Daewoo Matiz 0.8 SE Review

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Daewoo Matiz 0.8 SE
3.7 stars
Average rating for this product is: 3.7 out of 5

From 3 ratings and 15 reviews

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zaphod987's Review of Daewoo Matiz 0.8 SE

19th Oct 2006

Overall Rating

1.5 stars
  • Value for money
    1.5 stars
  • Length of ownership
    5 years
  • Performance
    3.5 stars
  • Reliability
    1 stars
  • Year Manufactured
    2001
  • Doors
    5
  • Practicality
    2.5 stars
Good Points

Cheap to insure, cheap to fuel, and pretty good fun when thrown round corners with abandon.


Bad Points

Depreciates faster than wall street in 1929. Too small to carry anything useful.
Reliability - it never actually broke down, but every 6-9 months some new engine fault would develop. It would stall on overrun, cut out randomly, the interior alarm never worked after being warranty repaired, and assorted engine faults. Apparently my lack of mileage (5 to 10k / year) was causing the engine to carbon up, so said the garage as they fixed it again.


General Comments

My Daewoo Matiz 0.8 SE was good while the reliability lasted (2 years) and then it just started to irritate me more and more. Watch out for the blue windscreen strip also, it took me 6 months to realise that I was pulling my head down in a most unhealthy posture so I could see under it (me at a tall 5' 7").

Finally got fully fed up with the ever growing list of engine related niggles and got rid of it. At the end the fault list was:
The engine had a massive flat spot at the bottom which the garage couldn't find and tried to deny was there (Baylis & Strange in Gloucester).
It would stall if while coasting down you put your foot on the clutch (repeat fault).
The ABS light started to come on at about 50mph+.
A dent in the boot from where I pushed it shut on a large load of cargo (large for a Matiz).

Finally after 5 years I've had enough, I even left my prized MP3 stereo in the car to enable me to get rid of the heap of junk.

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Members' Comments onzaphod987's Review

  • Yogi Polar Bear on 15th Nov 2006

    My girlfriend drives this car and she loves it - she's had it for nearly two years and apart from an annoying squeak (dealer has no idea but it's only an occasional problem and doesn't seem to have an effect on the cars performance) coming from the engine she has had no problems - I am especially impressed with the car because even though I'm 6' 3" I can still easily fit behind the wheel - I was shocked but the the seats seem to be a lot more upright than standard cars (while still being comfy) and it has a very high roof - this leaves you with lots of leg room.

    I think you may have just been unlucky so I hope this review doesn't put too many people off - considering it's low purchase price, low insurance group and great fuel efficiency I think it's up there with the best city cars on the market.