What Car? Q&A - What's a parallel import?

Q: I’ve been told that the new car I’m interested in buying is a parallel import. What does the term parallel mean and will this affect the residual value when I decide to sell?
Wynn Jones Rees

A: A parallel import has been brought in to the UK through a European dealership. There’s a good chance the car will have the same specification as a UK-sourced model, unlike a grey import. These are commonly brought from Japan, and can be significantly different from UK cars.

A grey import can have lower residual values as a result of its specification differences, but you shouldn’t have to accept a lower value on a parallel car. Some buyers might be put off by the fact that the pre-delivery inspection was done by a European dealer (a sure sign of a parallel import) but plenty won’t.