Yesterday, we reported that Mexico is protecting its car dealers by limiting American used-car imports to model year 1998. Today, The Houston Chronicle reports the import/export of choice: the ’98 Ford F-150. “You can throw the Blue Book away," says Luis Esparza, the sales manager for used-car dealer H.E.D. Sales in Houston. Over at Houston’s (“cash only”) Caribbean Auto Sales, one Bernardo Garcia figures a $5k ‘98 extended cab F-150 in good condition just went up by $500 to $700. Roddy McMichaels, owner of Longhorn Motor Co. says the Mexican stricture is no biggie; he seldom sells running cars or trucks destined for Mexico. "You'll see them on U.S. 59 hauling two or three of them,” he reveals. ”Pickups with 400k miles that they buy for $300. They take them down where labor and parts are cheap and fix them up." I guess used-car dealers near the border might want to stock up on ’98-model-year flatbed trucks, too.
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For shoots and giggles I was looking at Metros on ebay today… in general the price seems high (I’m guessing knee-jerk reaction to gas price news – but a Metro, damn, carpool baby). I forgot to look at 1998’s, but there’s one thing I’ll go out on a limb with: 1998 Metro has probably seen the highest percentage gain in value over the past 6 months.
Nice to see the intro to my Ranger review is still ringing true…even if its now for the F150.
“You’ll see them on U.S. 59 hauling two or three of them,”
I do not know how widespread it was, but at least as recentlty as the early 70’s, rusted out vehicles from the northeast were chained up in twos and threes and night driven, led by one driver in the best one, to be resold in the rural south.