Kia Stinger Forum - The Kia Stinger Owners Group

The thing about KIA is, they build really good cars but their service is patchy. A good KIA dealership provides good service. From customer surveys, it seems that, in the US at least, two-thirds to three-fourths of KIA customers are satisfied with KIA service experiences.

As far as being a good winter car, as long as your roads are cleared - not deep snow over c. 6" - the Stinger will eat them up in the winter. You just need the right tires which in N. Sweden I would expect to be full-on winter/snow tires. All-weather tires might cut it, you decide.

There are no Stinger engine heaters or any other than cabin climate control. You will have to provide your own aftermarket work arounds for severely cold conditions if your car is exposed too much when not running.

The Stinger was developed as a winter beast in N. Sweden. AWD is preferred to maximize driving safety. But even the RWD with standard ABS, traction and stability control will handle winter.

Here's an excerpt from their promo book chapter on the Stinger's development to handle winter driving.

"Set up back in 2005, Kia's Arjeplog test center covers hundreds of acres and includes a huge shallow lake that in winter freezes to more than 3 feet thick. With snow on top, it provides an obstacle-free surface for dynamic testing."

So, I think that KIA has done their homework on the Stinger's winter driving cred.

The chassis has no issues. The OE anti-sway bars are a tad soft, so that the stock rear suspension can cause "step out" unevenly when cornering hard - otherwise you'll never notice any handling quirks. You are not going to be cornering hard in winter, so that design "flaw" is moot.

Thank you for your thorough reply! Okay, I should be able to source an engine heater.

As for winter conditions otherwise, I understand it from your reply the car can handle ice and snow in terms of performance and also watched a number of youtube videos on kias in snow, but I'm still curious on the comfort side of things. From what I've gathered 18" is the smallest rim that will fit the stinger. Is it going to be (too??) harsh in winter conditions with this sporty suspension and relatively large wheels? I expect to drive through 6" or deeper snow every now and then, but more often because I want to be able to rather than have to.

Depends on the "kind" of snow of course. Light powder, which you get a lot of I think?, no problem pushing through more than 6" of that. Anything goopy you'll want clearance and four-wheel drive. Keep the Stinger home for less extreme days.

The suspension is fine. Yes it is sporty. But it isn't harsh in any sense of the word. Most winter wheels are 18" with a 225/45. Some on here have gone even narrower for winter tires. Just don't hoon. Ha hah.

I've driven my AWD GT for the past 8 years through East coast Canadian winters year round. Plenty of driving in snow, and in my opinion the car is terrific in winter weather. I always run good quality winter tires like blizzacks or Ice-X tires on 18" wheels which Im sure also play a big role. Ground clearance is your only enemy, but the AWD models are higher in the front which helps.

Chris Erickson said:

Let's talk about the elephant in the room. The Stinger is officially gone, and the mourning period is over. Now that the dust has settled, it's time to ask a question that might get me dragged in the replies.

Was the Stinger really a masterpiece of engineering, or were we all just completely shocked that a brand known for the Rio could build something that went fast and looked cool?

Let's start with the Shock Factor argument. Think back to when it launched. The automotive world collectively lost its mind. But why? If we're being brutally honest, a lot of the hype was heavily fueled by the badge.

If Mercedes, BMW, or Audi made the exact same car - with the exact same weight, the same interior plastics, and the same chassis dynamics - would critics have praised it as a revelation? Or would they have ripped it apart for being a little too heavy and having an interior that didn't quite match up to true luxury standards?

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If BMW, Mercedes, or Audi would have made the Stinger, it would have been about $20k more than the Stinger just for their respective badges...with the same plastics and dynamics.

It works both ways. Kia did something great; they, as a budget brand, made a GT liftback, and priced it the same as their badge. It might not have been that groundbreaking overall in terms of what the EuroGT cars were doing, but the Stinger being 95% of BMW/Audi/Mercedes comparables at 70% of their price, is/was notable. Not just that Kia did it, but did it at the price they did.

