Tuscan 2 in Azerbaijan
Discussion
Just for interest,
A collegue out here saw a new Tuscan 2 in a local BMW showroom last week. Asking price was 120K USD....around 66K sterling....brave person/idiot who buys that and puts it on these roads. The majority of elaborate motors out here are BMW X5's and numerous models of Mercs. The rest of the roads....erm pot holes are occupied by Ladas and battered buses n lorries from the former Soviet era. Could this be NS on the verge of testing a potential market? And why not? Corruption is huge here and it so seems there is plenty of scatter cash amongst those involved. If it helps TVR expand and improve the mark thats good enough for me.
A collegue out here saw a new Tuscan 2 in a local BMW showroom last week. Asking price was 120K USD....around 66K sterling....brave person/idiot who buys that and puts it on these roads. The majority of elaborate motors out here are BMW X5's and numerous models of Mercs. The rest of the roads....erm pot holes are occupied by Ladas and battered buses n lorries from the former Soviet era. Could this be NS on the verge of testing a potential market? And why not? Corruption is huge here and it so seems there is plenty of scatter cash amongst those involved. If it helps TVR expand and improve the mark thats good enough for me.
Nick,
I notice that hardly anyone stops for the police these days...they just drive on past. Incidentally the oil revenue must be filtering back through the system as the police have gotten rid of most Ladas and now have Passats and BMW's....All tho the rumour is that the cops have to pay for the cars themselves and rake the cost back in by collecting the fines....perhaps why few people are stopping for them.......bloody ell hope Gordon Brown doesn't get wind of this idea......
I notice that hardly anyone stops for the police these days...they just drive on past. Incidentally the oil revenue must be filtering back through the system as the police have gotten rid of most Ladas and now have Passats and BMW's....All tho the rumour is that the cops have to pay for the cars themselves and rake the cost back in by collecting the fines....perhaps why few people are stopping for them.......bloody ell hope Gordon Brown doesn't get wind of this idea......
I don't think that the Oil money's filtering through. The mafia are just taking more of it and paying the Police a bit more to leave them alone. All the most expensive cars I saw were in nex to the Mafia house in Fisherman's Wharf 
Certainly wouldn't entertain driving a Tuscan in and around Baku. You'd smash the Suspension up in a week
Certainly wouldn't entertain driving a Tuscan in and around Baku. You'd smash the Suspension up in a week
I did the first four months of this year in Baku. May have to go back later in the year but nothing's planned at the moment. We're still designing the TPG500 but it's well into contruction. ACG Phase 3 is just about designed at Sangachel but they're talking about a phase 4??
I got the impression that it had peaked and that Baku was going to start loosing a high percentage of it's expats.
Guess this should be moved from the Tuscan thread??
I got the impression that it had peaked and that Baku was going to start loosing a high percentage of it's expats.
Guess this should be moved from the Tuscan thread??
Probably should be moved but it's good to speak to someone who knows Baku.
I have to say as run down as it was i had some great times there. The expat scene was fantastic although i guess it has probably grown so much it might have lost some of its appeal.
Is it still the usual pubs, Chaplins, Finnigans, winstons, etc or are there loads of new ones around.
Sounds like you are working on the terminal, are you an engineer? i used to work as a diver out there. Done a fair bit on Dada Gorgud, Istiglal and Chirag 1.
I have to say as run down as it was i had some great times there. The expat scene was fantastic although i guess it has probably grown so much it might have lost some of its appeal.
Is it still the usual pubs, Chaplins, Finnigans, winstons, etc or are there loads of new ones around.
Sounds like you are working on the terminal, are you an engineer? i used to work as a diver out there. Done a fair bit on Dada Gorgud, Istiglal and Chirag 1.
I'd say it's a different city now to what it was like in 2000. Personally I'd like to have been there then, you could have made a killing in property. I know a guy who bought 10 nice appartments for US25K each and has been renting them to BP for US2K/month ever since!!
There are about 12K expats there now and everything that goes with it. Chapplins is still there, although My local was called "The Camel's Toe"
I've a picture of it somewhere.
Still reasonably cheap, still hundreds of hookers bothering you in every bar but it's a nice enough place. I'd go back.
