The original VW bug lives on. Much like cockroaches, you just can't get rid of them. Even so, Mexico City is making a concerted effort to rid the city of the old VW bug taxis, as in this day and age, they're just too inefficient. They use too much fuel (19 mpg). They're too small and cramped. Worst of all, they are a major reason for Mexico City's poor air quality, as the engines are really quite dirty when compared to modern emission-controled engines.
"We want to get rid of them. ... This vehicle is now a nuisance in Mexico City," said Victor Manuel Ramirez, head of the taxi division at the city transport and road ministry. "The government wants to replace them with more modern, fuel-efficient vehicles."
Another Latin America-related story: A coke-powered Chevy
Here's another reason to keep body-on-frame construction: You can pack it with cocaine, hoping to get it past customs.
It doesn't always work, however. Police in Lyon, France snatched an old Chevy that arrived from South America in which the frame had been stuffed with cocaine. The cocaine was put in zinc boxes and then placed inside the frame, in hope of eluding drug-sniffing dogs.
Full (translated) story here. Original story in French here.
santiagofdz says:
10:01 AM, 09/19/08
Living here in Mexico, I have a lot of trouble believing the article on detnews.com.
The article is basically stating the opposite of what I consider to be true. They state that fuel milage is terrible and that bugs are a nightmare to keep running. Well, cabbies aren't stupid, if it was so hard and expensive to keep them running (using their money!) they wouldn't still have them in the first place. They still thrive because they are inexpensive to run and maintain, and even the most inexperienced(and cheapest) mechanics will know how to fix a vocho, hell probably a lot of more experienced cabbies do the maintanance themselves.
And, as far as I know, a used vocho will fetch far more than $15,000 MX pesos. Actually I remember reading an article stating that that was the main problem with the program, cabbies did want to change their cars, but were reluctant to have them scrapped because they could sell them for a lot more money outside the program.
I wonder who was the source of the information they gave, not that I'd expect the "leftist-green" goverment to be involved with the information, I didn't even know they had green sensibilities!! How appropiate for the times, they are now green!
kurtamaxxxguy says:
01:16 PM, 09/19/08
VW had introduced emission system controls for the old Beetle (the Superbug I used to own definitely had them). Perhaps the Mexico Bugs escaped those.
Also, any car is going to pollute if not properly maintained. Most likely those mexican Bugs get very little maintanance short of what's required to keep them collecting fares.
karjunkie says:
09:48 AM, 09/20/08
I agree with santiagofdz. Cabbies in the DF love their vochos and they certainly get better than 19 MPG as the story reports. Even without smog controls, such a small engine cannot be generating much in pollution, it is the shear number of cabs that is the problem. Based on my observation over 30 yrs of going to the DF the biggest offender are the diesel buses that spew tons of noxious gases all day long. $1500 will not get a cabbie in Mexico much, as cars cost as much if not more than in the US. The government should set up stations and install aftermarket pollution control devices with those $1500 per vehicle. That would certainly be more practical.
karjunkie says:
09:48 AM, 09/20/08
I agree with santiagofdz. Cabbies in the DF love their vochos and they certainly get better than 19 MPG as the story reports. Even without smog controls, such a small engine cannot be generating much in pollution, it is the shear number of cabs that is the problem. Based on my observation over 30 yrs of going to the DF the biggest offender are the diesel buses that spew tons of noxious gases all day long. $1500 will not get a cabbie in Mexico much, as cars cost as much if not more than in the US. The government should set up stations and install aftermarket pollution control devices with those $1500 per vehicle. That would certainly be more practical.
santiagofdz says:
02:17 AM, 09/21/08
30 years going to Mexico City karjunkie? Damn! I kinda feel sorry for you :p j/k
Seriously though, I think you nailed it, the biggest problem on Mexican roads are clapped out cars, both gas and Diesel, which put those horrid black/gray puffs of smoke in the air. That combined with the infamous traffic problems, some not very efective measures undertaken by goverment, plus the ecological problems tipical of a 3rd world county, mean that air quality is a very serious issue over there in the central part of Mexico.
I do agree with the idea that a modern car will be cleaner than a car whose design dates back to the 1930s, and I can't say I agree with you on regards to the convenience of installing aftermarket pollution control, considering the cars are already strained by the considerable altitude of Mex. City, I fear adding pollution control would cap the bugs to +- 20 HP. (Considering that it was making around 40 HP in it's final incarnations).
But I agree that bugs can't be getting 19 MPG. 29 MPG seems more like it.
ateixeira says:
11:10 AM, 09/22/08
The city is growing like a wild fire, so the problem will only get worse.