Daewoo Lanos, don't believe Edmunds

th003g

btw i know for a fact that the metro is made by suzuki and not the other way around...Come to think of it... all Geo's are foreign cars:
Metro:Suzuki swift made by suzuki
Prism: Corolla Made by toyota
Tracker:Grand Vitara Made by suzuki
Storm:Isuzu impulse Made by isuzu

occupant1

The LeMans could be a good car, if GM would do warranty work to them. They sold them here up through 1994, and I knew of one teacher at my high school who took her '93 in for the Lemon Law because they simple could not get her alternator to charge after 3,000 miles. They kept replacing it and replacing it and finally told her to get lost at 27K. She went to court after arbitration failed (they told her to keep fixing it) and she got her full purchase price back less the rebate and then they gave her $750 for her trade (1981 Aries wagon which was of course long gone) and she went and bought a used 1995 Elantra. For all I know she still has that. Daewoo had no say in it though. Of course the Daewoo brand wasn't even here as of 1996. But those LeManses are just horrible. I would rather drive a Geo Metro running on 2 cylinders than a LeMans. If I was to get a LeMans it would have to be the pre-1978 behemoths (based on the Malibu/Cutlass platform)

jbaldwin

My LeMans experience is why I recently purchased a Daewoo Leganza.
I had an '89 LeMans that I purchased used with 28k miles. When I traded it in, it had 189k miles and other than maint. items, it was never in the shop.
I think the reason the LeMans had such a bad track record is this. GM said to Daewoo "build us a car to these specs, and we'll pay you $X for each one." In other words, I believe Daewoo did the best they could with the amount they were given to work with.

thedave2

hi

my name is dave and im just a teenager.I was looking to buy a used car (beemer), but i had real concerns about maintanence and so forth. So i saw an ad in the paper for daewoo cars under 10 grand -- so i headed down to the only dealership in houston and ordered a daewoo lanos S hatch with a/c ; autotrans; and radio. it all cost roughly 9500$ after tax, title, and license(i consider this a steal with all the extra options). Anyways ive had the lanos for about 3 months and ive now got 2500 miles on it. unfortunatly either my carb, trans, ect. just went out yesterday so its in the shop. from what ive hears im only the 3rd or 4th daewoo in the shop-- so i guess its kinda rare for stuff to start breaking down so early. What i can say from the expierence is that daewoo offers a rely nice 24hours assistance hotline and that they are really prompt about service. i think im also going to buy the fog lights and digital clock that goes with the se and sx lanos.I think i might even buy a tachometer since i never know how hard im pushing the rpm's. (thats the only beef i have with daewoo -- PUT IN A FRICKEN RPM GAUGE!!!!)
ive also found a guy in australia who makes body kits for the lanos hatchback for a dealership there. I have one thing to say about those who knock the acceleration of the lanos----just ingage the extra power mode and pedal to the metal!!! i have raced and BEATEN lots of other sedans and wanna-be sportcar/sedans. I have to admit to defeat against mustangs, rx7's, corvettes, camaros, and even my dad's grandprix gtp. If anyone else has bought an automatic lanos and had a problem plz email me at tenorboy@alloymail.com . I think ill probably just keep the lanos until the warranty is up and then get a ford focus hatch(i have this thing for hatchbacks) . for those who were wondering what the cost of parts are after the warranty is up ive heard the following, " dont buy engine parts" , and " a blown trans can cost up to $5200 out of warranty" (NO JOKE!!!!) - these all came from the mouth of archer daewoo's parts department. well anyways i think im only the 4th person in northwest houston to buy a daewoo and definetly the only teenager to OWN one(thats right i pay the payments on it!) well i have to jet -- but if anyone has questions you can email me at the above address.

-thedave2

ps --- the ride in the lanos is nice and even better than my dads grandprix -- just dont try to push the daewoo above 90mph(because you might get yourself killed!!)

isellhondas

I've stirred the pot in the another forum on Daewoo also.

I have nothing against them. I just wonder why anybody would take a chance on a Johnny Come Lately car with no track record.

They are in a weak financial situation now too. If they fail to succeed in the U.S. as MANY other marques have, what will happen then?

Other Korean offerings have been lackluster. They have terrible resale values.

I agree with Edmunds...I think I would spend the same money and buy something used with a proven track record.

