A day will come when I have two cars in my life.
As the title of the blog post suggests, I decided to add a manual Spark M400 while still owning my existing Sorento.
A romantic little tin can,
I’ve chosen the Chevrolet Spark M400.
A romantic little tin can,
I’ve chosen the Chevrolet Spark M400.
For car enthusiasts like me, owning multiple vehicles that suit different purposes is a dream.
I had been enjoying my Sorento MQ4, which features a 2.5 turbo gasoline engine, and while I was satisfied with its power, my daily commute of 25 miles made it a bit overwhelming.
As a student, I found the fuel costs and the size of the vehicle to be significant considerations. Although I enjoyed driving it, I realized it wasn’t the right car for my current situation.
Moreover, due to frequent business trips, I often found myself staying in budget motels, which added significant stress regarding parking.
The parking lot entrances were often narrow, and in many cases, the motel owner had to valet park due to limited space.
I tend to be quite protective of my car, so I never leave my keys with anyone else.
In fact, when I had to leave my keys with a motel parking service, I would explain my situation to the owner, assuring them I wouldn’t drink, and that I would move the car myself if needed.
In the past, I thought it was common sense not to take a car to places without secured parking, but due to my current living situation, that has become impractical.
So I ended up scratching my wheels.
Street parking in narrow alleys has resulted in numerous minor scratches, likely caused by pedestrians. While these could be polished out, the stress continued to build with each drive.
I tried to change my mindset, but since I’ve always valued taking care of my belongings, it proved to be quite challenging.
Furthermore, the Sorento holds significant meaning for me in many ways...
To alleviate all this stress, I concluded that purchasing another comfortable car would be the best solution. (Not an excuse.)
With work already causing me stress, I didn’t want to add more due to my car.
I set the following criteria for my search.
“It absolutely had to be a manual transmission.”
Since I was going to buy another car, I thought it would be great to add a manual vehicle that enhances the driving experience.
Additionally, I often felt that the automatic Morning JA I had driven before lacked power on inclines, which I attributed to the automatic transmission not downshifting properly.
Moreover, I enjoy one of my favorite YouTube channels, 'Station B,' which emphasizes the importance of defensive driving.
I believe that a good driver should be able to feel and analyze the driving dynamics of their vehicle and have full control over it.
Therefore, I admire and envy those who can drive large buses, trucks, manual vehicles, and rear-wheel-drive cars.
So, through this opportunity, I want to master driving a manual transmission vehicle.
Some might think I’m just making excuses to buy another car... but honestly, this factor wasn’t my main motivation when purchasing the Spark manual.
The color was vibrant, and it stood out beautifully. Plus, it had low mileage, and the Spark manual was rumored to offer a fantastic driving experience due to its engaging gear engagement.
Above all, I was in a very busy period, both physically and mentally exhausted, leaving me no time to think about a new car.
I struggled with insomnia lately, unable to sleep well, and questioned why I was working so hard.
The stress from my car compounded the frustration, which stemmed from my tendency to be overly protective of it.
This realization led me to conclude that it was time to seriously consider getting a second car.
I began looking at “compact cars” and vehicles priced under 3,000 USD.
I thought I had set a low budget, but I figured that if my budget increased, the vehicle’s condition would naturally improve.
The better the vehicle’s condition, the more it would feel like a new car, but I feared I would end up stressing over it again.
So I thought it might be more enjoyable to buy a car with some wear and tear and restore it.
Initially, I considered the manual Morning.
After looking at the Spark manual, I returned to the Morning for a simple reason: it offers affordable parts and repair manuals through Kia’s GSW system.
The Morning is categorized into three main models: SA, TA, and JA. The SA model is quite old, raising concerns about parts availability and safety.
The TA model had several decent listings within my budget, but the one I liked best was a van model that only seats two people. I excluded it due to practicality concerns.
The JA model, being the newest, had good safety features like airbags, and I had fond memories of it from my previous work, but its price was outrageous.
Although I found a few reasonably priced Morning JA manuals, I ended up missing all of them. They were also nearing 100,000 miles.
I joined the Spark community and saw some impressive modified versions, which looked fantastic.
As I mentioned earlier, the Spark manual is renowned for its fun driving experience, especially among enthusiasts in the community who rave about it.
People who have driven the Avante N and Veloster N also praised it and recommended it. I even found members who owned two Spark manuals.
Nevertheless, I thought that since it’s a three-cylinder gasoline car, purchasing one with low mileage would likely lead to fewer repairs. I wanted to seize this opportunity to experience a globally recognized brand like Chevrolet.
I wanted to see for myself what driving a Chevrolet is like so I could share my thoughts with others.
The Spark comes in several models: M300, M350, M400, and M450, and I focused on the M400 and above.
The M400 and higher models have decent features, including airbags, and I learned that the differences between M400 and lower models are significant.
Everyone says that a car has a predetermined owner. If it's destined to be my car, it will find its way to me somehow...
I believe this car was meant to be mine. It caught my eye like fate itself.
I decided to purchase the vehicle and went to check it out thoroughly over the weekend. The mileage was only 46,000 km (about 28,580 miles), so it didn't seem bad at all.
However, the exterior had quite a few scratches and dents, but most of them could be polished out. I had been wanting to learn DIY polishing, so I wasn't too worried.
Given the price, I felt it was reasonable to accept these imperfections.
