N. Korea still using Volvo cars bought 43 yrs ago from Sweden without payment: report

Yonhap News ^ | 2017/10/25

[Wuli]

I had for a time the Volvo station wagon (model 145) of the sedans (model 144) Sweden sold to North Korea. We bought ours in 1974, which was the last year of the 144/145s. It was a real work horse, though it had a crappy exhaust system (too many twists and turns leading to repeated racking at two points in the exhaust pipes), and eventually it had an idiot light that indicated a problem with either the battery or the alternator, all the time (so we needed to have the checked every now and then just to be sure they were OK (most of the time). The solution was more expensive than it was worth. Beyond those two issues, it was a great car and ran, and ran, and ran in fine shape or in dire need of a tuneup; it didn’t care, it still ran.

[Seruzawa]

Grifters never pay.

[Charles Martel]

This sounds like a job for Repo Man.

IIRC, Volvo's current Repo Man is Chinese.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Didn’t Repo Man feature a subplot with a radioactive, glowing green suitcase in the trunk? Maybe the car is too hot to repo.

[doorgunner69]

Figures they like Volvos, the most boring, bland, cars in the world would appeal to totalitarians devoid of mirth.

[Rebelbase]

Watching videos of European demolition derbys it appears Volvo is the car of choice there.

[RegulatorCountry]

Their variety of demolition derby reminds me of the old figure eight races we used to have that I believe were banned due to being too dangerous. It’s a literal no holds barred race and they ram each other, very entertaining. And yes, the old “brick” Volvos are the car of choice, followed by certain American yank tanks, but the American cars seem to have a target on their backs despite being one of the more solid vehicles out there. It can be a little sickening, I’ve seen classic Jags, even Rolls-Royce Silver Shadows in those things. I guess they’re in sad shape before then, but it’s still shocking to an extent.