Are Parts of Joint Venture Cars Imported?
3 Answers
For mainstream joint venture brands' domestically produced models, approximately only 16% of the parts are imported. Automotive Parts Industry: The automotive parts industry is even larger than the complete vehicle industry because, after a car is sold, components such as starter batteries, bumpers, tires, glass, and automotive electronics need to be replaced during its lifecycle. Domestic automotive parts enterprises, which form the foundation of the automotive industry's development, still have relatively weak overall strength and lag significantly behind mature foreign companies. Due to the generally low investment in technological R&D by domestic automotive parts suppliers and insufficient attention from local governments to the industry, the overall technical level of enterprises within the sector remains backward, with relatively inadequate independent development capabilities and a strong reliance on technology imports. Purchasing Considerations: Check for rust on the surface of the parts. Qualified parts have a certain level of precision and a bright, smooth finish. The more critical the part, the higher the precision, and the more stringent the anti-rust and anti-corrosion packaging. When purchasing, inspect carefully. If you find rust spots, mold spots, cracked rubber parts, loss of elasticity, or obvious tool marks on the shaft surface, the part should be replaced. Check if the protective coating is intact. Most parts are coated with a protective layer when they leave the factory. For example, piston pins and bearing bushes are protected with wax; piston rings and cylinder liners are coated with anti-rust oil and wrapped in packaging paper; valves and pistons
I used to be curious about this issue too, because my family owns a joint-venture car that often needs part replacements after long-term use. I found that not all parts of joint-venture cars are imported – it depends on the specific situation. For example, my car has had wiper blades, door handles and other inexpensive small parts replaced, which were basically domestically produced, affordable and arrived within a few days. But when the transmission needed repair, it was troublesome – the mechanic said it was a German imported component that took half a month to arrive and cost twice as much. I asked a friend at the 4S shop, and they said most joint-venture brands now have local parts factories in China to save costs, with common plastic and sheet metal parts basically being domestically produced. However, core engine components and high-tech sensors are often still original imported parts, especially for premium models. In my opinion, for daily wear-and-tear parts, domestic alternatives are faster and cheaper, but for key components, original imported parts are more reliable.
I've been in car sales for over a decade, and customers often ask whether parts are imported. The parts supply for joint-venture vehicles is quite complex—simply put, it's a hybrid model. For example, with FAW-Volkswagen cars, most chassis components are produced locally in Changchun, but the turbocharger might be imported from Europe. Toyota's Chinese plants have higher localization rates, even achieving local assembly for engines. Generally speaking, joint-venture factories balance parts sourcing based on policy requirements and cost-effectiveness: consumables like plastic parts, glass, and tires are basically 100% domestically produced; for core components such as transmission control modules or hybrid batteries, imports are still used to maintain technical standards. I recommend that owners check part packaging during maintenance—only those labeled with a foreign origin are imported parts. Nowadays, the quality of domestic parts has improved rapidly, with many already meeting original equipment manufacturer standards.
