Import under the parallel import scheme – that is, the import of branded components and equipment, but without permission from the copyright owner. Now such a scheme is allowed in Russia, but so far few people can imagine how it will really work.
Experts of the Avtodom group of companies gave their prediction about what equipment distributors, car dealers from official dealers and ordinary motorists will encounter.
Why are spare parts prices rising and when do you have to wait for stabilization?
Currency volatility, logistical problems, including the lack of containers for sea transport, caused the price of auto parts to rise. The only available delivery route from Asia was the railway.
“Parallel imports will reduce the problem of spare parts availability. But arrangements for parallel import of spare parts are still being worked out. Improvement of the situation with the availability of auto parts, stabilization of prices for them is forecast by the fall,” said Roman Timashov, service director at Avtodom Altufyevo.
Can parallel import solve the shortage problem?
In a situation of limited supply of foreign goods, parallel imports will to some extent relieve the tension in the car market and provide a certain range of cars and spare parts. However, the delivery of cars and parts to Russia will be carried out through intermediaries, which, taking into account more complex logistics chains through Asian and CIS countries, will increase the final cost not only for buyers, but also for dealers. There is no clear idea of new routes yet.
What happens to the car warranty?
It is clear that distributors do not assume warranty obligations for parallel imports, while dealers are limited by the validity of car manufacturers’ contracts. In particular, Avtodom undertakes to provide a warranty for cars delivered through parallel imports, but for a fee, as the “warranty” is not included in the cost of a car imported in this way. Otherwise, customers will buy cars without the ability to perform warranty service.
“Products imported as part of parallel imports retain the quality of the car manufacturer. The seller must have documents about the origin and receipt of goods, components and consumables must comply with the applicable standards,” notes the company’s press service.
What problems and dangers are there possible with parallel import?
We must not forget that modern cars are equipped with many electronic components, and cars produced for the Asian or European market need to be further adapted to Russian conditions, for example by downloading domestic software.
Motorists who do not use the services of official service centers run the risk of purchasing a low-quality part, which ultimately leads to additional costs. To avoid purchasing low-quality auto parts, we recommend that you contact official service centers and authorized parts and repair dealers, who are responsible for the quality of service and have authenticity checking programs of spare parts.
- Car dealers have now announced the current situation with parts.
- “Behind the wheel” can be read in Odnoklassniki.