Chris Erickson said:

Let's face it. A massive chunk of the love was simply people saying, "Wow, I can't believe Kia built this". The car graded on a curve. When an established luxury brand builds a rear wheel drive sport sedan with a twin turbo V6, it's just another Tuesday. When Kia does it, it's headline news. Did the badge actually protect the car from harsher criticism?

How about the Undeniable Merits? But then you actually drive one. And here's where the haters and the badge snobs get quiet real fast.

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Aren't all cars graded on their respective curves though? Consider some things from an alternate point of view: If we are asking why does Kia get a "pass" on harsher criticism because they are a budget brand selling a GT liftback for the 1st time, then why does BMW/Audi/Mercedes get a pass for selling their GT liftbacks for tens of thousands more? If we want to argue fit and finish, then sure, they Euro GT makes do have some justification for being more expensive, but not that much more expensive.

In my opinion, BMW/Audi/Mercedes charge that much more because they can; badge snobbery if nothing else. That's fine. But I think it has to go both ways, If Kia shouldn't escape harsher criticism for fit/fishish vs. it's euro counterparts, then the aforementioned euro counterparts shouldn't be exempt from critics asking why their are paying so much more for just a badge.

Chris Erickson said:

You can't fake performance. That 3.3 liter V6 didn't just look good on paper - it pinned you back in your seat. And the design? They didn't just build a decent looking car. It was pretty damn impressive. Period.

It offered lots of cargo space thanks to the liftback design, it looked like a million bucks rolling down the highway, and it completely undercut the competition in price. You weren't just buying a budget version of a German car - you were buying a legitimate grand tourer that could eat up highway miles and handle twisty roads without breaking a sweat. It proved that a mainstream brand could punch way above its weight class.

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Exactly. When I was in the market for my Stinger, it checked a lot of boxes and overall might not have been the "best" in any criteria, but it did a lot of stuff well ahead of the competition. Price-wise vs. the Euro GT's? I've already beaten that horse dead. VS a Charger R/T? Better interior, quicker from a dig, handles better, and the hatch. Might not have the V8 sound or have the overall horsepower, and fit and finish is compariable, if not better for the Stinger. I also think it was a step above the closest Accura/Lexus/Infinity offerings in it's class for both price and performance.

Could I deal with a sunroof rattle and a bad dealership experience for all that? Sure--especially since I tend to avoid dealershps.

Chris Erickson said:

So where do we stand? Some critics say it'll be forgotten in ten years as a weird experiment that didn't stick. They argue the interior rattles and the legendary Kia dealership experience held it back from true greatness.

I say they're missing the point entirely. But I want to hear from the people actually driving these cars every day.

Are we guilty of giving the Stinger a free pass just because of the logo on the hood? If BMW released this exact car as a 4 Series, would the automotive world have been as impressed? Or did Kia genuinely build a legend that stands toe to toe with the absolute best from Germany, badge be damned?

Am I wrong? WHY?

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Honestly, I think if anything the Stinger might become a car like the Mitsubishi 3000GT (GTO)/Dodge Stealth.I think that it might end up being glossed over by some people but those who know, know it is/was a gem.

I did mention the rattles before that I think is negligible considering the price of the Stinger and what it is, especially with respect to how much a comparable, hypothetical BMW M4 would cost vs what the stinger cost (I would say 75k minimum for the same car with a BMW logo on it), but I do have to say that I take no one who judges any specific make/model/trim of car by the dealership experience seriously. I think it's disingenious for a few reasons.

For one, dealership experience can vary between dealerships. For two different quasi-indentical cars taken to different dealerships for maintenence (one competent and one not), the one taken to the incompetant dealership will seem worse, even though with competent service, it would have been just as good as the one taken to the competent dealership.

