If you are looking for a used car, know that France is one of the largest exporters of used cars on the continent, but we also import a lot used cars from neighboring countries such as Belgium, Spain, Italy and Germany.

CarVertical recently conducted a survey analyzing data from more than a million history reports, which, however, do not reflect the actual number of registrations in France. It reveals origin of used cars put into circulation on the territory of France. But be careful, importing used vehicles from abroad is not always without risk.

Used cars: Germany leads in imports

We will find out in detail what 42.4% used cars registered in FranceGermanyi.e. more than 4 cars out of 10. The German market is the favorite for the French to stock used cars, followed by Belgium (15.6%), Italy (11.6%), the Czech Republic (3.7%) or Sweden (3.4 %).

French buyers of used cars prefer models from Germany cheaper coursebut also because they believe that German drivers better take care of your carswith timely service, high-quality repairs and a better set of models.

There is also a climatic influence, because Germany has a mild climate and good roads, which reduces the risk of corrosion, paint discoloration or even suspension problems. For example, cars from Scandinavian countries like Sweden are generally more prone to corrosion due to snow, salt and cold temperatures, while models from Italy tend to have weak or discolored paintwork from intense sunlight.

Used cars: beware of import risks

But be careful, importing a used car is not a safe activity: in fact, when cars are moved from one country to another, it is not necessarily easy restore their history. As most countries do not share data on used vehicles, they can be seriously damaged in Germany or Belgium and then resold in France without the customer’s knowledge.

In the French market alone, CarVertical reports that 28.5% of all cars checked on their platform in France have been damaged in the past, while 9.6% have a fixed mileage. The used car market is far from transparent and scams are legion: if you’re looking for your next car, you need to be extra vigilant!