What is the Difference Between a 4S Store and an Auto Trade Market?

[DelJustin]

Here are the differences between a 4S store and an auto trade market: 1. Source of Vehicles: 4S stores are established with investments from manufacturers, so the cars in 4S stores are directly provided by the manufacturers. 4S stores are also known as primary dealers. Auto trade markets are established with private investments, so the scale of auto trade markets can vary, and some vehicles may have unclear sources. 2. Scale: 4S stores are larger in scale than auto trade markets because they have large showrooms and after-sales workshops. Auto trade markets only have small showrooms and three to five staff members, as they generally do not provide after-sales services and lack workshops. 3. Price: The same car model is sold at a lower price in auto trade markets compared to 4S stores.

[Dylan]

Over the past few years, I've accompanied friends to buy cars at various places and noticed that the biggest difference between 4S shops and auto trading companies lies in their ownership. 4S shops are directly authorized by automobile manufacturers—brands like Volkswagen and Toyota only sell their own vehicles, with uniformly decorated showrooms offering everything from sales to maintenance services. Auto trading companies, on the other hand, resemble car supermarkets, handling vehicles of any brand and sourcing from anywhere, often offering prices several thousand yuan cheaper than 4S shops. However, caution is needed—I've seen inventory cars transferred from other regions at auto trading companies, and their maintenance records lack the complete electronic archives that 4S shops maintain. For peace of mind, 4S shops are the better choice—their service centers use only genuine parts, and handling warranty claims or repairs requires no effort on your part.

[CalebDella]

Last week, I finally understood while accompanying my cousin to look at cars that vehicles at 4S stores are directly supplied by manufacturers—prices may be firm, but quality is assured. Cars from auto traders are sourced from various places, allowing for much lower negotiated prices, but they come with more future worries. When repairing cars, I noticed that technicians at 4S stores use original diagnostic computers and follow very standardized procedures. If there's an issue with a car sold by an auto trader, they'll at most help you contact a repair shop, but the quality of the repair is questionable. During used car trade-ins, 4S stores offer noticeably more reasonable valuations for their own brand's vehicles, whereas I've seen auto traders be very picky when buying cars multiple times.

[LeMarley]

Last year, I bought a commuter car from an auto trading company, which was over 8,000 yuan cheaper than at a 4S dealership. But the troubles came later: during maintenance, I found that the oil filter model didn't even match, and the promised freebies took three months to arrive. Later, I realized that auto trading companies are just middlemen, sourcing cars from various 4S dealerships or secondary channels as inventory vehicles. Although 4S dealerships are more expensive, they even tighten the tire bolts to the standard torque upon delivery, and the repair workshops have real-time monitoring to observe the operation process. Looking back now, I really should have spent more money for peace of mind.