Set the decision boundary
A rugged appearance or drive mode is not a universal wading approval; the exact manual, route and vehicle condition define the boundary.
Write down the destination country and port, intended registration class, steering-side requirement, charging environment, passenger and route needs, accepted drivetrain or range version, condition, budget and delivery point. A changed candidate or destination can invalidate earlier conclusions.
A water crossing should never be performed merely to produce a purchase-inspection video. Obtain the applicable manual and assess the actual route, depth, flow, surface and exit before use. Unknown depth or suspected ingress is a reason to stop and seek competent assessment, not to energise the vehicle repeatedly. Record the exposure timeline, warnings and recovery work. Keep a battery-enclosure inspection, cabin-moisture investigation and qualified electrical assessment separate; none alone proves that the complete car is undamaged.
Tai 3 Water, Wading, Ingress and Recovery Checks
A rugged appearance or drive mode is not a universal wading approval; the exact manual, route and vehicle condition define the boundary.
Treat water as a route boundary and an inspection event
Identify the exact manual instruction and route depth before entry; never convert a rugged appearance into a universal wading claim. After suspected exposure, record water level, duration, flow, recovery method, warnings and shutdown behaviour. Inspect cabin low points, connectors, charge-port area, undertrays and battery protection with qualified boundaries. Carry physical evidence into the battery underbody inspection and route assumptions into the city and light-trail guide.
Official context: Match the selected production edition with Fangchengbao’s current Tai 3 configuration information; obtain VIN-specific warranty, campaign and service answers separately.
Connect every claim to one vehicle
Translate intended use into measurable constraints: passengers, luggage, daily distance, gradients, weather, roads, charging access, tyres and recovery options. Styling is not evidence of off-road capability.
Preserve original-language records alongside translations. Dated photographs, diagnostic reports, charging results, inspection findings, quotation and contract should identify the same VIN. If records conflict, stop approval and resolve the difference at source.
Public specifications help frame questions but do not allocate stock or certify an individual car. Official Fangchengbao pages also warn that published configuration may differ from vehicles sold. Production date, physical labels and the sales record remain decisive.
Minimum evidence register
| Checkpoint | Acceptable record | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| VIN and original vehicle identity | Original record and clear VIN-linked media | Establishes the exact product being valued |
| production date and exact version | Dated test with method, result and limits | Establishes the exact product being valued |
| battery and motor labels | Named party, cost or approval in writing | Establishes the exact product being valued |
| installed charging inlet and test | Original record and clear VIN-linked media | Controls condition and destination-use risk |
| structural and underbody condition | Dated test with method, result and limits | Controls condition and destination-use risk |
| diagnostics and warning history | Named party, cost or approval in writing | Controls condition and destination-use risk |
| tyres, brakes and suspension | Original record and clear VIN-linked media | Controls condition and destination-use risk |
| seller, contract and beneficiary | Dated test with method, result and limits | Controls payment, export and arrival risk |
| destination approval and landed boundary | Named party, cost or approval in writing | Controls payment, export and arrival risk |
Use a red/amber/green status with an owner and expiry date. Green means supported by current evidence, not guaranteed forever. Amber items need a priced consequence or condition before payment; red items stop the transaction.
Claims that commonly fail
Watch for copied trim names, another market’s brochure, range figures from a different test cycle, an inlet inferred from the badge, diagnostic screenshots without VIN, edited walk-around videos, excluded export work, and connected features assumed to operate overseas.
Do not convert missing evidence into a positive claim. Record what is unknown, who must prove it and what happens if it remains unresolved. Price uncertainty separately from confirmed defects so a buyer can compare candidates consistently.
Destination boundary
China-side inspection and export work cannot guarantee destination tax, conformity, registration, public charging, app access, warranty, insurance or future software service. Obtain local advice before a deposit and refresh it whenever vehicle, route or rules change.
Carry the decision to handover
Keep the accepted VIN, specification, condition and included work on the quotation, contract, invoice, export documents and loading record. Before carrier handover, record odometer, state of charge, keys, cables, accessories, faults and all exterior panels.
Verify the contract entity and beneficiary independently. Any changed bank instruction, vehicle, exporter, freight route, delivery term or price reopens approval. Preserve the final evidence pack after delivery for registration, service and dispute handling.
Need a VIN-linked Tai 3 proposal?
Send the destination, preferred version, condition, charging requirement and delivery point.
Request a Tai 3Do not perform a water crossing as an inspection demonstration
A wading video cannot approve a used car or establish a safe depth for a different route. Do not send an inspector into water merely to produce footage. When exposure is suspected, preserve the timeline, visible water path, warnings and recovery actions; stop speculative repeated start attempts and obtain competent assessment. Keep physical battery protection, cabin moisture and qualified electrical findings together. No single dry-looking surface or successful restart closes all of those questions.
Buyer questions
Is Tai 3 Water, Wading, Ingress and Recovery Checks the same for every Tai 3?
No. Production edition, drivetrain, battery, equipment, condition and destination can change the answer. Verify the selected VIN.
Can a brochure prove the exported car’s specification?
No. A brochure provides market context. Use the build date, labels, legal record and installed equipment of the selected vehicle.
What should be resolved before a deposit?
Vehicle identity, seller authority, condition evidence, charging compatibility, quotation boundary, beneficiary and destination feasibility.