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Daewoo Lanos, don't believe Edmunds

sichangsichang Member Posts: 1
edited April 2014 in Daewoo
There is a new Korean car company here it he US.
They are Daewoo. I checked out the review of the
Daewoo Lanos hatchback on this website because they
are one of the only places to even list Daewoo
cars as a choice! I was disturbed when I read the
report though. They wonder why anyone would risk
buying this car when they have no idea of its
reliability. They suggest that buying a Honda
civic, or a Used Integra (?!) would be a better
choice. The writers obviously didn't know that
Daewoo had been on sale for a number of years
already in such large markets as Britain and
Australia. The cars have been top sellers and have
garnered glowing reviews from the media and public
in those areas. In Korea, the Daewoo is quickly
eclipsing Hyundai as best sellers as well. Why?
The Daewoo Lanos offers for 13,000 what one would
have to pay about 16,000 for a comprobably equipped
civic, corolla etc. I know I tried looking. For
about 13,000 you can get a civic or corolla with
auto, and that's it. Maybe A/C if you are lucky,
forget about any power accessories or ABS. The
Daewoo Lanos for about the same price offers auto,
power windows, doorlocks, ABS, AC, CD player, dual
airbags etc. What got me was the power door locks
and windows. You can't even get those on the civic
or corolla unless you step up to the LX, or DX
models respectively. Also you the Lanos looks
fantastic! The back looks very civic-esque while
the front looks strongly reminiscent of the BMW 323
hatchback. By the way I don't work for Daewoo or
anything like that. I myself own a Daewoo Nubira,
and my girlfriend owns a Lanos, and we both
absolutely love them! She purchased her Lanos for
about 13,400 with All power accessories, dual
airbags, auto, ac, cd player, alloy wheels etc.
Also remember that all Daewoo cars come with 3,
36,000 mile scheduled maintenance for free! Also
24 hour roadside assistance for the same period and
an excellent basic warrantly. Now if the Daewoo
were such a unreliable car as the editors of
Edmonds would want you to believe, why would they
back their cars up with such a tremendous warranty?
Pretty much that all automotive journalist are
infactuated with Japanese cars, and for good reason
too, but in my opinion over analyze any problem a
non-japanese competitor might have, and not
accentuate the values they might. For further info
about the Daewoo models check out:
http://www.daewoous.com and if anyone has any
questions, I would be happy to answer them about
our Daewoos! sichang@ic.sunysb.edu
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Comments

  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    Great topic, sichang! Let's hear some more about this inexpensive hatchback.

    carlady/host
  • curious5curious5 Member Posts: 2
    it's a nice looking car, but no variable valve timing. just variable air intakes.

    nevertheless, i think the lanos will be a factor in the hatchback market.
  • BunnyBunnsBunnyBunns Member Posts: 1
    Does anyone have any input as to whether they think the Daewoo will be around for a while. My daughter is interested in buying the Nubira Hatchback...there is only one dealer around which makes it difficult to negotiate the price...she needs me to co-sign, and I don't know anything about them.
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    Well, bunnybunns, I think you've raised an interesting question. The 1998 was the first model year in the US. I would take a look at the availability of dealerships for service and support where you are and where you foresee the car being driven and then factor that into your decision.

    Daewoo owners, have you had any trouble finding a place for service?

    carlady/host
  • ryandoughertyryandougherty Member Posts: 11
    I own a 1999 Daewoo Leganza CDX (5,000 miles / 3 Months old) and I've had just a few isolated problems with my car. The dealership has been outstanding so far, though I'm a little unsure about their "one-price, no haggle" policy that is similar to Saturns. My first problem what that the steering pump was making a small whining noise when making u-turns or at lock-to-lock on the steering wheel. The second problem was with the transmission (Which they are working on right now). I believe the computer needs an update on the software or something. The Lock-up torque converter seems to be that it was not able to lock. I will make sure to update everyone on what it was exactly. I've checked with many Daewoo owners, and my problems seem to be isolated and not widespread.

    I believe (and hope) Daewoo will make it in the US. I know it will take probably 4-5 years for them to gain some ground, and I hope they know it.
    I see them as a developing company just as Honda did in the late 80's. Soon, Daewoo will add new engines and transmissions that are clearly more refined. MY2000 Leganza will have a Porsche-designed I-6 Engine in it! Who knows what the Nubira and Lanos get, but it's sure to be good.

