I am enjoying satisfying days after purchasing a Spark M400 manual vehicle.
When buying a used car, inspecting its condition is essential. Since the vehicle I bought was a private sale, it hadn’t gone through any reconditioning, and
If the vehicle's condition is poor, spending extra money on tuning can feel like a waste, so a basic inspection was a must.
I used to take my parents' Tucson for maintenance at a specific place, but I wanted to try a different shop for the Spark... While I was pondering where to go,
I discovered Gabi Auto Repair in Ulsan Dong-gu, which had gained a good reputation on DangX Market and also ran a blog.
They mentioned they do a good job with engine flushing, one of the pre-treatment tasks before changing the engine oil... Most importantly, since I run a blog myself, I felt more confident about a business that also blogs.
I was glad to hear they operate on weekends, so I stopped by briefly before heading to work.
On the way there, I encountered an uphill stretch.
At that moment, I felt terrified, recalling my early days as a manual transmission novice. As soon as I faced the hill, it felt daunting.
So, as I tried to shift from third gear to neutral to stop on the incline, the signal suddenly changed.
“Yes!!!” I exclaimed, foolishly attempting to push from a low speed to third gear... Ultimately, the Spark lacked the power and stalled.
The issue was that while the engine started, an unknown warning light illuminated, and the RPM remained at zero.
It was quite strange. The engine started, but the RPM was at zero?? Even now, I find it puzzling... At that moment, I thought I had broken the car just days after buying it.
Anyway, the engine started, and the clutch seemed to engage well... Since I only had about 0.6 miles left to the repair shop, I cautiously moved forward, but
I felt scared thinking it might have been an accident, with the RPM at zero... The engine kept stalling... Even now, I shudder at the thought.
Finally, I safely arrived at Gabi Auto Repair in Ulsan Dong-gu. The warning lights that had been on disappeared naturally when I turned off and restarted the engine, and the RPM returned to normal.
After explaining the situation to the owner of Gabi Auto Repair, he proceeded to check it using a scanner. Several warning codes appeared, but fortunately, all of them could be cleared.
After that, I drove the car for a long time, and since the same warning light didn’t come on again, I think it was a temporary issue... I’m a bit worried...
Just in case, I bought an Infocar to regularly check for warning codes.
I hope there are no issues as I wait with bated breath for the lift to rise... Meanwhile, the owner seems intrigued by my manual Spark.
Every time this happens, I feel a bit of pride in owning a manual Spark.
I felt touched when they placed a cloth over the front of the hood to prevent scratches...
I tend to be sensitive about scratches, so I think I pay attention to such details when looking for an auto repair shop. For instance, in the past, I had created numerous scratches on the interior plastic trim while changing the engine oil on my Sorento.
Overall, the inspection results were satisfactory! I had thought that when buying a used car, I would have to replace the engine oil, transmission oil, coolant, brake fluid, and brake pads without exception...
The owner of Gabi Auto Repair mentioned that the engine oil had likely been changed less than 3,000 kilometers ago...
It seemed the previous owner had taken good care of it. At that time, the accumulated mileage was around 29,000 miles, and I plan to start regular maintenance around the 31,000-mile mark.
Interestingly, my car makes a metallic noise when I turn on the air conditioning, and the previous owner said it was the sound of refrigerant being released.
Personally, I think it sounds like a lack of refrigerant... However, the air conditioning seems to blow cold air well... or maybe not...
The 2016 Next Spark uses a new refrigerant, so just adding refrigerant is expensive... The club mentioned that leaks often occur in the low-pressure line, so I should check it when I refill the refrigerant.
The owner mentioned that there were no visible leaks or seepage, and since the accumulated mileage isn't high, I think just maintaining the consumables will suffice.
When I reach 31,000 miles, I think I should replace the air conditioning gas, engine oil, and transmission oil. After that, I will manage only what is necessary gradually.
Of course, ideally, I would like to replace everything... but since I bought this vehicle for its cost-effectiveness as a commuter car, I don't want to spend too much money.
Honestly, I've heard that many repair shops recommend replacing most consumables when buying a used car, but the owner of Gabi Auto Repair seems trustworthy as he manages according to the situation.
He even performed basic maintenance for free, which was even better, and
I have decided that all future maintenance for my Chevrolet Spark M400 manual will take place at Gabi Auto Repair.
I recommend Gabi Auto Repair to anyone in need of automobile maintenance in Ulsan Dong-gu.
That wraps up today’s post. Thank you!
