Chinese Cars on the Roads of Russia Drive with Reprogrammed Engines 0 6

Chinese car dealers have found a legal way to bypass the increased recycling fee.

As "Baza" found out, for example, the Chery Arrizo 8 is produced in China with engines of 186 hp. However, these same cars arrive in Russia with engines rated at 150 horsepower thanks to software reprogramming. Then, one can slightly "tweak" it and restore the engine's former power.

"Baza" calculated that more than half of the dealer centers in Moscow are engaged in software reprogramming not only for Chery but also for Geely, JAC, Changan, and others. For the most adventurous car owners, there are even ads from private craftsmen online.

This is not fraud but an absolutely legal global scheme; you go to a dealer, and they reprogram your car, say, from 150 to 200 horsepower, and it will be a good condition vehicle and will serve you well for a long time," explained automotive expert Sergey Kanaev.

Chip tuning of engines has been used for a long time. Legally, changing a car's power in this way is not prohibited. However, the desire to save money, especially through unauthorized services, carries risks for the vehicle's operation.

The new rules for calculating the recycling fee come into effect in just three weeks — on December 1. Car import companies have started calculating the recycling fee according to the new rules from today. They won't be able to bring in cars at the old price anymore.