Mod order: every tenth foreign car in Russia was imported in parallel
On average, every 10th car registered in Russia was imported in 2024 as part of the parallel import program, market participants told Izvestia. The main volume consists of Japanese, Korean and German brands. Chinese cars were also actively imported. In general, Russian consumers spent 1.2 trillion rubles on parallel imports. However, buying a vehicle using such a mechanism carries very specific risks: many models do not have parts, even for minor repairs, experts warn. About what other brands were popular with customers last year — in the Izvestia article.
Which cars did Russians buy
In 2024, every 10th car was brought to Russia as part of the parallel import program, market participants told Izvestia. According to GTK-Avto (a parallel import company that has been part of GTK-Holding since 2022), Russians have spent about 1.2 trillion rubles on new cars. A year earlier, this amount was at the level of 1.1 trillion rubles.
— Its increase is due to a combination of factors: an increase in the cost of the cars themselves, increased sales in general," the company said. — The bulk of the vehicles imported through this channel were Asian, in particular Japanese and Korean, as well as German brands.
Distributors of Chinese cars, in turn, mastered the parallel import channel during the test period — before the official launch of sales of new brands on the domestic car market.
This mechanism involves the import of goods into the country without the participation of official distributors of the brand, most often using certified or non-certified supply channels, Igor Rastorguev, a leading analyst at AMarkets, recalled.
— This is what makes it possible to supply cars that official companies no longer offer, he explained.
Currently, according to the order of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, parallel import of passenger cars of 46 brands is allowed, including Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota and Skoda.
Toyota is the leader in the category "registration of new cars of companies that have officially left Russia," despite all the difficulties, it is more often imported by parallel import, confirmed Denis Migal, founder of the Fresh automotive marketplace.
— In Russia, especially beyond the Urals, this brand has an almost cult status. She is jokingly called a "saint" for her technical infallibility, he explained.
GTK—Avto also noted increased demand for Mercedes-Benz models such as the V-class 300D LONG and GLS 450 4MATIC. In second place were BMW X5, X6 and X7. Audi and Land Rover are in third place.
Izvestia sent a request to the Ministry of Industry and Trade with a request to provide data on the number of cars imported under the parallel import program.
What are the risks of parallel import
By the end of 2024, sales of new passenger cars were at the level of 1.57 million units, according to Autostat data. LADA remains the leader of the car market, having sold 436.2 thousand cars— which is 34.4% more than in 2023. In the top 10 brands on the Russian market, eight positions belong to manufacturers from China. The top ten leaders are now rounded out by the Belarusian Belgee and the Chinese Tank.
In general, in 2024, legal entities and individual entrepreneurs purchased LADA passenger cars most often (the share of sales in the passenger segment was 27.7%), Haval (13.6%) and Geely (9.5%), Sergey Mizyura, CEO of the Europlan leasing company, told Izvestia.
— The most popular models are Granta, Haval Jolion and Geely Monjaro. In the commercial vehicle segment, GAZ (23.1% of sales in this segment), KAMAZ (6.2%) and LADA (6.2%) leased the most. The most popular models are the Gazelle Next and Largus," he noted.
Today, Chinese cars have become one of the most popular among those imported through parallel imports, Igor Rastorguev believes. People, ordering cars in this way, are trying to save money, as well as expand the pool of options for purchase, suggested Nikita Rodionov, technical director of the international franchise network of car service Fit Service.
Japanese and German cars have always been distinguished by a high level of build quality, reliability and safety, emphasized Evgeny Zhitnukhin, commercial director of the Fresh automotive marketplace. In addition, most of their main components and assemblies have a long service life.
— For example, the most popular model on the secondary market, the Camry, has a 2.5—liter 2AR—FE engine that does not require major repairs even after 500,000 km, while the BMW 3 series has 500-600 thousand km of mileage, the expert noted. — Plus, German and Japanese cars have always been an indicator of the solidity and well-being of their owners.
Although Korean cars cannot boast of such results, according to Evgeny Zhitnukhin, they have nevertheless proven themselves in the Russian market as hardy machines adapted to Russian operating conditions.
— Before the aggravation of the geopolitical situation, the models of Korean automakers were among the best cars in terms of price and quality, he said.
But now, if a person chooses a brand that is not represented in Russia, not to mention exclusive options, then these initial savings can lead to further difficulties with repairs and maintenance, Nikita Rodionov emphasized.
— The car will have to be operated, which means that it is necessary to undergo scheduled maintenance and repair, and perhaps over time there will be a need for body repairs, — he reminded. — This whole future life with a car needs to be carefully considered and provided for. It will be difficult to find spare parts for rare cars. None of the distributors form stocks for individual items.
According to the expert, before buying, it is necessary to check the availability, delivery time, cost of both running parts, in particular drive belts, pads, shock absorbers for minor repairs, and to assess the availability of more complex parts.
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