You do not need to know every shipping term to start importing used engines from China. You do need a purchasing list, a legally usable importing arrangement in your country, a realistic landed-cost budget and a named person responsible for clearance. This worldwide guide takes a first-time trade buyer from enquiry to warehouse receiving; local rules are checked for your destination, not assumed from another country.
The first-import sequence in one minute
Importer and agent → engine list → supply/landed-cost review → written offer and agreed deposit → unit evidence and final approval → packing/documents and agreed balance → shipment → destination clearance → receiving. Commercial terms set the exact payment milestones; do not assume the balance is payable after the ship has left.
1. Confirm who can import and clear the shipment
Before committing money, appoint a customs broker or clearing agent at the destination. Give them the proposed goods description, used/rebuilt condition, engine-only or engine/gearbox scope, export country and available origin evidence.
Ask them to confirm import eligibility, classification, importer registration/tax identification, required permits or pre-shipment inspections and document timing. Do not borrow another company’s import identity informally. If a forwarder offers an importing service, identify the legal importer, consignee, tax responsibility and document access in writing.
2. Prepare a list the supplier can actually quote
Create one line per full engine code and version, with quantity and vehicle model/year where known. Add AT/MT, 2WD/4WD, engine only or engine + gearbox and the accessories required.
A code such as 1NZ is a starting point: a readable marking or nameplate photo helps confirm the full suffix. Write “To confirm” instead of inventing a configuration. List Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Isuzu or Hyundai requirements according to your customers’ needs, not an assumed common fitment.
Prepare engine codes and review a supplier offer
3. Price the journey to your warehouse
Get two coordinated figures: the supplier’s itemised offer and the agent/forwarder’s destination budget. Include goods, packing, export handling, freight, insurance, applicable duties/taxes, port/terminal and shipping-line charges, clearance and inland delivery.
Ask about storage, demurrage/detention and free-time conditions. Keep uncertain costs visible. An FOB figure and a CIF figure cover different scopes; neither automatically means customs-cleared delivery to your business.
Compare what each wholesale quotation actually includes
4. Agree the offer before paying a deposit
The pro forma invoice should identify the seller, buyer, codes, quantities, supplied parts, prices/currency, named trade term/port, payment milestones, packing, inspection scope and claims terms. Confirm availability and any reservation arrangement separately from quote validity.
Pay only to the verified company account stated in the agreed documents; independently confirm a bank-detail change through an established contact. With LSVANT, the agreed 30% deposit and 70% balance before shipment belong in the offer, not in an assumed after-arrival payment plan.
5. Approve the engines and their available evidence
Link each accepted engine to a unit reference, code/nameplate images, accessory views and the checks actually available. Manual cranking and photographs do not prove compression or successful running.
Ask for the method and result if a compression or running record is offered; missing evidence stays unknown. Approve substitutions using their own records. Agree acceptance criteria and the claim procedure, deadline and evidence needed before the order is packed.
Check actual-unit inspection evidence
6. Check documents, packing and freight before dispatch
Have the supplier and agent cross-check consignee spelling, descriptions, quantities, values, package counts and weights. The commercial invoice is for the actual shipment; a pro forma invoice supports the offer and is not its substitute. Agree carrier booking, cargo description, fluid/leak precautions, securing and exposed-part protection.
Ask whether solid-wood packaging needs ISPM 15 treatment/marking. Review draft transport documents and agree how the bill of lading or authorised electronic release will reach the consignee. Obtain the packing list and loading records; pay the agreed balance at the contractual milestone.
7. Clear the cargo and receive it against the list
Send the final file to your clearing agent early enough for required pre-arrival filings. Arrival of the vessel does not equal Customs release. The agent coordinates declaration, assessed taxes, inspections and release; the carrier/terminal has its own release and collection requirements.
Arrange a truck, unloading equipment and storage. At receipt, compare package marks, unit references, quantities and accessories with the approved list. Record visible damage or shortages immediately with dated photographs and follow the agreed carrier/insurance and supplier claim procedures.
Document checklist: who prepares what?
| Document or record | Usually prepared by | Purpose / check |
|---|---|---|
| Purchasing list and pro forma invoice | Buyer requirements; supplier offer | Full codes, quantity, parts, terms and payment scope. |
| Importer registrations and import approvals | Importer/agent and competent authority | Country-specific eligibility and timing; arrange before shipping where required. |
| Commercial invoice and packing list | Supplier/exporter | Actual shipment values, package counts, marks, weights and contents. |
| Bill of lading or sea waybill | Carrier/forwarder from agreed instructions | Consignee, ports, cargo details and release method. |
| Origin and conformity documents, where required | Competent issuer / authorised assessment provider | Agree applicability and issuer before departure; brand is not proof of origin. |
| Unit evidence, loading records and insurance | Supplier; insurer/forwarder for insurance | Match the batch, record the agreed checks and confirm cover/claim contacts. |
A first enquiry you can copy
Company / country / WhatsApp: This is our first import: yes / no Destination port and final city (or To confirm): Local clearing agent appointed: yes / not yet Engine code × quantity: Vehicle / year / full-code photo if available: AT/MT and 2WD/4WD (or To confirm): Engine only / engine + gearbox; accessories: Required photos / checks: FOB or CIF quotation and named port (or To confirm):
Send engine list and import questions
First-time importer questions
Can I buy before I have a clearing agent?
You can discuss supply and request an indicative offer, but settle legal importing arrangements and pre-shipment requirements before committing to dispatch.
Do I need my own full container?
Not necessarily. Ask whether a compliant consolidated or smaller shipment is feasible for the batch. Confirm packing, damage exposure, charges, minimum order and who is the consignee; do not assume a freight forwarder’s shared container removes import formalities.
Does the supplier handle everything?
Only the services expressly agreed. LSVANT reviews engine supply, available unit evidence, packing and export/shipment arrangements. Destination registration, tax assessment and customs release need the importer and its appointed professionals.
How long will my first import take?
Use a written schedule covering sourcing, approvals, any inspections, packing, sailing, transshipment, clearance and inland delivery. A sailing estimate alone is not a door-to-door promise.
Related purchasing resources
- How an order with LSVANT progresses
- Compare the four African destinations
- Review current engine references
- Download the purchasing-list CSV
LSVANT handles wholesale used-engine enquiries from importers and distributors buying from China. First orders can start from 10 engines, subject to the agreed offer. Send your company, codes, quantities and destination, and tell us which import arrangements are not yet in place. We confirm the offered units and service scope; your appointed destination professionals confirm local import requirements.