    If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask.
  • holahola Member Posts: 9
    Hi!

    I know that Daewoo is established in the foreign market, and am wondering if you by chance know if there are any performance editions of their cars abroad. (Maybe they could put one of those engines in their cars here!?) Anyway, do you like the way your car drives? What kind of gas mileage does it actually get? Is it automatic or stick?

    Just wondering because I am interested in getting a family car (for my expanding family), and would like to get something different, that not everybody owns. Plus, you get a lot of equipment for a low price in these Daewoos--am I right?

    Anyway, if you could answer a few of my questions I would appreciate it.

    Thanks!
    Paul (Owner of Red '95 VW GTi VR6)
  • ryandoughertyryandougherty Member Posts: 11
    You are absoulutely correct about the low price with a lot of equipment. The Leganza is actually a little too luxurious for my taste. I wanted a car that was sporty and practical (Sedan). The Leganza, while having adequte power, may not please some who like to rev their cars up when they're on the highway or in the countryside. However, the power is fine for me, I'm actually impressed on the Low and High-end power it has compared to the Nissan Altima and Honda Acord (and the like...). I know one thing for sure, you WILL NOT ever find a car in this price range that has a ride like the Leganza. My brother was test-driving a Acura 3.2TL last week (I was with him), and my Leganza is quieter and has less wind & road noise. This car is comparable to the Lexus ES300 in terms of Noise & Harshness. However, there is a little too much Vibration present in the car (It doesn't make noise, but you can feel it in the steering wheel a little). I get about 24-25 City and 28-29 Highway for gas mileage which doesn't seem too bad. The one thing that I have noticed, since I used to drive Honda's is that with the Daewoos, they have a lot more power in the low end. With my last Honda, it always felt like it was gasping for air or gas when leaving a stoplight until the V-Tec kicked in (Maybe that's why my Leganza doesn't claim to have gas mileage that's as high as the Honda Accord?). Oh and Automatic Transmission is standard on the two higher trim levels of the Leganza (SX, CDX).

    Hope this helps, go test drive a Daewoo just to see how different they are. (Money and Luxury wise...)

    Thanks,

    Ryan

    If you are thinking about buying a Daewoo Leganza, hold off a year. I have been told by corprate (I do work for them) that MY2000 they will have an upgraded Leganza that has a I-6 Porsche-designed engine in it. It should also be tuned more for the "American" market.
  • holahola Member Posts: 9
    Sounds good! I went and test drove one. They are very attractive-both interior and exterior! Unfortunately, the one I tested was CDX (automatic) and coming from my 172HP V6 I just wasn't impressed. But then again, I wasn't at all impressed by the Accord and Camry--I actually like the Leganza quite a bit better (the Accord and Camry are just so boring!!!) I am currently comparing the Leganza to a Passat GLS. The Passat GLS is faster (I like the way it drives quite a bit better), and I like its interior as much as the Leganza, but the Leganza's exterior is more attractive and is better equipped.

    Well, it's something to think about!

    Paul
  • forsyth1forsyth1 Member Posts: 1
    Does anyone have any safety info on the Daewoos??? I couldn't find any info on either safety OR reliability...Thanks
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    Have you taken a look at the National Highway and Safety Traffic Safety website? Just click here. And please, let us know what you find!

