Daewoo Problems

Daewoo is perhaps better known and respected for its ads featuring Kane the wonder dog than for the cars it has built. There were even some who suggest the use of a dog was appropriate given the quality of the cars the Korean company was building when it arrived here with a rehashed Opel in 1994.Daewoo was hoping to follow in the tyre tracks of Hyundai who’d blazed a trail for other Korean car makers in the 1980s, but the company found it wasn’t as easy as they’d hoped.In the early 1990s Korean carmakers were still rightly regarded with suspicion, and their somewhat dodgy reputation wasn’t helped when Hyundai had to recall Excels for faulty chassis welding.That was the environment in which Daewoo was trying to establish its credentials. The first Daewoos were cheap enough, but based on an Opel from the early 1980s, they were a very dated design, and the build quality was generally below market expectations.The Lanos was one of the new generation of models to come from Daewoo. It was a fresh face for the company best known for its doggie ads, and started the move away from the original Opel-based model.By the mid-1990s Hyundai was setting the small car pace here with its innovative “drive away, no more to pay” pricing policy where it included the on-road costs in the price of the car instead of adding them on as was the general policy.It fundamentally changed the landscape in our most competitive market segment, making it tough for everyone trying to compete in the segment, and make a dollar at the same time.At the time Daewoo was still trying to make an impact on the market, so rather than compete with Hyundai by matching its drive-away pricing, it went a sizeable step further and offered free servicing for the entire warranty period.That meant that Daewoo buyers didn’t have to pay anything for the first three years or 100,000 km until the warranty expired.It was a huge incentive to try the relative newcomer, to take a risk on a brand that was yet to earn its stripes here.While Daewoo dealers appreciated the extra showroom traffic it created, they didn’t necessarily welcome the extra traffic it also created through their service departments. Daewoo customers, it seems, took the offer of free care literally, and headed off to their nearest dealer to have even minor things like failed light globes and punctured tyres repaired or replaced.The marketing men behind the ‘free care’ offer now say privately that they created a monster they’d never dare repeat.The Lanos was launched in the era of ‘free care’ so sales were brisk. It was an attractive small car with clean, smooth lines and available in a choice of four-door sedan, or three or five-door hatch.Power was provided by one of two single overhead camshaft four-cylinder engines, depending on the model.The SE models had a 1.5-litre version of the fuel-injected eight-valver which produced 63 kW at 5800 rpm with 130 Nm of torque, the SX models had a larger 1.6-litre engine which put out 78 kW at 6000 rpm along with 145 Nm.A five-speed manual transmission was standard, and there was also a four-speed auto available.Power steering was standard on all models, except initially on the SE three-door hatch, but that too got assisted steering from 2000.The SE three-door hatch was the entry model, but it still came quite well equipped with colour-coded bumpers, full wheel covers, cloth trim, split-fold rear seat, cup holders, remote release for the fuel filler cap, and four-speaker sound. The SE four-door sedan and five-door hatch also had central locking.For more there was the SX, available as a three-door hatch and sedan, which also boasted alloy wheels, CD player, power front windows, power mirrors, fog lights and a rear spoiler on top of what the SE had.Air-conditioning became standard across all models in 1998, which also saw the addition of the LE sedan and five-door hatch limited edition models based on the SE, but with power front windows, CD player, rear spoiler (hatch) and central locking (sedan).The Sport arrived in 1999. This was a three-door hatch based on the SX with the more powerful 1.6-litre engine, plus a sporty body kit, tachometer, upgraded sound, and a power antenna.Although dealers weren’t exactly enamoured with the free care because of the traffic it generated through their service departments when owners would come in to have the most minor things fixed, it meant that cars like the Lanos were better serviced than they might have been if owners had to pay for the servicing.The free care cover has expired for most cars now, and the earliest examples have now clocked up around 100,000 km, so anyone taking one on is gambling on their continued reliability when they will have to pay for servicing and any repairs that might be needed.Mechanically the Lanos stands up quite well, the engine is robust and doesn’t appear to give much trouble in service. The transmissions also appear quite reliable and give little trouble.While they seem basically sound the Lanos can be let down by the little things. The electrics can be a problem, they appear to have been put together on the cheap, and the chances of problems developing increase with time and mileage.Interior trim parts are another weakness, with breakages of cheap plastic parts a relatively regular occurrence.Barbara Barker probably would have bought a Hyundai Excel had it still been available when she was shopping for a small hatch in 2001, but she didn’t like the look of the Accent that had replaced the Excel. She liked the look of the Lanos and the way it drove, and free care offer, and bought that instead. It’s now done 95,000 km and the warranty has run out, so she’s now in the market for a new car, this time a larger hatch. She says it has good performance, is economical, and has generally been reliable. The exhaust has been replaced, it’s had the brakes replaced, and the idle stepper motor had to be replaced at the 90,000 km service.• attractive styling• well equipped with lots of standard features• zippy performance• reliable mechanics• jury still out on longevity• dodgy electrics• average build qualityApart from dodgy electrics and average build quality they’re generally pretty robust. Trade is reluctant to handle them, but low resale value makes them a cheap buy at the right price.

