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How Do You Make A Yugo Cool? Turn It Into A Book.

National Public Radio -- How do you double the value of a Yugo? Fill the gas tank.

What do you call a Yugo that breaks down after 100 miles? An overachiever.

Remember the Yugo? Jason Vuic would like to remind you of its not-so-illustrious story. The Yugo: The Rise and Fall of the Worst Car in History is Vuic's book on the tiny, no-frills, breakdown-prone automobile imported from communist Yugoslavia in the 1980s that is better known today as a punchline than a piece of machinery that might (or might not) take you from point A to point Y.

Despite his book's title, Vuic says that the Yugo is far from the worst car in history. There was even a time when the car ignited a sort of Yugo-mania in America. Between 1984 and 1992, Americans bought 150,000 Yugos.

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Submitted Mar 13, 2010 By: Sneakers55

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kelsielee Champion Author Atlanta Posts:3,389 Points:672,025 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 2:07:20 PM Ignore kelsielee Report Abuse Funny to think about Yugos.
Sneakers55 Champion Author Houston Posts:43,373 Points:1,713,080 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Mar 14, 2010 2:11:03 PM Ignore Sneakers55 Report Abuse BEngr wrote: >My dad didn't think it was very smart to buy any car >not made in the United States. He was right!!! My late father was of the opposite opinion, if you wanted a small vehicle. On the other hand, if you wanted a land yacht like he did, domestic is as good as anything. (He drove Fords. Ford has been the best domestic brand for quite a while now.) I didn't always take his opinion on that subject, but I was happier with the cars where I did take his opinion. I later discovered it didn't matter where the car was made, only the design philosophy. Calty Design Research (Toyota's US design facility) designs vehicles Japanese-style. [Edited by: Sneakers55 at 3/14/2010 2:12:39 PM EST]
MikLamb Champion Author Texas Posts:5,643 Points:1,712,120 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Mar 14, 2010 1:23:52 AM Ignore MikLamb Report Abuse Wow, Yugos! This really takes me back.
Sneakers55 Champion Author Houston Posts:43,373 Points:1,713,080 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Mar 14, 2010 12:42:48 AM Ignore Sneakers55 Report Abuse CatMan623 wrote: >At least you didn't have to worry about uncontrolled >acceleration accidents in a Yugo. That's because you had to worry about uncontrolled deceleration incidents so much.
Sneakers55 Champion Author Houston Posts:43,373 Points:1,713,080 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Mar 14, 2010 12:40:39 AM Ignore Sneakers55 Report Abuse jay4 wrote: >The only other possible worst car was that East German one >with the forgettable name. The Trabant was much worse than the Yugo.
The_Gunslinger Champion Author Arkansas Posts:1,897 Points:384,340 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 14, 2010 12:20:53 AM Ignore The_Gunslinger Report Abuse What is a Yugo with a radar detector called? An oxymoron. And I actually saw one of those once.
greenfog Champion Author Illinois Posts:4,159 Points:1,176,515 Joined:Feb 2008	Message Posted: Mar 14, 2010 12:09:17 AM Ignore greenfog Report Abuse i know someone who bought two of them and was glad to finally get rid of them. one blew a motor, who knows what the other one did.
moody4u Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:3,635 Points:716,180 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 14, 2010 12:04:12 AM Ignore moody4u Report Abuse Drive over it .
CatMan623 Champion Author Houston Posts:12,466 Points:1,882,730 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Mar 14, 2010 12:02:24 AM Ignore CatMan623 Report Abuse At least you didn't have to worry about uncontrolled acceleration accidents in a Yugo. It didn't go very fast to begin with.....
Jarod13 Champion Author Virginia Posts:3,470 Points:1,049,730 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 14, 2010 12:01:49 AM Ignore Jarod13 Report Abuse I'm sure that the Yugo won't always be known as the worst vehicle in history, forever. We never know what lurks around the corner, for tomorrow could bring about a new "Yugo" that will be worse than the 1980's Yugo.
cudatim Champion Author San Antonio Posts:2,186 Points:1,081,880 Joined:Jan 2007	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:59:03 PM Ignore cudatim Report Abuse That car was a real joke.
