Auto show opens at City Centre
One look on the crowded streets and highways is proof positive that Belize’s love affair with the automobile– particularly the pickup truck and SUV–is as hot as ever. Today News 5’s Jose Sanchez made the rounds of new car dealers for a look under the hood of the upcoming auto show.
Jose Sanchez, Reporting
If you’re a lover of cars and trucks or even if you view four-wheeled transport as a necessary evil, then this weekend’s third Annual Auto Show will definitely get your engine running. The event will feature new vehicles under the Ford, Kia, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Chrysler and Isuzu brands, just to name a few.
Bill Bowman, Belize Estate and Co.
“We’ll be showcasing a few new products. The Ford Escape behind me here, we have the new Rio, from Kia Motors and very nice and attractive new products, fuel-efficient products. This product behind me, the Ford Escape, won an award from the Road and Track Magazine as the best in its class for a small SUV. So it’s a lot to see, some great deals will be there. It’s a family event, we’ll have food and drinks. I encourage everyone to come out.”
These new vehicles do not come cheap…but looking around the city it’s plain to see that there’s no shortage of demand.
Israel Marin, Director, Belize Diesel and Equipment
“And that’s because of various reasons. One, the economy is vibrant, the banks are lending at much lower rates and more people have stable jobs, and the price of vehicles has been going down. Competition has been very healthy. People feel more secure, they feel they can plan. The cost of a used car coming from the U.S. is the almost the same as a new car. People feel comfortable buying in Belize and it’s the spin-off of a healthy economy.”
Mel Auil, Managing Director, JMA Motors
“We feel that transportation has become a basic commodity in Belize now, especially with a lot of people moving into the suburbs of Ladyville, Hattieville, mile eight. You need a dependable, reliable transportation to move back and forth.”
“We will have Mitsubishi pickups, Mitsubishi medium trucks, which we just introduced to Belize. We will have Mitsubishi Montero’s, Mitsubishi Nativa. We’ll be having the Suzuki Jimny and the Suzuki Grand Vitara amongst others.”
Bravo Motors also has a line of pick-ups and SUV’s ready for display, but they believe that it will be a car that will steal the show.
David Almendarez, Parts Manager, Bravo Motors
“Well the main attraction for this year’s auto show is the 2001 PT Cruiser. This is the most attractive Motor Trend Car of the Year. It has won every single award in its class, we actually sell this car with a piece of stick to ward off people of the opposite sex. This is a magnet or whatever you want to call it. “Newly Designed”, “Fresh”, “Innovative” are just some of the rave reviews this vehicle has gotten. It is the most sought after vehicle in backlog in production and we in Belize and Bravo Motors have it here for the Belizean public to look at.”
Whether you’re ready to buy the eighty-thousand dollar PT Cruiser or just window shop all that shiny metal, the Belize City Centre will be where the action is on Saturday and Sunday. Reporting for News 5, Jose Sanchez.
