The car has only been driven a few thousand kilometers, yet it s been taken apart everywhere! What s the catch with this 380,000-yuan AITO M9?

Hello, everyone~ It s time for Auto Inspector to meet you again! I m a big guy weighing 180 with a height of 180, wearing size 44 shoes—dealers usually think twice before misrepresenting a car s condition when they see me. Though I may look imposing, I m actually very meticulous and won t overlook any details. Today, I m sharing with you a barely-used AITO M9 (image | configuration | price), reportedly nearly 100,000 cheaper than a brand-new one!

Although many people criticize the AITO M9 online, as a premium vehicle in the 500,000-yuan price range, it has already surpassed 170,000 cumulative sales in less than a year since its launch, averaging over 10,000 units per month. It firmly holds the top spot among luxury SUVs priced above 500,000 yuan—undeniably impressive. After all, 500,000 yuan is no small sum. You might argue that AITO s marketing is overhyped, but can you really say those who spend that much on the car are just foolish with money? Votes cast with wallets speak far louder than those with words.

Brother Tang from Chongqing mentioned that he really wanted a large-sized SUV, but there were too few options for traditional gasoline-powered cars, and the prices were too high. The key issue was that compared to new energy vehicles like the AITO M9, they fell far behind in terms of both smart features and comfort. The extended-range version also solved the problem of range anxiety, making it a perfect choice. Brother Tang also said he had looked at the Li L9 and thought it was good too, but a friend introduced him to this AITO M9, which had only been driven for a few months and was 100,000 yuan cheaper than a brand-new one, offering great value for money. So, he decided to give it a try. However, the seller mentioned that the car had been in an accident at the front, so Brother Tang asked us to help assess the severity of the damage—if it was minor, he could still accept it. Now, let’s take a look at today’s featured car.

Model Year: AITO M9 2024 Extended Range Max Edition 42kW

Manufacturing date: May 2024

Displayed mileage: 5,000 kilometers

Manufacturer s Suggested Retail Price: ¥469,800

Seller s quote: 380,000.

As a nearly new car with only a few thousand kilometers driven, the actual experience is almost the same as a brand-new one—it s just a matter of an extra ownership transfer, which is still quite cost-effective. The most important thing is to assess how significant the car s issues are.

To be honest, the presence of this car is truly impressive—it almost feels like a Mercedes-Benz GLS Maybach. The entire exterior and interior are quite fresh, and with a little tidying up, it could almost pass as brand new. The interior also looks full of tech. But frankly, as a skeptic, I’m still quite doubtful about this kind of new energy vehicle since it hasn’t stood the test of time. Of course, a big part of it is that I haven’t reached that level of spending power. Even if I had 500,000, I wouldn’t consider buying this car—what if I made the wrong choice? The cost of trial and error is just too high.

Upon inspecting the front of the vehicle, it was found that the screws on the front bumper, headlight frame, and radiator frame had all been removed. However, the headlight s production date matches and shows no signs of replacement.

Next, upon inspection, it can be seen that the engine hood and the fenders on both sides have been removed, and the engine mounts have also been taken off. However, the front frame rails are intact, which doesn t make sense theoretically. If the frame rails are undamaged, there should be no need to remove the engine. Let s proceed with this question in mind and continue examining the left and right sides.

The paint thickness readings on the outer surfaces of the left A-pillar, B-pillar, and C-pillar are higher than normal, but no signs of repainting were detected. Both left-side doors show evidence of having been removed and reinstalled, and there is minor bodywork and repainting on the left side sill.

The two doors on the right side have also been removed, but the A, B, and C pillars are intact. This situation is quite peculiar because none of the four doors have been replaced or repainted, so why were they removed? The frame is also undamaged. With this question in mind, let s continue our investigation.

The rear bumper has been removed, both rear taillights on the left and right sides have been removed, and the trunk lid has also been removed. However, the taillight frames and rear tail panel are intact, and even the internal charging system and electronic control unit have been completely dismantled. It s quite strange—this car shows signs of disassembly all over the exterior, yet there are no part replacements or major repairs. So far, there s no suspicion of a major accident. Next, let s take a look at the engine.

The AITO M9 is equipped with a 1.5T turbocharged engine and two electric motors, delivering a maximum power of 365 kW and a peak torque of 675 N·m, achieving 0-100 km/h acceleration in just 4.9 seconds. The performance of new energy vehicles is indeed an advantage. For a large SUV like this, achieving such performance with a traditional fuel-powered vehicle would require an 8-cylinder engine, pushing the price well over 1.5 million yuan.

After inspecting the engine compartment, I found that the main components of the engine and transmission have not been disassembled, but both have been removed from the vehicle because their mounts were taken off, including the fuse box. I suspect there might have been water damage, as too many parts of the entire car have been dismantled. More evidence is needed to confirm this. Next, let s take a look at the interior.

Getting up close to the interior, the seats are soft and very comfortable to sit on. Almost every surface you touch is made of soft materials, giving a high-end feel. Compared to my Ford Focus, the difference is like night and day. Currently, the interior shows no signs of wear.

The back seat is also quite spacious and doesn t appear to have been water-damaged. Let s check the details right away.

You can see the wire plug under the seat and mud beneath the seat—could it really have been waterlogged?

Pry open the area beneath the seat carpet and use an endoscope to inspect the cavity—it appears clean and tidy, with no water stains or mud. This is quite strange. While there is mud under the seat, the area beneath the carpet is entirely clean. Could the seat have been replaced?

So I compared and found that the plastic parts on the right threshold had also been removed, including the B-pillar trim, headliner, and A-pillar trim, all of which showed signs of disassembly.

The dashboard, steering wheel, and all seat belts in the car show signs of having been removed and reinstalled, which essentially means the entire interior has been taken apart. However, what s strange is that the car hasn t been water-damaged, so why would so many components have been dismantled? The more I inspect this vehicle, the more confused I become. But by now, a bold suspicion has already formed in my mind. Next, I ll lift the car to inspect the chassis and verify my hypothesis.

Lifting the car reveals a very clean underside, which aligns with the expected condition after just over 5,000 kilometers.

The inspection revealed that the exhaust pipe, underbody guard, and all suspension components had been removed.

The subframes at the front and rear, as well as the front and rear crash beams, have been removed. However, the main components, the engine and transmission, have not been disassembled—only lifted. Seeing this, I ve basically reached a conclusion, but I still need a few more photos to confirm.

You can see that the car body is quite new, without any traces of mud or dirt. Even if it has only been driven a little over 5,000 kilometers, some mud and water stains would have accumulated underneath over time. This one is clearly brand new.

Moreover, it can be seen that all four tires were manufactured in 2023, including all the glass on the vehicle, which was also produced in 2023. However, this car was manufactured in May 2024. For such a popular model, it’s impossible to use components that old. Therefore, my conclusion is that this car either had its body shell replaced or it’s an assembled vehicle! After communicating with the seller, they claimed the car was sourced from the Seres factory. This raises another possibility—it could be a test vehicle. In any case, the car itself doesn’t seem to have any major accidents.

In the end, I told the customer everything I had detected in detail, and he was utterly shocked. He said he had never even heard of such a car before, let alone seen one! No wonder it was so cheap—it seems you really do get what you pay for. So, what do you all think? Can this car actually be bought? Personally, I think if the disassembly and reassembly were done by the manufacturer themselves, the difference from a brand-new car wouldn’t be that significant. It’s just that buyers might feel uneasy about it. At that point, it all comes down to whether the price is right—if it’s reasonable, I think it could be worth buying. But at 380,000 yuan, if it were me, I wouldn’t even consider it.