Just in case, I printed a sign in a cautious font emphasizing that I'm a manual transmission beginner. Before starting my journey, I attached it to the rear and drove carefully to Ulsan.
Before heading home, I stopped by to brag about my new car to someone I wanted to share the news with first.
I also asked them to help ensure that I drive safely without any accidents... catching up on small talk that we hadn't had in a while...
I wanted to sprinkle some makgeolli (Korean rice wine) around the tires, but I couldn't stop by a nearby mart... what a shame.
They mentioned that it would be nice to perform a ritual at a place I frequently visit, so I plan to sprinkle some around the tires at work and offer a bow.
I drove a manual transmission for the first time in a while, and I made it to Ulsan without any major mistakes. I only messed up twice.
The first mistake happened shortly after departing when I forgot to shift out of neutral and ended up starting late...
The second mistake occurred when I started on a downhill and confidently released the clutch too quickly, which made for a fun ride.
Other than that, I drove without stalling the engine.
I was extremely worried about starting on an incline... especially with a Tesla Model Y right behind me, which added a hundredfold pressure.
Fortunately, I didn’t roll back significantly and made it up, but I need to practice more for steeper inclines...
The weather was nice, and many tuning cars and vehicles that clearly belong to car enthusiasts passed by... I hope they viewed me, a manual newbie, with kindness.
Now, I think I’ve joined the ranks of fun car owners.
I feel a bit disappointed with the color... both my Sorento and this one are gray.
It's a gunmetal gray, which doesn't show scratches well, but it feels too dull.
It would have been better if it were white or black.
The 5-speed manual transmission makes me worry about accidentally shifting into 6th gear, but it seems that such mistakes are not as easy to make as I thought.
Interestingly, the dashboard has a feature that indicates when to upshift.
I picked up the car on a Sunday, and since I had business trips on Monday and Tuesday, I didn't plan to drive it anyway.
I filled up the tank, but since it's a lower trim, it doesn't show the driving range or average fuel efficiency... I have to rely solely on the fuel gauge on the left side of the dashboard to determine when to refuel.
When the gauge dropped to about two bars, filling it up cost around 45,000 KRW (approximately $34 USD)... I plan to reset the trip meter and see how far I can drive.
If I can drive 500 km (about 310 miles) on a full tank, that would be fantastic...
Goodbye, Sorento! Two gray cars... not bad at all...ㅠㅠ
Now, I can seal the Sorento in a spot where I won't have to worry about door dings.
I really don't want to get door dings, regardless of the car's price.
Oh, I suddenly thought of something. When I signed up for insurance, I made sure to include liability coverage of up to 10 billion KRW (approximately $7,500 USD) and the minimum deductible for my own vehicle. I think it's better not to skimp on insurance premiums...
I didn't have any expectations for the options, but I was impressed by the ambient mood lighting that comes on.
It doesn't have navigation or a rear camera, but it does have Bluetooth? This is a bit of a hindrance...
I intended to work on a rear camera and Android all-in-one setup, but the basic Bluetooth function works so well that I'm worried it might be inconvenient to use Bluetooth.
Driving a manual transmission vehicle is still challenging, but I think I understand why people find driving a Spark manual enjoyable. The gear engagement feels quite satisfying, and the clutch feels smoother than that of a Porter.
However, since I'm still a novice driver, I tend to release the clutch too quickly out of excitement when I successfully start... and I often feel like I'm revving too much.
I hope to adapt a little more and improve.
I'm writing this on my phone while traveling on the KTX (Korea Train Express) the day after purchasing my car, and I plan to drive it carefully.
Above all, I feel like the previous owner took good care of the car...
I want to operate it cost-effectively without making significant financial investments in modifications or tuning... but I still want to cherish it and drive it beautifully.
Oh... but I think I should get tinting and a rear camera done soon...
The tint is too dark and has turned purple, making it seem like I forgot to turn on the lights in underground parking lots or tunnels. Plus, there are many areas where the tint has peeled off... it made my face really hot while driving.
The rear camera... is a bit inconvenient when parking in places without parking stoppers. I'm considering whether to install an Android all-in-one setup while giving up the existing Bluetooth or just add a monitor for the rear camera... I need to think about it.
There are quite a few signs of wear and tear, but if I take care of it gradually, I can improve those aspects...
I want to drive it cost-effectively, but obsessing over every little detail seems endless.
Before I picked it up, I thought it would be hard to feel attached to it, but the direct feeling of shifting gears and the overall setup is really appealing.
I think I understand why people stick to Chevrolets now... it feels like a brand that can win your heart.
Someone said they didn't like the yellow emblem, so as a gift, I received a black emblem...
I plan to replace it soon as well...
They mentioned that it would be nice to perform a ritual at a place I frequently visit, so I plan to sprinkle some around the tires at work and offer a bow.
Since this is primarily a commuting machine, I plan to bow to my ancestors in the school parking lot and sprinkle some makgeolli as well...
I wished for safe driving.
I don't yet feel like this is my car, but as time goes by, I will surely feel more attached.
This time, I hoped to drive it in its original state for a long time without any modifications... but it seems that might not happen as much as I expected.
I really love the car more than I anticipated.
If I can drive about 90 km (about 56 miles) on one bar of fuel, that's theoretically 700 km (about 435 miles) in total.
Let's see if that holds true...
Anyway! I'll keep updating my blog with the progress of beautifying it little by little.
That wraps up today's post. Thank you!