Finnish Car Culture, Finnish Character, And A Finnish Car Nut

Last week, we looked at a hellish E32 project Finnish car nut Edvin was working on. Edvin was kind enough to answer some of my questions about his country, its relationship with cars, and his own experiences.

1. Finnish car culture. Please describe the Finn’s relationship with his car for us. Is a car just a tool or appliance for transportation? Or is it more than that? What are some popular cars driven by average Finns? Volvos and Saabs? Japanese? German? Are there many American cars there?

Finland has a population of 5.3 million and 3.1 million cars. Most Finns live in cities in the southwestern part of the country, but outside them Finland is a sparsely populated country, so for many people a car is a must-have to get around. Cars are not as cheap as in other European countries, so people tend to look after them well. We have the oldest cars in western Europe.

The most popular car in Finland is the Toyota Corolla, and that’s the way it’s been for a long time. A reliable choice, but for us car enthusiasts as boring as it gets. Other popular cars are Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus (different than the US model) and Opel Astra (Saturn Astra over there). With our gas prices the small economical hatch is king.

Volvos and Saabs are considered premium cars, so they are respected but not the most common car (unlike in Sweden). Finns tend to go for the cheapest and most boring model with no extra accessories. From the seventies to the mid-nineties Saab was almost considered our own brand, because some of the models were made in Finland, but then GM came and ruined the brand (according to most people). Volvo somehow managed to survive despite being bought by Ford, but some people think Volvo died when they became FWD.

Older Japanese cars have always been in high demand, because they are cheap to run and considered reliable (except for the wildly rusting bodies). German cars are well respected also, but the expensive prices scare many buyers away. Mostly people with executive jobs and taxi entrepreneurs buy them new. Older BMW’s and MB’s have a large fan base.

Lately, American brands like Chrysler and Dodge (don’t consider the small Korean hatches to be real Chevys) have been increasing sales on new cars, but American are still not that popular. Older American cars have lots of enthusiasts and are quite popular.

2. Learning to drive. I hear that driving lessons are quite rigorous in Finland. What did you have to do to earn your driver’s license?

I’m not sure how the driver’s license compares to the American one, but at least it’s not cheap. When I went to driving school the license cost about $1600 and I understand it’s still rising. You have to be 18 to get the license for passenger cars. A license for a moped (max 50cc) can be had when you’re 15 and a max 125cc motorcycle when you’re 16. Many youngsters start with those to get an early start on traffic and gain some freedom. The car license consists of some 20 hours of theory, 30 driving lessons and a few tests. There are separate licenses for trucks, buses, etc.

3. Cost of driving. Are there high import duties on cars? How much does it cost to register and insure a car every year? How much is a liter of gasoline?

Automotive costs are ridiculously high in Finland. Everything is highly taxed. New and imported cars have high taxes on them, making our cars some of the most expensive ones in Europe. Gasoline is highly taxed. Car owners have to pay a yearly tax based on the vehicles weight or Co2-output. Cars older than three years must be inspected yearly to keep them on the road (good for safety, but some of the rules are too strict).

Back in 2001 we got a small victory when import taxes were lowered and after that we saw a rush of imports from mostly Germany. People started buying more interesting cars in better shape (no rust) for less money. Thanks to that we have a lot more sportier and fun cars nowadays.

The import tax is still too high and we’re still fighting to have it removed (like in many other European countries). Cars cost a bit more here as well. A new Dodge Caliber SE costs about $27k here, while $17k over there. High-end cars cost even more, a new BMW M5 will set you back a whopping $243k (of which $110k is Finnish car tax) while its US MSRP is $85k. Old cars are expensive too, an early 90's Lexus LS400 costs at least $13k, while you can have one for one tenth of the price. Same goes for an early-90's Mazda Miata.

At the moment gas is about 1,35€/litre which is around $7/gallon converted to dollars. Still, many enthusiasts drive V8's. I pay around $2000 a year for insurance for my 523i and Yamaha TDM 900 motorcycle. My 540iA was around $1600/year. Around $400/year for road tax and inspections.

