Venezuela part IV - Petrol and cars

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Venezuela sits on large deposits of oil and production and sales of oil is a large industry in the country. In fact oil accounts for almost 90% of Venezuela´s export earnings. The policy here is to hold the price on fuel very low, ridiculously low in fact. It is actually possible to get a full tank of petrol for roughly the same cost as one litre in Sweden!

We were one day offered a ride in a private car. As a token of appreciation we paid when the driver fuelled up. One litre of petrol cost 97 bolivares and we paid 3226 bol for a full tank. The official rate is 1$=2150 bol and the black market rate is 1$=3600 bol. You do the math.

Since the petrol is almost for free people don´t hesitate to drive big thirsty American cars. People who are fond of cars from the golden era of American car industry can have a good time here doing car spotting.

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Photos

Petrol is cheap
97 bolivares for one litre.

American car
Since petrol is cheap people often drive thirsty cars.

American car
Since petrol is cheap people often drive thirsty cars.

American car
Since petrol is cheap people often drive thirsty cars.

American car
Since petrol is cheap people often drive thirsty cars.

American car
Since petrol is cheap people often drive thirsty cars.

American car
Since petrol is cheap people often drive thirsty cars.

American car
Since petrol is cheap people often drive thirsty cars.

American car
Since petrol is cheap people often drive thirsty cars.

American car
Since petrol is cheap people often drive thirsty cars.

American car
Since petrol is cheap people often drive thirsty cars.

American car
Since petrol is cheap people often drive thirsty cars.

American car
Since petrol is cheap people often drive thirsty cars.

Comments

[Peter Weiss]

Thirsty Cars
Some of those car models you photographed aren't all that thirsty compared to many American cars. Of course, to someone from Sweden they are all awful, but actually some of these older ones got better mileage than you'd think. What is really awful is that the newer ones often get worse mileage than the old ones. Look around at all the Hummers in Venezuela, they are truly terrible. And they're not even real HumVees, they are Yukons tricked out to look like HumVees. Just stupid plastic imitations that do nothing but suck gas. But as long as gas is cheaper than water in V., they will drive them.

[Harvey Follender]

Golden era of American car industry
I enjoyed seeing the cars. I haven't seen so many American cars in years.