Hi, sorry to see there is no much reply to your questions. Hope my reply is make sense for you:

your question:
"But if I want to drive my foreign registered car, it is not so strait forward, if you believe the agents, extortionists or thieves as I would like to call them.

So, firstly I don't need any guide when I drive my Chinese registered car any where in China, why do I need a guide when I drive a foreign registered car in China?."

actually on such conditions, normally for guests who will do the self-drive tour in China within 90 days, and the guide is necessary more for vehicle, than for guests.

1. according to the related rules of China government, if the foreign registered car would drive in China, it needs "temporary driving license", just similar with: for a foreign driver, they need "temporary driver license", there has different and respective related documents for applying the two things.

2. then, for applying the "temporary driving license", you need the national documents, and for temporary driving in China (like for travel) the validity should be in 90 days. Except you have other documents to show that (like work, study in China) you have certificate to make your car to stay in China beyond 90 days (sorry i'm just familiar with the one in 90 days for travel).

3. "the national documents" require a guide to accompany you and your car when you travel/drive in China with a foreign registered car.

4. For Chinese car, it has original Chinese driving license, then no need a guide to accompany.

if u need help on "driving foreign vehicle in China" in the future, welcome to contact me at: abby.zhang@navo-tour.com

best regards

Abby