The Impact of China 6 Standard on Parallel Import Vehicles
2 Answers
The China 6 standard does not have much impact on parallel import vehicles, because in the field of parallel import vehicles, those that meet the China 6 standard directly comply with China 6B, while those that do not meet the standard cannot even reach the threshold of China 6A. Parallel import vehicles, also known as parallel trade import vehicles, are cars purchased by traders from overseas markets and introduced into the Chinese market for sale without authorization from the brand manufacturers. Depending on the import source, they can be classified into American-spec, Middle East-spec, Canadian-spec, and European-spec vehicles, distinguishing them from the China-spec vehicles sold through authorized channels. Advantages of parallel import vehicles: 1. Competitive pricing: Parallel import vehicles bypass sales channels such as general distributors, regional distributors, and 4S stores, eliminating many intermediate links. Moreover, parallel import dealers are not restricted by manufacturers in pricing, offering greater flexibility, which results in significant price advantages. Typically, parallel import vehicles are 10%~20% cheaper than China-spec vehicles. 2. Model and delivery time advantages: Sometimes, new overseas models are not launched in China due to manufacturers' strategic plans or domestic certification issues. However, parallel import vehicles have a natural advantage in this regard, as they can be freely purchased overseas and then shipped to China for sale, greatly reducing the waiting time for new models. 3. More diverse configurations: Another advantage of parallel import vehicles is the ability to purchase overseas models not available in China. Generally, to align with the Chinese market positioning strategy, manufacturers make certain adjustments or modifications when importing overseas models into China. In contrast, parallel import vehicles are directly imported from regions such as North America and the Middle East, and their configurations may differ from those of China-spec vehicles.
Speaking of the impact of China 6 emission standards on parallel-import vehicles, I feel that as an ordinary car owner, the impact has been quite noticeable in recent years. Once the China 6 standard was implemented, many parallel-import cars couldn't be registered due to failing to meet emission requirements, especially those models imported from Europe or the U.S. They used to be significantly cheaper than cars from 4S stores, but now buyers have to spend extra on modifications, such as installing particulate filters or reprogramming the ECU, which directly increases the cost for buyers. I remember during the transition period in 2020, many dealers had their inventory stuck, prices surged, and consumers had fewer choices. In the long run, this has a purifying effect on the overall auto market, but in the short term, it's really a headache for those of us who want to save money on luxury cars. The main advantage of parallel-import cars was their high cost-performance ratio, but now that advantage has been weakened, and we have to spend more time running to inspection points, which is quite a waste of time. Fortunately, some major brands have started launching dedicated China 6 versions, which somewhat alleviates the pressure.