I'm on the Offshore Design team for Technip now and have also been on the onshore KBR team.
There are about 12K expats there now and everything that goes with it. Chapplins is still there, although My local was called "The Camel's Toe"
I've a picture of it somewhere. Still reasonably cheap, still hundreds of hookers bothering you in every bar but it's a nice enough place. I'd go back.
I'm on the Offshore Design team for Technip now and have also been on the onshore KBR team.
I have to say i did OK out there.
I set up my own company with a greek millionaire and ended up selling it after a couple of years to another western company which is when i came home.
It all worked out well in the end but i had to deal with some very corrupt fellas on the way. I was releived when i left but like i say i do think about going back but no one will pay me to go back there now so there are nicer places to go when i am paying as you well know.
Why did all the S**t countries get the Oil, why can't i be in Florida and pumping money out the ground. Still seen some wild places over the years and can't get it out of my system. Everyday i think about where i have been, what i have done and here i am sat at my desk, life is to easy these days. Throw me back to the third world any day.
I set up my own company with a greek millionaire and ended up selling it after a couple of years to another western company which is when i came home.
It all worked out well in the end but i had to deal with some very corrupt fellas on the way. I was releived when i left but like i say i do think about going back but no one will pay me to go back there now so there are nicer places to go when i am paying as you well know.
Why did all the S**t countries get the Oil, why can't i be in Florida and pumping money out the ground. Still seen some wild places over the years and can't get it out of my system. Everyday i think about where i have been, what i have done and here i am sat at my desk, life is to easy these days. Throw me back to the third world any day.
Been here a year and a half now on ACG 1 and 2 about to go over to Shah Deniz prior to ACG 3 kicking off. Im on the Inst Controls side for AIOC/BP. Phase 4 is just a rumour at this stage.
Winstons went a while ago, Finnegans is still there, The Camel Toe used to be Walk About and Fishermans Wharf has just been bought by the yank who took over O'Mally's last christmas.
Place would definitely have been better a few years ago, the inevitability of oil and masses of expats has ruined the place....its gonna take a while to settle back down if indeed it ever does....there's loads more in reserves out there waiting to be tapped.
Next 3rd world location about to be ruined is Papua with the Tangu project due to kick off construction soon. Civils is in there now. For me the far east is tops....love it there. Got a place in Philippines where I spend some of my time between contracts.
Winstons went a while ago, Finnegans is still there, The Camel Toe used to be Walk About and Fishermans Wharf has just been bought by the yank who took over O'Mally's last christmas.
Place would definitely have been better a few years ago, the inevitability of oil and masses of expats has ruined the place....its gonna take a while to settle back down if indeed it ever does....there's loads more in reserves out there waiting to be tapped.
Next 3rd world location about to be ruined is Papua with the Tangu project due to kick off construction soon. Civils is in there now. For me the far east is tops....love it there. Got a place in Philippines where I spend some of my time between contracts.
cdd said:
I lived in Azerbaijan for 4 years and have to agree the Tuscan was not designed for the roads they have, still i bet the police like it when it goes through the $50 checkpoints on the way out to Sangachel and Primorsk.
Dont think anything is designed for those roads over there, still the Lada's seem to survive.....
Two friends of mine bought a small expat pub on the corner by MacDonalds on fountain square called o'Malleys.
I haven't seen Ian and Barbera since i left but they were great people and i suspect they were planning on living out there for a long time and i would love to know if they are still there.
He looked like Kenny Rogers. Does anyone know if the pub is still going?
And does the American guy called Charlie Schroder still own Finnigans and does the Rajun Cajun and Margaritaville still exist? What about the pub called St James's gate, is that still there.
I am sure a lot of money has been invested since my time and a lot of the popular pubs have come and gone but i would be interested to know if and which ones are still going.
I haven't seen Ian and Barbera since i left but they were great people and i suspect they were planning on living out there for a long time and i would love to know if they are still there.
He looked like Kenny Rogers. Does anyone know if the pub is still going?
And does the American guy called Charlie Schroder still own Finnigans and does the Rajun Cajun and Margaritaville still exist? What about the pub called St James's gate, is that still there.
I am sure a lot of money has been invested since my time and a lot of the popular pubs have come and gone but i would be interested to know if and which ones are still going.
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