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How Do We Stop From Becoming The Next "yugo" Owners Group?

ElioTony

Elio Fan
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I second what Hog was getting at. I hope it catches on like my SmartCar. Yes, there were expectations and subsequent models kept getting more options. I still think I got a great value with my base Passion model. I wish the Elio was out in 2009 as I would have opted for two base models for the price of one Smart. Can't wait for this expection to become reality.
-ElioTony
 

Lil4X

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The Yugo suffered from the same malady that many postwar imports did - except it must have been reverse-engineered to take it downscale from the almost-competent Fiat 127 to the absolute mess that was called the Yugo when it washed up on our shores in 1986, imported by wannabe auto entrepreneur Malcolm Bricklin. Over the next three years the engine, transmission, and braking problems were addressed by the factory, although never completely solved. I think it's major problem was that it was not prepared for the American market

It was built in Bosnia, then part of Yugoslavia and sold throughout SouthEastern Europe just as the old Slavic nations began to fall apart. Fiat saw a need for a cheap basic car for this part of the world and moved tooling and design to Zastava to begin production under license from Fiat. In it's earlier iterations it was ill-suited to American roads - much as early Fiats, Renaults, Saabs, and other post-war cars that tended to self-destruct at speed on our highways. Puttering around the narrow lanes of Eastern Europe, they were about two steps up from an oxcart, but they were never intended for the thrashing they got in our kind of long-distance service.

It didn't help that manufacturing quality wasn't even up to Italian standards in those days - I remember Dad talking about the QC system for building railroad wheels at Breda-Fuchini, where a "caliper" cut from steel plate was applied to a wheel, swung 90°, then measured on that axis. When complete, the "caliper" was tossed on the shop floor, where it's dimensions were probably altered by a couple of millimeters by the impact. Dad cringed with every crash.

Some of the Yugo's marketing details look disturbingly familiar. The GV was offered at $3990 (base), and it's 1.1L US-spec engine was supposed to deliver excellent fuel economy. What hurt was that it was never a stoplight-grand-prix contender with a 14+ second 0-60 time that wasn't really adequate for American freeway entrance ramps. Flogging it this hard in regular service only seemed to hasten its demise, but even with sharply declining sales, the death blow came from its home country when Yugoslavia began restricting exports in 1992.

Today, Yugo carries a partially-deserved reputation of being a joke. Given development time and some re-engineering, it could have worked. The problem that European manufacturers have this side of the pond is that our driving needs are entirely different. Our roads aren't narrow country lanes, and we actually drive faster than a bicyclist's pace, and cover great gouts of miles (over five) on a single trip. With the coming of broad international motorways in the UK and Europe, much of that has changed, and the larger manufacturers of economy cars are producing a considerably-improved product.
 

Dallas

Elio Fan
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The Yugo was built by a communist that did not care a wit about customer satisfaction. They built junk just like there economic system. A capitalist knows if you don't build it right that there is no way to stay in business for any long periods of time. Basically why communism always fail. Paul Elio is the quintessential capitalist. He's working hard to build a great idea and make it work. I have no doubt this car will be a quantum leap in from what we all have gotten used to in the transportation industry. A simple design of what a car should be. One that gets you were you need to go cheap and safely. The Elio a new way of thinking who's time has come.
Dallas
 

Jeff Porter

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Based on what I read, here's a shot at summing up why the Yugo failed so badly:

"In 1990, Yugo America introduced an EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection) version of the YUGO GVX [one of 5 Yugo models] to replace the less expensive carbureted fuel system. It arrived too late as the result of a recall by the United States Environmental Protection Agency of over 126,000 vehicles sold in the United States due to a failure to meet exhaust emissions. The recall effectively caused Yugo America to cease importation and fold in 1992."

So to answer your question JDKeats, we just know. lol But seriously, it's being built here, quality is probably going to be above average.

It is an unknown, but some faith mixed in with patience, and we just might have us a great vehicle to drive inside of 2 years from now. :D
 

GaPawn

Elio Aficionado
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Based on what I read, here's a shot at summing up why the Yugo failed so badly:

"In 1990, Yugo America introduced an EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection) version of the YUGO GVX [one of 5 Yugo models] to replace the less expensive carbureted fuel system. It arrived too late as the result of a recall by the United States Environmental Protection Agency of over 126,000 vehicles sold in the United States due to a failure to meet exhaust emissions. The recall effectively caused Yugo America to cease importation and fold in 1992."

So to answer your question JDKeats, we just know. lol But seriously, it's being built here, quality is probably going to be above average.

It is an unknown, but some faith mixed in with patience, and we just might have us a great vehicle to drive inside of 2 years from now. :D

Leave it to them be the spoil-sports!!! :mad:

And we wonder why we can't have nice things..... :rolleyes:

Let's hope they leave our Elio alone!!!!!! :(
 

imageon

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yugo_wide-2475035a4ae05800f100955e7bd7d743f675e049-s6-c30.jpg
Screen-shot-2014-02-25-at-3.50.48-PM-676x406.png

Ua aaaa I don't know?
MK
 

Danno

Elio Aficionado
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The concept of the Yugo and the Elio remain the same, an affordable, economical alternative to the rest of whats out there. The concept will never go out of style, while the cars may come and go. I always thought the Yugo had great potential, but the pressures of the American car buying public killed it by making it something it was not. Much like the discussions that go on here, what power options will be available, a/c, horsepower, etc, Americans like the concept, provided they can have it their way (the Burger King effect). It is these 'options' that end up detracting from what the car was intended to be, and subsequently altering the future direction and success.

I applaud this response!!!
I especially need to comment on the Burger King effect comment...so true, it might work in fast food, but it doesn't work with everything. Go to any food place, like subway...we have destroyed the basics of simply ordering a sandwich!!! It's now a f****** quiz!! and god forbid you tell them one thing ahead...oh no...oh my god!!
If anything happens to make this car go away, it will be the people like half the ones on this forum that can't wait to mess with the car, then blame Elio for it, or want, want, want every conceivable option known to mankind!
A forum thread for "the gas cap on the wrong side"? are you kidding me!!! "Would anyone be interested in selling their spot"? (the person can't afford $100, I don't think I want to deal with him)!
 
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