Why There Are Many Old Cars in Cyprus?

Posted by Linda on December 3rd, 2019

The Cypriot roads, for any visitor, are primarily remembered by the abundance of a huge number of very old, by the usual standards, cars.

It turns out that many 20-years old Japanese and European cars, long rotted and sent to the press on the continent, run around the island. Island guests get struck by the fact that these cars are of museum age, and not necessarily museum safety, are used in their usual, and now how we think they should. 

If we are talking about old models of Toyota and Renault released in the early 90's, their existence is explained by a suitable climate, contributing to a long life of the body and the unwillingness of the owners to part with an unpretentious and inexpensive to operate clunker, which still does not go and fall apart going to.

A separate discussion is about the very “classics and veterans” that come across everywhere. Although, from the usual point of view, they only have a place in the automobile museum. Which, by the way, is also here.

In Western Europe, it is impossible to drive a car manufactured in days of Konrad Adenauer for everyday trips to work and shops. Strict regulations stipulating that a car that does not comply with the standards can be used for very limited purposes, such as traveling on weekends and participating in various kinds of auto shows. Such vehicles receive special registration, and violation of the prescribed restrictions threatens very serious sanctions.

Is There Something Wrong with Cypriots?

Having discovered an unrealistically large number of cars of half a century of age, an inexperienced foreigner usually attributes their appearance on the street to the poverty of the owners. And the number of rarities seen in a couple of days cannot be explained in any way by such a massive habitat of eccentric millionaires collecting ancient rarities.

Therefore, the cunning strangers, immediately find a different logical justification: probably, these poor vehicles are being rolled out and repaired for the last penny. Of course, both assumptions, as always happens with the most obvious conclusions, are fundamentally wrong. Such cars don't cost much in Cyprus (but exceptions always happen), and their drivers, too, can in no way be classified as princes or beggars.

The main and most numerous owners of antique cars remain their first, well, maximum, second buyers or their relatives. Having once bought an expensive thing in the distant past, they change to new wheels, giving their beloved wife, son or grandson. However, in reality, the driver change chain can be much longer and more confusing, despite the fact that formally, the car remains registered for the same owner and without leaving the family circle, although in Cyprus it is often unexpectedly wide, both geographically and in genealogical senses.

Another category of collectors of all kinds of junk are handymen of all trades, left to retire without the need to work, and without clients. For a modern car in a typical Cypriot workshop, equipped with the usual set of wrenches and a sledgehammer, you can only wash and vacuum. The remaining operations, starting with changing the oil and recharging the battery, are already tasks of a fundamentally different technological level.

Conclusion

Cyprus is beautiful in so many ways. Even its old cars add amazing colors to the island. Enjoy "museum-looking" cars everywhere around while you are in vacation.