Knowledge base for dealers importing vehicles from the USA

What to check before bidding

The maximum bid should take into account not only the price of the lot, but also all the future costs and risks of a particular car.

Build a budget before bidding

Add the price of the car, the auction fees, US inland transport, warehousing, ocean freight, paperwork, services and insurance. If a figure is not final yet, mark it as an estimate. To get a calculation for your route, send SGS a request.

Separate facts from assumptions

• Known facts: VIN, mileage, title type, sale location, reported damage and auction date.
• Estimate: title processing time, additional work and the future exchange rate.
• Approve: the maximum bid, the responsible person and how long the estimate remains valid.

Save the initial estimate

After the purchase, the team should see what data the bid was based on. This way, you can compare the plan with the actual costs and more accurately calculate the next car.

Documents that travel with the vehicle

For each file, it is important to know which car it belongs to, whether it has been checked and which next stage allows you to start.

Main groups of documents

• Purchase: confirmation of the auction result, invoice and payment details.
• Ownership: the document for the car, provided for by the type of lot and the legislation of the state.
• Export and transportation: container and sea route documents.
• Import and handover: the documents required for customs processing and vehicle handover.

The exact list depends on the car, route and current requirements. This material is not legal or customs guidance - the package should be checked for the specific vehicle.

“Received” is not the same as “ready”

The document may still be awaiting review or correction. Therefore, SGS Workspace distinguishes between expected, received, checked and used for the next stage.

How to tell where a vehicle is

The phrase "going" or "almost in port" is not enough. A clear status should show what has already happened, when it was updated, and what is expected next.

What a useful status includes

• What has already happened: the car was taken from the auction, accepted at the warehouse or loaded into a container.
• What is expected: export, loading, ship departure, arrival or completion of the customs stage.
• Who is responsible for the following action: your team, SGS or another carrier.
• When will the next update be: a specific date or event.

The arrival date is an estimate

It may change due to documents, container configuration, ship schedule or port operation. SGS Workspace keeps the change history and the reason.

Issues requiring attention are shown separately

A delayed document, unconfirmed payment or change of vessel should not be lost among other cars. The manager immediately sees a list of what needs attention.

How to calculate the actual vehicle cost

The invoice and payment must be associated with a specific car. Then it is clear what was paid for and what action became possible after payment.

What to record

• Payment destination and account number.
• The vehicle or multiple VINs to which the amount belongs.
• Invoice date, payment term and payment confirmation date.
• Currency, commission and the amount actually paid.
• The next stage that can be started after payment.

Keep both planned and actual costs

The initial calculation is required for the bid decision, and the actual amounts are required for the final cost. The comparison shows at what stage the budget has changed.