Vision Motors on Grantham Road.
By RANOA BAOA
The automotive industry needs a regulatory agency says Vision Motors Limited industrial product manager Dinesh Pal.
This comes as the official distributor for SinoTruks found that some dealers in Fiji were importing and selling look-alike SinoTruks into the Fijian market.
Vision Motors currently operates out of its showroom on Grantham Road in Raiwaqa, Suva.
“Given the speciality nature of motor vehicle dealing business in Fiji, new vehicle dealers are often faced with scores of challenges,” Mr Pal said.
“This is ensuring that a dealership caters for the wider demands of customers as well as complying with various standards.
“The growing uncontrolled practices of a few that mainly target to earn quick and easy profit by engaging in new vehicle trade are setting an extremely dangerous precedence in the market place.”
Controlled mechanism
He says the industry needs proper operations governance through strong a regulatory control mechanism.
“The authorised traders operate on a common platform with the highest level of professionalism, ethics and standards,” he said.
“The target here is to offer customers the highest return on their investment whilst contributing to national development through a structured and committed process.
“At the tail end of every goods and services transaction is the customer, the very element that needs maximum protection through good practice and regulation.
“Our regulatory standards in this regard need reshaping and re-lifting to new levels.”
SinoTruk named, Vision Motors for official distributor the Fijian market and neighbouring Pacific countries.
Illegal traders
The concerns come as an official advert placed in the Fiji Sun from Chinese-based SinoTruck Import & Export Co., Ltd warns of other distributors expressed.
The advert noted expressing concerns over the illegal and dangerous manner in which ‘illegitimate SINOTRUCK branded trucks’ were entering the Fijian market.
The advert stated that only Vision Motors Fiji Limited has been given distribution rights for selling the vehicles.
Mr Pal has cautioned potential buyers that the look-alike vehicles may have not have the the necessary back up service Vision Motors provided and this should be taken into high regard.
“Customers need to be smart and careful and so they need to purchase authentic stuff with manufacturers support through authorized local dealership,” he said.
“The general public needs to know that there should be no allowance for road safety compromise.
“As such, motor vehicles entering Fiji must have full manufacturing approval of the original manufacturer.”
About Vision Motors
Vision Motors is also the exclusive distributor of HDK products in Fiji and other South Pacific island markets.
HDK is an American brand that was developed in the US and now built by Xiamen Dalle Electric Car Company in China.