Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jondepoer]

Hi,

I've been a car-owner for about 6 months, but today my car slipped into neutral and stayed there. :( It's a '97 Avante.

It's my first standard car, and I learned on it. So it's old, plus it took some serious grief while I was learning.

Anyone want to toss out a few numbers, even the roughest estimates, of what this might cost to replace? I have no idea whether to expect 200,000 or 1,000,000.

Any ideas?

[pkang0202]

I don't know but I'm pretty sure its not as expensive as you think it is.

Its a Korean made car so parts will be abundant. Replacing a clutch is a common repair for older cars.

[eamo]

It's a 15 year old Avante......is it worth a major repair?

I'd be looking around some used car lots for a new ride.

[Yaya]

I have to agree with eamo, no telling what will go wrong with the car next. Cut your losses and see if you can trade the car in.

[heynice]

My friend had that problem while I was in the car with him... we died on the freeway and needed a tow home. It ended up being under 500k (more like 400k). Go to an SK speed mate. They do a great job and don't screw you as bad as a local shop would.

Good luck

[v88]

My transmission cost me 400,000 (about half what I would expect to pay back home). So I imagine the clutch wouldn't cost more than that.

However, as others have said, your car is old. You could sell it for scrap for 250,000 (sold my 94 for that) and put that towards a slightly newer car rather than into one that will likely break down again.

However, it's all in how you look at it. I put new tie rods in my old beater then sent her to the wrecker a year later. The tie rods cost me 250,000 in Korea and were the only thing I did to the car that year. A bit of a waste because the tie rods would have lasted far longer, but when compared to a newer car that would have depreciated anywhere from 500,000 won to 1,000,000 over the course of the year, not really so bad. The cost of the repairs and the depreciation of my beater over the year cost me 400,000. Easily cheaper than if I had been driving a newer car. I would have kept the car a bit longer if the engine wasn't knocking and on the way out.

The point being that I would gamble on a beater if I thought it would last a year or two and the repair costs were under 500,000. If you can get 2 years out of a beater on 500,000 worth of repairs, you're doing all right.

The trick is really in knowing your car. If you think putting that kind of money into it is worth it because it likely won't have problems for 2 years...then drive her for a bit longer, otherwise this is a sign from the deity of cars that yours is ready for the scrap heap.

[young_clinton]

If and when you buy a new car, buy a car that is an automatic with maintanance records for the transmission. Automatics last longer and are easier on the engine. So the engine is likely to be better off too.

[Swampfox10mm]

I would make sure you get an estimate from a private garage, and stay away from Hyundai. Prices at Hyundai may be outrageously high.

I suggest you search on James Garage in Itaewon. He's just up the street from the Crown Hotel in Yongsan at the West side of Itaewon as you go down that big hill.

How much did you pay for it?

Junk dealers will give you something like 300,000 to 900,000 (higher value being a big minivan) just for the scrap metal.

[jondepoer]

Wow, thanks for the amazing response guys. I got some bad news, however. A Kia garage, which I'm pretty sure I trust just gave me an estimate of 800,000 for the repair.

I would never pay that much, clearly, so I'm getting a second estimate at James' Garage as recommended.

My fingers are crossed, but otherwise, the junkers beckon.

[Yaya]

Koreans for some reason also don't take care of their cars. A Korean buddy of mine admitted that he had to junk his Hyundai Accent because he didn't do tuneups and oil changes. DUH DUH DUH!

[jondepoer]

Well, a update for anybody who's interested. James quoted me a better price, but it still wasn't worth the cost. So to the Junkers it went.

Anyone have a Matiz, Atoz, or Morning to sell? 1997 and up :)

[Weigookin74]

Unrelated question, I have a late 90's car. Any idea how many KM's cars last for before the transmission goes. I'm prob around 142 K now. Most newer cars would go anywhere's from 200 K to 400 K depending on the make or model. It's a Daewoo.

[jondepoer]

Well, manufacturers say that transmissions should last the life of the car. But that's not withstanding new stick drivers like me, or the hectec driving in Seoul.

[pkang0202]

[Steelrails]

Trashy cars are like trashy anything...some turnover is to be expected. Budget accordingly.

The best bet for crappy cars is to find ones that are historically reliable with expensive problems, like drivetrain, and maybe have a tendency to blow less expensive things, like tie rods.