Another reason is not every driver of a given model of car uses dealerships for follow-on maintenence; some avoid dealerships unless they have no other choice. If they have good experiences maintaining their own cars, or having a trusted mechaninc maintain their car, do their voices get drowned out because of Dealer incompetence? Or, should an otherwise solid car's reputation suffer because a Karen or a Kevin is pissed that they aren't chauferred around town when they bring their vehicle in for a long-overdue oil change (hyperbole intended)?

Lastly, since the Stinger is no longer being made, the judgement hereon out will shift towards how robust/easy to fix/repair/maintain/build like all other cars which are no longer being made of any given platform. In 10 years, would anyone who would be buying a Stinger even care that back when the stinger was being produced that Kia didn't cater to the dealership experience? I didn't think so.

Overall I think the Stinger is a solid car that has a lot more going for it than against it, is overlooked by badge snobs, and even though isn't perfect, is groundbreaking for what it was: a GT liftback priced without paying for the badge. So, as a user here posted awhile back (I forgot who, but cred where credit is due to them), exactly what ChatGPT called it when it roasted it: A Kirkland version of an Audi A6.

I can't argue with that.

LordKOTL said:

A Kirkland version of an Audi A6.

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You guys nailed it with the Kirkland Audi comparison, and it's a great point about the value proposition. But let's dig into that. When people buy a Kirkland product, they're buying it because it's cheaper - not because it's the absolute pinnacle of luxury.

Does calling it a Kirkland Audi admit that it's a budget compromise? If you had the exact same money to spend, and the Stinger cost the exact same as an Audi A6, which key are you grabbing? Is it really the superior car, or just the better deal? I want to know if anyone here genuinely thinks it outclasses the Germans without the price discount acting as a crutch.

Snicklefritz said:

The car stands on its own merits. It is gorgeous, iconic even, as a GT high performance car.

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I don't disagree that it's gorgeous. Parked under the lights, it holds its own against anything. But iconic is, I dunno, a heavy word to throw around.

The Mustang is iconic. The 911 is iconic. Do you really think the Stinger will be remembered in the same breath in twenty years? Or is it just a really good looking footnote in Kia's history? What specifically makes the design iconic rather than just a massive leap forward that hit at the right time? Let's talk about what actually makes a car legendary.

BIG-D said:

...this is our 7th Brand NEW KIA and we have never had any unexpected problems with any of them...

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That's awesome that you've had such a rock solid experience with your 7th Kia. But you're clearly a loyalist!

For the average buyer who is used to Japanese or German reliability, does the Stinger hold up? A lot of people online love to claim that German cars fall apart after the warranty ends. Are we pretending the Stinger won't have expensive twin turbo V6 issues as it hits higher mileage? Or is the build quality actually good enough to outlast the competition in the long run?

I think it's a pretty cool car don't get me wrong. I'd been watching it the whole time it existed before it got canceled.

Chris Erickson said:

You guys nailed it with the Kirkland Audi comparison, and it's a great point about the value proposition.

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I had to comment, even after all the posts I read after this quote. This quote is it. No real debate past this. Same relative ingredients for less money. That's the answer. That's all there is to it. As I mentioned earlier, I totaled my 2018 GT2 Stinger in 2023 and looked high and low for anything that had dollar for dollar what the Stinger had for new. In 2023, there was nothing in my opinion. It will end up being a iconic...in the sense that it has/had it all for the price point in comparison. It's just "it"... period. End of story. That's all folks. So yes, that.

Amazing insights everyone! It's clear the passion for this platform runs deep.

ScottM said:

This quote is it. No real debate past this. Same relative ingredients for less money. That's the answer. That's all there is to it.

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You're doubling down on the Kirkland analogy, and honestly, that cost to performance ratio is impossible to argue against. When you look at it strictly as getting the exact same mechanical ingredients for thousands less, it's a win. It's the ultimate reality check for anyone who thinks you need to sport a German badge to have a fast car.

Snicklefritz said:

If it didn't have a hatch I would never have owned a Stinger.

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LordKOTL said:

But, as good at it is as a GT Liftback, the buying public would rather have CUVs or SUVs for some reason.

