For four years I've had a tire & alignment shop in rural Mexico. I thought I might bore everyone by sharing some observations and stereotypes I've made about the automotive culture here. I guess it is partially a rant, if you will. I'm interested in hearing what others have observed in other countries as well; Australia, Bolivia, England, &c., &c.
First, Mexico is often confused with Cuba, sometimes people get the idea we have lots of "Yank Tanks" here. Not true. We have always had a steady supply of automobiles here albeit they were incredibly expensive during the foreign auto embargo (1961-¿199x?). Most were run into the ground. The few that remain are equally likely to be Nissan, VW or Renault as they are to be GM, Ford, Chrysler or Rambler. The fleet here is "younger" than the U.S.'s. Cars older than 15 years are uncommon, older than 20 years downright rare. For the last ten years new cars have been incredibly affordable. Typical vehicles here are Nissan compact trucks and Nissan/VW/GM (Opel/Daewoo) subcompact cars, less than ten years old.
As you may know, the VW Type 1 air-cooled Beetle was built and sold here until 2004. A poor person would never buy, own, borrow, drive, and preferably never ride in one. They are associated with frugality, a quality rejected by the poor here. Many are owned by enthusiasts who maintain them in perfect condition, taking them to an air-cooled specialist for every little hiccup. The rest are owned by incredibly cheap loaded people, who would never go to a specialist, who go from shade tree to shade tree looking for someone to cobble their bug back together for the fewest pesos imaginable.
Datsuns are the scourge of Mexico. I'm not talking about the 210, 310/320 and 411, which are collector's items. From the 510/520 onward they are almost always in terrible condition, dragging along at the slowest speeds (15-20 mph), black and blue smoke pouring out of a Swiss cheese exhaust system, every single steering and suspension piece with at least a 1/4" of free play in it. For some reason Datsun is the make that is most often seen habitually running red stoplights. I don't know if they don't want to stall or if it is going to take them so long already to get where they're going that they don't want to be held up any further.
K-cars and derivatives have the nicest and politest owners. Exception: Caravans, Voyagers and late 90s fake Accords. It always puts a smile on my face when I see a 600, Dynasty or Shadow pulling into my driveway. I suspect a person must have outstanding patience to tolerate a K-car.
Cavaliers roll up containing the rudest, most difficult owners. Twenty years ago their extended family scraped up a huge amount of money to purchase a car slightly more expensive than a taxi chassis. Now it is disintegrating around them in a pride fueled bonfire.
Toyota and Honda are newcomers to Mexico. Owners of grey market vehicles of these two are often simply this: Arrogant. They have the best car, they never maintained it because it is the best, now it needs uber-expensive repairs, and parts are non-existent. Owners who bought new domestic market Toyotas are similar; they are arrogant, they have the best car, they don't maintain it because it is the best, some don't even get license plates for them (the cardboard "Toyota, always further" dealer plate is enough in their mind). Toyota's main clientele seems to be teachers who protest at rallies and small town mayors.
Versa and A4 Jetta drivers are generally rude, a modern day repetition of the Cavalier phenomenon, but only about a tenth as bad. They scraped up just enough money amongst their extended family to buy something more expensive than a taxi chassis, and they want to announce it. Incidentally the A4 Jetta is currently the best selling car here, starting at $13,595 with all taxes already payed except license plates.
//End Rant//
First, Mexico is often confused with Cuba, sometimes people get the idea we have lots of "Yank Tanks" here. Not true. We have always had a steady supply of automobiles here albeit they were incredibly expensive during the foreign auto embargo (1961-¿199x?). Most were run into the ground. The few that remain are equally likely to be Nissan, VW or Renault as they are to be GM, Ford, Chrysler or Rambler. The fleet here is "younger" than the U.S.'s. Cars older than 15 years are uncommon, older than 20 years downright rare. For the last ten years new cars have been incredibly affordable. Typical vehicles here are Nissan compact trucks and Nissan/VW/GM (Opel/Daewoo) subcompact cars, less than ten years old.
As you may know, the VW Type 1 air-cooled Beetle was built and sold here until 2004. A poor person would never buy, own, borrow, drive, and preferably never ride in one. They are associated with frugality, a quality rejected by the poor here. Many are owned by enthusiasts who maintain them in perfect condition, taking them to an air-cooled specialist for every little hiccup. The rest are owned by incredibly cheap loaded people, who would never go to a specialist, who go from shade tree to shade tree looking for someone to cobble their bug back together for the fewest pesos imaginable.
Datsuns are the scourge of Mexico. I'm not talking about the 210, 310/320 and 411, which are collector's items. From the 510/520 onward they are almost always in terrible condition, dragging along at the slowest speeds (15-20 mph), black and blue smoke pouring out of a Swiss cheese exhaust system, every single steering and suspension piece with at least a 1/4" of free play in it. For some reason Datsun is the make that is most often seen habitually running red stoplights. I don't know if they don't want to stall or if it is going to take them so long already to get where they're going that they don't want to be held up any further.
K-cars and derivatives have the nicest and politest owners. Exception: Caravans, Voyagers and late 90s fake Accords. It always puts a smile on my face when I see a 600, Dynasty or Shadow pulling into my driveway. I suspect a person must have outstanding patience to tolerate a K-car.
Cavaliers roll up containing the rudest, most difficult owners. Twenty years ago their extended family scraped up a huge amount of money to purchase a car slightly more expensive than a taxi chassis. Now it is disintegrating around them in a pride fueled bonfire.
Toyota and Honda are newcomers to Mexico. Owners of grey market vehicles of these two are often simply this: Arrogant. They have the best car, they never maintained it because it is the best, now it needs uber-expensive repairs, and parts are non-existent. Owners who bought new domestic market Toyotas are similar; they are arrogant, they have the best car, they don't maintain it because it is the best, some don't even get license plates for them (the cardboard "Toyota, always further" dealer plate is enough in their mind). Toyota's main clientele seems to be teachers who protest at rallies and small town mayors.
Versa and A4 Jetta drivers are generally rude, a modern day repetition of the Cavalier phenomenon, but only about a tenth as bad. They scraped up just enough money amongst their extended family to buy something more expensive than a taxi chassis, and they want to announce it. Incidentally the A4 Jetta is currently the best selling car here, starting at $13,595 with all taxes already payed except license plates.
//End Rant//