Jarod13 Champion Author Virginia Posts:3,470 Points:1,049,730 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:57:17 PM Ignore Jarod13 Report Abuse I'm sure that the Yugo won't always be known as the worst vehicle in history, forever. We never know what lurks around the corner, for tomorrow could bring about a new "Yugo" that will be worse than the 1980's Yugo.
jay4 Champion Author Colorado Springs Posts:5,792 Points:1,326,080 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:56:53 PM Ignore jay4 Report Abuse The only other possible worst car was that East German one with the forgettable name.
GasitupJB Champion Author Columbia Posts:3,771 Points:572,255 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:51:03 PM Ignore GasitupJB Report Abuse Yugo
EVBuddy Champion Author Nevada Posts:14,338 Points:2,568,640 Joined:Sep 2004	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:50:50 PM Ignore EVBuddy Report Abuse I Just wonder how long Tesla will stay in business.
nimpy Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:6,309 Points:1,333,855 Joined:Oct 2007	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:44:03 PM Ignore nimpy Report Abuse We've had enough of those
HailstormCA Champion Author San Diego Posts:5,856 Points:1,074,775 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:38:29 PM Ignore HailstormCA Report Abuse That brings to mind the $2k machine being marketed in India. How's it doing these days.
kbierley Champion Author Dayton Posts:9,931 Points:1,270,610 Joined:Nov 2003	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:36:08 PM Ignore kbierley Report Abuse A Yugo? Do they still exist?
my2002m Champion Author Tulsa Posts:3,784 Points:1,205,595 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:29:40 PM Ignore my2002m Report Abuse Oh those were the days. Now that is a classic piece of junk.
enigma09 Veteran Author Dayton Posts:448 Points:774,535 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:22:15 PM Ignore enigma09 Report Abuse ahh, the infamous yugo...closest thing i had to this was a chevette..
rimpyCA Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:1,550 Points:665,025 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:21:28 PM Ignore rimpyCA Report Abuse ok
BEngr Champion Author Illinois Posts:4,271 Points:1,116,540 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:14:53 PM Ignore BEngr Report Abuse I remember the Yugo, and I'm glad I never wanted to buy one. My dad didn't think it was very smart to buy any car not made in the United States. He was right!!! That made a good impression on me and after seeing the problems Toyota has with their cars I would rather continue to buy a car from an American company.
Number43 Champion Author Lexington Posts:6,304 Points:1,191,830 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:13:03 PM Ignore Number43 Report Abuse Americans bought pet rocks too.
salgood Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:2,138 Points:564,780 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:13:00 PM Ignore salgood Report Abuse Classic "Government gets involved in auto making" story.
DancingDee Champion Author Gary Posts:3,643 Points:907,920 Joined:Jul 2005	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:12:43 PM Ignore DancingDee Report Abuse I really don't remember the Yugo.
Jeeputtputt Champion Author Michigan Posts:1,389 Points:341,590 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:11:30 PM Ignore Jeeputtputt Report Abuse L O L --
alterman156 Champion Author New York Posts:5,090 Points:1,091,100 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:56:13 PM Ignore alterman156 Report Abuse The Yugo was not a good car period. If it had been better made, it might have been O.K. for minimal transportation.
FieroGT Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:11,979 Points:2,097,715 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:55:46 PM Ignore FieroGT Report Abuse Put it in a compactor and push the start button.
zakarpattya Sophomore Author Kansas City Posts:210 Points:291,415 Joined:Nov 2009	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:53:33 PM Ignore zakarpattya Report Abuse Very cheap car with a decent engine. Definitely not the worst car of the millenium. The title of the book is a fraudulent attempt to grab attention. I rode in one once. A little scary as I was used to riding in larger GM cars back then. But it served its purpose and I think my friend had it for awhile.
djgunrunner Champion Author Salt Lake City Posts:7,596 Points:1,888,895 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:50:27 PM Ignore djgunrunner Report Abuse Is it any relation to the health care bill?
SBlouch Champion Author San Antonio Posts:6,896 Points:1,472,830 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:47:54 PM Ignore SBlouch Report Abuse One doesn't make a Yugo cool.
