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japancube
Joined: 28 Dec 2008
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 Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2009 7:10 pm Post subject: Buying/owning a car |
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| Hello all, I am interested in buying a car upon my arrival in Korea. I lived in Japan in the past and it was pretty easy for a foreigner to own a car. has anyone had experience registeriing and insuring a vehicle? |
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IncognitoHFX
Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon
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| Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2009 8:24 pm Post subject: Re: Buying/owning a car |
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| japancube wrote: |
| Hello all, I am interested in buying a car upon my arrival in Korea. I lived in Japan in the past and it was pretty easy for a foreigner to own a car. has anyone had experience registeriing and insuring a vehicle? |
Unless you're living in the countryside: don't. Korea is very different than Japan is this respect.
Korean cities have much better public transportation systems (and cheaper) and Korean driving is an absolute nightmare. You'd be best saving your money for buses and taxis. |
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caniff
Joined: 03 Feb 2004
Location: All over the map
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| Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2009 8:27 pm Post subject: Re: Buying/owning a car |
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| IncognitoHFX wrote: |
| japancube wrote: |
| Hello all, I am interested in buying a car upon my arrival in Korea. I lived in Japan in the past and it was pretty easy for a foreigner to own a car. has anyone had experience registeriing and insuring a vehicle? |
Unless you're living in the countryside: don't. Korea is very different than Japan is this respect.
Korean cities have much better public transportation systems (and cheaper) and Korean driving is an absolute nightmare. You'd be best saving your money for buses and taxis. |
Korea has better public transportation than Japan? I wouldn't know, but that's the first time I've heard that. |
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Xuanzang
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Location: Sadang
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| Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2009 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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| I would only buy a car if I had a wife and family for the weekly grocery or monthly Costco trips. I dont know where you`re going to be at but consider buying a scooter or just take the bus and subway. They`re so ubiquitous and easy to use that a car is really unnecessary. |
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Straphanger
Joined: 09 Oct 2008
Location: Chilgok, Korea
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| Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2009 8:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Xuanzang wrote: |
| I would only buy a car if I had a wife and family for the weekly grocery or monthly Costco trips. I dont know where you`re going to be at but consider buying a scooter or just take the bus and subway. They`re so ubiquitous and easy to use that a car is really unnecessary. |
Seconded on the Scooter motion. You can't drive a car on the sidewalk. |
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Xuanzang
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Location: Sadang
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| Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2009 8:35 pm Post subject: |
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| SOme sidewalks are wide enough but people get in the way. |
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traxxe
Joined: 21 Feb 2007
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| Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2009 8:44 pm Post subject: |
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Now with a scooter you will need a motorcycle endorsement and a Korean driver's license.
I just bought a used car for about 1,200 dollars. Traded in my U.S. license, did a vision test and got a Korean license. To buy a car from a used dealer you need your ARC and certificate of residence which the closest immo office will give you. |
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IncognitoHFX
Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon
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| Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2009 8:49 pm Post subject: Re: Buying/owning a car |
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| caniff wrote: |
| IncognitoHFX wrote: |
| japancube wrote: |
| Hello all, I am interested in buying a car upon my arrival in Korea. I lived in Japan in the past and it was pretty easy for a foreigner to own a car. has anyone had experience registeriing and insuring a vehicle? |
Unless you're living in the countryside: don't. Korea is very different than Japan is this respect.
Korean cities have much better public transportation systems (and cheaper) and Korean driving is an absolute nightmare. You'd be best saving your money for buses and taxis. |
Korea has better public transportation than Japan? I wouldn't know, but that's the first time I've heard that. |
They're very similar from what I saw (Seoul vs. Tokyo) except Korea's subway system is cheaper. Quite a bit cheaper. Also, it's less confusing. Every stop has plenty of English signs to point you in the right direction (if you need them).
I wasn't in Tokyo long but I can tell you, after several days of riding those trains I was even more confused then I was when I started. Not being able to find nearly enough English didn't help much. Seoul's subway system took me a whopping two hours to figure out.
Plus Korean taxis are cheap as f*ck. |
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