These days, my wife's car has been acting up, so I'm looking to buy a used car and have been checking Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist.

However, I also make it a habit to check the Radio Korea used car bulletin board.

This has been a habit of mine for over 10 years since I started living in the U.S.

Since I live in Burbank, the listings from LA's Koreatown are relatively close, and I hope that a decent car might pop up.

But when I look at the Radio Korea used car listings these days, one phrase comes to mind.

'Only one will get caught.'

While browsing U.S. used car sites, I occasionally come across listings that are in good condition and reasonably priced. Good deals pop up.

Usually, these are people who need to sell their existing vehicles quickly because they are moving or buying a new car.

Of course, there are also scam listings, but if you look carefully, there are definitely some so-called cool deals that are cheaper than the market price.

On the other hand, it seems strangely that while the cars on Radio Korea are old, their prices don't seem to age.

For example, let's say there's a 2008 Honda Civic with 270,000 miles on it.

At this point, the car has likely crossed the U.S. continent several times.

Yet the ad wording is always flashy.

'Engine in top condition, transmission in top condition, overall condition excellent, no problems at all.'

Price: $4,000. Hahaha, it just makes me laugh.

For a car that's nearly 20 years old, having a good start is treated like some special feature.

Honestly, for a car like this, even trading it in at a dealer would be hard to get a decent price.

Most places probably won't buy a car with over 270,000 miles.

Yet the idea is to sell a car that a dealer wouldn't even give $1,000 for to another Korean for $4,000.

I can guarantee that one of the easiest ways to waste money in the world is to buy such a car at the seller's asking price and trade it in at a dealer the next day.

What's even more astonishing is that these listings appear disproportionately in the Korean community.

When people first come to the U.S. and struggle with English or lack experience in car transactions, they look for Korean sites.

It's because they can conduct transactions in Korean and trust that they are dealing with fellow Koreans.

However, if that trust becomes an opportunity to charge high prices, isn't that just taking advantage of being fellow Koreans?

Isn't it too much among Koreans?

Of course, it's the seller's freedom to decide how much to sell for.

What do I care if they list a $1,000 car for $10,000? There's no legal issue, and this is perfectly fine in the U.S.

But whether that price is reasonable is a completely different matter.

These days, you can check market prices on KBB or Edmunds.

In such a world, if someone puts an outrageous price and waits for someone to buy it, it sounds like they are just looking for someone who doesn't know the market price.

It would be much better to honestly say, 'It's old, but it still runs well. I'm looking for someone to take it at a low price.'

And say, 'I'm open to negotiating the price.'

But when you attach the phrase 'top condition' to a car with 270,000 miles and demand $4,000, I can't tell if they are selling a car or just selling their hopes.

In fact, what's more bitter is that most people looking for these used cars are not financially well-off.

It seems like those who should understand the plight of those without money are instead targeting their pockets.

Of course, that's just how life is. Not everyone who is poor is ethical, and it's not a requirement to help fellow Koreans.

However, while it's not difficult to find reasonable cool deals on U.S. used car sites, it's just disheartening to see such outrageous prices in the Korean community.

I will continue to check the Radio Korea used car bulletin board. A habit of over 10 years isn't going anywhere.

But now, the fun lies more in observing the seller's confidence than in looking at the cars.

Let's not even think about passing off a car that a dealer wouldn't give a decent price for to another Korean at an inflated price.

Is the world that easy?

Only one will get caught?

That one is also living in America, where it's really hard to make money.