- Статьи
- Society
- Gone to the warehouse: what cars of the brands that left Russia are gathering dust at dealers
Gone to the warehouse: what cars of the brands that left Russia are gathering dust at dealers
By the end of this year, Russian car dealers still had hundreds of cars manufactured as far back as 2022 in their warehouses. Among them are about 170 cars of European brands, 150 - Chinese, about 60 - Korean. Among the "stale" are cars of different price segments. For example, almost all "Europeans" cost more than 7 million rubles. But among the Korean cars there is not a single one more expensive than 6 million rubles. In some cases there are new cars on sale, which were produced four years ago. Why all of them are still not sold out - in the material "Izvestia".
Old new car
Russian car dealers can not sell out of their warehouses remnants of cars of the 2022nd and even earlier years of production, it follows from the data of aggregators. These are mostly cars of Korean, German and British manufacturers.
Thus, on sites for the sale of cars exhibited about 60 offers of equipment from Korea 2022. Moreover, despite the small interest of buyers, the prices for them are growing from year to year. So, at the end of 2024 dealers ask 2.6 million rubles for Kia Seltos 2022, although last year it cost 2.3 million, and in 2022 would cost 1.8 million. In the car dealership "Kia Rolf", according to the aggregator "Auto.ru", Kia Cerato in the configuration Luxe 2022 without discounts costs almost 3 million rubles. A similar car last year would have cost 2.3 million, and at the time of release in 2022 - 1.6 million.
However, Korean cars are not the most expensive. The price of none of them does not exceed 6 million rubles. While 140 out of 170 stale "Europeans" cost more than 7 million. Among them are German Mercedes, Volkswagen and British Land Rover. Some of them were produced in 2021 and even 2020.
There are practically no premium cars aged one and a half years on the market, as for this period, with rare exceptions, nothing new was delivered to Russia, explained to "Izvestia" Deputy General Director of AG "Avilon" in the direction of cars with mileage Roman Titov.
Earlier European cars, for example Mercedes, cost much cheaper than now, while until 2022 they still had access to a full package of program options and maintenance, recalled auto expert Yulia Miloslavskaya.
- But with the departure of some brands from Russia, it is almost impossible to fully service such cars," she said. - For example, one of the difficulties is software upgrades.
Bora 2022 models produced for the Chinese market remain in Volkswagen dealerships. According to the car dealership "Volkswagen Center North", the car in the Smooth configuration with a one and a half liter gasoline engine with 113 hp will cost 2.5 million rubles without discounts. At the same time, the dealer states that these cars were imported before the increase in the utilization fee - it increased in the fall of this year. Probably, so the manufacturers hint about the forthcoming increase in cost.
The minibus Volkswagen Multivan 2022 will cost buyers almost 16 million. Such cars, according to "Auto.ru", remained at the dealer of the German brand in Kuntsevo.
You can also find two-year-old cars of the premium British brand Land Rover. In shopping center "Kuntsevo" Range Rover Sport models of the year before last can be purchased for 23 million rubles.
The "Chinese" are catching up
Some models of Chinese brands also remain unsold since 2022. At the same time, both premium and economy segment brands are stagnating at dealers.
Experts attribute this to the fact that in 2023, the focus of buyers' attention was still centered on Korean and European brands. But now there is a serious increase in interest in Chinese manufacturers, notes Yulia Miloslavskaya.
- This phenomenon is due to several factors. Chinese automakers offer competitive prices and decent quality," she believes. - In addition, they are actively introducing modern technologies, including electrification, which is in line with global trends in the industry.
One of the cheapest new cars from China in 2022 is Changan UNI-T in Luxe configuration - dealers offer it for 3 million rubles without additional discounts. The price for a similar car of 2024 starts from the same 3 million, but the car will have to wait a bit.
Of the premium Chinese cars of 2022 at dealers remains Hongqi H9 Plus in the Edition One configuration. Its price in Avilon starts from 12.5 million. It is noteworthy that a similar model of this year on the message boards simply does not exist, although it is produced since 2020.
Chinese brands are a strong competition to premium European brands, says Roman Titov. The buyer, choosing between buying a Chinese car on credit at a minimum interest rate or a European car at a high interest rate, is increasingly leaning in favor of the former.
A futuristic electric car called Hi-Phi X in the Flagship 2022 configuration costs from 8.9 million rubles for a four-seat version in the BorisHof showroom. A six-seat version of a similar car of 2023 in another dealership center can be purchased from 7.9 million.
According to aggregators, the number of offers for new Chinese cars of 2022 production year is about 140 across Russia.
Why two-year old cars remain on sale
Experts attribute the availability of 2022 cars on sale to global logistical problems and supply chain disruptions. In addition, consumer preferences have changed: interest in new models, electric and hybrid technologies has increased, says Yulia Miloslavskaya.
- In conditions of economic instability, buyers have become more cautious in their choice," she believes. - Car dealers and manufacturers have accumulated excessive stocks, counting on the increase in demand, but as a result they found themselves with large volumes of obsolete models.
Imports of two-year-old new cars continue in 2024 because lower prices make them an attractive and economical solution, the expert added. These are mostly cars from Korean, European and Chinese brands because of the wide range of models and established reputation in the market.
People buying new cars look at two things - price and year of manufacture, explained auto expert Ivan Volin. In the past, dealers used to make big discounts at the end of the year, because after a little time, the car would age a year, despite being new.
- For the buyer it is important that the car's year of manufacture is 2022, and soon it will be 2025," he added. - But dealers have stopped making significant discounts on such cars and just leave them in warehouses to sell them after a while. In the place of dealers should not worry that such cars will be idle for a long time. Because the increase in the utilization fee and other barrier measures will sooner or later make buyers go to them.
Problems of "stale" cars
Buying new cars that were released several years ago, you should pay attention to their technical condition, experts warn.
Even if the car is brand new, long storage can have a negative impact on the battery, which can discharge or lose its performance characteristics, explains Yulia Miloslavskaya.
- Unfavorable storage conditions can lead to corrosion and other mechanical problems," she emphasized. - It is important to clarify whether the car warranty is still valid, how long it lasts, and how it applies to cars with a long period of downtime.
It is also worth paying attention to the condition of the suspension, which uses a lot of rubber and lubrication-requiring elements, Ivan Volin noted. After all, if a car is idle for a long time in a warehouse, the suspension rubbers dry out; the places that do not receive lubrication deteriorate. It is not critical for the overall condition of the car, but you should not neglect a service visit and check the main units and assemblies.
- Such an inspection should be carried out by an official dealer before the car is handed over to the client," he said. - If defects are found, they should be eliminated at the service by the seller.
The condition of the car directly depends on the conditions of its maintenance. Experts warn that a car stored outside will have much more damage than those stored indoors. In the former case, the car is affected by weather conditions such as sun and rain, which affect the bodywork.
