I doubt that the Daewoo Pontiacs of the 1980’s had anything to do with GM’s decision to cancel the Pontiac brand.
The hard sell ,refusing to accommodate dealers around these parts have made it almost impossible to buy a Toyota Locally and to even think about shopping on the "Motor Mile "at a college town telatively near hear (65 miles ) Found out later that the same cat ,owned most the dealerships on the "Motor Mile "
I have never owned a Daewoo vehicle but I own a Daewoo clone/copy of the Colt M-16. You can fire it all day and it will not jam unlike the Colt model that I used for 20 years in my USAF career. This gun is over 25 years old and still operates like new. Daewoo can build some things right.
Yeah, you are probably right if it was that long ago. I assumed there as a more current model. The Aztek on the other hand is probably a different story. I don’t think it was a particularly bad car, just ugly and very awkward. It was a sales dud and really hurt the division.
The sad thing about the Reno was that it wasn’t really an ugly or awkward car and it drove decent. I knew this wasn’t the best car in the world but was going to try and work with it to keep it going as long as possible until more serious issues developed.
I have to chime in here . . . used cars are usually a problems someone else got rid of. I look around and watch the way folks treat their cars nowadays and I can’t imagine me EVER buying a used vehicle. It’s unbelievable the stuff people do, so I’m not surprised when I see comments like those made by the OP. But it really may be a case of the previous owner beating the crap out of the car and then trading it in. I’ve actually heard good things about this car company from lots of folks. I’m not calling the OP a liar, just maybe someone beat the car to death before his GF got it. Rocketman
@cwatkin
I’ve Got A Few Questions.
“My girlfriend has had one of the 2006 Renos for 3 years and is throwing in the towel at only 86,000 miles.”
“The head gasket or something along those lines was bad. I don’t know if it was a cracked head, block, or head gasket, but I told her it was time for this car to go.”
“It wasn’t even paid for…”
Was the car traded or sold?
Did she get much money trading the car in on the new one or selling it?
You put some good parts in this thing.
How hard is it to put a head gasket on one of these?
Money was tight when we married and bought our house. I put a head gasket on an 82 Dodge Aries in the driveway (wasn’t warm outside) and even designed and made a timing belt tensioning tool with wood and a De-liar fish scale.
Did You consider trying that first?
Seems like a windshield and some sensors (possibly struts) could have kept it going long enough to pay it off and save some money toward a new or newer ride.
I’m just trying to understand the reasoning. I saw on the news this morning that 1 in 3 people carry enough debt that they have ZERO savings. I find that almost impossible to grasp, but…
Oh, I have zero deductible comprehensive insurance on glass on all my cars. Free windshields… doesn’t cost much for premiums. Have you checked that out with your agent?
CSA
Well I might have considered doing the repair had it been my car. The issue was that this was my GF’s car and she was getting concerned about it breaking down because it had been one thing affter another for a while, then started to overheat while I was out of town and unable to help her. I told her to check/add coolant and see what happened, then I began looking into it once I got home and found the bad head gasket. We considered getting a used car but they all had more miles than she wanted for what they cost. We also considered a $1000 used car but then I said it would need a bunch of work before she could really drive it.
She drives quite a bit and sometimes at night when it is dark now for her job. The new car has a 5 year/60,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty and a 10/100,000 powertrain warranty. Basically anything that touches oil or coolant besides belts and hoses is covered. I told her not to do this but she purchased an aftermarket warranty for more than 10% the price of the car from the dealer. This brings the bumper to bumper part up to 10/120,000. I know the dealer made very little if any off the car so really pushed the warranty to make up the difference. She did get about $1500 for the old car so that was at least better than scrap. We were hoping for $1000 or better in the condition it was in so were happy.
Anyway, another concern was me getting to the repair. My work schedule can be kinda hectic and getting long uninterrupted periods to work on something like this is sometimes hard. I told her I would be more than happy to do the work but she needed the car and didn’t want to have to worry me about rushing into it. The head gasket set was like $200 by Fel Pro and we would have needed new coolant and I would have done the hoses and thermostat at the same time for good measure. I had those parts on hand in prep for doing a full cooling system service but returned them after the car was traded. With all the parts, coolant, and an oil change, it would have been a minimum of $400 for this repair.