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You two hit on the tragic irony of the Stinger. It's the best car nobody bought because the entire world went crazy for CUVs. Without that liftback cargo space, it sounds like the car loses its magic formula. If you have to give up the hatch, you end up like @blnewt looking at a Genesis G70, which is a fantastic chassis, but it forces you into a traditional trunk.

777David said:

the one issue I’ve had was major (engine had to come out) but taken care of under warranty
It has opened my eyes to Kia as a brand. I would likely purchase another Kia in the future

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This is wild. Having a major engine out repair at 40,000 miles would make a lot of people run away from a brand forever. The fact that your dealership handled it so well that you're now looking at a Kia Carnival is a testament to how a good service experience changes everything. It really highlights @Alpinesting's point that fixing the dealership lottery is the biggest hurdle for the brand moving forward.

777David said:

What do I think the future view of the Stinger will be?
Neat niche cars for that generation.
The Stinger has such great style, I think it will be found attractive by future generations so it might be more desirable than those cars from a collector standpoint.

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That Mitsubishi 3000GT and Dodge Stealth comparison is spot on. Niche, high tech, and totally unique for their era. But do you guys really think the Stinger will become a true collector car? Future generations might love the style, but are they going to want to deal with aging electronics, complex modern tech, or that sunroof rattle when the cars are twenty years old? Or will the underdog status make people look past all that? Cars aren't as easy to maintain deep into their life like they used to be.

Oh, and @jinthadell, don't total your car to get that manual CT4-V Blackwing! Though that wife approved upgrade path sounds pretty sweet!

Since a lot of you are sitting around 34,000 to 60,000 miles and planning to drive them into the ground, what's the one part or issue that makes you nervous about the long term survival of these cars? Is it the mechanical stuff, or just the thought of dealing with the service department out of warranty?

I don't deal with the dealer while under warranty I sure won't be going there after I have owned this thing for 7yrs.

Dealers are hard work...

The look on their faces when I first turned up with Slotted rotors /Vertini wheels/ Carbon Fibre bonnet and Bootlid and the noise coming out my exhaust said it all they were not happy.

Yeh well... I'm sick of the strut clunking /the sunroof creaking and the hatch rattling constantly in Sport mode!

I just asked them nicely to take a look for me after 2yr's of ownership?

They offered to fix my sunroof no problem and would need the car for 5 days, but would not consider replacing my R/F Strut which they stated had an issue because I had Aftermarket swaybars and Eibach lowered springs.

Fair enough I suppose, but they tried to blame my suspension for the sunroof creak and the hatch rattle as well even though it is a well known issue.

Both I fixed myself thanks to this forum and youtube.

I have fixed so much myself because of this Forum and BMS and K8 StingerStore ❤

I honestly would never have even tuned this thing if I knew beforehand the oil that was going to leak out the exhaust once I changed dump pipes/ exh components and specifically the lack of why?

Or the freakin' drone these v6's are renowned for, or the crap that would build up on my intake valves even though i have dealt with these GDI engines for 15yr's now after fitting a maintenance free catch in the first week of ownership anyway.

But I digress, I have now purchased CPI and a JB4 to control that, so hopefully gunky valves will be a thing of the past?

Although I doubt it... but I will keep you posted when I remove the manifold again in 6 months for a look see.

And a real negative about this brand and I hate bringing it up, but the amount of surface area that never received paint really burns my piss !

Boot area / Underneath / NO gloss finish in engine bays...

Here is some food for thought, I looked at a Genesis last month before I bought my last range of mods for this thing.

Yeh nah not for that price and still no paint applied where I would expect it for this price and who knows how that is going to transpire with rust issues in 5 - 10yr's time?

Peace

Chris Erickson said:

Amazing insights everyone! It's clear the passion for this platform runs deep.


You're doubling down on the Kirkland analogy, and honestly, that cost to performance ratio is impossible to argue against. When you look at it strictly as getting the exact same mechanical ingredients for thousands less, it's a win. It's the ultimate reality check for anyone who thinks you need to sport a German badge to have a fast car.





