Cars in China...

[GZBILL]

Several years ago cars in China were still pretty pricey... But no more... Now when you move to China you can join the mayhem and carnage on the roads for very little... And yes, you'll finally be able to blow your own horn...

 

 

Here's a link to a large car site, Chetx, and in the bottom section there are many more links to Chinese car web sites of general interest and manufacturers' sites, both foreign and domestic... But I have to warn you that just before that there are pics of some very winsome lasses and I wouldn't want you to get bogged down oggling...

 

http://www.chetx.com/

 

Peugeot 307 for 109,800 RMB

http://www.peugeot.com.cn/

 

Honda Fit 5 Dr, 1.5 AT for a mere 129,800 RMB...

http://www.guangzhouhonda.com.cn/

 

The 307 or the Fit is basically the next step up from a PWT-mobile.

 

Add 8% for tax & license and the 307 is going to cost you $17,500 and the Fit comes in at $20,600.

 

If you are going to finance the car, add 5 years of mandatory full-coverage insurance to the cost. This must be paid up front for the entire financing period.

 

Ah it will be SWEET to be a foreigner driving around in a PWT-mobile... ...Bill I know that licenses in China are from the city in which you live and if you have a license from the country, which is much cheaper, then you are not supposed to be driving in the city... I also assume that these city licenses are MUCH more expensive in the largest cities as opposed to my little cities like Qionghai and Yuxi... B)

 

To avoid confusion, when I mention tax & license in conjunction with buying a vehicle I mean license as in registration and license plate. I know you understand, but I want to avoid others thinking of license as in drivers license.

 

The 8% includes license in all but, I believe, Shanghai. A license plate in Shanghai is obtained by bidding. Currently the price is something like $6,000.

 

With the exception of certain license plates issued to the military and certain other entities, all plates consist of a Chinese character followed by a letter and then a series of letters / numbers. The symbol indicates which province issued the license plate and the first letter the city within the province where the car is registered. This is slightly different for direct-report cities like Shanghai where the symbol indicates Shanghai (there is no province) and the first letter the district within Shanghai.

 

Many cities have restrictions on out-of-city vehicles even within the same province. Usually this is handled by a special tax or entrance fee when those cars attempt to enter the city limits. In cities such as Shanghai, out-of-city cars are generally not allowed on certain roads, bridges or tunnels during certain hours.

 

Yeah, an expat in a PWTmobile would be as sight. But if you are taller than 5'1" and weight more than 100 lbs soaking wet, that PWTmobile is going to be scraping concrete.

[Reddragon75]

Hmmm....If I end up living in China, I don't think I would have a car anyway. I mean...I would miss driving, but after visiting Nanning and seeing all the traffic...I figure I would have to be suicidal to drive there.

[rogerluli]

Several years ago cars in China were still pretty pricey... But no more... Now when you move to China you can join the mayhem and carnage on the roads for very little... And yes, you'll finally be able to blow your own horn...

 

 

Here's a link to a large car site, Chetx, and in the bottom section there are many more links to Chinese car web sites of general interest and manufacturers' sites, both foreign and domestic... But I have to warn you that just before that there are pics of some very winsome lasses and I wouldn't want you to get bogged down oggling...

 

http://www.chetx.com/

 

Peugeot 307 for 109,800 RMB

http://www.peugeot.com.cn/

 

Honda Fit 5 Dr, 1.5 AT for a mere 129,800 RMB...

http://www.guangzhouhonda.com.cn/

 

The 307 or the Fit is basically the next step up from a PWT-mobile.

 

Add 8% for tax & license and the 307 is going to cost you $17,500 and the Fit comes in at $20,600.

 

If you are going to finance the car, add 5 years of mandatory full-coverage insurance to the cost. This must be paid up front for the entire financing period.

 

Ah it will be SWEET to be a foreigner driving around in a PWT-mobile... ...Bill I know that licenses in China are from the city in which you live and if you have a license from the country, which is much cheaper, then you are not supposed to be driving in the city... I also assume that these city licenses are MUCH more expensive in the largest cities as opposed to my little cities like Qionghai and Yuxi... B)

 

To avoid confusion, when I mention tax & license in conjunction with buying a vehicle I mean license as in registration and license plate. I know you understand, but I want to avoid others thinking of license as in drivers license.

