Exported to the United States in the mid to late 1980s and sporting a price tag of $3990, the Yugo was considered by most Americans to be a fun car. From Saturday Night Live to The Simpsons, comic writers have poked fun at the Jughead, joking about safety, the machine, and its durability. But this car, which once originated in Yugoslavia, is finally getting a second look.
The last wave of Yugos to America’s Waves in the early 1990s, with the brand in distress largely poor. Although the new Yugos are sold in former Yugoslav states like Serbia, Croatia, and Macedonia, they are trying to start re-importing them in other European countries and in United States (under the company name Zastava) are not fully materialized. That doesn’t mean the Yugos aren’t getting any attention in America.
It appears that enough time has passed for the Yugo to become something of a collector’s item. Because of its rarity, a Yugo from 1986 in good condition might actually be worth a few thousand dollars – not bad compared to the $3990 it originally cost. We see a plethora of Toyotas, Hondas, and even Chevrolets from this era still rolling around, so those are nowhere near as amazing, even if they are considered more reliable.
Why does anyone miss Jugo these days? A couple of now-recent enthusiasts cite the car’s looks, its fuel efficiency, and the fact that the country is no longer it is. People see rare Yugo drivers and ask quizzically about the car. Aside from the expected ribbing, some Yugo owners get the thumbs-up from people who marvel at the spunk and relative novelty of the little Slavic vehicle.
A poke around the internet reveals that there is a small but growing community of Yugo owners who discuss where to find parts, share repair techniques, and discuss the best ways to keep their Yugos authentic. Many Jugo collectors are car geeks who enjoy a mechanic career status. They see Jugo spending as a new, fun challenge.
One Yugo enthusiast, Dave Benton (known in cyberspace as “DaveYugo”) fixes old Yugos for racing purposes, cooking up a small engine and engineering the necessary manufacturing parts. Playing off his reputation, Dave’s racing teams ride under the title of “Underdog Racing”, giving him the privilege of lower gravity for greater speed and acceleration. For details, check out their website: www.daveyugo.com
Despite poor results in crash tests and rare assessments from insurance companies, some persistent Yugo owners are sticking to their cars. One Yugo driver at Epinions.com actually has this praise for the 1986 Yugo GV: “If you can shift and subcompact cars are good for your driving experience.”
Dig a little deeper online and you’ll see old school Yugo logo t-shirts popular with emo kids and other young people dipping into the past for a dose of Hemi’s hipness. From the iconic Y-shape that appeared above the Jugo grills to the round letters of the Jugo logo, the graphic has now been mixed with the car’s funny status to create a slight twist on the novelty of the cargo tank.
Finding a bargain Yugo, however, is a lot easier than finding an actual Yugo. My foray into auto-buying social media has yielded meager results. On www.autotrader.com, I found only one Jugo in the United States: a 1988 GV in Arizona which is sold at Classic Cars for $1495. Ebay Motors Another Yugo was auctioned off, a 1990 GV in Virginia. Since the Yugos were so hard to come by, it’s no wonder that these small Slavic tribes developed their own subculture.
If you think there’s no way you’re going to get around to using a Jug, the opportunity to buy a new one may finally present itself. Serbian automaker Zastava, maker of the Jugo, continues to work on negotiations that will bring the next-generation Jugo to America before 2010. So your eyes are peeled for small cars.
Report:
- www.zastava-info.co.yu ; www.yugodave.com; www.motors.ebay.com ; Good luck.
