Chinese trailers

As long as they are built to American standards and pass a DOT inspection you are good to go. All trucks and trailers on the road have to pass an annual inspection anyway.

Get a broker that knows what they are doing. The price you see on line is likely ex-factory. You need to get a price FOB port of export. FOB means "Freight On Board". There are costs associated with getting your shipment on board, the factory may need to pay export taxes, then there's drayage to the port, etc.

If you plan to buy just one the total cost will be quite a bit more than the price you saw on line to get it delivered. If you plan to start importing them to sell, then plan on visiting the factory several times a year. Get local agent to babysit your production, preferably one that specializes in quality control and inspections.

I can't tell you how many times I was approached by well intentioned newcomers to the import business that thought those cheap Chinese prices were going to make them money. Most failed because they vastly under estimated the total cost and failed to take into account overseas factories have minimum order requirements just to start their machinery. If the trailers need to be modified to American standards, then expect to pay tens of thousands of dollars up front for new tooling.

 

Yep just what we need here. More Chinese junk, this time in the form of a trailer.

 

Order quick, before the wall goes up

 

I hear "Chinese trailer" and this is where my brain immediately went:

 

I checked into it one time. It's a big ordeal to get the paperwork done but if you hire a overseas freight forwarder, they will handle all the paperwork for you.

The Chinese quality has came a long ways in the recent times. I wouldn't necessarily be afraid of the quality. They have gotten so good a copying name brand designs, most of the name brand parts will work on the Chinese trailers.

What finally got me is I didn't trust the Chinese. The way these things usually work is you pay at least a third when you order and pay the remainder when you receive it. Your recourse is rather limited if they just take your money and run. IMO, there is a lot of risk buying a big ticket item from a country like China, a lot more so than buying from most of the European countries. Most of the times the trailer isn't built until you order, that makes it 6 months or more before delivery. You also have to worry about Chinese trade relations going south while you are waiting on your trailer. It would be a lot different if they had retailers here in the states where you could actually deal with Americans in America than dealing directly with the Chinese.

What we were looking at was some Goldhofer Chinese copies. You can buy one of these "Chinese Goldhofers" new for half the price you can buy a used real Goldhofer. They welcomed me to come and take a tour of the plant but I have zero desire to travel to China. The Chinese fellow still sends me emails from time to time, heck of a nice guy, but I still don't trust him. I had every cost and everything worked out to start the order but I bailed.

If somebody wants to start importing these trailers and selling them in the US, I'd be willing to talk to them about a deal but I won't pay a dime until the trailer is sitting in the Continental US and I can actually lay my hands and eyes on it.

 

Yup,nobody will start machinery to build one trailer.It is still an interesting bussines idea.I am not talking about China but about my country of origin.That company started building trailers in 1996 and already is one of 10 biggest manufacturers in Europe.I recently spent 2 months in my c.o.o and could visit their factory as it's within 50 miles from where my family lives.
They would probably have to design trailers for US markets as every single trailer I saw in Europe had 3 axles.I think they are also shorter because I measured their combinations (cabover+trailer) with my feet and their lenght was 50 of my feet.
Too bad I lack capital because with current rate of currency exchange there probably would be some money to be made.

 

I got ahold of a couple Hyundai trailers in 99 ( dry vans ).
First one the tandems slid right out out of the rails and the other the hub oiler fell off backing into a dock ...junk .

 

Is it Called The Wung ## Ching Chong Ding Dong 9000X Wu Feng?

 

I eventually worked up to Net 60 with factories in China. Rather than a third down at least go for a Transferable Letter of Credit At Sight. That is a bank to bank instrument where your bank will pay their bank "at sight" of the documents required in the letter of credit. Typical documents include a bill of lading from the ocean shipment, all necessary documents for customs clearance, and any other documents you may require such as a quality inspection report from a certified inspection agent. Once your bank has paid the L/C the documents are released to your broker for customs clearance.

 

China Heavy Lift is the company I was talking to.
http://www.chinaheavylift.com/