[East German Wartburg sedan , Repairing the car] (Source:myself)
Imported cars overflow in Gori, Georgia. Hyundai, Toyota, Subaru, Tesla, BMW, Isuzu — almost every brand in the world drives through this small city. Even a 1980s Volkswagen still rolls smoothly down the streets.
I once saw an old East German Wartburg sedan with a Volkswagen badge glued to its hood. Check Photo ! The car was made by the East German company Automobilwerk Eisenach. However, the Wartburg 1.3 model, produced from 1988 to 1991, was fitted with a 1.3-liter four-stroke engine that was also used in the second-generation Volkswagen Polo. Even though I worked for an auto parts company myself, this is the first time I’ve ever heard of a company called Automobilwerk Eisenach. 🤣
Most countries have a “national brand.” Germany has Volkswagen, Korea has Hyundai, Japan has Toyota, the Czech Republic has Škoda. But Gori is different. It has no national brand, yet every brand coexists here. This city doesn’t represent “a mixture of identities” —it represents freedom from identity itself.
A City That Runs on Handcraft
Near Gori’s central market, small repair shops line the street. Manuals? Manufacturer specs? Forget it. Everything here is fixed by ‘elaborate’ feel. This is a handcrafted city. A repair shop isn’t just a workplace — it’s a men’s club. Men gather, polish cars, sip coffee with oil-stained hands, and talk about engines and life in the same breath.
I once wrote that “Gori has no Third Place —no space that’s neither home nor office.” I take that back. In Gori, the car itself is the Third Place. People think inside their cars, talk beside their cars, and spend good times underneath them.
The Economy of Improvisation
Where do they even get parts for these discontinued cars? There’s no way every brand’s original stock exists. No large warehouses. No supply chain. And yet — everything gets repaired. Toyota-style efficiency eliminates waste through standardization. Gori eliminates waste through improvisation. There are many third-party companies that help with this.
Rhythm Over Brand
Tesla, Mercedes, BMW — sure, those still signal “upper class.” But everything below that runs not by status, but by rhythm. A car’s rhythm means one simple thing: how well its movement fits your own life’s flow.
In Korea, cars speak the language of hierarchy. Marriage means a Carnival van. Success means a Benz. Professionals drive Teslas. Even taxis follow the order — Genesis for premium, Sonata for mid-tier, Avante for rural routes. Cars there are social name tags.
In Gori, hierarchy doesn’t exist. Cars just have to run. What matters is whether the rhythm of the machine matches the rhythm of its driver. There are many cars that drive without bumpers. A car just needs to roll. Gori prioritizes practicality. That’s why Toyotas dominate the streets — durable, repairable, and calm. Suitable for almost anyone.
#Gori #Gori life #Georgia #Endorphin Life #Saltnfire #Phenomenology
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