As to price, remember, it's the total cost of ownership that counts in the long run, not just the initial price.

Myself, I wouldn't want to take the chance...

isell_mitsus1

Neither would over 800,000 Camry and Accord owners.

shalla2

I recently test drove the the Lanos SE Hatchback. I was very impressed with its look; decent factory rims, moonroof, it is a nice looking car. BUT. I must say I was extremely disappointed with its performance, does this car really have 105 hp, very gutless. Cornering was very shaky with plenty of body roll, the suspension is not at all tight.
I am a proud owner of a '93 Suzuki Swift GT who is looking for a new car. I have test driven the Accent, Lanos, Corrolla, Echo, Focus, Civic, and Metro. The only one with equivallent power and handling of my Swift GT is the Civic Si, but it is too pricy for what you get. Somehow I stumbled upon a 96 BMW 318ti with 75,000 km for $17,000 CDN. This is the best hatchback you can it comes with an excellent warranty and no car under $25,000 comes close to performing like this one.

th003g

DO you have any info I can find (webpage, online) about the guy in australia... I saw a sweet looking yellow Lanos on the daewoo website that turns out to be a model offered in korea as teh Lanos (romeo) Sport. If I could get a Lanos like that and engine mods were avail I would definitly buy a Lanos over a similarly equipped civic hatch that costs 3-4k More.

thedave2

HEY DID YOU RECEIVE ANY INFO TO SEE IF THE PARTS FOR THE ROMEO CAN BE SHIPPED I CANT FIND A SINGLE COMPANY THAT SELLS DAEWOO MODS, ANYWAYS I DONT HAVE THE AUSIES EMAIL INFRONT OF ME SO ILL HAVE TO LOOK FOR IT -- ILL POST IT WHEN I FIND IT

-THEDAVE2

deevcj

I have just sold my 88 Ford Festiva to my nephew. I bought it new in 88 for $6800 and put 100k miles on it. In the twelve years I had it I had to not only do occasional brake job and oil change but the muffler needed to be replaced. That was it, a muffler, it was and still is a great little car and was manufactured by Kia, so I guess the Koreans can make some good cars...

hyster

I bought my 2000 Lanos in November and now have over 5000 miles on it. I am 350+ lbs and stand 6'2" and after getting into Hondas, Neons, Metros, and other subcompact cars I found the Deawoo Lanos the most comfortable and acessable vehical on the market today. I drive 70 miles round trip a-day and I average 32-34 mpg and have found no problems with this car at all. Even when I merge onto I-5 I can accelerate in my 5spd Lanos faster than my 1.9L Ford Escort. A friend of mine bought a Honda Civic at the same time I bought my Lanos and so far his car has been in the shop 3 times for mechanical problems. I have only taken my Lanos in 1 time and found out that what I (and the dealership) thought was a problem was a nothing more than a new safety feature. I found if the passenger seat belt was fully extended it would start to rachet back and not pull out any more until it was almost fully retracted. This was found to be a safety feature for when a child seat was placed in the seat and that all the seat-belts except the drives seat was equipped with this style of belt.

Also I found that when my whole family rides in my Lanos no one is uncomfortable and let me tell you we are no "small" family.

pogi2

If anybody finds and aftermarket remote hatchback
reelease for the Nubira,or any solution to the key only release, pls. post it.

lngtonge18

Hey everyone,
I posted my impressions of the Lanos I test drove under a very small discussion in the sedans section. I didn't realize there was a good topic already going on in the hatchback section. Anyhow, if anyone cares to hear about the Lanos, please go there and read my post.

vocus

My friend is considering a Lanos hatchback for his mother, who is 73. The decision is between a 1999 Sentra (nice rebates), an Accent, or the Daewoo. My choice is Hyundai, because of the warranty. We might be able to get the Sentra for the same price as the Lanos. If so, that is what we will get. If not, Hyundai. Should we get the Lanos or Accent or what?? HELP!?!?!?!?!?

