What is parallel import or personal import of a vehicle?
There are several ways to import a vehicle to Israel:
- יבוא רשמי – ישנו יבואן אחד שחתם על הסכם הפצה בישראל עם יצרן רכב בחו"ל והוא אחראי על יבוא רשמי של הרכבים מאותו יצרן. לדוגמה: Symbol, collapsed, Lubinsky, Champion Motors, Kolmobil, Geo Mobility, Union Motors, Delek Motors, etc. On the other hand, Tesla It chose to import and distribute the vehicles itself, without an Israeli importer.
- יבואן מקביל – יבואן ישראלי שרוכש את הרכבים שהוא מייבא לישראל מסוכני משנה (ולא מהיצרן עצמו) בחו"ל. יבואן מקביל שכזה הוא Auto Max – A company that has already been sued by our firm in the past.
- Small importer – usually a small agency that imports a limited number of vehicles each year. In most cases, these are luxury vehicles.
A person interested in purchasing a vehicle through parallel import or personal import will usually contact a company that is a parallel importer or a business that is a small importer of vehicles.
The advantages of purchasing a vehicle through parallel import or personal import
There are generally two main advantages to purchasing a vehicle through parallel import or personal import, and an additional advantage that is true in some cases:
- Vehicle price – purchasing a vehicle from a parallel importer or small importer will generally be cheaper than purchasing the vehicle through the official importer.
- A wider variety of vehicles – a parallel importer or small importer can help you purchase and import vehicles that are not offered or sold by the official importer.
- Delivery times – Sometimes the vehicle's delivery times will be faster when purchasing through a parallel importer or small importer.
Main disadvantages of purchasing a vehicle through parallel import or personal import
Purchasing a vehicle through a parallel importer or micro-importer also has disadvantages, not just advantages. Sometimes the disadvantages are very significant, and in retrospect the vehicle buyer may very well regret purchasing the vehicle without the official importer.
Inferior vehicle specifications compared to the same vehicle sold by the authorized importer
If you place two vehicles of the same model next to each other, one purchased through an authorized importer and the other through a parallel importer, you may discover that they are not completely identical vehicles.
The reason for this is that every vehicle produced by the manufacturer has sub-models. Each sub-model has slightly different specifications, and the specifications sold by the authorized importer are not necessarily the same as the specifications sold by the corresponding importer.
While sometimes the differences between the specifications may be negligible, sometimes the difference between the specifications may be very substantial and there may be a gap in the value of the vehicle that may reach thousands or even tens of thousands of shekels. For example: the vehicle specification at the authorized importer may include the newest safety systems, while the vehicle specification sold by the parallel importer may not include safety systems at all.
על מנת שלא לקנות "חתול בשק" עליכם תמיד לדרוש לקבל את מפרט הרכב המדויק שאתם תקבלו בעת ביצוע הזמנה דרך יבואן מקביל או יבואן זעיר.
Problems with manufacturer's warranty
When you purchase a vehicle through an authorized importer, you usually receive a three-year manufacturer's warranty. Some manufacturers offer a five-year warranty, and some even offer more.
On the other hand, when you purchase a vehicle through a parallel importer or micro-importer, you may receive a shorter manufacturer's warranty, sometimes only one or two years.
The shorter period of the manufacturer's warranty is not the only problem, sometimes the official importer's garages (which are required to provide a manufacturer's warranty for vehicles imported through parallel import or personal import) refuse to honor the manufacturer's warranty for vehicles not imported through the official importer, and sometimes they claim that the warranty applies from the moment the vehicle left the factory and not from the moment the customer actually received the vehicle. That is, if the warranty for a vehicle purchased from a parallel importer is two years and the customer received the vehicle 11 months after the vehicle left the factory, the customer will only have a warranty for one year and one month.
Shortage of spare parts
One of the advantages of purchasing a vehicle through a parallel importer or micro-importer is that you can purchase a much wider variety of vehicles. This advantage can become a significant and expensive disadvantage if the vehicle breaks down and it turns out that there are no spare parts available in Israel.
במקרים אלה לצורך תיקון הרכב יהיה צורך להזמין את חלקי החילוף מחו"ל, וזמן אספקת חלקי החילוף לארץ עשוי להיות ארוך מאוד, ולעיתים אפילו בן מספר חודשים. באחת התביעות שמשרדנו מנהל נגד קרסו (יבואן של מספר יצרני רכבים, וביניהם ניסאן) לקוח משרדנו נאלץ להמתין למעלה מחצי שנה עד להגעתה של סוללה חלופית לישראל. רק אחרי שהגשנו את התביעה הרכב "לפתע" תוקן.
Poor customer service
While an authorized importer usually has a significant customer service network that includes dedicated representatives whose goal is to provide service to customers (and not just sell to them), as well as a network of garages for handling and repairing vehicle malfunctions, parallel importers, and especially small importers, have a limited customer service network or even no customer service personnel at all.
This means that after you receive the vehicle you purchased through parallel import or personal import, you will have no one to turn to in the event of a problem. Cases that come to our office indicate that sometimes the person who sold the vehicle to the customer no longer bothers to answer the customer's phone calls in the event of a problem.
Who can a lawsuit be filed against after purchasing a vehicle through parallel import or personal import?
In the event of a malfunction in a vehicle purchased through a parallel importer or small importer, a claim can be considered against two parties:
- The business that sold you the vehicle.
- The business that is supposed to provide the actual vehicle warranty.
In some cases, it is possible to file a lawsuit against both parties together. To decide whether to sue only one of the businesses or both, you must first understand what the problem is for which you want to file a lawsuit.
For example: If you purchased a vehicle through parallel import or personal import and were promised a two-year manufacturer's warranty, but in practice the garage is willing to provide a one-year manufacturer's warranty - there is room to consider a claim against the parallel importer who sold you the vehicle and promised a two-year manufacturer's warranty.
Second example: If you bought a vehicle through a parallel import or personal import and there is a problem with the vehicle that the garage is unable to repair for weeks or months, it may be appropriate to consider filing a lawsuit against both the parallel importer and the garage. Example of a lawsuit against a parallel vehicle importer and the party providing the manufacturer's warranty.
What can be demanded in a lawsuit against a parallel importer or a small importer?
In the event of a problem with a vehicle purchased from a parallel importer or small importer, three main remedies can be considered:
- Canceling a new car transaction.
- Financial compensation.
- Refund of legal costs.
The remedy required depends on the type of problem or Breach of contract On the part of the parallel importer or micro-importer. The more serious the problem or violation, the greater the chance that the court will grant the request to cancel the transaction.
Here you will find Example of a lawsuit against a car importer To help you understand what can be demanded and how to demand it correctly.
In conclusion
Purchasing a vehicle through parallel import or personal import may have several advantages, such as a lower price compared to the price required by the authorized importer.
At the same time, it is also important to know that there are also quite a few disadvantages, such as problems with the manufacturer's warranty, a shortage of spare parts, different vehicle specifications compared to those sold by the authorized importer, and even poor customer service.
In the event of a problem with a vehicle assembled by a parallel importer, you can consider filing a lawsuit and demand cancellation of the transaction, financial compensation, and reimbursement of legal expenses. It is recommended to consult with Lawyer against a car importer.