    carlady/host
  • PiloPilo Member Posts: 5
    I ll better let other buy it first for a few years and then I ll buy one if reliable.
  • ashura75ashura75 Member Posts: 2
    I think the Leganza is one of the most refined nice Korean near Luxury car, i agree with the part " Camry amd Accord are boring" I like trying out new things and Daewoo was a nice car that had the smooth, quite, and plesant riding...don't forget about the attractiveness of the LEGANZA...
  • elainebearelainebear Member Posts: 17
    I agree with those who want to wait a year or so at least. It is never smart to buy ANY car in it's first year production (either a major change in the car or a whole new type). My first choice is still a Toyota Corolla but in 1998 they changed the specs... I wouldn't buy it in that year or even this year. I am waiting for the 2000 model to come out. The only other thing that bothers me is that hey are too new to know how reliable. It may turn out that they are more reliable than any other car, but since there are limited dealerships and not much info, I will be holding out. It would be great to have another car to choose from as they have a totally unique look to them :) Trust me I am not trashing but just stating my concerns on this new car company. I don't like the Edmund's reviews anyway, they are biased towards Honda and don't give others a fair chance ever. Here's to hoping for the best :)
  • attackfrogattackfrog Member Posts: 2
    It's an interesting thing, this Daewoo. Kudos to those who've taken a chance on it. And Edmunds, your reports may not be wholly fair, but I laugh.
    My question is,(for those who currently own any of the Daewoo hatchbacks),which one would probably be the better investment for a soon to be "recent college graduate" with a penchant for city cars?
  • civiccvtciviccvt Member Posts: 1
    I test drove the Nubira and Leganza. The Nubira was nice, but I felt cramped and the seats don't have latches to quickly move the backs. They have rollers that you have to turn to move the seat backs. Plus, they don't have center arm rests. My Civic feels a lot roomier and more comfortable then the Nubira. The Leganza, on the other hand, has plenty of room and amenities. It looks to me like a gently revised old Lexus GS300. I like the room and the standard equipment. I love the low-end torque and relative quietness of the four banger. It would be nice to have a V-6 option, but for now the four does the job adequately. The CDX loaded runs $19,000 which is just about the right price. One thing I noticed is that the materials used to make up the dash and interior seem cheap. Maybe that's just it's style. Also, I think having the steering wheel so close to the console is discomforting. Other than that, I think it's got potential. I know that Daewoo has a contract with America for 15 years, so don't worry about them getting up and leaving right away like Daihatsu. I also agree with everyone else to wait a year or two just to be sure of reliability. Their warranty is part of the cost of the car so they wouldn't lose too much money if the cars were lemons. Plus, they have the rest of the world to profit from. It's almost the new millineum and hopefully cars made for mass production these days have what it takes to last the 5 years to pay them off.
  • attackfrogattackfrog Member Posts: 2
    I'd like to test drive one. Anyone know the closest dealer to St.Louis?
  • alextalext Member Posts: 63
    You're right, elainebear. Edmunds is biased towards honda (and mazda miatas, which I still think are imitations porsche). I'm getting tired of the general notion that hondas are the most reliable cars on the road. Hondas may have some good qualities that make them last a long time, but they still suffer from weak transmissions that can easily be damaged, poor quality air conditioning systems that fail on schedule, and above all have been increasingly boring since the 1996 model lineup.

    The daewoos, especially the lanos, are very nicely designed. I think the Lanos hatchback looks very european. However, I'm not excited about the gas mileage or the really really ugly fabric on the interior of the Lanos. Also, the color choices seem to be limited (out of the many Lanos models I've seen driving around LA, all were white). But they have potential. Give them a few years to feel out the US market and I think you'll have a major player in the industry.
  • n299n299 Member Posts: 3
    Hello,

    I'm looking at a new Daewoo Lanos 3-Door, and I was wondering what the mileage will be... What the dimensions of the sunroof are, and whether the insurance will be high? ( I'm a 17 year old male... so I know it won't be glamorous )

    Also, if you have any other comments on the car, please tell them!

    Thanks!

