Apologies brother. We were just having a little fun.
I realize my remark might have seem a bit unsensitive but, yes it is true. I cannot afford any (new) car on the market. The reason for that is simple. We have leaders who have messed up handling the auto industry to such an extent that all cars are out of reach for the masses. All these so called “luxury” cars and SUVs that we are getting locally are very very average. We just pay a lot in taxes (which are about to increase further) and an unchecked amount to the local assemblers in profit. Even the government has no clear idea how much the companies charge in profits. While in other nations it is required by law that the companies disclose their profit margins. It keeps them honest. In our nation, its the wild wild west!
That is why most of us can never afford. That is the shame. That is the reason hybrid is still the “magical” technological marvel that eludes the local assemblers and they have not, to date, given it in any model; even though it is two decades old tech by now.
And your last comment is, sadly, very very true. Those same companies are selling us outdated stuff here. Is it fair that cars are so expensive, the Mehran is still considered the car of choice for the average “well to do” Consumer? It might be very good on fuel, but take it to an emissions test and watch it fail with flying colors. The stuff that is coming out the tailpipe of that Mehran, no matter how new, is exactly what the emission standards are fighting against and what is causing such hardships in areas like Lahore currently.
Its sad.

He’s being sarcastic. Everyone here just pokes fun at a very specific person on this blog. Someone who comments here complaining about high prices of Toyota/Suzuki cars and hoping that one day Chairman of PAMA himself will see those comments and instantly reduce those prices out of his heart’s content…

I don’t think if it was meant to be sarcastic or not, but should not make fun of anybody’s financial status, even one’s own.

Anyhow the more important point is this: You don’t need to own a vehicle to be able to afford it and to avail its benefits. I’ll give you 2 examples:

1. Remember those black taxis which used to be Mazda 323, 1976 Datsun 120Y and 1972 Corolla. They were small, cramped (even the driver’s elbow was always hanging out of the window), non-A/c, broke down often, heatup problems, uncomfortable seats. Then came Uber and Careem! Voila, you could hire an Uber or Careem and travel in new model cars that were compact on the outside but spacious on the inside, low engine noise, environmentally better, low fuel consumption (the benefit of low fuel consumption was transferred to the customer in the form of cheaper travel), A/c and a lot more comfortable suspension, and those Uber and Careem cost less than the conventional black taxi as well. Nobody except the vendor of the Careem car needs to be able to afford its purchase price to avail its benefits. If your financial status is not that much, you can just hire it for an hour and avail its benefits.
2. If all the trucks become less-smoke-billowing, then of course the entire society will reap the benefits of cleaner breathe. Remember nobody travels on trucks except the driver and cleaner. However everybody still avails the benefits of the trucks as they transmit goods all over the country. So you avail the benefits of the truck – not directly from the truck – but from the nearest general store.
3. Recently Airblu advertised their purchase of 2 new Airbus A321neo (one of them is number plate AP-BOD and the other is AP-BOE). “neo” means “New Engine Option”. These engines are less noisy, less fuel consumption and lesser emissions. The impact of this capex is to be availed by the entire planet in the form of low emissions, better breathing air, low mental stress as a result of low noise and of course reduced fuel import bill for the country. PIA also recently bought 2 Airbus A320 (AP-BOK and AP-BOL) but they aren’t of the latest and greatest “New Engine Option” so which one will you praise more? The one not being able to afford low fuel consumption? Would you prefer someone who cannot afford to buy new Alto instead he buys Mehran because it is cheaper capex but more expensive on a month-on-month basis?

It is a microscopic viewpoint to deny the benefits of low consumption and low emissions to the society just because of one’s own personal financial status (which inshaAllah would improve very soon). It sounds so greedy and selfish.

Which brings me to another point: Car imports are always being blamed for current account deficit and dollar flight. Meanwhile car is bought once but fuel is bought everyday. Would someone invest the time to analyze that by selling old technology, more fuel consuming cars, what is the impact on the national economy in terms of fuel imports? If you see it this way, the Japanese focus so much fuel efficiency innovation (16-valve, EFI, new engine oils, hybrid culture etc. are just ways to extract more power out of tiny displacement) because themselves are also a fuel-importing nation.

I CAN NEVER AFFORD ANY OF THEM!!!
😥😥😥

yes and if you listen to radio it can also increase mileage by a few hundred km more

I’ve heard from my local charsi that you can also increase that range from 1,500km to 2000km easily by disabling the air bags in your vehicle and removing them for weight savings 😮

whats a big deal about 1000km? i can achieve 1500km just by not wearing a seatbelt… this is sheer waste of money & resources by the corrupt Chinese 😀

and most importantly… WHAT ABOUT PARTS AVAILABILITY?!?! I cannot fathom how important it is for me to find parts for my vehicle readily available when I throw a hook at the sea and fish one out. Can you find parts for this Chinese heresy at your local Chai wala??? I DONT THINK SO!!!

Bhai Usman… I told you last time and I’m gonna say it again. Write an article about how PakSuzuki makes the most safest vehicles in the world and how everyone else is lying about their lack of safety, or else I will have to pray that you don’t ever find parts for your Daihatsu Charade at your local Paapad wala!

May your health, wealth, length, breadth and social credit increase.

Maybe write an article about it! Great article as always!

Most required parts on our congested streets are side mirrors, bumpers, tail lights and door handles. Still remember the days when Premio’s (orphan JDM imports) rear bumper costed 26,000 (twenty six thousand) rupees? What is the reason for a piece of plastic to cost so much?
Mostly the mechanical parts of these JDMs are available, body parts/accessories is the real problem.