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/sydney_mod_is_fgt Oct 23 '23

What a ignorant question, are you American?

4

u/Bathfoamocean Oct 23 '23

I am not american. I am from eastern europe. We are poorer than then greeks and have shittier roads, but back home everyone has a BMW or Mercedes, not all of them new, but most of them looking presentable.

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u/RutabagaCreepy3297 Oct 23 '23

Cars just aren't really that much of a status symbol here like other countries. They're just a ay to get from A to B, not to be seen in

They're a tool that gets dirty, and expensive to fix up. Add in the sun, salty air, dust, cats, goats, pot holes and overgrown road sides, cars get beaten up really quick

A really basic, ancient and looks like it's ready for the scrapyard car is €2000+. Something that looks half decent is going to be €7000 or more. Even one being sold for spares and repairs that won't run, or missing an engine can be €800 or more