Discussion of Stinger paint quality (Was - Paint Chip Issue)

Paint Chip Poll - Have you experienced unwarranted paint chipping with your Stinger

  • Yes - Yellow

    Votes: 37 7.9%
  • Yes - Blue

    Votes: 57 12.2%
  • Yes - Deep Chroma Blue

    Votes: 6 1.3%
  • Yes - Silky Silver

    Votes: 13 2.8%
  • Yes - Ceramic Silver

    Votes: 40 8.6%
  • Yes - Black

    Votes: 70 15.0%
  • Yes - Panthera Metal

    Votes: 18 3.9%
  • Yes - White

    Votes: 28 6.0%
  • Yes - Red

    Votes: 49 10.5%
  • No - Without permanent protective coating

    Votes: 113 24.2%
  • No - With permanent protective coating

    Votes: 36 7.7%

  • Total voters
    467
If worse comes to worst, and you love everything else about the car, just get the danged thing repainted in a custom color. I would choose what I wanted in the first place: that concept car orange.
 
I love my Stinger, I just hate being apprehensive about even driving it for fear of it getting worse. I have been proud to let people know about this car and the fact it's a Kia. I shouldn't have to be nervous about simply driving it. :(
 
If worse comes to worst, and you love everything else about the car, just get the danged thing repainted in a custom color. I would choose what I wanted in the first place: that concept car orange.
And apathetic consumers like you are why paint quality control has gone down the toilet. Let's try to have higher standards for a new car.
 
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Any comments on the Parts/Service guy? No idea why she reached out to him.
There's likely a chain of command - the final decisions could very well be made in Korea, but I expect there are a few levels between the person manning the phones and that layer of management.
 
And apathetic consumers like you are why paint quality control has gone down the toilet. Let's try to have higher standards for a new car.
Apathetic means someone doesn’t care. I think by the raw emotions expressed on this forum it more than proves that these people DO care. I don’t understand why such a, to be blunt, stupid comment would be made. Stinger owners are some of the most passionate you will find.
 
From interior to exterior to high performance - everything you need for your Stinger awaits you...
Apathetic means someone doesn’t care. I think by the raw emotions expressed on this forum it more than proves that these people DO care. I don’t understand why such a, to be blunt, stupid comment would be made. Stinger owners are some of the most passionate you will find.
Just to keep things in check please refrain from name calling etc, this is a friendly forum not designed for attacking each other.
The main point with this whole thread is it’s voicing the frustrations of every one who has paint issues. We all know it’s an issue so get together and do something about it. Frustration is very clear in this is the case so instead of venting here and at each other why not put your heads together and write a letter to Kia . The power of the many will out weigh the few if you do it right. Find a united voice, a good letter writer and put your signature to it.
We do all care so why don’t we work together and find a solution.
 
Just to keep things in check please refrain from name calling etc, this is a friendly forum not designed for attacking each other.
The main point with this whole thread is it’s voicing the frustrations of every one who has paint issues. We all know it’s an issue so get together and do something about it. Frustration is very clear in this is the case so instead of venting here and at each other why not put your heads together and write a letter to Kia . The power of the many will out weigh the few if you do it right. Find a united voice, a good letter writer and put your signature to it.
We do all care so why don’t we work together and find a solution.


Great idea.

+1 for AV8R being our letter writer. :)
 
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I believe the paint chipping is going to be a mess for Kia and a mess for everyone that owns the 2018 Stinger. I barely drive my black GT1 and it has quite a few chips. I got a great deal on my car and as much as I love it, I am seriously considering selling it if I can get close to even. My concern is that since I don’t drive it much, it will be years before my problem warrants a claim and i’m thinking Kia will tighten up what claims they will honor over time if habit then at all. Right now all Stingers have the issue so they have to honor severe paint claims or they risk not selling ANY Stingers. When the 2019 model comes out and they’ve fixed the issue, good luck getting a warranty claim approved. This is a universal issue regardless of color per the FB post attached. What happens if this goes public? What’s your car going to be worth then? Wish I never bought this car! Check out this FB post.
So that Facebook story has been popping up all over...it's copied and pasted from one guy in Australia, Brendan I believe. Not calling him a liar AT ALL, but he has been saying the hoods are aluminum while they are almost all steel. I'm sure he's just passing along info he was told but it seems to be wrong. "All" Stingers having this problem is only coming from this one guy...so it may not be true at all.

As for getting a warranty claim...I'm already one of the people who got a fix for this from Kia, at least for the parts that are showing chipping.
 
So that Facebook story has been popping up all over...it's copied and pasted from one guy in Australia, Brendan I believe. Not calling him a liar AT ALL, but he has been saying the hoods are aluminum while they are almost all steel. I'm sure he's just passing along info he was told but it seems to be wrong. "All" Stingers having this problem is only coming from this one guy...so it may not be true at all.

