Got 5,000 Euros? Need A New Car?

[billbuckhead]

Got 5,000 Euros? Need A New Car?
By Gail Edmondson in Pitesti, Romania, with Constance Faivre d'Arcier in Paris Fri Jun 24,11:49 AM ET

A strange thing happened when French auto maker Renault last fall rolled out the no-frills Logan, a midsize sedan was designed to sell for as little as 5,000 euros ($6,000) in emerging markets like Poland. Western buyers clamored for the car. So this June, Renault began delivering the roomy, unpretentious five-seater to France, Germany, and Spain. The pricier West European version includes a passenger-side airbag and a three-year warranty but still sells for a base price of $9,300 -- about half that of the Ford Focus ($17,250) and the Volkswagen Golf ($18,264).

Building cheap cars for the West wasn't what Chairman Louis Schweitzer had in mind when he spent $592 million in 1999 to acquire and retool ailing Romanian auto maker Dacia. He aimed to produce a low-cost vehicle targeted at developing countries, home to 80% of consumers who have never owned a car. But he may well have stumbled onto a rich vein of demand in the West for utilitarian cars, part of the discount mania that has spread across Europe. Renault's tony Champs Elysees dealership has sold 40 Logans since the car's June 9 debut. The waiting list stretches into November. "For me a car is only a means of transportation. The Logan is a genius idea," says Michel Cuypers, a 62-year-old retiree who ordered a pearl-grey Logan with a radio, power steering, and metallic paint -- all extras -- for $10,648.

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<http://news.yahoo.com/s/bw/20050624/bs_bw/b3941072mz054>

[TrueAmerican]

1. Renault = Crap

No thanks.

[billbuckhead]

2. Built with proven Nissan Micra platform and engine

Renault owns a majority stake Nissan nowdays. Gm and Ford wished they were doing as well as Renault right now.

Who ever did the styling on this econobox, deserves a raise. it's hard to make one of these little cars look good especially one for this price. it actually looks better than the Chevy Cobalt.

[Bruce McAuley]

3. I used to own a Renault 5, and it was fun as hell to drive...

It had its quirks, but it served faithfully for 100,000 miles before it was sidelined in a rollover, not the car's fault.
I'd buy another, especially since they bought Nissan. I am driving my Volkswagen Fox, which was made in Brazil, and it's got over 100,000 miles and still going strong. Not great quality, but lots of entertaining miles, and GREAT at dodging deer, a BIG factor here in the sticks.
I'd buy a third world car, and even a Renault as long as I could get parts.

Bruce

[queeg]

4. Thats why KIA is doing well

Until detroit figures out that I want to buy a freakin car, and not a quote lifestyle endquote, they are going to SUCK---

I don't want a dvd player in the backseat. I don't want GPS, I really don't even want carpet for that matter. cd-tape-super stereo---nope, AM only is ok--4 way adjustable seats ?Leather seats?--nope--vinyl bench seat would be ok---

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. They're going to make it in India for the UK market, but not for 2 years

(if you want a right-hand-drive car for the UK, you have to wait till the manufacturer offers one).

A UK version of the French company’s four-door ‘world car’ range is likely to cost less than £5,500 when it goes on sale in autumn 2007.
...
To be built in India at the joint-venture factory just set up by Mahindra and Renault, the range is to be sold under the Dacia brand.

http://www.fleetnewsnet.co.uk/news/view_article.asp?s=view_article&art_ID=37585

[baldguy]

6. This is what eastern Europe needs.

They can't expand their economy by just selling stuff to themselves - they need to export to the west. I'd like to see these come to the US to compete with KIA and Hyundai.

[Junkdrawer]

7. A little car nicknamed "The Beetle" used this idea once...

Revived West Germany as I recall...

[radwriter0555]

8. Yep, those damned europeans making SENSE again... We're buying a Twingo

when we get there... should run me about $8K used.

My step daughter already has one.

People there don't need to drive their living rooms around... oddly enough.

[BlueCollar]

9. needs a rear window defroster

to keep your hands warm while you push... :-)

Seriously though, it looks like a good deal

[Nobody]

10. Fuel Economy?

Fifteen years ago when I bought a Honda CRX new, it was about 10k, and got at least 40 mpg. On a long road trip that was all highways, I got about 48 mpg even going 90 mph. The car was new, there was no other traffic, and we were on a wide, straight interstate. We couldn't even tell unless we looked at the speedometer. Otherwise we'd have topped 50mpg and drove at a more sensible speed.

All this with automatic transmission. You could get a 5 speed that could get 50 mpg.

The CRX came is several versions, the HF had the best fuel economy money could buy 15 years ago. My DX was the all-purpose version and the only one you could get with automatic transmission. The Si was the pocket rocket that also had a sunroof. The Si's were a bit more if I recall correctly.

Alas, Honda doesn't make them anymore.

Today you can get a Scion for about 14k that will get you about 38 mpg highway, if you're looking for fuel economy. This is amazing for a boxy car that only runs on unleaded. I'm not sure what the drag coefficient is. You can customize the hell out of it, too.

If you're not getting at least 30mpg, you're going to be paying the extra at the pump anyway.