Korean Job Discussion Forums

[oatmeal]

Just wondering which brand has more service centers
in Korea? Audi or Mercedes Benz?

One of the hardest parts about buying non-Korean or import
brand cars is the lack of service centers and how expensive it
may cost to service your car. If I need to have replacement parts
or go in for some routine maintenance, will it cost a lot more since
there are a) fewer service centers and b) non-Korean company so the
parts probably cost more?

The safest best is just get a Kia, Hyundai, or another Korean brand
or even GM Korea is quite common so it's very cheap to service those
cars. If any audi or benz owner out there can chime in, that would be great.

I'm guessing though there aren't many english teachers out there who can even afford or consider to purchase an audi or benz while they are here in Korea lol, but might as well give it a shot.

[SeoulNate]

I owned a later model BMW a few years back (it was a 2005 iirc, owned it from 2010-2012ish).

Yes, it was more expensive to own for a few reasons:

1. As you mentioned parts / labor depending on what you need and the model of the car are quite a bit more than service and parts on a Korean car.

2. Car tax and insurance were also higher

After getting rid of it, I got a Hyundai and wouldn't go back unless I had my own garage to do work on the car personally. It just isn't worth the hassle of first finding a shop that can even do the work the car needs, and then paying for it.

Although for me, driving is just more of a tool than anything else, so just having a serviceable vehicle is enough 99% of the time.

[oatmeal]

Thanks I appreciate the reply.
But I've been seeing a lot more Audi and Benz centers over the years...do you think that helps that there is more now?

The two cars I'm mainly looking at are: Audi TTS (coupe) and Benz A Class W176 AMG 45.

Do you know roughly how much car tax and insurance might come to? Routine maintenance (ie oil changes, check engine light if it happens, etc)

Yes, I'm most likely not going to do it, but it would be good to first do some research. I have a nice little spark and it's definitely cheap on insurance and maintenance, but lacking power and I'm getting tired of that, especially when I have to take the highway and make trips to big cities. It's fine for a small town or rural area where I don't need to get around much.

[SeoulNate]

Really depends on if you plan on buying a new or used one. The new ones are going to be on maintenance plans from the factory, so most of the cost difference is up front in the sticker price.

For used ones, I am sure more shops help, but I don't know how much. Standard stuff was double/triple priced what I pay for my car now.
Car tax was an extra 120~ a year iirc, insurance was similar for a Korean car with the same value.

[crosbystillsstash]

yep, pass on the imported car here. 500,000 won for a rear seat belt on a Mustang convertible? Tax....insurance. PITA

[tophatcat]

One of my acquaintances bought a new Benz, 2 years ago. It has been trouble free. Only basic maintenance, such as an oil change, has been done. Go BIG! Don't be a cheap skate!

[PRagic]

Complete waste of money, especially if you live in Seoul or a major city. Simply don't need one, and you're guaranteed a fender bender and multiple dings soon after purchase.

We'd get a car if we lived on Jeju, but that's about it. NEVER buy new. Let some other schmuck pay that off-the-lot depreciation.

If you're worried about maintenance, just lease. Good write off, too, if you own your own business.

[oatmeal]

All good points above by everyone.
Yeah, I was looking used, but pretty new (2015 year, some even as low as 20,000 km, clean).

I had read that audi/benz cars also tend to hold their value better than your average cars which depreciate massively even after just a couple years. I also log just about 10,000 km per year (give or take). So IF I needed to sell the car in just a couple years or more, the resale value should still be pretty high. In some cases, you could make back as much or nearly as much as it cost to buy it.

I live out in the rural areas so there is more driving here to do (even though I don't travel long distances, I do drive almost everyday, but very short distances, so I am using the car often). I agree, if I lived in Seoul or some other big city, not really necessary.

I'm in a very interesting situation. I'm doing the best I've ever done financially, but it doesn't mean it will be like this every year. Things can change in a hurry from year to year. I guess the optimism just made me feel more trigger happy, but the wiser part of me says I should keep saving.
I've always been a very good saver but I'm also at the point of my life where I want to live a little and enjoy the process. I don't want to just work my ass off, save tons of money, and then wait til I'm too old to really be able to enjoy all the fruits of my labor.

[PRagic]

In that case, get a convertible! Everyone should enjoy one at least once in their lives, preferably before the age of 40! You can always get a 2 million won beater for winters.

[tophatcat]

[PRagic]

Same here, but oatmeal wants one, and out where he/she lives, having one sounds reasonable.

[oatmeal]

haha, tophacat, I'm 100% with you on that one. Where I live, I don't have an underground garage or any garage. I have to park somewhere out in the town or on NH mart parking grounds. With my current car, I had a lot of tiny dings and scratches appear on the sides of my doors (from cars parked so close to each other and people here carelessly open doors), and I even had my rear window smashed. So much happened within the first 2-3 months of getting my used compact car (relatively new at the time, low kms), but I was so paranoid at nights and I started to record as much as I could both from within the car's cam and also from my window where I could sometimes see where my car was parked. I'd have my own home camera recording but that was such a hassle to set up and keep an eye on it. After a while, I stopped caring and things seem to be better now, but you are right, there are so many dings that show up out of nowhere.