    Brandon
  • mugenpwrmugenpwr Member Posts: 1
    Hi ppl, I was extremely impressed with the Daewoos at this year's Toronto International autoshow here in Canada, where I was able to see a Daewoo for the first time. I actually spent more time with the Leganza than any other car at the whole show!! I think the 2.2L might me a little weak..but a Turbo charger and a NOS kit could fix that nicely :) Oh..is it me or are those Daewoo ads on TV really good?!?! The combination of that girl, the wicked camera angles of the car and the cool music give me goosebumps. I CAN FEEL THE ENERGY OF LEGANZAAAAAAAA..........
  • rotweinrotwein Member Posts: 1
    I recently purchased a 5 door Nubira with automatic transmission and it seems to be performing well. At 6-3, I have plenty of room. the factory maintenance for 3 years and the 36 month warranty, plus the price, convinced me to buy this over a Golf.
  • afernandezafernandez Member Posts: 2
    I own a 1996 Daewoo Espero in the Philippines, 48,000kms. All the features but the parts are terribly weak. Replace the aircon condenser, the aircon compressor. I found that many have junked those parts in the shop. Driver's door handle snapped due to brittle plastic. The worse trouble was putting in oil additive and having to pay twice for major overhauling. I called up the Korean representatives and they washed their hands off the responsibility. Overall, they are a risk to purchase. Resale value is so bad, people don't even advertise consistently their desired price. We might practically have to pay people to get it off our laps. My next purchase will probably be a Civic or a Corolla. I've learned my lesson the hard way. The features and the cost were a good bait, no, trap!
  • afernandezafernandez Member Posts: 2
    Incidentally, my boss also got an Espero about the same time I did. He's having worse problems. So, this is not a statistical aberration. The Philippine market has practically rejected the Daewoo brand. My car cost P560,000 in 1996. Today, a brand new one is selling for P419,000. Isn't that ridiculous, the price doesn't even hold! It is insulting. Their Philippine representatives, Transfarm Corporation, didn't handle those bad cars well either. They have to work double time to compensate for the bad deal, especially since now, Transfarm handles Chrysler brand in our country.
  • jenevievejenevieve Member Posts: 11
    It's really nice to hear from a Daewoo owner who's had the car for a few years in a country where they're not brand new. Since they're so unknown and untested here in the States, I've been looking for info. on them from other countries. Sounds like my worries are validated, at least in the Phillippines. Any other overseas Daewoo owners with comments to share? Greatly appreciated.
    Thanks
  • kingameyakingameya Member Posts: 4
    I owned a Daewoo in India for 3 years. It was a Daewoo Cielo (which is almost the same car a the Departed Pontaic LeMans) It was the best car in India at the time(!) so I had no choice. I had many problems with it, but i think they are all due to the poor Indian roads and the fact that it was built in India. The new Nubria, which replaces the Cielo in all countries but India, where the Cielo still lives on, is a much better car. I don't have doubts on it, but I don't think I will ever buy one. Anyone ever own a Daewoo Cielo or Racer? Hey dude before me! For info on Daewoos, go to a european magazine web site (like www.topgear.com ) They may have some numbers you are looking for. Also, at the better book stores, you can find a European magazine called CAR. In the back half, they have reviews of all cars sold in Europe, including Daewoos. I will look for a copy in my house and try to give you info. By the way, my grandmother in India just bought a Daewoo fridge. "It works well" she said.
  • jenevievejenevieve Member Posts: 11
    fyi, i'm not a dude; i'm a chick. ;) but thanks for the information--i appreciate it. :)
  • bordsourcebordsource Member Posts: 95
    This is all very nice, but I don't think that I'd like the Lanos hatchback. The Lanos's biggest problem, to me, is it's terrible fuel economy! Face it, the Hyundai Accent rules this category, and it and the Metro get better gas mileage than this thing. Neither one of them offer the convienences, style, or service that the Daewoo offers, though. Not to mention that the Daewoo is more powerful. But you have to ask yourself how many people would trade the very essence of a small car for convienence and service.
  • gardygardy Member Posts: 1
    this is no cheap car at all.the designs of the lanos and the leganza were created by the company ITALDESIGN(Giorgetto Guigiaro. same company that created the 1995 lamborghini Cala,the ITALDESIGN Nazca C2 and other several european well know(production and prototypes) european cars. the suspension of the lanos is made by the Mcpherson Co. same supension used in Porsche cars! does the Civic, Accent or the corolla have any of these companies name on there features to back them up ? ? ? NO. So now you tell me if the daewoo cars are well built cars or what !
  • bordsourcebordsource Member Posts: 95
    Who said anythin about Daewoos being well built? I was saying that the Lanos is lacking good fuel economy, which is the essence of econo-boxes.
  • deuceofspadesdeuceofspades Member Posts: 1
    From what I hear about Daewoos, not only is their fuel economy terrible, they are sloooow. If you want reliability, good fuel economy and speed, you can't go wrong with a Honda Civic HB...

    If you want to get a sports Coupe with the same characteristics, the Ford ZX2 is the hot ticket.

