At $8,000, Might This 1988 Yugo GVL Be a Good Deal?

The asking worth on right now’s Nice Price or No Dice Yugo is sort of precisely twice the unique MSRP from the mannequin’s introduction in 1985. Let’s see if that worth has you doubled over with laughter.

I believe the perfect phrase to explain yesterday’s heavily-modded 1963 Chevy Corvair 95 Van is polarizing. Properly, polarizing with muffled screams of horror over what had been wrought upon the seemingly undeserving van. As one may think, such a robust visceral response additionally affected opinions on the Chevy’s worth, which at $6,500, went down in an 87 p.c No Cube loss.

It’s been supplied that laughter is the perfect drugs, and contemplating all of the jokes that arose on the expense of the little Zastava-built Yugo, it could be thought of the world’s best salve for the down-spirited.

the jokes I’m referring to. How do you double a Yugo’s worth? Fill its tank with gasoline. Why do Yugos have rear-window defrosters? To maintain the fingers of the individuals pushing it heat. Etcetera, etcetera. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

Most of these jokes arose following the Yugo’s introduction to the U.S. market in 1985. The standard of the Jap European import was less than the requirements of the competing Japanese vehicles, nor even that of the up to date Hyundai Excel, which was searching the identical purchaser demographic. The automotive was additionally thought of puny by ‘Murican requirements. All that meant was although it began out at a mere $3,995 at its introduction, a number of thousand below what most different entry-level vehicles value, the Yugo was not seen as a very good automotive or worth. Instead, it grew to become a joke.

Properly, let’s see who’s laughing now. With most Yugos having gone to the scrapper regardless of an oddly endearing cult following, the remaining vehicles do appear to be having fun with a little bit of long-overdue respect.

Kitsch issue however, there’s additionally simply a lot attention-grabbing — and ultimately tragic — historical past surrounding the little automotive. In-built what was then Yugoslavia (therefore the Yugo identify), the Fiat 128-based hatchback got here to America below a deal made between Malcolm Bricklin and Zastava Cars in 1984. Yugo was simply considered one of quite a lot of automotive manufacturers to dip a tenuous toe into the American market on the time.

The Bricklin identify is a well-known one to automotive fanatics, since he had beforehand launched Subaru to America and had tried to launch his personal Canadian-built Corvette competitor right here. Each of these efforts had been again within the ‘70s. Within the mid-‘80s, at the time of the Yugo deal, Bricklin was importing to the U.S. Fiat’s 124 Spider and X1/9 below, respectively, the Pininfarina and Bertone manufacturers.

Debuting the mannequin in 1985, Bricklin and Yugo spent the following seven years combating gross sales and guarantee claims earlier than pulling the plug. Sadly, it wasn’t the automotive’s fame or having developed into the punchline for many of jokes that killed it. It was as a substitute, the Yugoslav warfare that upended the provision chain and would ultimately bomb out a part of the Zastava manufacturing unit the place the Yugo was constructed.

After all, all the perfect comedy is born from tragedy and so it’s not unwarranted to have blended feelings concerning this 1988 Yugo GVL. Based on the advert, this survivor lived most of its life in California and therefore is freed from street rot. The Aspen White over grey econobox sports activities alloy wheels with solely half the variety of authentic middle caps, however in any other case appears full.

It additionally has the usual 1116cc SOHC four-cylinder engine, good from the manufacturing unit for 55 horsepower and 57 lb-ft of torque. That’s mated to a four-speed handbook transmission, with the complete driveline effectively sharing area with the spare tire.

There doesn’t appear to be something improper with the automotive, no less than the vendor hasn’t led on within the advert. Per the outline, the 49,800-mile automotive “appears to be like and drives nice for its age.” That appears to be borne out within the photos, which present a clear automotive with few evident points within the bodywork or paint. The inside appears fairly respectable as properly, with solely what appears to be like to be a damaged horn button and a few wavy-gravy sprint panels spoiling the automotive’s hitting streak. I’m unsure if Audiovox was the Yugo’s stereo provider on the time, however the period-correct AM/FM/cassette head unit is a pleasant contact right here too.

Some further perks with this specific Yugo embrace all the unique paperwork, together with the gross sales contract and the manuals, and a clear title. What ought to a bundle like this fairly value?

The Yugo’s vendor is asking $8,000 for the automotive, or ten bucks greater than double the mannequin’s introductory worth of $3,990 again in 1985. That’s so much for a Yugo, however, you realize what? If you’d like one, this appears to be like to be a superb choice.

What do you suppose? Is $8,000 a good worth for this Yugo because it sits? Or, is that worth only a joke to you?

You resolve!

Facebook Marketplace out of Arnold, Missouri, or go here if the advert disappears.

H/T to Don R. for the hookup!

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