I called a mechanic I trust to see what he would charge. He told me there was no one local to check the head for cracks so simply suggested having a reman head on hand and slapping that on instead of using the existing one just to be safe. These weren’t cheap either. The job really doesn’t look that bad on the car but with all the issues and uncertain maintenance, we decided to move on. I don’t know if it was overheated in the past or if it had overheated and she didn’t notice. It got a little warm on her 3/4 of the way to the red when the problem first became apparent and it was low on coolant but didn’t get into the red that time around. We were also looking at $1500-2000 to have a mechanic do the work in a days time with all the parts on hand.
I had been looking into a set of struts. Based on the age of the car and the fact that parts of questionable quality were used from the start, I decided I was going to use the Gabriel quick struts since all the mounts, springs, bellows/boots, etc. were already there. If those were needed too the cost of the struts would have easily been more than just buying the complete assembly and again this would have involved another waiting period. The struts were about $500 total and was going to trade some computer labor with a mechanic for him to install these and align the car. I was actually about to get them all on order when the overheating issue started. I figured it wasn’t going to be an issue but wanted to be sure there wasn’t something more serious wrong which there was.
The windshield was pretty expensive as this isn’t the most common car. I seem to recall around $370 and I think she did check with her insurance and this wasn’t covered. She had whatever policy the bank required when she bought the car and no more. The crack was more on the passenger side so didn’t obstruct the driver vision but figured it wouldn’t pass inspection in a few months. We were going to delay that repair until right before her renewal as it wasn’t really an issue for safety.
Then there were a few piddly things like the valve cover gasket, the paint peeling, etc. I was going to use a rebate from the struts to pay for the valve cover gasket as it came in the form of a parts store gift card.
There was no check engine light on at the time of trade in. I had to go through several sensors to solve these as well as several random ones that never returned that I blamed on a few corroded electrical connections that I fixed. I would always take note of the stored codes, then clear them. If they kept coming back then I knew it was for real, not a phantom check engine light.
Unfortunately this might not have been the best financial decision but it was a situation where we had to move relatively quickly to resolve it. The other problem I was worried about was if I got the head off and it was something more serious like a cracked block. Then I wouldn’t put the thing back together and it would be worth scrap value.
She didn’t completely lose out on the old car. She was close to $700 in the hole but with all what was going on, it wasn’t the end of the world. She likes the new car a lot better as it fits her well. She didn’t just settle on whatever car was on the lot and I had researched the reliability and warranty. All in all peace of mind and having the car you want in the color you want is probably worth it to her. She was starting to get very apprehensive about the old one. Sure, it would have been better to have it paid for but we were looking at close to $3000 or more in repairs.
@cwatkin
O.K. Thanks. I See Where You Were Coming From. Sometimes It’s Best To Just Observe And Help The Solution Unfold. I’ve Tried Helping Too Much Before And Had It Backfire On Me.
I understand the warranty, too. Once bitten, twice shy. That warranty should give you fewer concerns when you’re away, too.
I keep cars on the road for my wife, my daughter (College Student), my wife, my mother, and me.
Isn’t it fun? (Not only that, but I get to buy and pay for 3 of those cars, insurance, repairs…).
Then I have my son and others asking for car help, parts, advice…
Usually when my kids call me it’s because they have a car problem :neutral:
CSA
Yes, exactly my thoughts. I will keep driving the clunkers. At least she has a new car. I offered to let her borrow one of mine while working on her old one but she just wanted something different.
I get the feeling that many of the OEM parts on that Reno/Forenza line were just crap. Sure we could spend money fixing the struts, etc. only to have something else let go. Again, it was never a good car from the start and she bought that one in a pinch too. This one was bought in a pinch but at least an informed decision based on research and what she liked.
Would it be asking too much for Mr. Watkin’s to tell us what vehicle was purchased?
GM Daewoo Suzuki Products are JUNK!
You could probably delete any two of those first three terms and still be essentially correct.
She ended up getting the Mitsubishi Mirage. I had been researching these for myself as I plan to replace the Geo Metros I own one of these days. They are getting old and more important they aren’t the safest. I was reminded of this today when a pickup truck just pulled right out in front of me on the highway while I was going 60 mph. It just pulled right out and I had to hit the brakes hard enough I could smell them.