mkim1

Hi. My girlfriend bought a 99 Hyundai Tiburon in September, and after putting 17,500 miles in 6 months, the car is still running without a hitch. She chose Hyundai mainly because of the warranty. At this rate, she'll hit 100,000 miles in 3 years, but the best part of the deal is that even after the warranty runs out, she's still covered with 2 more years od Road Side Assistance, which for her is very important. I've driven Lanos as a rental car in Hawaii, and was pleasantly surprised. Nice car, and with 3 years maintenance it's hard to beat. But if you drive more than 12,000 miles a year, I think your investment could be best spent on a Hyundai. Better yet, if your friend can spend $1000 more, he can get a 2000 Hyundai Elantra (w/ AC, Cassette, Power Windows, Locks, Mirrors, Aluminum wheels, etc.) for only $10,870 on www.carsdirect.com. My girlfriend bought through them, and it's very easy (and CHEAP). Hope this helps. Good luck!

vocus

We went last night and looked at a 1999 Nissan Sentra XE with auto., AC, and cassette. Sticker was $14,707 plus $500 for "Appearance Package". The dealer flat-out offered it for $12,300, but I thought I could get it lower. I told him since we didn't want the Appearance Package, to give me $500 more off of it. Got it for $11,800! Not bad. Sentra is a class ahead of these cars in refinement (and proven reliability compared to the Lanos). We pick it up tonight. Cool!

vocus

I wrote a previous post that my friend was considering a Lanos for his 73 year old mother. We drove one last night, and there is NO way she will have one of those things! The engine was so loud I thought it was going to come through the dasboard. Also, you have to use the key to lock the door every single time (she would forget) and the brakes are not very sharp either. It was a nice price, but did not like it at all. Prefer the Nissan Sentra (little more but worth it).

ez2c2020

Ok People I just read a lot of bad things about
The Lanos and about Korean cars,
Well I can’t tell You enough that IM scared to death that My new Lanos is going to be the pits!
I went out last Weekend and bought a new 2000 Lanos I test drove it And Found it to be very enjoyable, semi quiet (the Engine sound is a bit louder then I would like it To be) But I don’t live where I need to be in stealth
Mode.
The car handled very well cornering! It has
Plenty of power and can get out of it's own way if
Needed!
I purchased a low-end S model (no extras
Except air). There was no drain on the engine while The air was at full blast!
The car has a very Stylish look! And being 6foot tall and weighing Over 250+ pounds the car fits me very comfortably.
There is still plenty of room for guest to ride
In comfort!
I don’t know why so many say there is Not enough dealers to bring the car to if there is a Problem, When I purchased the Lanos I was given A
Book with a list of Places to take my car in the
Event of a break down (not all places listed are
Dealers some are just service centers)
Daewoo Tells me that if I am not close to a service center I can still get up to 350.00 worth of repairs done Paid by Daewoo via credit card so there is no out Of pocket expense for me.
Not only that but Daewoo
Will pay for my rental car during the entire time
My car needs to be in the service center! And will
Pay any lodging expenses I may incur while
Traveling if my Lanos breaks down!
These were all Good reasons for me to purchase my Lanos!
The way I See it if they are so confident that I will never Incur anything more then routine expenses. Or They’re going to go broke paying to fix my new Lanos. I don’t think if the car was not reliable they Would offer such great Warrantees
I will keep leting you know if i have any problems with my new Lanos, and I will try to up date this every 1000 Miles!
Any questions on how I like my Lanos E-mail me at Ez2c2020@aol.com

mzn

Yes, please keep us informed about your Lanos! How long is the free lodging/rental car/$350.00 payments good for? The first year or two?

carlady/host

focuszx3r

Why would you buy this car when u can get a Civic DX or a Ford Focus ZX3 for a little more? I just bought a ZX3 and I can say its much better looking and much better made then any other car in its class (the civic is probably the most relaible.)
My car is made in Mexico but that a whole lot better then Korea. I bet daewoo goes out of bussiness like Hyundai will when all thier cars come in on warranty

mzn

Do I understand you to say that cars made in Mexico are better than cars made in Korea, focuszx4r? I'm curious, how did you come to that conclusion?

carlady/host

focuszx3r

Well the cars made in korea are proven to be junk, while my mexican made car is shown to be much better. The Escort was made in the same plant as the new Focus is and it is a good car. I have known many Hyundais that have fallen apart and died, but those escorts keep going. Also, it seems VW is said to be a great car and where are they mostly made? Mexico.
But I do have to say all these cars are a step below ANY car that was assembled in Japan. Those cars are the best quality you can find ANYWHERE!

nubira1

I am sure I can find tons of people who have owned Escorts and they where a piece of junk. The Koreans did have a bad rap, but they have made many strides in quality.

focuszx3r

KIA anyone??

