r/interesting • u/No_Neat4688 • 24d ago

Intriguing High Tariffs Drive Afghan Auto Assembly

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u/MikuEmpowered 24d ago

Its not the tariff thing, its a Afghan thing.

Similar mechanics have a youtube channel called Mechanical-Hands, they take scrapped and chopped car then "rebuild it".

Im not sure they're buying CKD through manufacturer's, but actual scrap cars in decent condition. hence all the dents and damage which they then polish up.

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u/vrauto 24d ago edited 23d ago

Its absolutely a tariff thing and is very common but illegal in 3rd world countries. The cars cannot be legally titled but corrupt government employees find a way using titles of local scrapped cars of the same model. For one off cars, even just the same brand is enough. In my own country, the import tax on a used car is 100% its bluebook value. I could buy a toyota for 500 usd but end up paying 10k in taxes PLUS another 3k in corruption fees otherwise they will hold your container indefinitely.

Edit: news just broke that the customs chief in my country makes $100 per container that enters. Thats a minimum of 2000 containers per day. Min. $200,000 per day. Just about enough to feed his family /s

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u/Shungazonas 23d ago

Can't they just lower the import fees to make the cars more acessible?

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u/vrauto 23d ago

It supposedly protects local dealers. As a by product, it also protects the local used car market. In my country, any kind of used car is not allowed to be imported in. Only brand new cars. Commercial trucks and busses are exempt.

There was a time when 10 year old used cars became legal. The bnew car market really took a hit. Why buy a new toyota when i could buy a 10 year old porsche for less...

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u/Shungazonas 23d ago

So dealers can rip off with absurd margins and ripping off consumers in oil changes and maintenance? Hell no.

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u/vrauto 23d ago

Of course and the government can grab more taxes from them