An incomplete list of zero-mile models that were more or less available until last year and of which there is no longer a 2023 version, includes brands like the Jeep
Wrangler and Gladiator
, the Toyota
Rav4, Land Cruiser and Camry
and the entire range of
Hyundai
.
Those models that, it should be noted,
are not the only ones
that have stopped entering the country so far this year, have in common that they are imported from
outside Mercosur countries
.
They are quoted
in dollars
, but those price lists now became a reference only to establish the price of those same
used
units .
Another fact, which is being confirmed among the owners of the dealerships, is that the lack of models imported from "extrazone" does not mean that there are fewer vehicles available.
On the contrary, there is a certain consensus among sellers about a
greater
number of units (adapting Henry Ford's famous phrase),
as long as they are locally produced
.
"Watch out that the zero kilometers are appearing. The surcharge is over because people do not pay it, now they prefer to wait. It is no longer six months as before," said
Ricardo Mastrángelo
, a high-end used seller.
"There are many people who do not know that there are cars now. They are with the mentality that there are overprices, that there are no cars and it is not like that."
For more than two years, the offer in the concessionaires has been entered not by the demand of the buyers, but by
the import permits
granted by the Government.
Almost 55% of the total registrations last year (212,000 units) were for local vehicles.
A fact that is explained
only in part
by the preference of buyers.
The lack of imported supply
did the rest.
In this way, during 2022 and also the previous year, between
six and seven of the ten best-selling models
were assembled in the country.
Fiat Cronos, Peugeot 208, Toyota Hilux and Volkswagen Amarok topped the list in 2022, with very little imported competition within their segments.
But the lack of dollars is now generating a striking spillover effect even among brands that have a trade balance in their favor, such as Toyota.
In 2022, the Japanese brand had
25% of all patents
made in the country, both for its local Hilux and SW4 models and for the Brazilian models Yaris, Etios, Corolla and Corolla Cross.
More than 30% of vehicle imports during 2022
were from Toyota.
Even so, the dealerships were notified that
the importation of models made outside Mercosur, such as Camry, Land Cruiser and the highly sought after Rav4 , was
suspended without date .
Once again, the reason was the exchange restriction.
"Toyota is suspending the importation of vehicles from outside the zone due to the mismatch that means
having to sell them in pesos and assuming a one-year foreign debt in dollars
," one of the brand's main dealers told Clarín.
The Korean brand Hyundai does not have a factory in Argentina, it is part of the squad of importers that make up the CIDOA chamber, who during 2022 scratched a
5% share of units
among the 0km patents.
In the case of Hyundai, its imports were so meager that the local brand representation
dropped the list prices
it published on the Internet, to avoid headaches with its customers.
"What the brand decided was to eliminate the price list, because with so little offer,
nobody was going to respect
it ," said a Hyundai dealer.
"So now the customer takes his used car to the dealership, in addition to an amount in cash, which is generally dollars, and
sees if the deal is good for him or not
."
In Fiat dealerships, where the Jeep brand is also offered, zero kilometer models imported from outside the area such as Gladiator and Wrangler are also out of sale.
On the other hand, for locally produced models, there is an offer available, according to a Capital dealer.
Of course: now, to the international logistics problems that persist after the pandemic, a new inconvenience has been added, of a strictly local invoice.
"In national models, in general, it is only the delay of the registration where it is patented. If the car that is sold is already at the dealership, the delay is a few business days,
no more than 4 or 5
," he said. the manager of a dealership that sells the Fiat, Jeep and Citroen brands.
"But now there is an additional problem, which is the lack of transportation.
All the mosquito trucks are late."
Are there not, then, overprices?
According to
Alberto Príncipe,
head of the Automotive Chamber of Commerce (CCA), today there is already more supply than demand.
The sale of used cars fell sharply throughout 2022, and especially during the last months of the year.
"1.57 million units were sold, a drop of 7% compared to the previous year," said Príncipe.
"Used sales in December
were the lowest since 2008.
It's because cars are getting too far out of people's means and access to credit has
never been up to
what the sector needs."