Old (mainstream) cars abroad, that are rarely seen in UK now
Discussion
I live in the UK - born in the late 80's and raised in the 90's...
Just come back from Cyprus and saw loads of Mk1 Honda HRV's (the "Joy Machine" ones). Still a good looking car (IMHO), although I'm guessing rust has been the reason for their near extinction in the UK.
It was also nice to see plenty of the (MK2?) Mitsubishi Shoguns - the ones that ran from the early 90's until around 2000. Again, a tough looking thing, but likely killed by rust in England.
Have any of you PH'ers seen any cars abroad - preserved due to the warm weather - that you would like to see back in the UK?
Just come back from Cyprus and saw loads of Mk1 Honda HRV's (the "Joy Machine" ones). Still a good looking car (IMHO), although I'm guessing rust has been the reason for their near extinction in the UK.
It was also nice to see plenty of the (MK2?) Mitsubishi Shoguns - the ones that ran from the early 90's until around 2000. Again, a tough looking thing, but likely killed by rust in England.
Have any of you PH'ers seen any cars abroad - preserved due to the warm weather - that you would like to see back in the UK?
Not cars but trucks, Vietnam not surprisingly has quite a few trucks left over from the Vietnam War.
More surprisingly for long distance haulage they seem to favour the America truck design ‘conventional’ as opposed to ‘cab over’ favoured in Europe.
Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and I would expect Myanmar, have a fair smattering of old European jalopies.
I know although I’ve not been, Iran still has many locally produced Hillman Hunters, know as Paykan, which still grace the streets of Tehran.
As a bit of an old bmw fancier, I notice loads (well relatively speaking) of old E30/36/34/39 abroad - the main thing that eventually gets them over here (rust) is rarely a major issue especiallly in southern Europe.
I also like looking out for the engine/spec options we never got here.
I also like looking out for the engine/spec options we never got here.
Until 2017 I used to go to Alanya in Turkey at least once a year and loved the old cars you would see still running about.
Renault Toros 12
Tofaş Şahin (basically a rebadged Fiat 131)
2008 Honda Civic. Like a toned down version of the FD2 Type R. I've seen a few over here but that few, I always thought they are imports?
Renault Toros 12
Tofaş Şahin (basically a rebadged Fiat 131)
2008 Honda Civic. Like a toned down version of the FD2 Type R. I've seen a few over here but that few, I always thought they are imports?
You have to also factor in that car culture abroad is different. Literally anyone who doesn’t get a company car here (Austria), or doesn’t own their own business are rolling around in some truly “crap” cars. 15 year old Sharans, old Mazda estates, old Skoda oktavias, ford ka, polos etc.
People are brought up with the notion that a car is for transporting things and not something worth investing in. The tax level also plays a huge part. Engines with anything more than a few bhp (I think 65bhp) attract big tax. My last diesel was 2.0l tdi with 190ps and it was €210 a month(!) in tax. You also pay 20% of the car in tax (on top of vat) when you buy it new in the form of NOVA tax. Which means something like a Skoda superb costs most of 60 grand. It’s not a fun game like it is in England where you can run a 911 for Austrian Skoda superb money.
It’s the same in France which explains why there’s so many old cars running around. New cars attract huge taxes.
All that to say there are quite a few mint z3 here. Which increasingly look pretty cool.
People are brought up with the notion that a car is for transporting things and not something worth investing in. The tax level also plays a huge part. Engines with anything more than a few bhp (I think 65bhp) attract big tax. My last diesel was 2.0l tdi with 190ps and it was €210 a month(!) in tax. You also pay 20% of the car in tax (on top of vat) when you buy it new in the form of NOVA tax. Which means something like a Skoda superb costs most of 60 grand. It’s not a fun game like it is in England where you can run a 911 for Austrian Skoda superb money.
It’s the same in France which explains why there’s so many old cars running around. New cars attract huge taxes.
All that to say there are quite a few mint z3 here. Which increasingly look pretty cool.
Rust issue will not affect those cars that are in dryer countries, so in theory will last longer.
And, in all honesty there is not this increased obsession we have in the UK for brand new cars on the drip every 2/3 years, many Europeans put their money elsewhere (complete and utter generalisation from me of course) but, only looking at my closest friends as a guage I know who live in Europe these days - its a very different mindset and one I quite like.
And, in all honesty there is not this increased obsession we have in the UK for brand new cars on the drip every 2/3 years, many Europeans put their money elsewhere (complete and utter generalisation from me of course) but, only looking at my closest friends as a guage I know who live in Europe these days - its a very different mindset and one I quite like.
You used to see a load of '80s European cars being used as dailys in Malta, but in the past few years they've moved onto 90s Japanese cars, which are interesting in their own way (saloon Yarises etc).
Edit to add: My brother lived in Swaziland (as was) about a decade ago, and back then all their trucks were well used ERFs and Fodens that had been exported from the UK.
Edit to add: My brother lived in Swaziland (as was) about a decade ago, and back then all their trucks were well used ERFs and Fodens that had been exported from the UK.
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