The Suzuki is much cheaper to buy, cheaper to run, cheaper to maintain and probably more reliable than a Wrangler of the same age/mileage. Additionally, it fits in places that the bloated Wrangler cannot.

All of that is true. Yet, that Porsche could bring a smile to your face while driving it. The Camry that can smoke the 924 will not, despite being superior in every objective way.

Which is why these vans were sold with diesel engines (and manual transmissions) in Europe. With the conventional American drivetrain these vans are simply too expensive to run in Europe. Too inefficient.

I moved from the Netherlands to Germany. I do think the Dutch system is better. It’s more common sense, and less ‘rules are rules’.

These vans are incredibly cheap with a gas engine as well.

Gasoline and diesel cost roughly the same in Germany.

I swapped the rear drums for discs of my 1987 car in 2019. It is insured as a classic and is street legal this way.

Because the same vehicle with an auto box would be slower and even thirstier. And even more boring to drive.

As an expat living in Germany I agree that the paperwork here can be a bit ridiculous. However, the safety inspections themselves seem fine?

To be fair, Alfas (pre-Giulia) of the last 20 years had decent reliability. Not class leading, certainly not, but no worse than something like a VW. Usually better. Then the Giulia QV press cars came along, with all their flaws.

20 years? The Fiat 130 coupe was introduced in 1971, the 505 in 1979. That’s a difference of only 8 years.

The Polo GTI is an also ran though. The hot hatch versions of the 500, the Fiesta, Peugeot 208, Renault Clio and many others in the EU market are better picks. The Polo GTI is an overpriced unreliable snoozefest in comparison to all of them. Relatively speaking, obviously.

You would almost think that the Skoda brand would be a great fit for the US. Slightly larger and cheaper than equivalent VWs (both qualities Americans prefer), and appropriately blandly styled. Maybe still too expensive for the US though.

Though 189,172 km sounds like a lot

I want one of those for my 205! Should fit. It should have a boost gauge though.

Then you’d be better off staying inside 24/7. A new car is not safe in every situation either. Living in constant fear is no way to live your life.

Not specifically speaking about the Niva here, but non-American 70s cars tend to be a lot more fun to drive than new cars and have a lot more ‘character’ as well.

I frequently shift from 2 to 4 or from 2 to 5, for example. This is not possible with a sequential gearbox. I imagine a sequential box is better in a race car, a H pattern seems like a better fit for a fun commuter or for something else that isn't meant for pure performance. 

Here in Germany I see them used as snow plows mostly. Like Jimnies. Unlike Jimnies, they are typically not used as commuters. Too crude, too utilitarian and I guess the fuel consumption is not helpful either.

Far less safe than a Jimmy, obviously, as the Lada as a design is 4 decades older.