What you need to be prepared when buying a Chinese car

They say many things about Chinese cars. Someone appreciate them for their cheapness and ease of maintenance. Someone who likes and says that’s never going to overpay for the Europeans and the Japanese, and someone curses the Chinese car and said that never again and never.

These different opinions are caused not so much by brand as by year of model development. The modern Chinese car the less claims to it. The car, which bears the Chinese automotive industry in recent years, surprise and quality, equipment and price. However, buying a new Chinese car in Russia to some of the inevitable troubles you will still have to be ready.

It’s always difficult to speak and write about cars of different brands, United only by country of origin, but I’ll try and I warn you that each item has its few exceptions.

Service and dealerships

Many Chinese brands in Russia operate on the principle of multi-brand dealerships. This is when under the roof of one building, the same Manager may sell Brilliance, Dongfeng, Haima, Changan, Zotye, Geely, Lifan and anything else. Requirements for dealers and dealerships in such cases is small. From this and coming issues.

First, it’s just undignified and lacking in credibility, and, secondly, imposes their own stamp on the service. There is no clear chain of actions, communications with the office and the headquarters, machine is not thoroughly understood, the level of professionalism and technical literacy can very much depend on the particular specialist and dealer. No customer focus and standards of the manufacturer. It’s bad.

Another problem is the small number of even these multi-brand dealers. If you have a small town, you need the dealer may be only in the next town, service intervals, many Chinese cars are small. For example, Changan and Zotye service intervals of six months or 10,000 km depending on what comes earlier, but with strict conditions times in 5000 km or every three (!) months. And yet many Chinese have zero SOMETHING like a Vase, at 2000 km.

Although, in fairness, it should be said that many more or less big (in Russia), Chinese brands are beginning to abandon multibranding and build its dealer network, as all Japanese, Korean and European manufacturers.

Spare parts

Buying a Chinese car will have to put up with one more thing. Not all Chinese manufacturers in Russia there is a Central warehouse of spare parts (just have it Chery, as for the rest — if there is, there in the presence of a few parts). This leads to the fact that if you have something breaks, even under warranty, waiting for spare parts will have several weeks or even a month, until it comes from China.

In advance have to think about after warranty because just to go to the parts shop and buy what you need, not work — have to order in advance via the Internet.

Another minus — almost no neoriginal, and the original sometimes not in Chinese roads. Some kind of headlight (halogen!) can cost 30 000 rubles. Although this is, of course, much depends on brand and model.

Body

Another problem faced by almost all the owners of Chinese cars is almost zero anti-corrosion treatment. This is exactly the problem that didn’t go with the years and the solution of which, it seems, and especially not to work (although I’m not sure). In China, a different climate and there is a rust problem is not as acute.

In the salon you can say that the body is galvanized, but galvanizing or partial, or it is very weak and merely formal, is made for promotional purposes.

Corrosive resistance again can depend on the make, model, year of production, place of production and operating conditions, but the General recommendation for Chinese cars is an additional Antikor immediately after purchase.

Of course, when we’re talking about budget machines even well-known brands, the galvanized body is not at all, and if galvanized, it is the cheapest way, but the fact remains — corrosive resistance, the Chinese can not boast. To understand this, just look at the warranty against rust. She usually does not exceed five years.

Liquidity

Another issue that you need to be prepared in advance is the subsequent resale of the vehicle on the secondary market. Chinese cars is terrible illiquid (at least so far). Moreover, some car dealers will not accept Chinese cars to exchange for trade-in.

And yet — the majority of the machines very quickly lose value.

Image

Well, perhaps the main problem that will have to accept when buying a Chinese car is its image. And therefore your image. Chinese cars may look expensive, be a cool feature, to be large, but they are not considered cool in society.

And even if we assume that in the future Chinese cars will earn yourself a good reputation as a reliable car, as did Hyundai and Kia, now that the image and reputation there, and this will have to be reconciled. In the eyes of the people your car is made in China, and argue that it is steeper Toyota or BMW so far will not work. At least, to convince someone other than yourself.

Even Korean cars still are not a sign of success and wealth, not to mention the Chinese.

© 2019, paradox. All rights reserved.