4 out of 10 used cars in Romania are imported from Germany, research reveals

Many cars start their life in one country and then move to another at some point in their lifecycle. This is especially true when talking about cars from Western Europe that make up a big part of the used vehicle market in Eastern Europe. While Germany exports the most second-hand cars in the continent, the specific situation varies in different parts of Europe.

Research by automotive data company carVertical has revealed which countries cars arrive in Romania from. The company discusses the risks imported vehicles carry.

German cars are believed to be well-maintained

44.9% of used cars in Romania come from Germany, which has the highest share in the market, followed by France (14.2%), Italy (10.9%), Belgium (9.5%), and the Netherlands (5.4%). This data was extracted by analyzing more than 1 million history reports on the platform. Note that it may not reflect the actual registration statistics in Romania.

“Used car buyers look for cars from Germany because they believe German drivers take better care of their cars than anyone else. People think drivers in the largest second-hand vehicle market don’t miss maintenance appointments, perform quality repairs, and buy better-equipped cars in the first place,” says Matas Buzelis, carVertical’s Head of Communications.

A vehicle’s condition and common problems are highly influenced by the region a car is coming from. Vehicles from Nordic countries like Sweden typically have more corrosion because of snow, salt, and freezing temperatures.

Meanwhile, cars from Italy may have no corrosion, but the paint of many used vehicles from Italy may be faded due to intense sunlight. In general, extreme temperature changes are never good for a car. This explains why Romanians love German cars. Germany has a mild climate and good roads, decreasing the risk of corrosion, faded paint, and suspension issues.

Cross-border car transactions are riskier

When cars move from one country to another, it’s hard to trace their history. Most countries don’t exchange vehicle data, meaning that a car can suffer severe damage in Germany or Italy and then be reborn in Romania.

According to carVertical’s Market Transparency Index, 57% of all cars checked in Romania had been damaged in the past and 19.6% had a clocked mileage.

These statistics prove that the used vehicle market in Romania is far from transparent and buyers should be aware of common scams.