Comments on: A very cold winter Sonata http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/28/a-very-cold-winter-sonata/ Korea... in Blog Format Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:57:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: SomeguyinKorea http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/28/a-very-cold-winter-sonata/#comment-57482 SomeguyinKorea Tue, 28 Nov 2006 05:33:49 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/28/a-very-cold-winter-sonata/#comment-57482 This is what caught my eye: "The 2.4 liter Sonata is priced between 2.09 and 2.68 million yen (W16.7 -21.4 million) tax included, cheaper than in Korea, where it costs W24.7-27.1 million." We are getting ripped off. No doubt about it. This is what caught my eye:

“The 2.4 liter Sonata is priced between 2.09 and 2.68 million yen (W16.7 -21.4 million) tax included, cheaper than in Korea, where it costs W24.7-27.1 million.”

We are getting ripped off. No doubt about it.

]]> By: Two Cents http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/28/a-very-cold-winter-sonata/#comment-57471 Two Cents Tue, 28 Nov 2006 04:24:24 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/28/a-very-cold-winter-sonata/#comment-57471 Darin, Hyundai has 50 dealers in Japan. That's approximately one per prefecture. I don't think it's the nubmer of dealers that's a problem. Mercedes has only 76, but you see tons of them on the road in Japan. Hyundai will have one heck of a time trying to sell their cars here in Japan, because the Japanese mainly buy foreign cars for their brand image, the extra prestige, and the sophisticated style that domestic brands just can't offer. That's why Lexus is fighting an uphill battle in Japan. If mileage or quality at affordable prices is what you are looking for, you basically stick with Japanese cars. Maybe Korean cars can catch up on the mileage or quality factor, but it just doesn't have that extra appeal that European cars do. Besides, I know of only one celebrity who was able to make a perceivable difference in car sales - Takuya Kimura with RAV4. Darin,
Hyundai has 50 dealers in Japan. That’s approximately one per prefecture. I don’t think it’s the nubmer of dealers that’s a problem. Mercedes has only 76, but you see tons of them on the road in Japan. Hyundai will have one heck of a time trying to sell their cars here in Japan, because the Japanese mainly buy foreign cars for their brand image, the extra prestige, and the sophisticated style that domestic brands just can’t offer. That’s why Lexus is fighting an uphill battle in Japan. If mileage or quality at affordable prices is what you are looking for, you basically stick with Japanese cars. Maybe Korean cars can catch up on the mileage or quality factor, but it just doesn’t have that extra appeal that European cars do.

Besides, I know of only one celebrity who was able to make a perceivable difference in car sales - Takuya Kimura with RAV4.

]]> By: Darin http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/28/a-very-cold-winter-sonata/#comment-57446 Darin Tue, 28 Nov 2006 00:11:33 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/28/a-very-cold-winter-sonata/#comment-57446 There's a major reason the article left out, has anyone ever seen a Hyundai dealer in Japan? Let's say a Yon-Sama fan wants a Sonata, she'll have a heck of a time finding one if she can't find a dealer. I personally saw one Hyundai dealer in Japan, and it was in Okinawa. The only time I ever saw a Hyundai on the road was also in Okinawa, but they were all rental cars. There’s a major reason the article left out, has anyone ever seen a Hyundai dealer in Japan? Let’s say a Yon-Sama fan wants a Sonata, she’ll have a heck of a time finding one if she can’t find a dealer.

I personally saw one Hyundai dealer in Japan, and it was in Okinawa. The only time I ever saw a Hyundai on the road was also in Okinawa, but they were all rental cars.

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