Crazy car prices in Cuba

digitaldr

Interesting article in the Economist about car prices in Cuba. Due to a very restricted car market supply is low leading to very high prices - even very average cars actually appreciate in value!

Notch000

its basic supply and demand, there is essentialy no new supply and demand is alway high. I was there recently on holidays , amazing place. Id regard it as much a meca for motor heads as the nurbergring is. Every secnd car is a 50;s yank tanks, 25% 70's Lada, russian movickds and old fiats then some 90's french stuff and a sprinkling of modern stuff/.
I believe a new imports are taxed several 100%, it also illegal to export a cuban car so that goung help save there ancient car culture

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

coylemj

Notch000 wrote: »

it also illegal to export a cuban car

Who's going to buy one? Thousands of those 1950s models exist as perfectly preserved vintage cars in mainland USA. The mods. made to keep the Cuban cars running (see Fred's post above) means that no vintage collector would touch them.

If you've ever watched 'Pawn Stars' on TV, you'll know that changing the face or hands on a Rolex watch causes it's value to plummet - ditto when you mess around under the hood of a vintage car and replace original parts with modern equivalents. It's not the fault of the owners who have no choice but what they end up with is simply not a collectible.

And even if you tried to export one, it would probably fall apart driving up the ramp of the car ferry.

nelly17

Top gear went over during the last season and explained it all - yeah the government tax the ****e out of new imports - Cool place I'd love to go

mikeecho

I was there back in 2006

Amazing place.
But in recent years it's changes a lot. I hope to go again within the next 3yrs

Cheensbo

coylemj wrote: »

Who's going to buy one? Thousands of those 1950s models exist as perfectly preserved vintage cars in mainland USA. The mods. made to keep the Cuban cars running (see Fred's post above) means that no vintage collector would touch them.

If you've ever watched 'Pawn Stars' on TV, you'll know that changing the face or hands on a Rolex watch causes it's value to plummet - ditto when you mess around under the hood of a vintage car and replace original parts with modern equivalents. It's not the fault of the owners who have no choice but what they end up with is simply not a collectible.

And even if you tried to export one, it would probably fall apart driving up the ramp of the car ferry.

I think the opposite on this - they are exceptionally niche, and in 10 years time when old Cuba has disappeared and has become a part of the mass consumption of the modern world, a thrown-together-made-to-work "original" Cuban car will be a rolling piece of history - worth a hell of a lot more than nothing.

CiniO

Nothing unusual.

In Poland in 70s and 80s, second hand vehicles were multiple times more expensive than brand new ones from the dealer.
In early 80s, dealer price of Fiat 126p was around 3 times average annual salary.
However waiting time was couple years, and you were still not guaranteed to get one.
You could though get one straight away second hand, very often couple years old with significent mileage, and much more expensive then new.

J.pilkington

coylemj wrote: »

And even if you tried to export one, it would probably fall apart driving up the ramp of the car ferry.

I would advice you travel there rather than making stuff up based on what you have seen on a scripted us tv show, if you do you will see how massively wrong you are

Notch000

your sort of right but mostly wrong here, while a lot are faily beat up and pretty rough there are loads more in excellent restored condition that still are on original running gear,
The difference tho is these are living and working 70yr old daily drivers, as opposed to yankee garage queens for baret jackson mustash stroking buyers types

il try upload some picture when i get a chance

coylemj wrote: »

Who's going to buy one? Thousands of those 1950s models exist as perfectly preserved vintage cars in mainland USA. The mods. made to keep the Cuban cars running (see Fred's post above) means that no vintage collector would touch them.

If you've ever watched 'Pawn Stars' on TV, you'll know that changing the face or hands on a Rolex watch causes it's value to plummet - ditto when you mess around under the hood of a vintage car and replace original parts with modern equivalents. It's not the fault of the owners who have no choice but what they end up with is simply not a collectible.

And even if you tried to export one, it would probably fall apart driving up the ramp of the car ferry.

sterideal

Cheapest place in Europe for holidays

Esel

sterideal wrote: »

Cheapest place in Europe for holidays

Doh!

tea and coffee

I don't know anything about cars but I was in several in Cuba and they are feats of engineering in some cases with 400+ k on the clock. One was all retro on the outside with a DVD player /mp4 console on the dashboard pumping out music.

mikeecho

J.pilkington wrote: »

I would advice you travel there rather than making stuff up based on what you have seen on a scripted us tv show, if you do you will see how massively wrong you are

I've been there, the cars are bastardized.. they use anything to get them moving.
A moped is one of the fastest things you'll meet on a country road.

I passed out most traffic while on a clapped out moped.

Remember, this is a country where matches are hard to come by, toothbrushes and sanitary products are like gold dust.
Sanctions and rationing have taken its toll on the country.

mikeecho

J.pilkington wrote: »

I would advice you travel there rather than making stuff up based on what you have seen on a scripted us tv show, if you do you will see how massively wrong you are

I've been there, the cars are bastardized.. they use anything to get them moving.
A moped is one of the fastest things you'll meet on a country road.

I passed out most traffic while on a clapped out moped.

Remember, this is a country where matches are hard to come by, toothbrushes and sanitary products are like gold dust.
Sanctions and rationing have taken its toll on the country.

SBPhoto

Who really cares about prices of cars in Cuba, probably can get insurance easier than here

Esel

SBPhoto wrote: »

Who really cares about prices of cars in Cuba, probably can get insurance easier than here

Give that man a cigar! Not.