(life) Owning a car in China

[Satina Anziano]

You asked for details about owning a car in China.  This was my experience.

Drivers License.  First ever foreigner, apparently, at this district, so no one was sure how to fill out all the various boxes (temp address, permanent address, for example).  My interpreter/friend, and the policeman behind teh counter and I collaborated to complete the form.  Next step:  written test.  I was living in E. Tibet where many are not literate in Chinese.  It is common, then, to pay someone maybe 30 kuai to sit at the computer screen and punch in the answers.  It seemed quite above board.  A uniformed guy took me to a civilian who then took my money and sat for my test.  (Only in China.  In Mexico money crossed a desk but no one made a sham of a test)

Next, driving test.  As the examiner and I walked through the parking lot to my car we chatted.  How long have yu been driving, I asked him.  He answered.  I told him I'd been driving for about 40 years.  He then walked around my car, kicked the tires, read the VIN, and then we walked back into the DMV building.  Guess he was convinced I could drive OK.

Insurance and taxes are in a different building.  Fortunately, Kangding is a small city, so everything was within walking distance.  These two items were taken care of in the same space.  I paid for the insurance annually, but the road tax had to be paid more frequently because it was so high.  That varies region to region.  Once I actually had enough money to pay for 6 months at a time.

Registering the car.  That had to be done twice, probably because it was a new car.  (You can buy a new Changan for about $3,000)  The dealer  in the Big City went with me to the new car DMV to help register the car originally.  Then I had to register it again locally in Kangding, and get local plates.  Both times, it included them making rubbings with red sticky tape of VIN and other serial numbers, and driving up to the camera where they photograph the car. In Kangding, they had to give me a set of ID cards for the car and for me.  This was done in the building where I got my drivers license.  I dealt with three sets of offices, but that may be because the municipality moved to a new building after I got the original plates and license.  I believe the license and car registration are actually handled in one office; the taxes and insurance in another.

I bought the car in Chengdu, registered it with plates and got drivers license in Kangding.  Drove the car seven hours from Chengdu to Kangding with only my US drivers license.  Police who might have stopped me either at a regular road check, or because I got lost and needed directions, were reluctant to say much to me, because they did not speak English.  They didn't want to look too closely at my documents, lest they be required to stumble over the language barrier to do something official.  I was driving with temporary plates on that trip.  In a well-developed urban environment the situation may be very different.  But then, I wouldn't own a car in a big city!  It is mainly in the rural areas where a car can be a vehicle to freedom and comfort.

Satina


     

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[Don williamson-2]

Interesting story. Sounds like there is no uniformity to car ownership/licensing in China. As to owning a car in a big city, my opinion is the same as yours. I don't think I would do it even if for long term.

 Then there are the traffic violation problems that owners encounter at time of plate license renewal. We all know of the wild driving in China with no apparent law enforcement but the fact is there are camera traps at many controlled interesections. However, the owner doesn,t learn of the citation (running a red light) until applying for renewal. The owner (regardless of who was driving) is hit with a fine(s) and must pay. Points are applied against the license. At least this was the situation in Wuhan.

Don


--- Satina Anziano wrote:

You asked for details about owning a car in China.  This was my experience.

  But then, I wouldn't own a car in a big city!  It is mainly in the rural areas where a car can be a vehicle to freedom and comfort.

[Arturo-22]

My story is easier and more according to the law.
I took the driving test (computerized) , they offered me 4 languages -Chinese , German, French and English, I chose English. I failed for the first time (85 correct answers out of 100 questions), second time it was 93 out of the same 100.
In two weeks' time I got my  Chinese driving license, then bought a new car from a car shop, all the paperwork took a couple of hours. After that-drive for 2 years with no problem.
If you do everything according to the law, the law will work for you, believe me.
Happy driving!

Artur Tsaturyan
Zhengzhou

[Don williamson-2]

Well...maybe. There is always quanxi. A senior Chinese E.T. and good friend of mine told me she failed the driving test three times. Of course she got so nervous each time she defeated herself. Finally, her husband, a CCP member. made a phone call and she got her license without further ado.

Don


--- On Tue, 10/6/09, Arturo <scsbo@...> wrote:

If you do everything according to the law, the law will work for you, believe me.
Happy driving!

Artur Tsaturyan
Zhengzhou