What is an Imported Car?
3 Answers
Imported cars refer to vehicles that are entirely manufactured abroad and then transported to the domestic market for sale. Below is an introduction to the channels and classifications of imported cars: Channels for Imported Cars: One type is sold through 4S dealerships, introduced with "original manufacturer authorization," known as China-spec cars. The other type is imported into the country by car dealers through international channels, "without original manufacturer authorization," referred to as parallel imported cars. These are generally categorized as US-spec cars, Middle East-spec cars, Canada-spec cars, European-spec cars, etc. Classifications of Imported Cars: Parallel imported cars are non-China-spec models and can only be purchased overseas or obtained at ports. Parallel imported cars offer a wider variety of models, bought directly from abroad without going through manufacturers, resulting in lower costs. China-spec imported cars are China-spec models purchased from 4S dealerships. They come with a comprehensive after-sales service network and are better suited to China's fuel quality, road conditions, climate, and other usage conditions, but they tend to be more expensive.
Imported cars are vehicles shipped directly from overseas factories to the domestic market for sale, unlike joint-venture or domestically produced cars that are manufactured locally. When choosing a car, I noticed that imported models often retain the original factory configurations and tuning styles, such as the handling characteristics of German cars or the refined craftsmanship of Japanese models. However, the drawbacks are obvious—they come with a significantly higher price tag due to tariffs and shipping costs, and the delivery wait time is longer. Maintenance can also be more troublesome, as sometimes even replacing a part requires waiting for customs clearance. But if you're after authentic design or special editions, like certain limited-run sports cars, they might still be worth considering—just be prepared to stretch your budget.
When it comes to imported cars, they are essentially foreign brands producing complete vehicles in their own countries and then directly shipping them to China for sale. The most obvious characteristic of such cars is their high price, with tariffs accounting for 15% to 25% of the vehicle price, plus additional costs for transportation and customs clearance. However, the advantage lies in strict quality control, such as Europe's emission standards being more stringent than those in China, and the materials used are also more substantial. I have personally compared the imported and domestically produced versions of the same brand, and the imported version has more aggressive engine parameter tuning. Besides being expensive, another drawback is the long waiting period for spare parts. For example, once when a headlight broke, it took a full two weeks to replace it.
