On February 12, the head of the PEC: MALL marketplace, Sergei Burov, told Izvestia what to look for when buying a Chinese car so that there are no problems during operation.
“Over the past five years, the quality of Chinese cars has improved. Brands have improved production technologies, transport has become more reliable and durable. In addition, after an increase of 12% last year, prices have stabilized by the beginning of 2024. For example, the cost of an economy class crossover starts from 1.5 million rubles, comfort – from 3 million rubles. A business class car will cost 5–16 million rubles, depending on the category,” Burov noted.
According to him, when choosing a suitable model, it is important to take into account the features of Chinese technology. At first, the driver may be distracted by some inconsistency of the mechanisms. In most popular models of Chinese cars, the operation of the engine and transmission is not fully synchronized; the gearbox operates with a delay.
“This hinders most of all when overtaking, when it is necessary to bypass the vehicle as quickly as possible, and the response to the gas pedal is weak. If you are planning a test drive before purchasing, be sure to evaluate the engine’s response to gearbox shifts, think about how comfortable you are,” the expert emphasized.
He also noted that when purchasing a car from China, you may encounter poor response of the buttons on the control panel. Drivers have to tap the on-board computer screen several times before turning on the required function.
“According to user experience, tablet displays installed in Chinese cars work worst of all at extremely low temperatures – from minus 15 degrees. Before the control center starts the engine, turns on the heating and other functions, the driver will have to wait, perhaps several minutes, for the dynamics of acceleration and braking. Check the size of the steering play, which reflects the amount of steering rotation and wheel displacement, before purchasing,” the specialist advised.
In addition, he noted that on frosty days, the plastic in the car can crack; the owners of such cars know that it is better to park in a warm garage or at least purchase a thermal cover if you leave the car outside.
“Another piece of advice: before buying, be sure to check the build quality of the car and pay attention to whether there are any gaps between its body elements. Evaluate the paintwork on the roof, sides, mirrors and other components. Despite the fact that over the past five years the quality of Chinese technology has improved, you can still sometimes come across a new car whose parts have been repainted,” added Burov.
According to him, it is possible that during production, when some positions are running out, workers use parts of a different color, having previously repainted them. Because of this, just a few months after use, the paintwork of a new car may become damaged and will have to be reapplied.
“It is clear that the quality of equipment can only be fully assessed when used for several months. However, there is always the opportunity to study how often cars of this model are sold on the secondary market, with what mileage and at what cost. This will help determine the reliability of the equipment based on indirect signs,” shared the auto expert.
In conclusion, he noted that along with the car you purchase service, which is based on the manufacturer’s warranty policy.
“Therefore, before purchasing, check whether a spare parts catalog has been created for the selected model and where it can be purchased. The wider the geography of stores where parts and accessories are available, the more convenient and profitable it will be for you to service your car. If the model is new and dealers do not know when a spare parts catalog will be released in Russia, in order to avoid problems with their selection, it is better to pay attention to other cars,” the specialist concluded.
On February 7, the Autostat agency reported that the weighted average price of a new passenger car in Russia at the end of 2023 was 2.96 million rubles, which is 24% more than a year earlier. Four years ago it was 1.57 million rubles.
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