Frequently asked questions
Grouped by topic. Each term is defined once here and linked from the rest of the site.
Prices
- What does FOB mean?
- Free on board: the price of the car loaded on the ship in Singapore. It includes deregistration, EPZ handling and export documents. It excludes freight, insurance and anything at your end.
- What does CIF mean and what is in the total?
- Cost, insurance and freight: FOB plus sea freight to your port plus marine insurance. Our total also adds pre-export inspection where your country requires it. Duties, port charges and clearing at your end are not included.
- Which currency do you quote in?
- USD. The site can show an estimate in your currency using a daily rate, but the proforma invoice and the payment are in USD.
- Are prices negotiable?
- The FOB price is the price. Dealers earn a discount from paid orders in the trailing six months, shown in the account. Ask about full-container pricing if you buy several units at once.
Shipping
- What is RoRo?
- Roll on, roll off: the car is driven onto a car carrier and driven off at your port. Cheapest per unit, one car at a time, no container to unpack.
- What is container shipping and when is it better?
- The car is loaded into a 20 or 40 foot container. Better when your port has no RoRo service, when you want the car sealed, or when you ship two to four units together and split the container price.
- How long does shipping take?
- About 3 to 4 weeks at sea to East Africa, 3 weeks to Durban, 5 to 6 weeks to the Caribbean. Each unit page shows transit days and the next two sailings to your port.
- Do I need marine insurance?
- We recommend it for individual buyers and include it by default. Dealers with a tier can switch it off. The premium is shown as its own line.
- What is PEI and which countries need it?
- Pre-export inspection: a roadworthiness check by a body such as JEVIC, QISJ or EAA before shipping. Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia require it. When your country needs it, the fee is added automatically and the toggle is locked.
Buying
- What are the steps from enquiry to arrival?
- Enquire, agree the CIF, get a proforma invoice that holds the unit, pay by TT, upload proof, we deregister and book the sailing, documents are couriered with tracking, the car arrives. Seven steps, explained on the how to buy page.
- What is a PI?
- Proforma invoice: the document that fixes the car, the price breakdown, your consignee and notify party, our bank details and the hold expiry. Pay only against a PI you downloaded from your account or received from our official channels.
- How long is a unit held after a PI?
- 5 business days by default. If payment is not received the hold lapses and the unit goes back on sale.
- How do you know if I can import a car into my country?
- Each unit is checked against your country's age rule, steering rule and inspection requirement at quote time. Ineligible units say so next to the price and are excluded from your country page.
- How many photos do you provide?
- At least 25 and a walk-around video before a unit goes live, usually 40 to 60 including wear close-ups. Dealers can download the full set.
Payment
- How can I pay?
- Telegraphic transfer (TT) to the bank account printed on your PI. Other methods only if confirmed in writing by us.
- How do I avoid fake sites and wrong bank details?
- Check the verify us page for our only domain, phone numbers and Telegram handle. Bank details appear only inside a PI. We never ask for payment by chat message or to a personal account.
Documents and delivery
- What is deregistration and the EPZ?
- A Singapore car must be deregistered with LTA before export. It then waits in a licensed export processing zone (EPZ) until it is shipped. Both happen after payment and take a few days.
- Which documents do I receive?
- Bill of lading, export certificate, deregistration certificate, invoice and, where required, the inspection certificate. They are couriered with a tracking number and each step shows in your order timeline.
- What if the documents arrive late?
- Documents are couriered as soon as the bill of lading is issued, before the ship arrives, so you can clear on time and avoid demurrage.
Selling in Singapore
- I am in Singapore with a COE expiring. How do I sell?
- Send your plate number and an LTA Access Code on the sell your car page. You get an indicative offer within one business day. We handle deregistration, PARF and COE rebates and EPZ processing.