jjjleblanc Champion Author Rochester Posts:4,349 Points:1,100,475 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:45:50 PM Ignore jjjleblanc Report Abuse Great story.
Chris46 Champion Author Dayton Posts:17,140 Points:1,673,495 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:45:09 PM Ignore Chris46 Report Abuse Q. What does a Yugo and a Dodo bird have in common? A. They are both extinct!
nightworker998 Champion Author Maryland Posts:1,184 Points:508,290 Joined:Mar 2009	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:42:26 PM Ignore nightworker998 Report Abuse The Yugo is high on the list but it has a lot of company.
woodeye55 Champion Author Gary Posts:4,654 Points:1,391,730 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:33:31 PM Ignore woodeye55 Report Abuse I seen a few in my day.
serrog Champion Author Nova Scotia Posts:3,303 Points:1,052,935 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:32:46 PM Ignore serrog Report Abuse Wonder cars --- wonder how they work
rjoeh Champion Author Michigan Posts:5,740 Points:2,059,215 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:30:34 PM Ignore rjoeh Report Abuse The Yugos poor parts availability also had it topping the list of cast most likely to be stolen... not for its overall value but parts that were in poor supply.
2907 Champion Author Kentucky Posts:1,525 Points:843,590 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:13:45 PM Ignore 2907 Report Abuse Are they still around?
ccrb Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:8,937 Points:1,747,575 Joined:Aug 2003	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:12:50 PM Ignore ccrb Report Abuse junk
TomT2Lee Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:3,812 Points:1,168,195 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:07:21 PM Ignore TomT2Lee Report Abuse At least there is some humor.
SpaceAce5 Veteran Author South Dakota Posts:300 Points:68,195 Joined:Feb 2010	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 8:48:15 PM Ignore SpaceAce5 Report Abuse the car was so bad that not only is the company not there anymore, but neither is the country. lol
POLELANE Champion Author Ohio Posts:7,148 Points:828,370 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 8:20:46 PM Ignore POLELANE Report Abuse I was always told to roll down the windows
ModelWarships Champion Author Missouri Posts:4,220 Points:918,180 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 8:11:40 PM Ignore ModelWarships Report Abuse maybe Yugo ought to try to buy GM or Chrsyler and bring their cars back.
VDubBill Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:2,695 Points:872,100 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 8:10:38 PM Ignore VDubBill Report Abuse "On NPR's Car Talk, listeners voted the Yugo the worst car of the millennium." Millennium, eh? I consider the Wallachia's 1310 Attila "People's Cart" the worse of the millennium.
AtascaderoHound All-Star Author California Posts:558 Points:588,935 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 8:09:05 PM Ignore AtascaderoHound Report Abuse Yugo, Edsel, Vega. There have been many cars with less than sterling receptions and achievements.
heysailor Champion Author Pittsburgh Posts:7,236 Points:1,868,210 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 8:05:15 PM Ignore heysailor Report Abuse Yugos were, are, and forever will be, crap.
sillywagon Champion Author New York Posts:10,825 Points:1,005,865 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 8:03:11 PM Ignore sillywagon Report Abuse The Yugo can't be the worst car in history. It was able to be imported into the USA. There have to be awful, horrendous cars that could never meet the minimum standards required to be able to get into the USA market. Badly made, yes! Worst ever, No!!!
GatorGuy Champion Author Columbia Posts:1,131 Points:819,680 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 7:58:52 PM Ignore GatorGuy Report Abuse You get what you pay for. It was never intended to be a Lexus.
VDubBill Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:2,695 Points:872,100 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 7:51:30 PM Ignore VDubBill Report Abuse The Yugo mirrored the country and broke up about the same time. I remember how thin the doors were. They were about as thick as a 150-page book.
Zeke33 Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:3,872 Points:1,278,810 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 7:48:26 PM Ignore Zeke33 Report Abuse Interesying information. It is easy to see why the Yugo was not a very popular car.