But you have to keep it in perspective. It may seem steep, but we have free public health care, free education, good social security (some argue it's too good) and are generally well off and a happy people. People still complain a lot, but that's just human nature, some people wouldn't be happy if they owned the moon. Of course we have poverty and homeless people, but nothing like the US. All in all it's a good place to live, even with high motoring costs.

Rusty Saab doors

4. Your cars. What was your first car? What cars have you owned? What do you currently drive? Why did you pick those cars? What do you want as your next car?

My first car was a VW Golf GTI 16 valve from 1989. I’ve always been into sportier cars and that was a fun car to start with.

After a while I grew hungry for cheap power and bought a Saab 9000 Turbo. That one had a few problems (missing power, lots of rust) so I bought a newer 9000 Turbo. Drove that for a while and then decided that it was time for a BMW (I’ve wanted an E34 5-series since I was a kid) and bought a 1989 BMW 535i (E34). That car made me realize that power isn’t everything. It was a really fun car to drive, the handling was great and I liked the way it looked, many great memories in that car. Whether I was cruising for fun or driving to work, it always put a smile on my face, I was hooked on BMW's.

I was happy with the 535i for a while, until I started lusting after a newer car. I bought a 2001 330Ci (E46) in 2006. It was a good car, but it led to another realization; it doesn’t matter how old a car is, how many miles it’s done, what accessories it has etc., what matters is that you enjoy driving an owning it. The car was good, but in terms of enjoyment it wasn’t worth its price tag (would still be paying off that debt). I got rid of the car and luckily I still hadn’t sold my 535i, so I drove that for a while before trading it for a E34 M5, something I’ve always wanted. The M5 was fun, but something was missing, so I soon traded it for a 1998 540iA (E39). That car had it all, great accessories and a V8. Had a lot of fun with it for a couple of years, but this summer I realized I wanted a motorcycle so I sold the 540. Bought a bike and a 1996 523i with 270k miles (a lot for its age) on the clock as a daily driver. It’s a great DD but I still missed those older E32/E34 BMW’s. Luckily a friend of mine was selling his, so I got that as a hobby car.

At the moment I'm lusting after a W140 S-class Mercedes as a daily driver. I don’t know if I’ll ever find a car I’ll be completely satisfied with and I want to keep for the rest of my life, but I intend to have fun while looking for it.

5. Road trip. What is the most memorable stretch of road you have ever driven (in Finland or elsewhere)?

My most memorable drive has to be last summer’s road trip to the Alps. Miles upon miles of great twisty roads with breathtaking views (like the Stelvio pass, perhaps familiar from Top Gear?) with good music playing on the radio, windows rolled down and the BMW V8 rumbling in the mountains.

6. The Finnish character. To outsiders, Kimi Raikkonen is reserved, not emotional, maybe even depressed. How would you describe his personality? Is it a common characteristic in your country?

Reserved is the right word to describe Finns. Not everyone is as like Räikkönen, but it’s not far off. In public places like trains, cafes, etc., people tend to keep to themselves and do not engage in conversation with strangers unless they are really drunk (another good word to describe us). Try talking to strangers and people just walk away and think of you as a madman. Don’t be offended if you meet a Finn and he/she seems uninterested in you, instead buy him/her a drink or two and something may happen. Oh, and there are no polar bears walking in the streets, in contrast to what the media will try to tell you.

Räikkönen's behaviour has him as the butt of many jokes here in Finland as well. He's quite the stereotype for Finns and we like to laugh at him for it, but still everyone identifies a bit of him/herself in Kimi. To us he doesn't come off as depressed, more like the little boy who's overwhelmed by all the attention he's getting and all his wild partying, etc. "Childish behaviour" is just overcompensation for his insecurity.

Mind you, Finns have a long history as motorsport legends being awkward and amusing at press conferences. It's not just Kimi and Mika Häkkinen, but most of the famous rally drivers as well (Juha Kankkunen, Tommi Mäkinen, Marcus Grönholm etc.).

