Korean Job Discussion Forums

[charlieDD]

I'll bet I got you all beat. I'll be surprised if anyone (of foreign teachers) has one older than mine: a 1982 Volvo 240 GLE. It's 25 years old this year.

I got it from a European embassy worker, who was the only previous owner / driver of it. He bought it new in 1982 and had it shipped to Korea in 1989 when he came here to work at his country's embassy.

It's got a carburetor . . . a real life carburetor! (enclosed type) And, a choke! Yep, a choke! Ain't no weather cold or wet enough to keep it from starting up. And what a engine; she purrs like big cat.

{ All black leather interior, dark blue paint body. Oh, and license plate number 7777. ( I kid you not ! ) }

Passes inspection every time.

I see an occasional Volvo around town, but have seen only one other 240, a basic DL model; see it sometimes around Itaewon area; it has what I think are diplomatic plates ( white with black lettering ?? ) Seems to be a late 80's or early 90's model, around maybe a '88 - '92?

I see "old" Korean cars, such as old Grandeurs from the early 90's, or old Ticos from the mid to late 90's. Haven't seen a car I would think is as old as mine.

Anyone got me beat?

[caniff]

Off-topic, but my high school friend was handed down a 240GL from his brother. My friend would pile everyone in the car and jump it over this railroad embankment near his house. The thing would FLY!! Didn't seem to bother the car much, either. When he sold it after high school it was running and driving fine.

Stupid antics, but a true testament to the quality workmanship of the vehicle.

[SuperHero]

My first car was a '93 Elantra (another poster is currently driving it).

My current car is a 2003 Lacetti.

[charlieDD]

I've been told by a Korean I work with that there was a time in Korea, back in the 70's and into the 80's he thinks, when Korea forced you to get rid of your car when it was a certain number of short years old ( he thinks three or five years old). It had to be scrapped. This was ostensibly for your and others' safety, but was really a way to help the automakers get off the ground by increasing demand for their new cars.

Anyone ever heard of this?

And I have heard some pretty old Korean cars still kick around on the U.S. military bases in Korea. Like old Hyundai Pony, and even old Ford cars made in Korea back in the 70's? (Think I was told they were called "Granada" - - and were the cars that Hyundai cut their teeth as some kind of assembler in Korea. Maybe the precursor namesake to the Grandeur??)

[PimpofKorea]

By Korean people standards my car is pretty old. It's a 96 Hyundai Accent...small azz car....got no ballz to speak of...but I spent about 800000 won on the sound system.....I know I know....I'm guilty of committing the stereotypical ghettoism....sheetbox car with a set of rims or nice system.

[Cerebroden]

91 Hyundai Sonata. paid $800 for it. currently the second car, the last one lasted 8 months but only cost $400

[charlieDD]

[charlieDD]

[PimpofKorea]

I'd love to bring over a muscle car....like a 68 GTO or Chevelle with a big block V8. I'd roll up to some taxi driver in his Sonata...and smoke his soju drinking butt. Off topic....how many people have had a lot of run ins with the law regarding speeding tickets??? From the age of 16-23 I was getting speeding tickets fairly regularly in the States.

[Corporal]

'97 (I think) Credos.

[ben the saint]

98 Hyundai Sonata. Paid about $4,000 for it brand new. After the IMF rocked Korea and the won was shooting sky high.
Never drive it, gas is too high, no parking and traffic.

[MissSeoul]

[charlieDD]

[charlieDD]

[Wangja]

Not here but I had a Volvo 122S for a while in UK. It had seat belts.

Now have a 2007 Sonata.

The plan is to buy a TR4 or 4A soon and ship over here.