Ever fancied picking up a used car abroad for the price of a couple of nights' accommodation? Croatia's government is offloading 80 vehicles and a trailer from the state fleet, with opening bids beginning at a comically low €130.78.

The sale, run by the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets, went public in late September 2026. The line-up is genuinely mixed: the cheapest lot is a well-worn Mitsubishi Colt 1.3 Invite, while the flagship is a Land Rover Range Rover 4.4 SDV8 opening at €24,350.99. In between sit some surprisingly plush options, including an Audi A4 40 TDI Quattro Sport at €19,857.64, a Volvo XC60 Momentum at €18,068.07, a Mercedes SL 280 at €14,574.59 and a Mercedes S 350 D 4MATIC at €13,000.

If luxury isn't the goal, the bargain end is well stocked. A Citroën Jumper van opens at €262.60, a Fiat Ducato at €261.30, a Mercedes Vito at €243.75 and a Mitsubishi Outlander 4WD at €355.87. There's even a Nissan Patrol, a Range Rover Evoque, a Chery Tiggo and an Odes quad bike for anyone with off-road plans.

A few ground rules matter. Everything is sold strictly as seen — the ministry is explicit that buyers take vehicles in their existing condition. To level the playing field, inspections are scheduled for 12 October 2026 at the ministry's garage on Novska Street in Zagreb between 9:30 and 11:30am, with additional vehicles viewable at the Vjesnik complex later that day. Bids must be in by 10am on 27 October, and the public opening of offers happens at 11:30am the same day — anyone can turn up and watch. Each vehicle is a separate lot, and offers need to follow the ministry's formal submission requirements.

For travellers, this is a niche but real opportunity. Anyone relocating to Croatia, staying long-term, or planning an extended Balkan road trip could score a runaround for the cost of a budget airline getaway — or a serious 4x4 for a fraction of dealer prices. The catch, of course, is the as-is condition: no warranty, no returns, so the inspection window is where you earn your bargain. You'll also need to handle Croatian bureaucracy for registration and transfer, and factor in that left-side-drive vehicles are standard here (as in most of continental Europe) — a non-issue locally, but worth knowing if you planned to export.

Even for those not buying, it's a curious snapshot of what Croatian public institutions have been driving: everything from battered delivery vans to executive German saloons, all going under the hammer in one autumn afternoon.

Story via Croatia Week.