Best things come in small packages... (Daewoo Matiz SE+ A/C 5-door)

Member Name: okonski

Product:	Daewoo Matiz SE+ A/C 5-door
Date:	28/04/03 (437 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Reliabiliy, Size, Economy

Disadvantages: Price drop on 2000 models

With the car now entering its fourth year, I thought it might be useful to outline how this delightful model has performed and servrd the family in the last 50 months. It was purchased prior to the spectacular demise of Daewoo (now reborn as GM Daewoo). The reason for purchasing was simply to have a town runabout that was easy to park, and avoid the wide-boy antics of car salesmanship usually found in the retail chain. (At that time Daewoo's sales team were salaried and did not get commission in forcing you to take models you didn't really want). In the end, we purchased the top of the range Mark 1 version of the Matiz (this has bumper mounted inticators, unlike the Mk 2 which has stand-alone circular indicators and modificatinos to the body styling). Additional options included ABS (a safety MUST) and for pleasure, air conditioning.

In the last four years, only one minor problem was discovered. The passenger footwell was constantly wet - and this was eventually traced to the air conditioning evaporation drain tube not being connected. Once this was done, all was well. Servicing was provided free under the puchase contract for the first 3 years, and subsequently every 12 months. The 789cc engine is responsive and economc, returning on average 55mpg. The only time the car appears under powered is when it is filled with 4 adults, but even then, they still admire the comfort of the ride.

The downside? Only one. After it was purchased Daewoo dropped the list prices by £1000 across the range to address market conditions, which instanlty affected the resale value of the vehicle. However anyone buying now will not be affected in this way. There have been press reports that there can be extensive delays in receiving spare parts from Daewoo, and this may have been related to the GM changeover - however I've never needed any, the bodywork is still pristine with no signs of rust.

If you have any doubts, I can vouch for the ease of d
riving and versatility (the rear seats fold to give you almost the same space as a Volvo estate!). GM Daewoo indicate that a new Matiz is being prepared for June 2004 - until then, I like the reliability and economy, and the ability to park almost anywhere. It may not be a 'Smart' car, but at least it can carry 4 people!

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