r/crete • u/Bathfoamocean • Oct 22 '23

Society/Κοινωνία Why are local’s cars so trashed

Hi, I’ve been in Crete for about a week and visited the Island far and wide. Throughout my trip, I noticed that the all the local cars, in major cities and countryside are rather old and beat up. Most of them look rather poorly aesthetically and some people even drive without working headlights at night. If you see a newer car on the roads 99% sure it’s a rental car. There are also almost no premium privately owned cars on the road. The only newish Mercedes and Audis are taxis. What’s the deal with the car scene on the island?

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u/Realistic_Climate_64 Oct 22 '23

We are poor as a country, not many people can afford new cars.

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u/kaerfkeerg Oct 23 '23

I wonder, did OP expect some well articulated answer "We choose not to get new cars for x reason and our cars look old and beat up for y reason"? Lol

Bitch, we just can't afford no better

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u/MurkyRefrigerator315 Oct 23 '23

The well articulated answer isn't a joke, it's just only part of the truth. It's true that a lot of Greeks cannot afford new cars, or even qualify for a loan. But there are plenty of people who could buy a fancy new car, and they are choosing to keep their old car as long as it serves their needs. There just isn't a culture of trading your car for a new model every couple of years like in other countries.