The cars here are awesome

[gouchobob]

I've actually bought a couple of cars and restored them in S.A. but not in Argentina. Which one you pick to do is very important. 99.9% you see here wouldn't be worth it. Restoring a car can be a very expensive undertaking. When I got to Argentina I decided not to do any cars as finding the right people to do the work was a problem. What I mean by that is finding people who are reliable, know what they are doing, and won't rip you off seem to be in short supply here. Also if you want to take the car back to the states with you need to make sure its over 25 years old.

 

[Hache]

I've been in Mendoza for a few days, and I'm in love with some of the vehicles running around here. You can buy a car from the 70's that was built five or ten years ago. That is sweet.

I imagine you are talking about the "mythological" Ford Falcon, Peugeot 504 , Citroen 2CV and Renault 12. Yeah, it's gotta look strange to most of you. I had a '94 Peugeot 504 until last April, when it was stolen. It was obsolete-looking with some "sleek" details to it. I loved it. My father bought it brand new in 1994 and gave it to me two years ago. Not a single engine problem in all the time we had it, and that was almost 17 years. Very few issues, nothing serious. Suspension was out of this world. It isn't very efficient when it comes to fuel consumption, though, and it's a car meant for the city; not very stable on the road.

Bottom line: with very little maintenance, the ungracious-looking "Yeyo" never stalled on me. I'm not into cars, but need one. By my own little book, I'll remember it as the best car ever made.

I wish I could buy these things in the states.

Am I wrong or you have a whole market for that?

My guess is that the safety standards adopted during the 80's in the US and EU left these cars in the dust...Does that sound about right? The laws here are...less, so I guess they just kept making them.

I don't think safety laws are an obstacle when it comes to recycling something. Changes in style, design and fashion trends (all of which the car industry is just a part) are. Why did those cars survive the 80's and early 90's here in Argentina? I don't know. Maybe the possibility of owning a cheap car rather than no car at all in a country with a middle-class that's below middle class by world standards. I suppose. Like the Volkswagen Beetle in Brazil and Mexico.

In addition, there's nothing quite like a pickup truck full of dudes cruising the strip.

I don't agree. To me, there's nothing like a pickup truck full of chicks cruising the strip, strippers all the better...

 

[fifs2]

I've been in Mendoza for a few days, and I'm in love with some of the vehicles running around here. You can buy a car from the 70's that was built five or ten years ago. That is sweet. I wish I could buy these things in the states.

My guess is that the safety standards adopted during the 80's in the US and EU left these cars in the dust...Does that sound about right? The laws here are...less, so I guess they just kept making them.

In addition, there's nothing quite like a pickup truck full of dudes cruising the strip.

Sweetie, where were you and all veteran car enthusiasts 7 years ago when I needed you! , when I lived in the US (2003/4) I had a 1968 Volvo P1800, cream exterior, red leather interior all original with Swedish labels for the instruments etc...bought by me for 11,000 euro in Europe, transferred to UA and very much loved..and when I had to sell to move to Argentina I couldnt give it away..ended up giving it away for 3k US. An old car is a thing of beauty..even if she hasnt any cup holders!

 

[Hache]

Kind of reminds me of the country in general, old, obsolete, and poorly maintained, however some some find it charming.

Off-topic rant: What you say does not apply to countries and their universal essence. A country can't be obsolete. End of off-topic rant.

Back to topic: I want a Torino, but I'm not a driver worthy of such piece of art. It's beyond me and it will eat me alive.

 

[Ries]

You can buy Ford Falcons in the USA- I have had 3 of em.
You can also buy Peugot 504's- although there arent too many of em left- I used to own a 1974 diesel 504.

But no Citroens or Renaults or Fiats have been brought to the USA for 20 or 30 years, so many of the models of those you see here were never there.

There are Lada's in the US- not many, but a few. They sell em in Canada, so you see em pretty often up there, but mostly the little SUV Niva.

The US "Torino" was a bit different than the Argentine models- the V8 they put in down here would be considered tiny by US standards.

As for Volvo P1800es- I sure have never seen one for $3500- they frequently sell for 3 to 5 times that much where I live. Right now, there is one on Craigslist in Florida for $57,000 US. It wont sell for that, but it will sell for a whole lot more than $3500.
I probably see one P1800 a month around here- Here being the pacific northwest,where I live most of the time, when I am not in argentina.
A friend of mine used to have a coupe, but he decided he had to many cars, and that one was one of the ones to go.

 

[Lamb]

I completely fell in love with this thing, and now i want one. Too bad that at home we dont have that many, and those few we do have are quite expensive.