    The suspension is actually the OPEL ASTRA platform (aka Pontiac Lemans)... Porsche made it, but the suspension is GARBAGE. Who cares about looks? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

    With their no-haggle philosophy and terrible performance, I don't understand how anybody could want a Daewoo...
  • bgcdlytdybgcdlytdy Member Posts: 1
    I have test driven all the modles of the Daewoo's I even rented one for a week to see if i wan'ted to make such a purchurse. I have to say I was impressed. I'm sorry but there is no way I can afford to spend that kind of money on some striped Civic and can we say boring as can be. I can get a fully loaded Nubria with leather seats and sunroof for far less than a civic LX. And people are going to trun their heads when I drive by because i'm not driving the same ole same ole. Face it you can't beat the price. As for Hyundai I'll be happy to trade in my 96 Elantra that's had it's transmission replaced 3 times in 48,000 miles
  • alextalext Member Posts: 63
    Well, I test drove a base model Daewoo Lanos hatchback "S". I think the interior is pretty nice for a base model, more comfortable than my Chevy Metro. The materials did seem a bit cheap, but then again my Metro doesn't have much better interior quality than a toy car either. I liked the cargo cover/rear deck with the built-in speakers, as my metro base model didn't come with a cargo cover (and I'd hate to see how much an after market cargo cover costs). Now for the performance, it was quite slow. For some reason, even though it has one extra cylinder and almost twice the horsepower of my metro, it was accelerating very slowly. Now, it was taking me a while to get use to the stick shift in the daewoo, but it still seemed to accelerate slower than the metro. The gas mileage, at 24/36, also was behind the metro that gets 36 at the worst and over 40 at best. However, at $8700 it was only about $300 more than my base model metro and the warranty is increadible. 6 years, 72,000 miles coverage which inculdes all scheduled maintenance for free (oil changes, wiper blades, filters, belts, etc.), a free loaner car if it's ever in the shop, 24-hour roadside assistance, etc. etc. It's a much better warranty than I got on the metro, and the only thing that beats it is the Hyundai warranty, but I REALLY hate Hyundais.

    So, I do think the Lanos is worth it. If I had known a few months ago what I know now, I probably would've gone for the Lanos instead of the Metro. Now I'm considering getting one because sharing the metro with my fiance is getting hectic and I need a car of my own. But I'm not sold yet, so I'll post again when I take another test drive.
  • ohiogoodguysohiogoodguys Member Posts: 19
    I thought daewoo offered a 3/36K bumper to bumper including oil changes etc. in the previous post did they upgrade or would you be buying a extended warranty.

    jack
  • rollerfunkrollerfunk Member Posts: 15
    I really don't uderstand why Edmunds reviews about Daewoo are so negative. I really don't like Korean cars, but I have to agree about major quality improvements in the last years from all of them. Hyundais and Kyas are NOT better cars than Daewoos.
  • alextalext Member Posts: 63
    Sorry about the error, you're right, the bumper to bumper is 3 years/36,000 miles. The powertrain warranty is the 6 year deal. Sorry about that.
    Well, I decided not to get a Daewoo for now, but maybe next year...?
  • rzfroggrzfrogg Member Posts: 2
    Mr. Travanti stated above:
    >and mazda miatas, which I still
    >think are imitations porsche).

    Porsche has never built a car even remotely resembling a Miata, other than perhaps the 944S2/968 Cabrio, which was a much larger and heavier car. The cars Porsche is most famous for are rear-engined, air-cooled, and mostly closed-topped. Read: Speedsters, 356, 911. Even the modern water-cooled open-top Boxster is a rear-engined car that bears no more resemblance to Miata than does, say, a Corvette or Ferrari 355.

    Ask the fellows who designed it; the Miata is styled after English roadsters of the sixties.

    Imitation MGB, maybe.
    Imitation Lotus Elan, definitely.
    But imitation Porsche? I think not.

    Also, regarding Gardy's post, I don't believe there is any such organization as "The MacPherson Co." and Porsche builds their own suspensions. The car has McPherson-type struts, as did some Porsches in the past, but so does an Escort...or just about any other non-Honda.

