"The car imports can not compete for sales service compared to domestic brands. The reason for Korean cars can be handled by the nearest service station or public at lower prices for maintenance, "says Prof. Kim Pil-soo of the Daelim College, quoted the Chosunilbo.
"If more and more imported cars were sold, the quality of services also rose, the sharper competitive edge. This will be a threat to domestic brands, "concludes the professor.
For those who have been to South Korea saw foreign brand cars (non-Koreans) are very rarely passed on the highway. Cause, in addition to the Korean people love and want to build a Korean brand, there was also another factor. Conditions are not much different from consumers in Indonesia.According to a recent industry survey and reported by The Chosunilbo, the main factors that led to foreign brands like Korean consumers are less expensive price. The second factor, after-sales service of foreign brands that satisfy consumers in the country.
CheaperReported, the current foreign brands actually got a pretty good response from consumers because the price is more competitive. Although still above the average price of the Korean brand, the price offered to foreign Meek increasingly affordable.
As a result, the shrinking price difference, consumers are willing to tolerate. Because the performance and fuel consumption of foreign brands are better than Korean cars. In addition, compared with rates in the country of origin, which are sold in Korea are even more expensive.
Exemplified, Volvo S80 D5, sold 57 million won or 4 million won cheaper than in Sweden. While the VW Golf 2.0 TDI sold 33.4 million won or 30 percent cheaper than in Germany, so also with the Nissan Cube, sold 25.6 million won or 10 percent cheaper than in Japan.
Expensive partsAfter-sales service, maintenance and repair costs are included, the price of spare parts or spare parts are expensive, reducing consumer interest to buy Korean cars of foreign brands. Exemplified, to replace or buy the oil filter or wiper rubber Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the owner must pay 90 000 won.
Cost of repair services are also more expensive than the Korean brands. For example, one door BMW 320i for sale 663 000 won. While the cost of installation (to mechanic) 60 000 won per hour. The price was three times more expensive than the cost for the technician who handles Korean cars.
The condition is also causing the cost to repair small sepatbor so expensive. This also causes, insurance companies, menggenakan premium rates are three times more expensive compared to imported cars from Korea.
The reaction of foreign brands Responded to this, the dealer or distributor of foreign brands can only be argued, the cost of car repairs non-Koreans in the country is judged not expensive. They compared globally and not in Korea.
A spokesman for Mercedes-Benz in Korea said, "We provide quality after-sales service is better. The cost of repair or pay for high-tech vehicle should not be equal to the lowest priced car. "
Further, the price of parts imported car brands more affordable because the population continues to increase. "The economies of scale begin to be revealed for the price of parts," explains a member of the Association of Importers and Distributors of non-Korean cars in the country. "The price of spare parts for European cars from Korea sold down quite striking because the euro weakened," he explained.
UncomfortableHowever, foreign car consumers still do not feel comfortable with after-sales service in Korea. Because the dealer's repair service is only foreign brands exclusively. As a result, owners can not repair or perform maintenance on the public workshop. They must bring his car to service center after sale of foreign cars. The condition was used dealer a monopoly, especially auto parts and pegged the price is more expensive.