 

The 8% includes license in all but, I believe, Shanghai. A license plate in Shanghai is obtained by bidding. Currently the price is something like $6,000.

 

With the exception of certain license plates issued to the military and certain other entities, all plates consist of a Chinese character followed by a letter and then a series of letters / numbers. The symbol indicates which province issued the license plate and the first letter the city within the province where the car is registered. This is slightly different for direct-report cities like Shanghai where the symbol indicates Shanghai (there is no province) and the first letter the district within Shanghai.

 

Many cities have restrictions on out-of-city vehicles even within the same province. Usually this is handled by a special tax or entrance fee when those cars attempt to enter the city limits. In cities such as Shanghai, out-of-city cars are generally not allowed on certain roads, bridges or tunnels during certain hours.

 

Yeah, an expat in a PWTmobile would be as sight. But if you are taller than 5'1" and weight more than 100 lbs soaking wet, that PWTmobile is going to be scraping concrete.

 

Okay I guess I'll have to move at least one or two steps up from the PYT-mobile...

 

Is the fee for the license plate an annual one as in the US? And the out-of-city restrictions are a bit of a bite for one thinking of traveling throughout China by car...It seems you could be involved in endless red tape...

[rogerluli]

Hmmm....If I end up living in China, I don't think I would have a car anyway. I mean...I would miss driving, but after visiting Nanning and seeing all the traffic...I figure I would have to be suicidal to drive there.

 

Another issue just like the "dirty air" one... If you are going to live in one of the very large Chinese cities I also would NOT own a car...But as we plan to live in a small city with very light traffic and many things to see and do within a 15 km radius, having our own car makes perfect sense... For longer excursions on Hainan we have an excellent urban railline which can whisk us to Haikou or Sanya very quickly...But for going to the beach or to the coast for seafood or to the hot springs for a soak, a private car is perfect...

[homersimpsons]

Yea, cars are expensive in China. I couldn't believe the same car that cost $20k in the USA cost $40k in China. Owning a car is the real status symbol in China. Damn car is worth more than a house over there!

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

Yea, cars are expensive in China. I couldn't believe the same car that cost $20k in the USA cost $40k in China. Owning a car is the real status symbol in China. Damn car is worth more than a house over there!

 

Yes, you're quite right about the status symbol. Many Chinese save for years to buy one. Here at my office, there are several extra-curricular clubs, like:

 

Badminton

Table Tennis

Basketball

Photograhpy

English

...and so on,

 

I noticed yesterday that they also have an Automobile Club. No, this is not like what you'd find in the west, Corvette Club, Antique Car or other collectible, it's simply an automobile club for those that either own an automobile or "plan to buy one." They are quite proud of their cars and post pictures of themselves next to their car.

 

So, I thought of asking if I could join if I previously owned two autos.

 

[Dennis143]

Wulings are everywhere in China:

 

http://i38.tinypic.com/286ua74.jpg

 

http://www.wuling.com.cn/doce/doce/about/about.htm

 

It won't be that long before we see Chinese made cars here in the US.

Edited July 24, 2008 by Dennis143 (see edit history)

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

Wulings are everywhere in China:

 

http://i38.tinypic.com/286ua74.jpg

 

http://www.wuling.com.cn/doce/doce/about/about.htm

 

It won't be that long before we see Chinese made cars here in the US.

 

What can you tell me about that unique front bumper? Looks like it could prove useful for pushing bicycles, pedestrians and motor scooters....

 

[chilton747]

Wulings are everywhere in China:

 

http://i38.tinypic.com/286ua74.jpg

 

http://www.wuling.com.cn/doce/doce/about/about.htm

 

It won't be that long before we see Chinese made cars here in the US.

 

What can you tell me about that unique front bumper? Looks like it could prove useful for pushing bicycles, pedestrians and motor scooters....

 

 

Looks like it would become handy as a step to reach the top of the window for cleaning.

[rogerluli]

Wulings are everywhere in China:

 

http://i38.tinypic.com/286ua74.jpg

 

http://www.wuling.com.cn/doce/doce/about/about.htm

 

It won't be that long before we see Chinese made cars here in the US.

 

What can you tell me about that unique front bumper? Looks like it could prove useful for pushing bicycles, pedestrians and motor scooters....

