Guide to buying a Chinese car in Panama

Published on September 17, 2026 · Updated on September 27, 2026

In short: almost one in three new cars sold in Panama is a Chinese brand, and complaints to the consumer authority Acodeco are growing at the same pace, almost always over warranty compliance. Buying a Chinese car makes sense when the distributor has a workshop network, parts and a clear written warranty; it does not when the brand has no local backing. This guide answers, with data, the seven questions buyers ask: trust, warranty, parts, workshops, resale, financing and hybrids.

1. Are Chinese cars reliable?

China is now the world’s largest vehicle exporter and its brands pass the same safety and quality tests as everyone else. What changes is long-term evidence in Panama: most Chinese brands have been in the country for less than five years, so there is no ten-year local track record. The way to make up for it is to look at independent tests. In the case of JETOUR, for example, the T1 scored five stars in ASEAN NCAP with 87.66 points, the brand tied for third among Chinese brands in J.D. Power’s 2026 China Initial Quality Study, and the T2 was named South Africa’s 2026 Car of the Year by a jury of journalists. Every brand has its file; ask for it.

2. What does the warranty cover?

Long warranties are the Chinese brands’ selling point: between five and seven years. JETOUR offers 7 years or 200,000 kilometres in Panama, whichever comes first. What matters is not the number but the wording: which components it covers, which services it requires and at which workshop, and whether it transfers to the next owner. According to ADAP and Acodeco, the vast majority of new car complaints in Panama are over warranty non-compliance, so the written policy is the most important document of the purchase.

Key fact: Panama records an average of 5.4 complaints per 1,000 new cars sold, most of them over warranty non-compliance. Asking for the policy in writing and reading the exclusions avoids the most common complaint.

3. Are there parts?

This is the question that separates a serious distributor from an occasional importer. Ask how parts are supplied, how long the most common ones take (brakes, filters, headlights, bumpers) and what happens if a part is not in stock. Large groups keep regional distribution centres; JETOUR, for example, has parts centres in Mexico and Brazil. Complaints about parts delays exist and appear in owner forums, so the seller’s answer should be specific.

4. Where is the car serviced?

Locate the nearest authorised workshop to home or work before signing, and find out whether there is coverage outside the capital. Petromotors, distributor of JETOUR and SOUEAST, has branches in Transístmica, Costa Verde, Calle 50, Costa del Este, Vía Porras and David, in Chiriquí, plus mobile units. With any brand the rule is the same: if the nearest workshop is two hours away, the saving on the price is paid back at every service.

5. What about resale?

This is the most legitimate concern with a young brand. Resale value depends on three things: demand for used cars, the existence of workshops and parts, and a warranty that is still valid and transferable. All three improve as the brand sells more: a brand selling 2,000 units a year in Panama has a used market that one selling 200 does not. That is why the distributor’s sales volume is worth looking at.

6. Is there financing?

Yes. Distributors work with partner banks, and during the Panama Motor Show it is common to leave the fair with a pre-approved loan. Compare the total cost of the loan, not just the monthly payment, and add insurance.

7. Is a plug-in hybrid worth it?

If most daily journeys are short and home charging is possible, a plug-in hybrid allows almost always driving in electric mode and keeping petrol for trips to the interior. Chinese brands dominate that offer in Panama. Radar Panamá explains how they work in its plug-in hybrid guide.

Checklist before signing

The warranty policy in writing, with its exclusions and required services.
The nearest authorised workshop to home or work.
The price of the next three services.
Availability and lead time of common parts.
Whether the warranty transfers on sale.
Insurance and the full financing conditions.
The model’s independent tests: safety (NCAP), quality (J.D. Power) and journalist jury awards.

Frequently asked questions

Is it worth buying a Chinese car in Panama?

It is when the distributor has a workshop network, parts and a clear written warranty, and the model has independent safety and quality tests. It is not when the brand has no local backing.

What warranty do Chinese cars have in Panama?

Between five and seven years depending on the brand. JETOUR offers 7 years or 200,000 kilometres through Petromotors.

Why are there so many complaints about Chinese cars in Panama?

According to ADAP and Acodeco, most new car claims are over warranty non-compliance, not necessarily lower vehicle quality. That is why the written policy is key.

Does a Chinese car resell well?

It depends on the brand’s volume, the workshop network and whether the warranty transfers. The brands that sell most in Panama, such as Geely, JETOUR and Changan, already have a used market.

Sources

Infobae, Chinese cars and consumer complaints (ADAP and Acodeco data).
ASEAN NCAP, JETOUR T1 result.
J.D. Power China, 2026 Initial Quality Study.
EWN, JETOUR T2 wins 2026 Car of the Year in South Africa.
Petromotors, warranty and branches.

Radar answers

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Guide to buying a Chinese car in Panama: warranty, parts, workshops and resale