It’s becoming more and more common to see Chinese cars on our roads, and it will be more and more so in the future. But his “shooting” in Spain is small enough to speak of his reliability, so the OCU rounds up three tips to avoid problems
Although, at the moment, Chinese cars represent only 3% of the market share in Spain, Asian manufacturers are working hard to make their models among the best sellers in the Old Continent. Some, like MG or Lynk & Co., have made it, and others hope to get to the top with vehicles that, in most cases, stand out for their low price.
Part of the success of some Chinese models, particularly in the electric car and plug-in hybrid category, has come from motorists changing perceptions of quality and safety. Still, it’s important to think about it before you buy the warning from the consumer organization OCU about Chinese cars.
Before you buy a Chinese car, you should assess the following:
A few days ago, we checked the list of Chinese brands that sell the most cars in Spain. Apart from the two already mentioned, Maxus, BYD, SWM, and Seres appear in the ranking. According to the report presented by the OCU, these manufacturers account for only 3% of total sales, a percentage that rises to 11% for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.
With models like this MG4 or the Lynk&CO 01, being one of the best sellers in its category encourages many buyers, but there are still not enough of them to be able to speak with certainty of its reliability.
The OCU mobility experts base their warning about Chinese cars on this lack of information. “We tested some models from the brands MG, Lynk & Co., and BYD; in general, according to our tests, the results have been satisfactory, but they are not at the top auto ranking. But they defend well in the quality average of their category,” they affirm.
“According to the brand’s reliability”We don’t have the results of our surveys yet because the number of models sold is still small,” they add. And although all brands offer more years of warranty than required by law, there is still little data on customer service, quality, or price of repair. “These are cars that are too new to have reliable data,” they clarify.
This is how you avoid problems
The consumer organization warns against buying a brand new vehicle. It means “to take certain risks”. To avoid unpleasant surprises, they recommend the following three things:
- Do one internet search about problems that other drivers may have encountered
- Gather information about how easy or difficult it can be to find and replace parts
- To do this, contact the retailer and/or official workshops approximate waiting times and the services they offer (a courtesy car is much appreciated, although one can always get it with the insurance policy)
We add that it is always useful to consult the results of the main inspection reliability studies, such as those regularly published by organizations such as the OCU itself or JD Power.
