High Gasoline Prices Force Change In Car Buying Habits
The frequent increases in the price of gasoline - five so far this year and two more on their way - has led many Costa Ricans to buying cars that are more economical. Compacts and diesel powered vehicles that can travel up to 100 kilometres (60 miles) on less than us$3 dollars of gas.

New car retailers say that the sale of fuel efficient vehicles has increased during this year, especially following a gas hike. Some new car buyers bring in their "gas guzzlers" to trade in for a car that is more economical.

Some of the leaders in small car sales are Purdy Motors which is the exclusive Toyota dealer. Customers are preferring to buy cars with small engines like the KIA Picanto with a 1.100cc engine. Kia dealer, Quality Motors, says the sale of the Picanto has gone up 100% over the last year.

At Purdy Motors, Luis Mastreoni, marketing manager for the Toyota dealer, says that the sale of compact cars had increased by 15% in the last three years. At the Agencia Datsun, the Nissan dealer, reports an increase in the sale of its Micra model. The Micra

Alfredo Chavarría, general manager at Agencia Datsun, says that the high cost of gasoline has forced Costa Rican car buyers to be more intelligent in their decision making.

Chavarria added that buyers are now more concerned about the efficiency of the engine.

Tania Mauricio, at Automotriz S.A, the Ford dealer said that for every V6 powered vehicle with a 4.000cc engine, they sell three Ecosports powered with a 1.400cc engine.

The Fiat dealer Sava as wells as the Peugeot dealer Xiri, both report increased sales in their economical vehicles, surpassing sales of larger engine vehicles. The same is happening at Subaru, Suzuki and Honda dealerships.

The price of a litre of super gasoline will soon hit ¢592 colones or us$4.35 a US gallon or us$5.22 a Canadian gallon. And with the current crisis in the middle east, there will surely be several more price increases this year.