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Wed Jan 25, 2006 4:46 pm

I'm interested in exporting aircooled bugs and busses to China. I brought it up on another thread and the moderator deleted it. Is there anyone out there who could handle the import/export on the China end? I live in the major port city of Seattle and could facilitate supply on the US end. Thanks.

Sat Jan 28, 2006 6:11 am

Why China? The regulations and procedures for importing cars (especially used cars) into China are quite complicated. I am a bug fan in Hong Kong and I know there is a few fans of aircooled bugs in Mainland China too. You may check this out, http://www.vwbug.com.cn/

Sat Jan 28, 2006 7:06 pm

Thanks for the site.
China is now the fourth largest economy in the world, passing the United Kingdom. If ever there was a population in the world who could use a small, simple, economical car, its the Chinese. No one wants to drive Russian made vehicles anymore, thats for sure.

Sat Jan 28, 2006 10:22 pm

VW already has production lines in Shanghai and Northern China since late '80 rolling out thousands of watercooled Polo, Jetta, Santana, etc everyday. Japanese or even Amercian also have joint venture factories in China producing more modern economical cars. No way you can compete with them. I know someone in Hong Kong tried importing Mexican aircooled bugs into the Mainland 10 years ago but with no luck. I don't think you can market the aircooled bugs as daily use cars in China but you may probably find some classic car fans who you can target to.

p.s. no more Russian built cars in China since 30 or so years ago. Some '50 Russian built cars are in the hand of some classic car fans though.

Sat Jan 28, 2006 10:31 pm

Do you have at least 100,000 Bugs available at approx. $200-$300 each, all in excellent running condition?

Anything else and you are wasting your time.

Much like Japan, VWs are only marketable as a collector car to China.

China could make it's own cheap, economical car at any time without the need to import.

Sat Jan 28, 2006 11:11 pm

Marketing aircooled VWs as collector cars is not even an easy task. The market structure in China is quite different to that of the west which you might have experienced. The gap between the rich and poor is very big in China. The riches (still the absolute minority) always want to buy the most expensive, most eleglant. The poors of course don't have the money to buy any unnecessities. You probably find that it is easier to sell a Porsche than a bug in China. (Ferrari and Porsche have established their sales points in major China cities in recent years and have sold quite sucessfully.)

Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:33 am

There are a few classic car enthuiasts in China, but not many. Most Chinese found my enthuiasm for a rusting old Shanghai SH760 I found in Beijing most bizairre!!

If anyone in China wants me to find them a decent car, and assist with export I am more than happy to do so in return for helping me import a Chinese classic such as a Shanghai SH760, or HongQi CA770/CA773 over to the UK :)

I'm going to be in Canton for a week, and much longer in Liuzhou (Guangxi) this coming summer, any enthuiast of any car there?

Sun Jan 29, 2006 3:25 pm

If you successfully export any number of VW bugs to China, a couple of months later there will be a Chinese factory churning out knockoff bugs at half the price you are asking.

Google "GM Chery" if you don't believe this! :)

Wed Feb 01, 2006 4:06 pm

Interesting responses, very educational.
As the rich get richer there may be a strong collector market may emerge. I guess I'd better just concentrate on selling the Chinese porn or something! :wink:

Wed Feb 01, 2006 4:16 pm

China has the ability to manufacture porn in mass quantities at any time, just like any country full of poor people.

Wed Feb 01, 2006 7:55 pm

Chinese porn huh? I don't think there will be much of a market for that. All the real talent is here in the US. Sex will probably be our #1 export.

Thu Feb 02, 2006 12:26 pm

I'm assuming Chinese people like Chinese pr0n though.