First-Time Buying a Truck on Alibaba – Looking for Advice

Hi everyone,

I’m considering buying a truck from Alibaba for the first time and would appreciate advice from people who have gone through the process.

I’m located in Costa Rica and I’m looking at medium-duty trucks (around 3.5–6 tons payload capacity) from Chinese manufacturers. The pricing looks attractive compared to local options, but I want to make sure I avoid costly mistakes.

Some of the things I’m trying to understand are:

How do you verify that a supplier is legitimate?

Is Alibaba Trade Assurance enough protection for a purchase this large?

What payment method is safest (TT, LC, etc.)?

Did you hire a third-party inspection company before shipment?

How accurate were the truck specifications compared to what was delivered?

Were there any unexpected costs during shipping, customs clearance, or registration?