I have seen MANY more Escorts hit hi mileage then do Korean cars.
I know plenty of people with newer Hyundai's that have plenty of problems at lower miles and I know plenty of escorts that dont. I dont think a 96 Elantra with 70k should burn oil?
Korean cars are not necessarily bad designs because they used to use the Mitsubishi 1.5 which was super reliable (in my dad's colt and Mirages) but was not nearly so in the Hyundai. Why is that?

focuszx3r

I meant Sonata not Elantra

judas

That 'thedave' guy up there is funny. Says that there have only been 3 or 4 Daewoos in the shop, so they must be pretty reliable, then says theres only 3 or 4 people in the area that own one.

focuszx3r

LOLOLOLOL. Help me prove my point ok!

ianfogan

Ok, I've been reading this forum out of curiosity for the last several months and one thing has struck me. The only people who don't seem to like their Daewoo are the people who don't own one. Almost everyone of the people who have purchased a Daewoo are happy and satisfied with their purchase and you can add my name to the list. When my wife and I went searching for a new car, there were several things we wanted, AC, CD player etc, and we were also very aware of our budget. We looked at Nissan, Hyundai, Toyota, Mazda, Honda and Ford. We found some cars we didn't like; Escort, Accent and Tercel, and some we did; Civic, Protege and Lanos. The Daewoo was the only car we could lots of extras for a reasonable price. Most of the other cars would cost $2000-3000 more for the same options. This was not looking in books or anything, this was my experience so you can't tell me I'm wrong. We found the Lanos to handle well, the same amount or less engine and road noise as the other cars, we liked the ride and the warranty. The dealer was great and we've now put 18,000 kms on our car and we've only done routine maintenance, ie oil changes. It's been a great car, we love ours, I would recommend it to anybody and we have had no other problems since we've owned it.

As for you people who are not talking from experience, put up or shut up. We're all sick of hearing from you. We all want to see more from people who have had real experiences with their Daewoos. Thanks for reading.

vocus

I have a 1999 Mazda Protege DX which I now have 15,600 miles on. My best friend was going to buy a car for his mother to jaunt around town in. I suggested Daewoo because of their low prices. So we went and test-drove one (both of us, mind you). I drove it for about 5 minutes and loathed the car. The doors shut with a tinny clang that has NEVER been present in my Protege, the engine was so noisy that I thought it was going to come through the firewall, the car shifted harshly (auto.), and applying the brakes reminded me of stepping in half-wet mud. The car all together was a bad experience.

My car was priced at $14,300 out the door with auto., AC, cassette/CD, floormats, and NLEV emissions. I may have paid a little more for the car, but it is a better product.

Also as a first rule, you NEVER buy a first-year unknown car without waiting to see how the reliability will be. Remember back in 1986 when Hyundai came here? There were more broke down than on the road. And just as TheDave said, he knows 3 or 4 who have them and they are all in the shop. Point proven. A few posts back, his blew a transmission at 2500 miles! Don't think so. Happy driving.

bevman1

the kelley blue book rates the Nubira as a solid car to buy. As a owner of a very poor dodge neon I am looking for a reliable car at a good price, is this car that bad of a buy?

vocus

As far as judging the Nubira already, I would not do it just yet. They are a brand new company here and have no proven record for us. It is safe to wait at least a year before deciding to purchase or not. Just my 2 cents.

nubira1

You can't compare your Mazda to the Lanos. The Nubira is much closer. You people have to remember that the Lanos is in the class with the Metro, Swift, and Accent.

Bevman...
If it is a 2000 Nubira, it is a better car than the 1999. A much nicer car than the Neon ('99) in my opinion. I haven't tested the new Neon's yet. They improved a few things on the Nubira this year. It is quieter, better ride, newer design.

hugoz

I have to admit, I did sort of think about buying a Daewoo Lanos, but only because of the price and the incredible warranty. I personally have only owned Japanese cars. However, a stranger I met on my commuter train to work told me she had friends who had Korean cars and they were all disappointed. Then I thought, what good is a super warranty if you're always having to go back to the shop?

