Edmunds totally bought a long-term Yugo [w/video]

I drove a Yugo once. And in reality, it wasn't even really a Yugo – it was just the body and interior, but the crazy owner had fitted a misfiring Oldsmobile Rocket V8 in the back. This was not a NASA-level feat of engineering, as the throbbing engine was essentially in its own subframe in the hatch, without any kind of covering, heat shielding, or sound deadening. In short, it was terrifying. So here I am, hoping that the guys and gals over at Edmunds have better luck with their Yugo.

If you listened to this week's Autoblog Podcast, you heard Edmunds' Mike Magrath discuss the latest member of the outlet's long-term test fleet, a surprisingly tidy 1989 Yugo GVL. The white, three-door hatch – which is not the vehicle pictured above – was picked up for just $950, and aside from a few maintenance items, looks to be in remarkably good shape for a car trundling toward its third decade on the road.

The car was purchased way up in Boise, ID, from a man named Arko, who warned the Edmunds team that the Yugo "looks better on a trailer." But rather than take his advice, some poor staffers were tasked with driving the team's new long-term "penalty box" all the way back to the City of Angels. To see how that journey shaped up, as well as the impetus for purchasing communism's best known car, you'll want to head over to the Edmunds site for the full rundown.