What is an Imported Car?

[VivianRose]

Imported cars refer to complete commodity vehicles that are produced and assembled abroad. Before entering the Chinese market for sale, they must undergo necessary testing and inspections by relevant regulatory authorities, obtain sales permits in China, and pay tariffs before being officially sold domestically. Imported cars offer the following three advantages: 1. Significant price advantage by eliminating intermediary costs: Since they bypass multiple layers of dealers and 4S stores, parallel imported cars can be more than 20% cheaper than China-spec vehicles by saving a large amount of intermediary costs. 2. Access to models not yet launched domestically, reducing waiting time for new cars: The latest models can be directly imported from overseas, significantly cutting down the waiting time for new vehicles. 3. Richer configurations, consistent with overseas versions: Parallel imported cars are identical to their overseas counterparts in all aspects, allowing consumers to experience imported cars with the same configurations.

[Roman]

Imported cars are those not produced domestically but directly shipped from abroad. My neighbor just picked up a German imported station wagon last month, with tariffs and shipping costs being particularly high, doubling the car price. These cars usually have excellent quality, like Japanese imported MPVs with ultra-high engine precision, but maintenance can be a hassle. My friend's American imported pickup truck had its transmission replaced last time, but the local 4S store didn't have the parts, making him wait a full three months. Buying an imported car requires considering the follow-up maintenance costs, especially for niche brands where parts can cost five times more than regular cars. If you're after uniqueness or original factory quality, it's an option, but for ordinary household use, joint-venture cars are much more practical.

[LaJune]

Imported vehicles are far more than just the literal meaning. Having studied international trade documents, I've learned that car imports involve two distinct methods: bulk shipping and individual air freight, with trading companies employing completely different profit models. For instance, Middle East-spec Land Cruisers arrive in containers by the hundreds, enjoying tariffs as low as 10%, while limited-edition European supercars shipped individually via air freight incur transport costs starting from 200,000 RMB. The biggest appeal lies in unique configurations - Japanese-imported Alphards come with airline-style seats unavailable in domestic markets. The downside? Significant price inflation. Last year when purchasing a Canada-spec GLS for my boss, we discovered the China-spec version with identical features was 300,000 RMB cheaper.

[JosephineFitz]

Simply put, these are vehicles manufactured abroad and then shipped to China for sale. I've repaired imported cars for over a decade and found their parts standards completely different. European imports use metric bolts, while Japanese models favor imperial specifications - you need two sets of tools just for repairs. The environmental requirements are particularly strict too; for instance, US-spec emission systems are three times more complex than domestic versions. Buyers should carefully check the model variants - Middle East-spec Prados lack seat heating, which makes northeastern winters unbearable. Critical part supplies are problematic; last time a client's Mercedes S-class AC pump failed, the German shipment took six weeks to arrive.