Well, after reading great things about the Ford Focus ZX3 hatchback, I bought one (under $12K without options; $12,600 with air). It was worth spending more; the ZX3 is a great car. Oh, mine was also made in Mexico, and I have absolutely no complaints about the quality.

focuszx3r

here is another happy Focus owner that proves my point. You must have read my mind! You really do get what u pay for /w DaeWoo. I am picking up my car tuesday!

orionp

I posted this on the Lanos Sedan page, but probably should've posted it here. It's FYI for anybody who is considering the Lanos hatchback:

Hey, ihatesaturns, I'm a little delayed with my
response, but wanted to give it some time. Over a
month ago I bought a new 2000 Lanos hatchback. I
decided on the Daewoo because 1) it looks great, 2)I read a lot of very strong, positive comments
from Daewoo owners on this site and others, and 3)
THE PRICE! I have to say, so far it's a fantastic
car! Seems solid and well built (I kind of expected it to look, feel, and ride cheap--but
nope), rides great. It's an automatic, shifts
great. I couldn't be more pleased; I think the
quality of these is a well-kept secret. Now some
might say wait two years and see what I think. But when I was in Australia a few years ago, I saw
Daewoos everywhere, and I trust those Aussies! I
think in time Daewoo's going to really take off
here. There's MY two cents.

bplum8

I would like to hear from owners of Daewoo Lanos, as i am considering buying one in the next week or two. I have my eye on a Lanos S sedan - 4 dr.w/ac...
I test drove it twice, and thought it was great, noise was not an issue as i drive now a '84 v/w rabbit diesel, and thats noisy...
So far of what i have read is that their a great cars from owners, and not so great from those who don't own them...
Thanks i will look forward to a reply....

heckya5000

96 was ther first year (or at least close to) to ever make a car, they aperantly made crappy cars before, but from ther European and Australian customers (who bought after 96), we have heard nothing but great things.

heckya5000

For one thing, what does were it is made, have to do with how it is as a car? It all depends on the company who made it, if they have high standards, it will be a well made car, if they don't, then it will be crap. From everything I have read about recent Daewoo's, it seems they care, and have high standards.

aficionado1

has rated the Daewoo Nubira and Hyundai Accent higher than the Ford Focus, VW Golf and Subaru Impreza.

aficionado1

i see in the protege 3 forum your protege's already giving you transmission problems...

and the protege's got only 19K miles???
and it is slow to shift and shifts very harshly when it does?? sounds like your tranny's ready to go kaput like so many other mazda trannys.

boy there were a LOt full of people with horror stories to tell about those mazda trannys, ford derived or not!!!!! and you said that the tranny in the protege is a full mazda unit and it is like that???

yeah when i rented one a while back the tranny was absolutely deplorable!!! i mEAN i thought something was alive down there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

see when i rent cars that's one the the things i look at. in between shift points i would give the car some gas very rapidly and the tranny just went beserk!!! i knew right away that the protege tranny would not be a durable one.

and that seems to be the case with mpv's, 626's, protege's oh and yeah my friend'd old mx-3 v6!!! the 5 spd tranny went out on him with less than 10,000 miles on it!!!! i mean he sold it a long time ago but he was disgusted. and the rx-7's too not to mention the notorious problem of the apex seal blowing in the engine but what about the bad tranny on the 7's???

looks like so many of those mazdas are plagued with bad trannys... automatic and manual alike...

pal37a

I presently own one of those Mexican Escorts and a Hyundai Elantra (2000). Yes the Escort has made it to 178,000 miles but I have paid dearly for it, cheaper to fix than replace(no trade in value) burnt valves, 85000 miles; replace the part to drop idle speed every 60,000 miles; will not hold wheel allignment; tail end crazy in panic stops; but the exhaust system has held up great and it dosn't burn oil. The Hyundai has been a good surprise and if Daewoo has followed suit their quality has improved greatly, I have 13500 miles in 5 months and not even a hick-up. Have owned a Dodge colt vista wagon and it was the most expensive car to keep on the road ever. I can't knock the Korean on the improvements in their cars, we did fight two wars on their side you know.

aficionado1

AND IT WAS SURPRISED TO FIND LANOS' BRAKING DISTANCE OF 126.14 FEET WAS THE SHORTEST OF ALL 12 CARS TESTED but it actually performed better than many cars costing over $30,000!!!