    I do believe, however, that Porsche's involvement with these cars is evident in their apparent refinement. As mentioned above, Daewoo is indeed planning something far better than a V6: a Porsche-designed inline-6. Straight sixes are wonderful things that just about everyone but BMW and Volvo has seemed to stop doing. The engine is soooo smooooooooth....which leads to great reliability (of course if the engine's a piece of poo, it's a piece of poo...just look at the nasty Ford straight sixes of years past).
  • tiger23tiger23 Member Posts: 3
    Porshe Designed I-6? I thought Daewoo used Mercedes engines in its car overseas?
  • tiger23tiger23 Member Posts: 3
    And I was told buy a dealer that a Mercedes powered 6 Leganza was a possibility for 2000 or 2001 . As well as in a new sport utility vehicle.
  • rzfroggrzfrogg Member Posts: 2
    No, the Leganza should be getting the Daewoo/Porsche I6. Mercedes no longer does a straight six.

    I'm not sure what engines Daewoo is using in other markets, but I haven't read anything that leads me to believe they're Mercedes powered. As a matter of fact, I think one of their recent models was based on a Vauxhall Cavalier.
  • bordsourcebordsource Member Posts: 95
    Ssangyong was partners with Mercedes, and used Mercedes inline-sixes for it's Musso and previous-gen E-class models. With Ssangyong now under Daewoo's control, they are now Daewoos. However, I do not know if the contract between Ssangyong and Mercedes will/has transfer(red) to Daewoo.
  • bones45bones45 Member Posts: 1
    To all those who have purchased a Daewoo!!!

    Anyone who would purchase a Korean made car is asking for years of trouble. Take your $9-11k and get yourself a used Civic,Corolla,Altima. Of course..you could even get yourself a GM product. That would be infinitely better than Daewoo.

    Of if you like having probs with your car..feel free to literally throw your money out the window
  • tsodentsoden Member Posts: 6
    Anything would be better than a GM. I have had two the second better than the first and have had lots of problems. The service is not all that great either....

    Funny think about Daewoo is that if you look in the daewoo cars conference its all praise and virtually no complaints about the cars. Look in a couple of gm conferences and you will see lots of complaints about the vehicles....

    The same goes for Hyundai. Look in the Sonata conference. You will notice that most of the posts are positive compliments....virtually no complaints.

    My 2 cents.
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    I finally drove a 5-speed Lanos last night up in Columbus, Ohio. I learned that Daewoo has been paying attention to the concerns of new owners. Did you know that you can have your Daewoo services done at Penske Service Centers in K-Marts? Yep, even the free maintenance. They have rebates now. $1000 on the Lanos, $1250 on automatic Nubiras and $1500 on stickshift Nubiras. I didn't look at the Leganzas.

    It was interesting to see that the Nubira 4-door had an inside trunk release but the 4-door hatchback, which needs it, does not have it. At least give us a lockable button like on a Chevy Spectrum or an old Datsun. Y'know, the button that has the key-hole in the middle and when it is unlocked pushing in the button pops the truck and when it is locked you can press it but it does nothing?

    I was told there is one 5-speed Nubira wagon for sale in North America and it is in San Diego. There is one 5-speed Nubira hatchback in all of Ohio, it is in Cleveland, it is white, and it is a demo.

    The dealer couldn't let me test drive the SX I wanted to look at, he had me drive a non-A/C equipped S model. Before I buy a car, I will drive it, and if they don't let me, I won't buy it. What if the clutch is no good or the brakes are spongy? I want problems fixed before delivery so I can rack up miles and use that free maintenance for all it is worth. Anyone else have a problem of a dealer not having the model you want to test drive, even though it is sitting right there? Why must they put their miles on one car instead of spreading it to others?

    Also the gas mileage thing. The stick gets 26/36. Terrible mileage for a 1600cc engine in that light of a car. The automatic gets 24/34, improves resale, but automatics from Korea seem to get a bad rep. Think Hyundai Elantra and Kia Sephia and remember what Korean automatics are like.
  • nubira1nubira1 Member Posts: 13
    There are still a lot of 5 speed Nubira 5-doors and wagons here in NY.

