Chinese companies are starting deliveries of used cars to our country. Given the shortage of liquid models in the secondary car market, such cars will be in demand in Russia, experts say. However, buying a used “Chinese” could lead to unpleasant surprises, experts warn. The details were clarified by Izvestia.
New direction
By the end of the year, about 1,000 used cars will be delivered to Russia from China. Ge Xin, Deputy General Director of Dragon Link International Logistics Company, said this at the 9th International Cross-Border Trade Exhibition in Suifenhe. He noted that the company received a license from the PRC authorities in the middle of spring to export used cars to Russia. According to him, the first batch of 92 used cars has already arrived from China in our country. Most of them are no more than five years old, he added.
In the future, Dragon Link intends to increase the supply of used cars from China and expand this direction, said Ge Xin. The company plans to develop offices in Moscow, Khabarovsk and Vladivostok.
The Far East decided to prepare in advance for an increase in the number of used cars imported from China. For example, in early August, on the territory of the Khabarovsk customs opened specialized laboratory, whose employees conduct the necessary examinations on siteassessing the compliance of imported cars with Russian safety requirements.
Liquidity shortage
According to the analytical agency Avtostat, in the first half of the year, more than 52,000 used cars of Chinese brands were sold in Russia, which is about 2% of the entire used car market. Against this background, 1 thousand used cars, which are planned to be brought to our country by the end of the year, are unlikely to have any noticeable impact on the used car market, experts say.
Nevertheless, in the context of a shortage of liquid models with mileage in Russia, the import of used cars is a fairly promising direction, believes an independent consultant on the automotive industry Sergei Burgazliev.
– For the consumer, any replenishment of the market is, of course, a boon. Additional choices appear. China has a huge fleet of cars, a significant part of which is represented by relatively affordable models. Despite customs duties, salvage fees, logistics costs, the final cost of such machines in our country can be quite attractive, he told Izvestia.
In his opinion, over the past few years, Chinese automakers have made a serious step forward. Many potential buyers no longer have their former skepticism about cars from China, the expert believes. Since a significant increase in sales of new cars of Chinese brands in our country began relatively recently, there are still few “fresh” cars with low mileage on the secondary market, the expert notes. This niche may well be occupied by cars imported from China, he believes.
Last year, automaker FAW announced plans to supply Hongqi and VW with mileage.
Features of the Chinese car fleet
Maxim Kadakov, editor-in-chief of Za Rulem, believes that the emergence of an additional source of replenishment for the used car market is an undoubted plus for the consumer. However, cars that were operated in China have their own characteristics, he notes.
– Here it is necessary to take into account the mentality of Chinese car owners. Unlike the Japanese, who literally blow dust off their car, the Chinese have a more pragmatic attitude towards the car. Most of the time, it’s just a normal thing for them. As a result, a more negligent attitude towards both the appearance of the machine and its technical condition– Maxim Kadakov told Izvestia.
Market prospects for used models from China will largely depend on the overall economic situation in our country, he notes. Now, against the importers of such machines, a noticeable depreciation of the ruble against the yuan, as well as the rates of recycling fees that have increased since August 1, are playing against them.
– Let’s say that some model in China in terms of Russian currency costs 500 thousand rubles. Customs clearance, payment of salvage and logistics costs will add to this price, according to the most rough estimates, another 500-600 thousand rubles. Plus seller’s margin. Thus, in Russia the cost of this machine is already over 1 million rubles. Accordingly, it will be in demand only if the price of analogues turns out to be higher,” Kadakov notes.
“Wet” business
Purchasing a used car imported from China can be associated with serious risks, warns Vice President of the National Automobile Union (US) Anton Shaparin. Gthe main ones are a lack of transparency in maintenance history, as well as potential problems with spare parts for such machines.
— If with regard to used cars that were imported into Russia from Europe, Japan or the USA, there is an understanding of how to check their technical and legal history, then with regard to cars from China, there are no such developments yet. Who and how serviced a particular car while it was operated in China is now quite difficult to understand, — emphasizes the expert.
In addition, if in the case of models that are officially presented on our market, the situation with spare parts is normal, then the search for parts for “exotic” may be associated with certain difficulties, he believes.
Another significant risk when buying a used car from China, the vice-president of the NAS calls the exposure of certain regions of this country to natural disasters.
– Powerful typhoons in a number of provinces in China are a very frequent phenomenon. Just the other day, a typhoon caused severe flooding. Thousands of cars were under water. No one can guarantee that these and other Chinese “drowned people” will not end up in our country,” said Anton Shaparin.
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