 

 

Looks like it would become handy as a step to reach the top of the window for cleaning.

 

A tricked out bread van is at the top of my car shopping list... now if only Peugeot built one...

[GZBILL]

Several years ago cars in China were still pretty pricey... But no more... Now when you move to China you can join the mayhem and carnage on the roads for very little... And yes, you'll finally be able to blow your own horn...

 

 

Here's a link to a large car site, Chetx, and in the bottom section there are many more links to Chinese car web sites of general interest and manufacturers' sites, both foreign and domestic... But I have to warn you that just before that there are pics of some very winsome lasses and I wouldn't want you to get bogged down oggling...

 

http://www.chetx.com/

 

Peugeot 307 for 109,800 RMB

http://www.peugeot.com.cn/

 

Honda Fit 5 Dr, 1.5 AT for a mere 129,800 RMB...

http://www.guangzhouhonda.com.cn/

 

The 307 or the Fit is basically the next step up from a PWT-mobile.

 

Add 8% for tax & license and the 307 is going to cost you $17,500 and the Fit comes in at $20,600.

 

If you are going to finance the car, add 5 years of mandatory full-coverage insurance to the cost. This must be paid up front for the entire financing period.

 

Ah it will be SWEET to be a foreigner driving around in a PWT-mobile... ...Bill I know that licenses in China are from the city in which you live and if you have a license from the country, which is much cheaper, then you are not supposed to be driving in the city... I also assume that these city licenses are MUCH more expensive in the largest cities as opposed to my little cities like Qionghai and Yuxi... B)

 

To avoid confusion, when I mention tax & license in conjunction with buying a vehicle I mean license as in registration and license plate. I know you understand, but I want to avoid others thinking of license as in drivers license.

 

The 8% includes license in all but, I believe, Shanghai. A license plate in Shanghai is obtained by bidding. Currently the price is something like $6,000.

 

With the exception of certain license plates issued to the military and certain other entities, all plates consist of a Chinese character followed by a letter and then a series of letters / numbers. The symbol indicates which province issued the license plate and the first letter the city within the province where the car is registered. This is slightly different for direct-report cities like Shanghai where the symbol indicates Shanghai (there is no province) and the first letter the district within Shanghai.

 

Many cities have restrictions on out-of-city vehicles even within the same province. Usually this is handled by a special tax or entrance fee when those cars attempt to enter the city limits. In cities such as Shanghai, out-of-city cars are generally not allowed on certain roads, bridges or tunnels during certain hours.

 

Yeah, an expat in a PWTmobile would be as sight. But if you are taller than 5'1" and weight more than 100 lbs soaking wet, that PWTmobile is going to be scraping concrete.

 

Okay I guess I'll have to move at least one or two steps up from the PYT-mobile...

 

Is the fee for the license plate an annual one as in the US? And the out-of-city restrictions are a bit of a bite for one thinking of traveling throughout China by car...It seems you could be involved in endless red tape...

 

Yes, it is annual. In Shanghai subsequent renewals are at a much lower rate -- approximately 2000 RMB.

[rogerluli]

Bill is right...Chinese want BIG when it comes to cars...More Buicks are sold in China than the US...Hummers, Predators...Land yachts and boats of every description give instant status...

 

 

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...av=rss_business

[Reddragon75]

Yeah....the first car I saw when we walked out of the Nanning Airport was a Buick Century! I was very surprised to see a Buick in China. Of course, that wasn't the only one. I saw a lot of them driving around the city.

 

I guess it just surprised me to see Buicks in China.

[rogerluli]

Yeah....the first car I saw when we walked out of the Nanning Airport was a Buick Century! I was very surprised to see a Buick in China. Of course, that wasn't the only one. I saw a lot of them driving around the city.

 

I guess it just surprised me to see Buicks in China.

 

Me too but after all they build 'em in Shanghai... And do the Shanghai Buick workers retire after 30 years with full pensions and medical insurance forever???

[rogerluli]

I had wondered about importing a car into China since all but the cheapest models ar much more expensive there...And low and behold ChinaCarTimes has the answer... You just have to become a Foreign Car Expert...

 

http://www.chinacartimes.com/2007/09/03/im...is-it-worth-it/