    Bones45
    Why do you think the Koreans make crap?
  • mattjboymattjboy Member Posts: 1
    The main problem with Daewoo at this point, that I see anyway, is that they are simply unproven in the American market. Who wants to buy a new unproven Korean car from a company they most likely have never heard of, especially when past Korean car companies have tainted American buyers' minds with Hyundais and Kias, not to mention Daewoo's own try with the Pontiac LeMans... I am not saying that Daewoos are terrible cars (nor am I saying that they are necessarily good), they simply have no proven history here. They perfectly well may be in the position Honda was when they first came into the United States.....after all, Honda was looked at in the same light the new Korean cars are right now, perhaps without the stigma already attached to Korean automobiles. Daewoo may prove to be wonderful, reliable, cheap transportation. I think they are doing the right thing right now by offering good warranties, high options content, and cheap pricing to try and establish themselves in the market here. However, it will take time to sway the publics mind away from the high quality of Japanese imports, and Daewoo probably knows this hence their great efforts. Japanese manufactured automobiles are the benchmark and continue to be despite greatly improved quality by American and other manufacturers. There is a reason for this, Japanese cars simply don't break, offer excellent resale value, high quality, and good performance. Until Daewoo can prove themselves, I feel my money is best spent with a Honda or the like. Despite the high initial price, when you take into effect maintenance, resale value, etc. in the long run they are the best value.
  • rerednawrerednaw Member Posts: 16
    I'm the market for a new car and I've been doing a little research. I've come up with a few comments.

    I've noticed that Daewoo offers a fairly comprehensive warranty on the vehicle, even including routine maintenance items which does add up in the long run. But that's up to 36k or 3 years. Does anyone have an idea on what Daewoo charges for parts (assuming you keep a Daewoo for more than 3 years)?

    If the warranty really does cover everything, and if something does go wrong you get a loaner car, then if you're only keep a new vehicle for 3 years, then this seems like a good deal.

    On the other hand, I know nothing about long-term performance or costs. It doesn't make much sense to save some money up front (all Daewoo models are less than their competitor's counterparts, based on their equipment and the free maintenance) if the vehicle is going to fall apart right after the warranty period.

    I've also noticed that Edmund's has commented on a 'no-haggle' policy. Has anyone verified this? If I make an offer on the car, it certainly will NOT be MSRP, but rather 5% over dealers' cost, which is fair (even according to most dealers). But if I have to pay MSRP, then I will go buy a Honda instead, because I can haggle it down quite a bit.
  • nubira1nubira1 Member Posts: 13
    I know I am biased but does everyone think that the United States is the center of the world? Try searching for what people are saying in countries around the world. For the most part the cars have a great reputation . Granted it isn't people who have had their cars for ten years, but they have had a few years more than we have had in the U.S.
  • marbymarby Member Posts: 34
    resale on AMC Hornet,Pacer,Gremlin were terrible. If it wasn't for these cheap and reliable cars of my youth I would not have been able to afford to drive.in 1986 I bought a 1976 Pacer for $10 yes ten dollars with 67,000 miles.needed radiator,master cylinder and replaced troublesome Prestolite distribitor with a junk yard breaker point type (Echlin ICR 13 ballast resistor require) drove it for 100,000 miles with out a hitch sold it for $200 when I bought my first new car.
  • pat56pat56 Member Posts: 11
    When I was shopping for a vehicle, I browsed overseas sites where they were selling Daewoos for years. Check out the Phillipines, where I understand the dealer went out of business due to warranty repairs being so frequent that no one would buy his cars. They are evidently very poorly made, at least for the overseas market, and have a bad reputation in many places. US buyers may get a different version with better quality, due to US consumer laws.

    As far as GM goes, I just bought a '99 Chevy Metro, and LOVE it. They have NO problems, run forever, are AMAZING on gas (especially the 3cyl), and all the owners I've spoken to and read postings from have good things to say about them. This is a car which has been out for at least 10 years, being under the "Geo" nameplate until 1997. The Metro is also the Suzuki Swift, by the way.


    Best of luck, whichever way you go.
  • ffernandiffernandi Member Posts: 1
    If any has any type of questions about Daewoo, I can answer them. Even things regarding the warranties, negotiating prices, comparisons, etc. You can email me at:

    ffernandi@hotmail.com

    ALL EMAILS WILL HAVE A REPLY WITHIN 48 HOURS!!!
  • mmingsmmings Member Posts: 1
    I'm not against Korean cars. Just the opposite, I just purchased a Hyundai Elantra and love it. But will someone who knows please tell me why Daewoo did such a terrible job on the Pontiac LeMans? I have one with just over 100,000 miles on it and everything is falling apart. Lots of electrical problems.
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