Why Do I Want a Yogu?

"lucky's pepper" (lucky1774)
11/19/2013 at 08:22 • Filed to: None

I was stuck working afternoons a couple of Sundays ago and just after dark I spotted this remarkably good condition Yugo parked on the road.

Now I was in my teens when these cars were new, so I remember them well. In the late 80's I wouldn't have walked five feet to spit on a Yogu. But that night I drove around the block three times, stopped and took this pic to send to a buddy then walked over to the car and scoped out the interior, which was pretty nice. All I could think was how much I'd like to have this thing. Efficient, reliable and very, very easy to maintain. It's the perfect cheap commuter car.

So is it weird that I'm now drooling over a car I openly mocked twenty-five years ago?

DISCUSSION (16)

505Turbeaux > lucky's pepper
11/19/2013 at 08:25

I had a deep desire to own this GVX http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/would-i-wouldn…

I am probably the same age as you, and just hated these things. Is it possible Yugo's age well, like a fine red wine?

I am going to forget I ever said those words..

lucky's pepper > 505Turbeaux
11/19/2013 at 08:39

Glad to see I'm not the only one! I was really starting to think something was wrong with me.

505Turbeaux > lucky's pepper
11/19/2013 at 08:42

the confusion is strong, but then again I own numerous Peugeots and Alfas too, so some would say I am touched in the head a bit anyways

CalzoneGolem > lucky's pepper
11/19/2013 at 08:43

Reliable? Are we talking about Yugos?

shieldsdb > lucky's pepper
11/19/2013 at 08:56

You and I are about the same age, I guess.

I assume, for us, the Yugo has reached "Iconic" status.

It was so bad that we must have one. It's just one of those things that we have to get out of our system.

lucky's pepper > CalzoneGolem
11/19/2013 at 09:02

That car is at least 23 y/o. And yet look at it's condition. How many other cars have held up this well. The mechanical bits are completely simple.

CalzoneGolem > lucky's pepper
11/19/2013 at 09:06

That doesn't make any sense. Any weirdo can keep some car nice for 23 years.

lucky's pepper > shieldsdb
11/19/2013 at 09:07

I think attributing the word "iconic" is spot on. In my mind the Yogu is synonymous with the late 80's, so that's probably a big part of the reason I'd like to have one.

Sir Halffast > lucky's pepper
11/19/2013 at 09:31

I'm gonna guess it's basically for the same reason that I want a Lada 2101. Because it would be absolutely stupid.

lucky's pepper > CalzoneGolem
11/19/2013 at 09:36

Yes, I suppose it's possible that someone simply locked a brand new $4000 car in a garage in '87 or '88, left it for several decades then sold it off to someone who is now driving it. But I doubt that is the case. It doesn't show well in this night picture but the car has a definite "used but cared for" patina. If it ever was a garage queen, it hasn't been one for years.

What evidence do you have these cars were unreliable? They were panned in their day for being cheap, which they were, but that doesn't mean they broke down. I had a friend who owned one in the early 90's and he drove the crap out of that thing and didn't care for it in the least and the car proved more then able to handle his abuse. Reading up on Yogus after spotting this one, current owners praise the cars for their reliability.

lucky's pepper > Sir Halffast
11/19/2013 at 09:39

I do admit I like stupid things!

Sir Halffast > lucky's pepper
11/19/2013 at 09:40

I mean, why else would anyone want to go to the time and expense to buy a shitty Lada in Eastern Europe, ship it to the US, and do a Honda engine/drivetrain/suspension swap? That's not sane, is it?

lucky's pepper > Sir Halffast
11/19/2013 at 09:47

Almost nothing enthusiasts do with cars in sane, so that's not a terribly fair perspective from which to judge. I say if you think you'd like to do it, and can do it, you'd be insane not to do it.

CalzoneGolem > lucky's pepper
11/19/2013 at 10:01

Purely anecdotal. I've read the many of them self destructed around 50k miles. It might be safe to assume any reaming would be "good" ones. There clearly aren't many on the roads any longer.

lucky's pepper > CalzoneGolem
11/19/2013 at 10:07

So what I've read and experienced is anecdotal and what you've read is fact?

CalzoneGolem > lucky's pepper
11/19/2013 at 10:08

You asked what evidence I had. My response was, "Purely anecdotal."