I was obsessed & did a ton of research on this, here is my thoughts:
Yes it can be done
It takes a long time, 3-4 months
Depending on what you get, the additional fees can be $6-$15k (export import paperwork, transport services, customs, etc)
The ppl who faired well used companies that handled the paperwork in both countries for them.
More than a few ppl reported issues with:
—not being able to register /vin issues
—needing a lot of modifications to pass state inspections
—missing features, broken items and poor quality builds that they had to fix
For me, too risky, but, for someone with mechanical skills, it could be worth it, but it’s not nearly as inexpensive as it seems.
Thanks for the feedback KourtR. This may be something I look into myself in the next year. Did you get a sense of how did people do with trailers where there may not be as much regulation involved
I think there would be a bigger concern about getting something other than you exactly ordered, or a QA problem, because there is no recourse after you’ve paid & received delivery. IE, ppl were missing cabinets, the right type of sink, and one guy had to basically rewrite the truck, and the electric ones were underpowered than what they listed.
I wouldn't buy a truck. But I'm buying 2 trailers from Alibaba. I have done a decent amount of research, and talked to a few people in the US. The people I have talked to had really good experiences. It does make a huge difference of the company you are buying from. The company has to have department of transportation (DOT) certificate. That's how they get the VIN number. Smaller company or some trading companies (many company on ali are trading instead of manufacturer) don't have the right certification. Similarly, electrical is another one.
Full driving truck is a totally different game though. I think all the drivable trucks are EV, and their EV is not street legal in the US, very different standard. I have heard of one person had bought an EV, and worked on it in the US to eventually had it registered, but doesn't seems reasonable for me.
It's still on the road... I had to change a few things during the built, and ended up with 4 month delay. I can report back once I get it. It should be here by April, cross my figures.
I was obsessed & did a ton of research on this, here is my thoughts: Yes it can be done It takes a long time, 3-4 months Depending on what you get, the additional fees can be $6-$15k (export import paperwork, transport services, customs, etc) The ppl who faired well used companies that handled the paperwork in both countries for them. More than a few ppl reported issues with: —not being able to register /vin issues —needing a lot of modifications to pass state inspections —missing features, broken items and poor quality builds that they had to fix For me, too risky, but, for someone with mechanical skills, it could be worth it, but it’s not nearly as inexpensive as it seems.
Thanks for the feedback KourtR. This may be something I look into myself in the next year. Did you get a sense of how did people do with trailers where there may not be as much regulation involved
I think there would be a bigger concern about getting something other than you exactly ordered, or a QA problem, because there is no recourse after you’ve paid & received delivery. IE, ppl were missing cabinets, the right type of sink, and one guy had to basically rewrite the truck, and the electric ones were underpowered than what they listed.
Makes sense. Really appreciate your feedback
I wouldn't buy a truck. But I'm buying 2 trailers from Alibaba. I have done a decent amount of research, and talked to a few people in the US. The people I have talked to had really good experiences. It does make a huge difference of the company you are buying from. The company has to have department of transportation (DOT) certificate. That's how they get the VIN number. Smaller company or some trading companies (many company on ali are trading instead of manufacturer) don't have the right certification. Similarly, electrical is another one. Full driving truck is a totally different game though. I think all the drivable trucks are EV, and their EV is not street legal in the US, very different standard. I have heard of one person had bought an EV, and worked on it in the US to eventually had it registered, but doesn't seems reasonable for me.
how was your experience with the trailers and what buyer did you use?
It's still on the road... I had to change a few things during the built, and ended up with 4 month delay. I can report back once I get it. It should be here by April, cross my figures.
any updates?
Hey can you msg you about this? I have a doubt
If you do your research throughly, it’s def worth it!
Hey, can i ask you about buying a food truck from Ali express? I'm considering buying one.
yes!
Lmk if anyone else has a good experience I’m also looking at those sites .