it also spoke very highly of the Lanos' handling capabilities too!!!

read excerpts of the articles at post #535 in the DAEWOO LEGANZA 5 FORUM.

the article was in the popular mechanics magazine's test of 12 small cars in the june 2000 issue.

atlas1212

I just lost my job and have to sell my 2000 lanos. It is a S hatchback. Automatic. Galaxy white. Perfect condition. Only 3,400 miles. The awesome factory warranty would transfer upon sale. Email me if you are interested.

emperor@amabilis.net

garyshelton

I bought one three weeks ago today - I like hatchbacks, and found the styling (with the possible exception of the grill) to my liking.
I've got about 2300 miles ( 3740 km ) on it already (I do quite a bit of driving, obviously), and i like it. about the only gripe I have is the lack of a tachometer (I purchased a manual). The suspension is a bit soft, but it gets the job done (50mph corners are no problem at 80mph, though there is a fair amount of chassis roll present). The engine has pretty good torque off the line, and has some pretty good power when it gets revved up (no doubt thanks to the variable intake geometry (some concept as the porsche varioram, among others). It does feel a bit soft in the middle, though.
Transmission is not too bad - a bit noisy in reverse and 1st - otherwise not too bad. The clutch take-up is a bit abrupt for me, but I'm not used to hydraulic clutches, so this may not b e a problem.
I couldn't beat the price or the warranty (though in my case, the warranty will be over with before the year is out). The fit and finish is pretty decent for an $11,000 US car.

All in all, I'm satisfied with it, and would recommend it to someone who's looking for an inexpensive commuter that has some road feel and a little character.

lngtonge18

Just curious, what kind of equipment did your car come with? I know it should have power windows, but does it also have power door locks? What about a keyless entry with alarm? Does yours have the 5 spoke alloy wheels or CD player? If it didn't have these things, could u get them at extra cost? Reason I ask is because I am curious if you can still get a Lanos hatchback equipped like the old SX model which was cancelled for 2000. That was a very nicely equipped hatchback! The real bummer is I think they totally deleted the power sunroof from the options list even though the SX model came with it standard.

anonymous

Mine came with power windows and door locks. No CD, or keyless entry. Wheels are just standard wheels with covers. The only thing I asked about were wheels, which I was unable to purchase from Daewoo for some odd reason.

HTH

odale

I opted for the S instead of the SE because I couldn't see paying $2,000 more for PW,P door locks and a rear scoop.The options it has(other than standard)are automatic trans,a/c and tinted windows.The price of the car was $9,700.With sales tax and doc. fees the out the door price was $10,690.So far it's a great car but it has less than a 1,000 miles.By the way,Daewoo will probably be owned by Ford or GM shortly.

banjopari

i am so happy with my lanos hatchback that i can scream. i got it for $9700 and i've yet to have a problem with it. it has 15,000 miles. i've taken it everywhere and with the stick, it's very quick. i love the fact that i can toss the car into any corner. great stereo, awesome gas mileage of 38 all around driving. i'm saving my dough and laughing all the way to the bank. all you civic drivers paying 50% more than i did...ha ha ha. let's see who'll have the huge retirement nest egg. i think i will since the money i saved will balloon in the stock market. ha ha ha. up yours, honda!

rayko

When are you people going to realize and buy American. Our cars are as good as anything thats imported by the Japaneese or Koreans. Start supporting OUR people . American cars take a back seat to NO ONE

lngtonge18

You sure have a narrow-minded view of the car world. You think that buying a Japanese car does not support the US? If so, you are crazy! Most Japanese cars are now made in the US and therefore supply thousands of jobs to Americans. Most Hondas are made in Marysville, Ohio. Toyotas are made in
Kentucky. Nissans are made in Tennessee. Mitsubishis are made in Illinois. Subaru and Isuzu reside in Indiana. Mazda shares a plant with Ford in Michigan. All these plants support OUR people as you put it, so none of what you said makes any sense. Not everyone wants American cars because a lot of them are still below average quality wise, some of them being downright junk. American cars often take the back seat to many cars from Japan and Europe. I have yet to see an American car make first place in any important comparison tests. I think your mind has been clouded by all that "buy American" jargon of the 80s that doesn't make any sense in today's globalized economy.