Korean Job Discussion Forums

[shostahoosier]

[Underwaterbob]

[Chokse]

Bob:

Carefully read again what I wrote. I said that I am spending only $500 out of pocket each time I get a new Mac, with the exception of the first time I bought one.

For example, my last 15 inch MBP retailed at the online Apple Store for 2.7 million won. I bought it refurbished for 1.8 million won and added Apple Care for an extra $100, bringing the total to about 1.9 million won. I sold it 2.5 years later for 1.5 million won (6 months of warranty remaining and in perfect condition) and bought a new (refurbished) 15 inch MBP for 2 million won (this time it came with AppleCare as a free bonus so I didn't have to add anything to the price).

Do the math. On that first computer, I was out 400,000 won plus $100. That is under $500 total. On this new computer (bought 6 months ago), I'll be able to do the same. I have been doing this in Korea since the late 1990s, and have never spent more than $500 out of pocket when getting a new Mac. Get the new one at an incredibly cheap price, sell it while it still has some warranty left for a good price, and get a new computer for very little out of pocket.

My bike is a 2003 Suzuki Intruder that had 24,000 KM on it when I bought it in 2008. At that time it was a 5 year old bike and I got it for 2.6 million. It needed some minor work, but nothing that someone with even a small amount of mechanical knowledge couldn't handle, and certainly no different than what would have to be done to a 5 year old Korean bike. At that time, there was no comparable Korean bike because the biggest 2003 model Korean bike only had a 250cc engine. If you look at Passo now, an almost 5 year old Hyosung 650 with 24,000 KM (hard to find something with low KM) runs at least 2.2 million won. I'd call those two prices pretty close.

Same is true for my car. The K government and K banks repossess cars all the time (tax delinquents, crime, debt, etc.). Just like the US government, they auction these cars off to the highest bidder. All you need is a business license to participate in the auction. I have a business license so I take advantage of this. Last year, I got a 2007 BMW 5 series, with 40,000 KM for only 14 million won, plus about 1.5 million won in taxes and fees, so 15.5 million total. I would venture to guess that a 2007 Grandeur with similar mileage would cost at least this much.

If you shop around, if you have patience, if you always look for the best deal, you will always spend less. I looked around for the bike for 8 months before I found something good and cheap. I always buy refurbished computers and sell them with some warranty left, so I never pay more than $500 when purchasing a new computer. Same for the car. I wait and wait and find a killer deal. The wife and I have done the same for a house. We have been waiting for the bottom to hit and finally decided it is now. We found a foreclosed house back in the US that has a tax value of $600,000. We just closed on it 3 weeks ago and we only paid $240,000.

If you really shop around you can find some killer deals, and this applies to computers as well, even Apple!

[Underwaterbob]

So, if you have a business license and access to government/police auctions, you can get a good deal on a foreign car and macs are only a good deal as long as they maintain their resale values for however many generations of hardware you're willing to stick with them for; however, nothing will save you from the inefficiency and expense of services for either of the above, especially if you live outside of Seoul. Despite your success, I'd still wager a domestic vehicle and PC would be a safer investment, especially if life serves you lemons as it is sometimes wont to do.

I'll concede on your bike. Korean companies haven't quite got the hang of the bigger ones yet.

[Chokse]

All I am trying to say, and all I have ever tried to say, is that there is always a way to save a ton of money on anything. But, you have to make that happen.

I don't know how long I can keep the $500 every 2.5 years going on the Mac purchases in Korea, but I've been doing it here since 1997 and I don't see any reason it will end any time soon. I think it will continue for quite some time. Hell, these days you can buy an iPad in the US, bring it with you to Korea, and sell it for almost double the price simply because it isn't being sold here yet.

A few years ago, one of my students at my Hagwon (I'm the owner) took a trip to the US with his father. This family is loaded and the kid was dying to get a MacBook, so his dad bought him a new, top of the line MacBook with Office 2008 for Mac and the 3-year AppleCare. The total price was around $1500.

Anyway, long story short, they got back to Korea, the father (I should mention that he was a technology moron) promptly fired up the MacBook and realized that it was not Windows and he was unable to find IE anywhere on the MacBook. In his mind this meant the computer could not access the Internet, so he told his son that he couldn't use it and then put it back in the box and put it away in a closet. He then went out and bought the kid a laptop from Dell Korea.

I asked the kid what happened to the MacBook and he mentioned its being in a closet, so I told him to tell his dad that I'd pay 800,000 won for it. His dad brought it in the next day, I paid him, and then I sold it a few days later for 1.2 million won. There are a lot of people out there who do a lot of stupid things with money, and I always try to be there to collect on that stupidity.

Bob, you can always find a good deal if you look around, and even maintenance is not that expensive if you are willing to do some simple work yourself. For example, I have never paid for a computer repair.... ever! Every Mac I have ever owned has been under Apple Care for the entire time I have had it. I have had things fixed, but I have never paid for it.

Also, you have to keep in mind that while parts for Korean cars/bikes might be cheaper, they are also built cheaper and do not last as long. A new chain for my bike costs about 120,000 won, but lasts for about 5 years. An oil/filter change (synthetic) costs about 90,000 won, but I only need to change oil and filter once a year (about 8,000 - 10,000 KM).

My friend has a Mirage 250 and his chain is about 45,000 won and has to be replaced every couple of years. He has to get oil changes every 500-800 KM (according to Hyosung), and when you add it up over the same 8,000 - 10,000 KM, the cost is almost the same. I also have some military friends and if I ever need an expensive part for the bike or car, I can always buy it in the US and have it shipped to them in Korea.

Yes, you do have to be in Seoul to be able to get some of these deals or to get some of these advantages. But what am I supposed to say about that. I'm not going to apologize because I'm in Seoul. Anyone can live and work in Seoul. Whether they get a job or life that they want is another story.

I'm not trying to pick a fight with you and my only purpose in mentioning anything about how I buy my Macs was to let the OP and a few other people know that it is a great way to recoup most of your investment when it comes time to sell, and that if you sell at the 2.5 year mark, you will never have to pay for any repairs. You might not agree, but I find it to be a pretty damn good deal.

[Goodgoings]

Does someone have a link where you can buy refurbished macs in Korea?

Also, let's say I buy a used mac from a private seller and it doesn't have anymore applecare warranty. Can I buy the warranty for it?

[tatertot]

[Caffeinated]

[tatertot]

[Goodgoings]

tatertot, thanks.

I'm wondering if refurbished macs are eligible for student discounts here in Korea. Anyone have experience?

[tatertot]