7. Americana. Aside from obvious supercars like Corvettes and Vipers, what new American car, if any, interests you?

To be honest, I’m not that interested in new American cars (aside from the obvious Corvette ZR-1). Older cars are where it’s at. I’d love to get an AMC Pacer (saw one for the first time in the metal in the Netherlands last week) or something like that. I like strange and quirky cars. The Pacer may seem boring to you, in the same way that Peugeots and Citroens fascinate some Americans, but not me. Any early 70’s Caddy with a V8 larger than life would make me happy. A cross-USA road trip with a big heavy American sedan is something I dream about.

8. The E32. What made you choose the E32 as the first car to restore? How much are you willing to spend to restore it? What specific task do you think will be the most challenging? What is your ultimate goal for the car? How many bolts and clips have you broken so far?

I’ve always liked the BMW’s of that era. I think they look exceptionally modern still today and driving them you feel more connected to the car and the road than in newer cars, while still being comfortable and sophisticated. There’s just so much more to them than meets the eye, especially compared to other cars from the same era. You could drive one for years without finding all the clever engineering solutions, unless you look for them. So when a friend was getting rid of his E32, I had to buy it. I like the 750 because it was really something quite special when the car came out. It was the first German post-war V12 and had an all-aluminum block and heads with double everything. Even if half the engine suffered a breakdown, you could still drive the Autobahn home at 200km/h with 6 cylinders.

Although I work in the automotive industry my job consists of sitting in front of a computer for 8 hours a day. I’ve longed for something else, but I don’t wanna quit my job, so undertaking this project felt like the right thing to do. Although it can sometimes be physically tough, it’s still very relaxing to me. I like the problem solving aspect of it and not being in a hurry. Fixing my daily driver is more stressful, because I’m always in a hurry and need to get it fixed. With this car I can take my time, thinking about different alternatives and when I finally find a solution that works I get a lot more satisfaction that I did it myself.

The idea was to fix it up cheap and sell it on and then buy something else, but I may end up keeping it for a while just to have something to cruise in for fun. I’m still trying to keep it cheap, but one thing is certain when working on cars. Whatever you decide for the budget, it’s gonna be exceeded. I’ve already spent more on it than I would’ve wanted to. Seals for the engine, new wheels and tyres and possibly a used transmission are among the expensive parts yet to be bought.

The challenge is going to be putting the engine and transmission back in the car. I wasn’t as careful and methodical as I had planned to be, so finding all the correct bolts and just remembering where everything goes will take some time. The goal is just to get the car back on the road in decent condition. It’s not gonna be a show car but I do want it looking good for its age.

I stopped counting broken bolts and clips a while ago. That’s one of the downsides of working outside in the winter, some of the plastic clips are impossible to remove without breaking. Have to make a list of them while I still remember.

9. Significant other. What does your girlfriend think about your obsession with cars and all the time you’re going to spend on that E32?

My girlfriend doesn’t understand all the decisions I make and doesn’t think that this whole motoring hobby is sensible, but with some carefully selected words, good arguments (white lies) and a lot of persuasion I usually get approval for my silly ideas. Life would be dull if everything had to be sensible. I remain hopeful that some day she’ll realize that resistance is futile, and just let me do whatever I want. Luckily I’m in no hurry with the E32 project, so I’m trying not to stay too late at the garage. She does let me know every time she’s not getting enough attention.

10. Passion. Why do you like cars?

Although I live in the capital of Finland (Helsinki) where life without a car is technically possible thanks to working public transport (compared to the sparsely populated areas), I couldn't imagine not owning something with an engine and wheels. The reason why I like cars is the freedom of being able to go where you want when you want. I like the thrill of speed (driving on the racetrack) and cruising around looking for that memorable moment when the road was just right, the music was perfect, you feel good and everything else is forgotten. Those little memories we like to look back at later in life.