Anyway, the professional reviewers hate these cars because others such as the Kia Rio have so many more “features” and basically cost the same price. I had done a comparison and researched the Nissan Versa as well as she always commented that she liked the way these looked. Basically the Versa didn’t have a lot to offer compared to the Mirage and people who had experience with both said that the Mirage was better hands down.
She test drove other new cars in this price range but didn’t fall in love with them. They were just a mode of transportation to her but the Mirage had the personality of an old Ford Festiva she once owned and greatly missed. She insisted on waiting a few days to get this car just so she could get it in the blue color that was similar to her old Festiva. She considers this her replacement.
I like the car. I don’t know if it will have any resale value but it is designed well with a timing chain, variable valve timing, etc. The owners of these cars are among the most loyal in the industry. Many who run delivery services and such use them because of the high mileage and they don’t have problems. There were some defective rear axles in a batch but that issue has been resolved. One person had a CV axle let go and that was fixed under warranty. The only serious issue is one that is partly the owner’s fault. They drove the car with a check engine light on. Some sensor had failed and the car was dumping large amounts of fuel into the cylinders. It washed them down and caused engine failures. So far the general review of those putting lots and lots of miles on these is quite favorable.
The other car I wanted her to really seriously consider was the Kia Rio and Forte because they are a good value and have a good warranty. She didn’t like either. They were too complex with touch screens, etc. and she just wasn’t in love with the cars. I thought they were well made and drove very nice but she wanted a smaller “fun little zippy car.” I am sure the resale value of the Kia would be better but she wants to keep this car until that isn’t an option. The Mirage warranty is actually BETTER than the Kia one. I compared them line for line and they were for the most part the same but the Mirage had an edge up in a few areas. Rust through was one I noted because lots of economy cars just turn to rust after a few years because there is essentially no rust protection.
I found the performance very adequate. The thing got 50mpg on the drive home with a new and non-broken in engine. You can’t complain about that. I tested it out and was able to climb some pretty steep hills in 5th gear without lugging the engine. Sure, this isn’t a sports car but it wasn’t intended for that purpose. I had no issues accelerating or keeping up with traffic going the speed limit or faster.
Here is a press release about the owner loyalty.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mitsubishi-mirage-recognized-by-ihs-automotive-for-continued-model-loyalty-300206385.html There are a few fair reviews of this car by the experts but most just pan it and say it is junk. Keep in mind this car is the same price as the Kia Rio, Nissan Versa, etc. so there are other options out there.
Honesty anyone wanting a simple car without all the bells and whistles should look into this one. I have to say I am impressed. The Kia options were likely a better value with more retained resale value but I have to say I liked driving this one better. It is a fun little go kart like my Geo!
Go out and test drive one. Who cares about the negative reviews. A lot of engineering went into this little guy. I do lots of driving and will likely get one if this works out well. They are bumping up the fuel economy and power in the next model year so I will hold out for that. It is also much safer and nicer than the Geo. The only downside is it has 5 computer modules buried deep in the car. The Geo has one and it takes 5 minutes to replace!
Anyway, I will keep everyone updated. The replacement car might not be for everyone but certainly has its place and I think it was a good option. It has the heart and soul of her old Festiva but much better if you ask me.
EDIT: Back to the original topic: GM Daewoo is junk! As I was typing this, one of my friends with a Chevy Aveo had one of the PLASTIC timing belt idler pulleys lock up and start melting to the belt. He messaged me while I was type this. It was still running but poorly when he parked it but making lots of noise. I don’t know if it clipped the valves but he plans to install a new timing belt kit on this thing and see how it goes. I told him to dump it when he can.
There was also a Forenza parked right outside the front door of the gym as I was leaving tonight! It looked nice and was apparently still running.
Isn’t Mitsubishi about to leave the US market, because of pathetic sales?
I know their market presence is outrageously low
No offense to anybody, but I don’t plan on buying a car that is almost certainly soon going to be an orphan, so to speak
I did some research on that too. I was under the same impression but it looks like their sales are growing pretty rapidly and they don’t plan to leave the US market at this time. Yes, this is a risk but at this time I don’t think it will be an issue. I read some information about how basically only one automaker has ever left the US market and returned. That was Fiat. Basically Mitsubishi appears to be holding out while losing money so they don’t lose their dealer network and such. They hope to come back and seem to be doing better, although not great, as of yet. See http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/foreign/2016/01/07/mitsubishi-pegs-renewed-us-hopes-hot-cuv-market/78443772/
The overall number is still low although the rate of growth is good. The sample number is quite low though.