Daewoo 1.5i was already a dated design when it arrived on our shores in 1994. It was no wonder that it was the subject of some intense criticism from the motoring press who slammed its dodgy build quality and interior.The Daewoo started life as an Opel Kadett in the mid-1980s and at that time it was a well built and competent small car that was one of the most popular small cars in Europe, but something was lost in the Asian translation.MODEL WATCHDaewoo took over the Kadett design when Opel was finished with it. The German car maker had already replaced it with an all-new model before they palmed it off on the Koreans, so it was well and truly past its use-by date when it starting rolling off the ships at our wharves.It was no wonder it came in for some heavy criticism when it was up against up-to-the minute designs from rival companies, but with the help of a dog and some sharp pricing it quickly became a popular choice for buyers wanting a small car.For $14,000 you could drive away in a front-wheel drive three-door hatch that was quite roomy for a small car and had a 1.5-litre single overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission combination that gave it class-leading performance.The same car was also available with a three-speed auto trans and then cost $15,350.Standard equipment included a radio-cassette player with two speakers, but air-conditioning was an extra cost option.For just a little more you could have a more practical five-door hatch, and for those who wanted a boot and the extra security of a sedan there was a four-door available.The styling was bland, again not surprising given that it was originally penned back in the early 1980s and was competing against much more modern cars. The interior also came in for some criticism for its dull grey colouring and the fit and finish of the plastic trim components.On the road the Daewoo was praised for its handling which was safe and predictable, but criticised for its ride which was hard and harsh, particularly over broken road surfaces when it could become uncomfortable.Performance was punchy. With the Holden-built 1.5-litre fuel-injected four belting out 57 kW it was on the pace with its rivals, which were mostly powered by smaller capacity engines.Despite the criticisms the Daewoo was a popular choice for buyers wanting to get into the new car market, but couldn’t afford the heftier price tags of the cars with the better reputations. Not only was it a cheap and cheerful buy for people who simply wanted transportation and little else, it also became an alternative to a used car that came without the hassles that can be associated with a used car.IN THE SHOPReal estate agents shout position, position, position as the key when buying property. In the case of the Daewoo it’s condition, condition, condition.The Daewoo was promoted as a car that could be thrown away after a relatively short time on the road. It was never touted as a well-built car that would last and last, and retain its value over a long period.They were often bought by people who didn’t care what they were seen in, and didn’t treat their car with any care. They were the cars that were left parked in the street, in the hot sun, or under trees where they were exposed to tree sap and bird droppings that were never cleaned off before eating their way into the paint.Look for a car that appears to have been looked after and check for any service records that might exist.And take a ride with the owner to see how he or she drives, that way you will get a measure of how the car was treated while in their ownership.But the real issue with the Daewoo is the build quality, which was so variable some looked as thought they’d been through a dodgy crash repair even when they’d come straight from the factory. Look for poor panel fit with wildly varying gaps, uneven paint coverage and faded paint and exterior plastic parts like bumpers.Inside, expect rattles and creaks from the dash panel, they were common from new. Plastic trim parts are generally of low quality and prone to breakage or simply coming adrift. Door handles are particularly prone to breakage, and it’s not uncommon for the seat frames to break.Mechanically, however, the Daewoo is quite robust. The engine keeps going without giving much trouble and the gearboxes are also quite reliable. Check oil level and the quality of the oil to get an idea of when it was last changed, and look under the oil filler for any signs of sludge, which can mean trouble down the road.The bottom line is that the Daewoo was a throwaway car that delivered transport with few frills and little of the quality we’d come to expect of rival Japanese car makers, and even some of the other Korean companies. If you’re tempted by the low price, be careful and look around for the best car you can find.LOOK FOR:• uneven panel gaps and poor fitting panels.• low quality fit and finish of interior plastic components.• reasonably punchy performance• safe and secure handling but poor ride comfort.• broken body hardware and seat frames.

