Dad's Cars 'Galloper·Gakgrandeur' Still Traded... Popular Old Car Models

[Asia Economy Reporter Changhwan Lee] Although discontinued long ago in the new car market, old cars that remain popular in the used car market have recently attracted attention.

Encar.com, the largest car trading platform in Korea, announced on the 20th that an analysis of used car listings on the Encar.com platform from January to October this year for domestic and imported cars produced in the 1980s and 1990s showed that the Hyundai Galloper was the most listed domestic car, while the Mercedes-Benz E-Class was the most listed imported car.

The prices of the listed old cars varied widely, ranging from as low as 1 million KRW to up to 100 million KRW for imported cars.

The Hyundai Galloper ranked first among the most listed domestic cars from the 80s and 90s. Produced from 1991 to 2003, the Galloper was loved as a genuine off-road SUV and was selected as the number one car consumers wished to see re-released in a survey conducted by Encar.com last May.

Due to its strong popularity and relatively easy availability of parts, the Galloper is also an indispensable model in the popular trend of restoring used cars, known as "Restore." Accordingly, Galloper restore listings can be easily found on used car platforms as well as online communities.

Following the Kia Pride, the Hyundai Grandeur ranked third among the most listed domestic old cars. The first-generation Grandeur, known as the "Gak Grandeur," was produced from 1986 to 1992 and was regarded as a symbol of wealth and a luxury sedan at the time. The SsangYong Korando ranked fourth, followed by the GM Daewoo Tico in fifth place.

For imported cars, the most listed model was the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, followed by the S-Class in second place. The Jeep Wrangler ranked third, the BMW 5 Series fourth, and the Mercedes-Benz SEL/SEC fifth. Some SEL/SEC listings included models as old as 1980.

An Encar.com representative explained, "Due to the nostalgia, sentiment, and rarity value of old cars, not only enthusiasts but also the general public's perception of old cars is changing, especially with the recent boom in used car trading."

They added, "Vehicles that have been well maintained despite their age or imported old car models that are hard to find domestically tend to increase in value over time with a premium. When purchasing an old used car, it is important to carefully check the vehicle's condition and consider future maintenance and tuning before making a decision."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.