EXW vs FOB vs CIF: Used Car Export Terms from China
A WhatsApp line that only says “CIF how much?” is not an RFQ. The number only exists after you name the cars and the port. WinMinCar quotes China-origin LHD stock from Guangzhou / South China. The working sequence is RFQ → PI → loading → B/L, not a brochure price that works for every destination.
This page is the terms layer on top of the export process. Document names stay on the export documents checklist. Model pages stay on live cards, for example used Toyota Corolla from China.
What each term actually covers on a used-car PI
Incoterms name a place. If the place is missing, the quote is not comparable.
| Term | Named place | Seller typically covers | Buyer typically covers | When it fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **EXW** | China yard / warehouse | Making the named units available | Pickup, export customs, ocean freight, insurance, destination | Only if the buyer already has a China agent who can export |
| **FOB** | Named **China load port** | Getting the units on board at that port (export side) | Ocean freight, insurance, destination port, duty, inland | Repeat buyers with their own forwarder |
| **CIF** | Named **destination port** | Ocean freight + minimum insurance **to that port** | Destination THC, duty, VAT, clearing, inland, registration | First lots to Tema, Lagos, Jebel Ali, and similar LHD ports |
Three rules that keep RFQs from bouncing:
1. FOB is a China port. FOB Guangzhou / South China is not FOB Jebel Ali and not “Dubai yard stock.” 2. CIF is a destination port, not a country. Write CIF Tema, CIF Lagos, CIF Jebel Ali, or CIF Dar es Salaam — not “CIF Africa.” 3. CIF is not DDP and not a landed retail cost. Duty, clearing, and registration stay with the buyer unless the PI says otherwise. WinMinCar does not sell a tax-paid Accra / Dubai showroom price.
Risk under CIF still transfers at the load port once the units are on board. Paying ocean freight to Tema does not mean the seller owns every delay after the vessel sails. If you need extra insurance, write it on the PI; do not assume the minimum CIF cover is a full dealer policy.
Ports we can name — and ports that need a steering check first
Typical LHD corridors we quote against live stock:
- FOB South China (Guangzhou area load) when the buyer books the ocean leg. - CIF Tema for Ghana. Age rules still apply; a cheap older unit that cannot clear Tema should not be on that PI. See Jaecoo to Ghana for how we treat an empty local-stock claim vs an FOB/CIF quote. - CIF Lagos for Nigeria LHD lots. Corridor detail for EVs sits on BYD to Nigeria, FOB Lagos. - CIF Jebel Ali as a destination or transhipment point — still not Dubai used-car yard stock. Model-level FOB notes: Jetour T2 to UAE.
CIF Dar es Salaam shows up in search. A CIF number can be built to that port if the units and documents match. Tanzania (like Kenya) is a right-hand traffic / RHD market. WinMinCar lists LHD only and does not convert steering. If the retail market needs RHD, say so in the first message; we will not force LHD stock onto a Dar PI to win the freight line.
Do not mix FOB China and CIF Jebel Ali as if they were the same SKU. The car can be identical; the commercial term is not.
Freight changes the number — we still will not invent a rate here
Ocean freight moves with vessel, week, and whether you ship one unit or a 40HQ mix. Ro-Ro vs container also changes stuffing, not only the ocean line. That is why a website card is not a CIF price.
What we will put on the PI after an RFQ:
- Named VINs from the live inventory - The Incoterm and the named port - Inspection notes for those units - Payment split in writing (typical B2B: about 30% T/T to reserve, balance before loading)
What we will not put on this article: a fake USD/unit ocean rate, a fake Ghana duty table, or a “CIF Dar es Salaam from $X” banner. Those figures go stale in days and then the PI disagrees with the blog.
How to write an RFQ that can be quoted
Usable dealer messages look like this:
- Units: model + year band, or specific VINs from the site - Quantity: 1–2 trial, or a mixed 40HQ (sedan + SUV only if heights work) - Term: EXW, FOB South China, or CIF + named port (Tema / Lagos / Jebel Ali / other) - Steering: LHD is the default on this list. If the destination is RHD, say it - Age or document constraints at destination, if you already know them
A mixed 40HQ can put a Traveller next to an X70 or a compact sedan. That does not make them one FOB price. Quote per VIN, then add freight once on CIF.
Corridor FOB write-ups stay on those model pages. This page only decides which term goes on the PI.
FAQ
Is CIF a door-to-door or duty-paid price?
No. CIF stops at the named destination port. Inland trucking, duty, VAT, and plates are separate. If you need those, ask your local broker — do not treat the CIF line as a retail landed cost.
Can I compare a FOB China quote with a CIF Dubai quote?
Only after you subtract what each term includes. CIF Jebel Ali includes ocean freight and minimum insurance to that port. FOB China does not. The cars can match; the numbers will not until you align the term.
Why do you refuse EXW for a first lot?
EXW leaves export customs and China pickup on the buyer. Most first-time importers do not have that agent. FOB or CIF keeps the export side on the PI.
You already have FOB guides for T2 and BYD. Why this page?
Those pages are model + corridor. This page is the term. Use both: pick the cars on the live list, then pick EXW / FOB / CIF with a named port.
Ask for a named-port PI
Send VINs or a year/model band, quantity, and FOB South China or CIF + port. The export desk replies within 24 business hours against current LHD stock — not a catalogue rate. Browse inventory or Contact us.