Daewoo is a dirty name in the local car business, unfairly perhaps. The company came in the wake of Hyundai, when Korean cars were cheap and cheerful, little more than disposable white goods, and it vanished just as quickly amid the meltdown of the Korean economy.The brand no longer exists here in its own right, but it remains on our roads in the form of the Holden Barina, Viva, Epica and Captiva. Daewoo makes them all in Korea.Ask anyone their opinion of Daewoo and they’ll probably laugh, but many of those same people are likely to be driving Holden-badged Daewoos without realizing it.MODEL WATCHDaewoo began making cars already superseded by Opel. Under license from the European carmaker they made versions of the Commodore, but it was Daewoo’s version of the Opel Kadett that first brought it to the attention of local car buyers.Although it was designed by Opel and looked like an Opel, the Korea-built Daewoo 1.5i wasn’t much like an Opel. It was plain and simple, and lacked much of the refinement of its European cousin.Here, it hit the market with a low, driveaway price that was mostly attractive to buyers who would otherwise have bought a used car. It wasn’t a bad deal if all you could afford was a rusty old clunker that was well past its prime.But like other Korean brands Daewoo wasn’t prepared to be cheap-and-cheerful forever, it had ambitions beyond the bottom end of the market, and subsequent models, like the Nubira, reflected these ambitions.The Nubira arrived in 1997 and was a huge improvement over the cars that went before it.It was a small car similar in size to a Corolla, Laser, 323 or Civic, and there were sedan, wagon and hatchback variants.It was pleasantly plump with generous curves and full proportions. Its looks were nothing to write home about, but equally there was nothing about it that offended the eye.Inside, it had room for four in comfort, but five could be squeezed in at a pinch.There was adequate head and leg room front and rear, the driver could find a comfortable driving position and had controls that were sensible, logically laid out and fell within reach, while the instruments were clear and easily read.Oddly for an Asian car the turn signals were mounted on the left of the column in the European style, a sign of the company’s Opel connections.The Nubira was a conventional front-wheel drive car. Initially it had a 1.6-litre double overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine that gave 78 kW and 145 Nm, but that was joined by a Holden-made 2.0-litre engine in 1998 and that delivered 98 kW and 185 Nm.Its performance with either engine was nothing startling, although the extra torque of the larger engine made it a more pleasant drive.Buyers could choose from a five-speed manual and a four-speed auto. Again they were adequate, although the manual gearshift was vague and sloppy.At the launch the range was limited to the SX sedan and wagon, but this expanded in 1998 when the SE and CDX joined in.The SX was quite well equipped for its class with standard cloth trim, CD player, central locking, power mirrors and windows, fog lamps.Air was added to the list in 1988, the same year the SE and CDX arrived.The SE boasted air, power front windows, CD player, cloth trim and central locking, while the range-topping CDX also featured alloy wheels, power windows front and rear, power mirrors and a rear spoiler.An update in 1999 brought the Series II, which included a driver’s airbag and an adjustable steering wheel.IN THE SHOPThe Nubira is generally robust and reliable, although perhaps not up to the class leaders like the Corolla, Mazda 323 and other Japanese models.Body squeaks and rattles are fairly common, and the plastic interior components are prone to cracking and breaking.It’s important to ask for a service record as many owners of these cars tended to ignore the need for servicing. Services could be completely ignored, or they could have been done on the cheap by backyarders to save a few bucks.Missing oil changes can lead to a build-up of sludge in the engine, which can result in premature wear in areas like the camshaft.It’s also important to change the cam-timing belt as recommended, as they are known to break, sometimes before the 90,000 km change point. If you can’t find evidence it has been changed, consider doing it as a precaution.Even though they’ve gone from the market parts are still available for Daewoo models. Many original Daewoo dealers are still taking care of them, and Holden was keen to make sure owners weren’t let down when they absorbed the brand into their portfolio.IN A CRASHAirbags are the number one safety feature to look for in a car, and the Nubira didn’t get one until 1999 when they were fitted with a driver’s airbag. This makes the post-1999 models the ones to choose, particularly if it’s going to be driven by a young driver.AT THE PUMPExpect to get 8-9 L/100 km, which is around the average for a car of this size.LOOK FOR• modest performance• good economy• service record• airbags after 1999• poor resaleTHE BOTTOM LINE• Solid, reliable, affordable, the Nubira’s not a bad buy if you’re not worried about the badge.RATING65/100