preparation honestly” if the vehicle, destination, route or responsible supplier changes. Conclusions belong to the candidate and dated evidence set; they should not be copied to a replacement VIN.