As for getting a warranty claim...I'm already one of the people who got a fix for this from Kia, at least for the parts that are showing chipping.
That’s great, I’m glad you were able to file a claim and get the issue taken care of....for now. I had paint correction and ceramic done and then drove the car two times around town and I have new chips. I’d say I have a problem. Keep in mind that the areas with your original paint are likely to keep chipping. Also, anytime a car is repainted, it tends to loose value. I’m hoping it works for you and they did such a good job there’s absolutely no way to tell it was repainted. Maybe you’re on a lease and don’t care. Wishing you nothing but the best with your car.
 
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From interior to exterior to high performance - everything you need for your Stinger awaits you...
That’s great, I’m glad you were able to file a claim and get the issue taken care of....for now. Keep in mind that the areas with the original paint are likely to keep chipping. Also, anytime a car is repainted, it tends to loose value. I’m hoping it works and they did such a good job there’s absolutely no way to tell it was repainted. Maybe you’re on a lease and don’t care.
Maybe it will and maybe it won't, time will tell but that's what a warranty is for. Situation definitely sucks but Kia is making it right. And who will know it was painted? lol Whether I trade it in in 5 years or sell it on cars.com I don't think that's going to matter.
 
A brand new car that has been fully repainted is a huge red flag on the resale market. There is really no point arguing that.
 
So I finished up with the dealer who were very cool; in no way did they try to say it was on me or anything. They had said they'd seen this issue before on some optimas. I asked what the fix was then, and he said 99% sure they're going to approve a respray.

Mine only has 1k miles on it, seems like a lot to have to get it resprayed so early. Now i'm like why not just have it resprayed at 10k mile or something.
 
So I finished up with the dealer who were very cool; in no way did they try to say it was on me or anything. They had said they'd seen this issue before on some optimas. I asked what the fix was then, and he said 99% sure they're going to approve a respray.

Mine only has 1k miles on it, seems like a lot to have to get it resprayed so early. Now i'm like why not just have it resprayed at 10k mile or something.
Well the hope of a respray is so the initial shoddy paint job is straight up replaced with a paint job done right, meaning no paint chips (or at least not as easily).
 
From interior to exterior to high performance - everything you need for your Stinger awaits you...
My dealer visit is next monday and i too am wondering if this should be done now or wait to see if more areas show up. My entire front end PPF so i am further concerned that i will have issues when it comes time to replace that...well AFTER the 3yr Paint warranty.

I for one am good with a respray and plan to keep car for 8-10 years either way. May just need to exercise more warranty right at the 3yr mark to give the best possible chance of long term paint!

i am glad to hear that Kia is taking the proper steps in making this right. So far the Customer Care Line has treated me correctly.
 
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Appointment done, the folks at my local Kia dealer were way nicer than I thought they would be (based on past experience, albeit with another dealer in the area). My service adviser was cool, she took the pics, took my case number and said that they'd call Kia and sort it.

Now the wait begins.
 
Well the hope of a respray is so the initial shoddy paint job is straight up replaced with a paint job done right, meaning no paint chips (or at least not as easily).
The only issue i see here is that no one can be for certain which panels have the shoddy work. If mine is only showing issues by the headlights, does that mean the rest of the car is good?? Hard for me to believe that one.
 
And apathetic consumers like you are why paint quality control has gone down the toilet. Let's try to have higher standards for a new car.
Paint quality has gone down the toilet because of the inherent perils of capitalism. Sometimes the consumer gets bitten by economic measures taken to increase profits. Over time, the capitalist system works to weed out the cons and economies that don't sell: survival of the fittest works. The consumer decides.

My "apathy" is pragmatism. I pulled the trigger, even bought out my lease, only to discover that there are paint issues with the Stinger, with Kia, for years. I suppose I could have researched this company and this car even further. But after reading about the Stinger and seeing them "in the flesh" and test driving, I decided to get one. I knew full well that a car priced to drastically undersell existing brands might reveal a darker side. But everything taken together indicated that Kia's designers, engineers and marketers had put together a wonderful car. Even more expensive brands have occasional paint issues, and worse. We like to think that paying this kind of money is itself some kind of guarantee against shoddy materials and workmanship. I am a bunny, not apathetic. If I have to repaint my car, that's too bad. But I will make lemonade out of lemons.
 
The only issue i see here is that no one can be for certain which panels have the shoddy work. If mine is only showing issues by the headlights, does that mean the rest of the car is good?? Hard for me to believe that one.
It could be: if the rubbing headlight assembly theory raised earlier in this thread is the cause of your headlight area chipping. That would indicate a less than tough paint job on the Stinger, but not necessarily an actively failing paint job anywhere else.
 
From interior to exterior to high performance - everything you need for your Stinger awaits you...
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