Buying a car - advice.

[shanja]

Hey Rachel, to buy a cheap car you should check out 교차로 (Gyo Cha Ro) newspaper...I think most cities have them. They are free and are a 2nd hand traders paper with the bulk being cars and such. 2nd hand dealers also advertise here and you can find some great bargains. On the downside you need to be able to read Korean. As a foreigner a US or International licence is fine to own/drive a car here (other nationalities need check status). Rego papers and fees have to be paid and a new licence number (usually) issued. No big deal, but again it helps to have a Korean buddy help out. Dealers generally do all this for you. Insurance is a good idea too.
You can pick up a most acceptable vehicle for about 500,000won or less sometimes! Fuel is expensive here though so is driving much, but it's sooooooo damn good as a climber.

[skinsk]

to legally register a car you will need insurance first!! I managed all the registration myself-- and I have pretty basic Korean and it was still better than the English at the Jeonju registration office. You'll need to 1) get insurance 2) transfer the title (ususaly city hall) 3) get an emissions check (at a special emmissions checking place) and 4) register the car and get plates. It took me all of two days, and with only one call to (your area code) 1330, the official English translation help desk in Korea!

Owning a car is not done to save money or get anywhere faster! It's strictly for the experience and the freedom! :car: If you've ever been to Disneyworld as a kid and loved "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride"-- you'll love driving in Korea! if you live in the boonies, it's definitely helpful. . .

Don't:hand: fail to get insurance-- in my 5+ years in Korea I've had several foreign friends get illigit cars, and while a slight majority ended up OK, two paid in the $800-$1000+ range for this and one did some jail time and paid $1000+ :eek8: (this is 3 out of 8 that I know of who had illeagal cars-- and others may have had toubles I don't know of!) Several (well 3 that I know of-- and car trouble is not a major conversation topic) legally registered/insured car owners used their insurance and would have been ****** without it! Don't know how "lucky" you are, but I have visited a friend in jail here and it didn't look fun. (Apparently it's great if you want to lose weight fast!)

Count on $400-$1000 a year (for a used car) depending on where you live, how much coverage, what kind of car. . . (a colleage of mine's wife is an insurance agent-- mine!) say another $80 for your emissions check (or whatever it is they check) and registration/plates. Petrol is W1500+ a litre and rising daily. All expressways in Korea are tollroads. Watch your parking or be prepared to pay if you are towed.

That said-- despite the fact that I can't drive my car (standard and I broke my foot). . . driving has been an experience and "a ride" but a huge expense.

Finally, when you see a sign that warns of photo radar-- they mean it. If you are 10k (which is, excuse me, just over 6 ******* miles) over the speed limit (which except on expressways, is usually 80k--er, 50 mph!!) there is a W40,000 ticket. . . so do heed those signs!! slow down. Perhaps this latest break will cure my "lead" foot (though in reality, my foot has been more titanium than led. . . and really, that's the clutch foot and not the acceleration foot). . . (hey, my dad was a cop. . . I got out of every speeding ticket my first 8 years of driving. . . and that was before I ever heard of these "kilometers"?!)

So weigh your options-- there are defintely considerations on both sides and it really depends on the person. I would say as a Seoulite I didn't need a car and didn't have one) and only after many years in Korea did I even consider it. I kinda enjoy it mostly now (well, not NOW, but when I don't have a broken foot)-- thought it's not a money saver!!!

[Chickenlegs]

If someone is buying a car PM me! We know a guy in Seoul who is Korean/American and exports used cars at a HUGE used car place. We have bought 2 from him and sold 1 through him. He's great and takes care of everything. And he has a friend who can hook you up with cheap insurance. PM me or Kris and we'll send you his phone number.

[skinsk]

You know, I was almost gonna suggest she get in touch with you about your guy (or your car!). . . but I figured that was up to you!

What a sooofucking cool coincidence!

BTW; there is also a biannual?! fee to your city (about $35) for the priviledge of car ownership!!!

[shahin007]

Hey guys, I am selling really excellent Hyundai Tiburon 1997. Full condition. 1.600.000 won. 010 9526 5056