Korean Cars

[hooba]

Gotta love the staunch euro snobs.

Korean cars are in the same position as japan was in the early 70s. A few hero cars like the Datsun 240Z and the Toyota 2000GT and it will be a different story.

+1, and right now the koreans build quality is level with japs.

For all the flag wavers of german engineering and those who demand their car doors close with a thud, check out the following and open your mind.

Volkswagen

[woofy]

I just found this when about to post something else. I was a bit gobsmacked, but then remembered which forum this is. I have two mechanic cousins, one worked for Honda/Mazda/Hyundai and then later for VW and more recently Audi. He said the Hyundais about 6 yrs ago still had metal filings after the first oil change, but never saw it since the last gen, and they had a hell of a lot less issues than the VWs.

I've been swaying back and forth between a Superb wagon, a Mazda 6 touring wagon (I own a Mazda 6 classic hatch and an 3 yr old Octy RS) and the out there choice a Diesel Santa Fe. After reviewing comments online, everyone raves about hyundais ability to product some of the highest tensile steel bodies on the planet due to producing their own sheet metal, and how the diesel in the Santa Fe and its cousin the Kia is one of the few cars where they built and designed their own matching gearbox. I can't find one complaint, but I find almost daily issues and questions about the VAG groups DSG, which is the only option on the Superbs. So I bought the Santa Fe after about a year of swaying, even though Mazda are offering a very good deal with the touring 6s at the moment.

I some ways I'm lucky as we will probably only have the car for about 6 yrs, so one year out of warranty is the worst I can foresee, but the biggest concern I have is that my RS might not make the distance (its manual so no DSG to worry about). I feel much more confident going forward reliablity wise with the Hyundai so we'll see where things lay. I'm astounded and yet not, that people have even mentioned reliability of a VAG car over a Hyundai, its not like any VAG car has a 5 star record in that respect (except for perhaps Skoda) and I have essentially bet money that a Hyundai would survive the long haul better with their current cars.

[Drift]

For the dissenters, perhaps this is more to your liking.

[Buller_Scott]

For the dissenters, perhaps this is more to your liking.

why did i go onto that forum and start looking for VIC meets? lol.

only two people posting on there - pretty dead.

i love my VW (polo) tdi. im about to finally run the engine in this week (it'll soon tick over 100,000km's).

still reckon ze germans should watch out for the koreans, though. friggin k-pop must be played in car factories over there, getting people all happy and motivated to make good quality sh7t...

[woofy]

Yeah I won't be going to that forum...lol....most of the Santa Fe posts are in the normal Australia 4Wd forums which is where I have been doing my local research. It will be interesting to see what happens with the Hyundai mod community as it has always been a running joke. But with they way they are now, it will just take a Hero car (Velostar?) and it's on...

[kleung]

Interesting comment and I don't disagree but I wouldn't exactly tag it as cheating.

Ok, maybe it wasn't the best choice of words. Perhaps it'd be more accurate to say that they gave themselves a leg-up by leveraging Euro design knowhow. I don't think there's anything wrong with that, and Korean cars have improved dramatically as a result. Give them a few years and we may even see Koreans producing a nice balance between Japanese-like quality and European styling and innovation, all with a Korean price-tag.

[dubbed]

They've definitely stepped up their game. Noticed it years ago when I sat in a new Tiburon and they've only gone up from there.

I must admit I genuinely love the Optima design and the Koop is solid looking too. I don't doubt that their handling is not on par with a pricier German, but for the sake of cheap parts, great reliability, a long manufacturer's warranty, well equipped and cutting edge designs; it's enough to steer many from badge snobbery.

[Gti Dave]

still reckon ze germans should watch out for the koreans, though. friggin k-pop must be played in car factories over there, getting people all happy and motivated to make good quality sh7t...

Ha Ha...that made me laugh man. I'm worried about what they're doing with the spanners in their hands when they're dancing to it.

[tessie]

They've definitely stepped up their game. Noticed it years ago when I sat in a new Tiburon and they've only gone up from there.

I must admit I genuinely love the Optima design and the Koop is solid looking too. I don't doubt that their handling is not on par with a pricier German, but for the sake of cheap parts, great reliability, a long manufacturer's warranty, well equipped and cutting edge designs; it's enough to steer many from badge snobbery.

Badge snobbery for me then. If you want to extract the maximum from your dollar, buy Korean. Me, I care about what I drive.

[ryana89]

On the drive home today, came up behind one of these Kia's,


Throw a Renault, Mazda, Nissan Badge on it and I would be none the wiser.