I also kinda looked at the entire Mitsubishi brand like I look at Chrysler. I figured they were all unreliable cars based on my experience with some from the days when Chrysler and mitsubishi were married.
Yes, this is a risk. I agree. It was the only car that she liked so it is what it is. The Mirage is actually a very good seller here… I have to say I like the car and hope they stick around.
She ended up getting the Mitsubishi Mirage.
No doubt influenced by the president of the 3 cylinder fan club.
When I was a teenager someone told me “don’t by the cheapest car you can find, it won’t last”. I didn’t hold to that advice but my cars were $100 to $200. My most recent purchase is one of my best cars purchased for $1800 four years ago but it is not a Daewoo or Mitsubishi, it hasn’t had any unreasonable failures.
If ten years of service from a cheap Deawoo seems short I wonder how long before “Mitsubishi vehicles are junk” is reported. I used to work on Mitsubishi vehicles and have no negative feelings about them but I don’t expect a long life from a new car that costs $13000.
She also thought the Kia Rio was a large car although it is classified as a subcompact. I wouldn’t say it is large but certainly not a subcompact based on what I think about. She wanted a small car and this fit the bill. I had to laugh.
I will say the Kia Rio had a lot to offer for the price. This certainly wasn’t a bad option and the mileage was still close to 40mpg. People who own Kia products seem to really like them and there aren’t really any horror stories. The local Kia dealership also turned her off. They were very high pressure and intimidating. It was a mind game at that place and she didn’t like that. We went to some other dealers and she didn’t like what she saw so we drove to the next city as I told her the Mirage was kinda more along the lines of the basic car she wanted. She was in love at first sight. The blue was sitting on the lot but was an automatic. She wanted a manual but all of them were white.
This may not have been the perfect choice but I certainly would say it is far better than the one she made when getting that Reno. I can tell a lot of thought and engineering went into this one for an inexpensive car. It uses a timing chain and the variable valve timing looks nice.
Ed Frugal: My parents were married in 1927. The great depression had little financial effect on them. They spent what little they earned on what they needed and saved what little was left for things they wanted. Even though I was their “late” baby born in the early 1950s I inherited their financial attitude. Purchase what you need and save for what you want.
GeorgeSanJose: I had a friend with a Suzuki X-6 motorcycle in the early 1970s. Performance = Holy crap!
The Mitsubishi Mirage has a 10 year / 100,000 mile powertrain warranty as does the Kia Rio. If you read the fine print the Mirage warranty is a tad better. Both are what I would consider “cheap cars” and cost about the same. There is a lot larger sample rate for the Kias. Owners of these seem to be pleased with them and there are a lot of repeat buyers. Apparently those who have the Mirage are also repeat buyers. Yes, the sample rate is a lot lower but obviously those who have them are not unhappy.
Those who have had warranty claims with the Mirage said it was pretty painless. The company took responsibility and didn’t try to dodge them. This doesn’t sound like most car makers if you ask me.
The Geos I have are by no means fancy or nice vehicles. They are beatup but I would have no issues hopping in one and taking a long trip. They are a change the oil and do routine maintenance and go type of car. Sure, there are repairs but what do you expect on a beatup 25 year old economy car that came to you in a neglected state? On the other hand they are about as simple as a VW bug so there isn’t a lot to go wrong and if it does, it is about as complicated as repairing a lawn mower.
There are some people who use the Mirage for delivery/courier type services and put LOTS of miles on them. Of course they were picked because of the mileage. They have been very happy with the reliability and service out of these little cars.
The small car I have never understood is the Smart car. It is small car and a 3 cylinder yet it only gets mileage in the mid to high 30’s. It would be different if they got 60mpg or better. I can see this being a nice option in places such as Europe where space it tight but it seems like more of a novelty here. I see quite a few or maybe it is just that they stick out and are easily noticed. There is one for sale at a car lot I drive past on a daily basis.