Russia will become like Cuba: cars are being bought, because we have nowhere else to buy them

Most, if not all, Western companies have stopped delivering new cars to Russia. Moreover, companies that had factories in Putin’s country have stopped production. This is the case of Renault, but also of the local manufacturer Avtovaz (majority owned by Renault). The consequences were inevitable.

All the cars in Cuba are over 60 years old because others did not exist, the import was impossible due to the sanctions applied in the time of Fidel Castro. Apparently, this is happening in Russia now, and a few weeks since the invasion of Ukraine have been enough to see the consequences. An apartment is exchanged for a car, and a used car has almost doubled in value in a few years since the purchase.

Putin’s country, a bigger Cuba

It is not clear how long the war in Ukraine will last, but the lives of Russians are very likely to change radically during this time. In the most optimistic case, the reality in Russia will be closer to that in Cuba. In the worst case scenario, we will be very close to a new North Korea. The fact that McDonald’s or KFC no longer exists is the least problem for the Russians.

The phenomenon defined as “exotic” on the Russian real estate market translates into second-hand cars exchanged on apartments and we are not even talking about luxury cars. A Kia Mohave is estimated in Russia at about 7 million rubles or 62,000 euros, although it has 10,000 kilometers on board, and in 2021 it had a purchase price close to half that amount.

“I am thinking of an apartment only in Makhachkala, in the center, not in other cities. If the apartment is cheaper, then I ask for extra money. The car is new, I bought it from Moscow a few thousand kilometers away, now it has 10,000. No scratches! ”Says the seller. With the desired price, in Makhachkala you buy an apartment of 100-120 square meters, three rooms, in a new building.

Sergei lives in Krasnodar and hopes to sell a 2020 Toyota RAV4 in an apartment or house in Slavyansk-on-Kuban. He does not hide that he gave her 2.6 million rubles a year and a half ago, but now he estimates it at 4 million rubles, with a turnover of 15,000 kilometers. Another SUV RAV4 from 2021 is valued at 5.2 million rubles (48,000 euros) and, again, the owner hopes to turn it into a house, according to g4media.ro.