PrimaMedia, March 27
Primorsky Krai's car repair industry grows 13.55% in four years despite slowdown
Over the past four years, the number of businesses engaged in car repair and maintenance in Primorsky Krai has grown by 13.55%, according to analysts from the Kontur.Focus service, who studied the region's auto service market from March 1, 2022, to March 1, 2026.
While there were 1,814 such businesses in early 2022, their number reached 2,066 by March 2026. However, the growth was uneven year by year: the sharpest increase occurred in 2023, when the number of market players rose by 6.8%—from 1,869 to 1,997. In 2024, the sector expanded by another 2.7%, and in 2025, growth slowed to 1.7%.
Throughout all four years, the number of new auto service registrations consistently exceeded closures. In 2022, 184 new businesses opened while 109 shut down. In 2023, the gap narrowed: 215 opened, and 165 closed. In 2024, as growth slowed, closures nearly matched registrations—206 versus 217, respectively. By 2025, the numbers balanced out: 188 new auto services opened, while 182 closed.
Veronika Skorokhodova, a data analyst at Kontur, explained that this trend has clear economic drivers.
"The auto service market in Primorsky Krai is expanding. Over four years, the number of businesses has grown by nearly13.55%, with registrations consistently outpacing closures. This growth is likely due to rising prices for new cars, longer vehicle lifespans, and, as a result, increased demand for repairs and maintenance," the expert commented.
It is worth noting that another factor behind the sharp price hikes for foreign cars at the end of last year was the introduction of new recycling fee calculation rules. Prices for popular and high-performance foreign models surged dramatically. Starting April 1, 2026, the system will change again—the mechanism for calculating recycling fees on vehicles imported by private individuals from EAEU countries into Russia will be revised, inevitably leading to higher costs. This means importing used right-hand-drive Toyota Harriers or new Chinese cars via Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Belarus will become far less profitable.