You two hit on the tragic irony of the Stinger. It's the best car nobody bought because the entire world went crazy for CUVs. Without that liftback cargo space, it sounds like the car loses its magic formula. If you have to give up the hatch, you end up like @blnewt looking at a Genesis G70, which is a fantastic chassis, but it forces you into a traditional trunk.



This is wild. Having a major engine out repair at 40,000 miles would make a lot of people run away from a brand forever. The fact that your dealership handled it so well that you're now looking at a Kia Carnival is a testament to how a good service experience changes everything. It really highlights @Alpinesting's point that fixing the dealership lottery is the biggest hurdle for the brand moving forward.



That Mitsubishi 3000GT and Dodge Stealth comparison is spot on. Niche, high tech, and totally unique for their era. But do you guys really think the Stinger will become a true collector car? Future generations might love the style, but are they going to want to deal with aging electronics, complex modern tech, or that sunroof rattle when the cars are twenty years old? Or will the underdog status make people look past all that? Cars aren't as easy to maintain deep into their life like they used to be.

Oh, and @jinthadell, don't total your car to get that manual CT4-V Blackwing! Though that wife approved upgrade path sounds pretty sweet!

Since a lot of you are sitting around 34,000 to 60,000 miles and planning to drive them into the ground, what's the one part or issue that makes you nervous about the long term survival of these cars? Is it the mechanical stuff, or just the thought of dealing with the service department out of warranty?

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I wouldn’t worry about long term survival, just get an aftermarket warranty. They usually cover everything but basic maintenance. I’ve just hit 156k miles and I’m just getting into the high mileage stuff. Just swapped valve cover gaskets and it wasn’t as bad as you would think. Had to get a little creative on getting a few bolts out, but definitely manageable in your garage. It’s just a lot to remove to get to them and getting them out. High pressure fuel pump has to come out. But overall doable. Difficulty level maybe 3 out of 10. Up next is downstream O2 sensors. IMHO this car isn’t that hard to work on. I mean I’m not digging into internals should shit go south. That’s what my aftermarket warranty is for. But unless it’s a paid recall or absolutely necessary, no one touches my car.

Chris Erickson said:

Since a lot of you are sitting around 34,000 to 60,000 miles and planning to drive them into the ground, what's the one part or issue that makes you nervous about the long term survival of these cars? Is it the mechanical stuff, or just the thought of dealing with the service department out of warranty?

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I am at 35K with the Premium and 83K with the GT1. Since I am a careful driver I expect my struts and shocks to last longer than most. Not looking forward to the GT1 ECS shocks. The Premium will likely never need either struts or shocks because of low miles and my age, ha hah.

Right now we have a mechanic who is tops for non warranty work. He put in the Brembos on the Premium and has worked on the GT1 for some minor stuff. I will trust him with anything that goes wrong electronically, which is my biggest worry. So far, no trouble.

There is the obsolete electronics issue. Ten years old the car may start to have issues with compatibility and modern tech. That is a concern, but future, so, again given my age, I am borrowing trouble to spend any time pondering the possible eventualities.

If I am still around in 2028 - likely - and my GT1 is ten years old and out of warranty, everything will be a hopefully slowly increasing battle to keep the car viable. Maybe there will be work arounds for older cars whose computer tech is now OLD. We can't tell how much "the powers that be" will support older car maintenance or sabotage it through legislation/prohibition, etc.

If I have to I'll give up tech to keep the car running as a performance car that is a luxury ride. Has anyone looked into the feasibility of "gutting" the computer interface, simplifying the electronics, and reducing the Stinger to an "old school" ride? Would it be possible, for instance, to ditch the computers altogether and just rig power windows, brakes, steering, and bare bones drivetrain controls? Maybe that wouldn't even be allowed modification to be street legal. I have no idea. Even if it was the modification would probably be prohibitively expensive.

I got mine at 36k km two years ago, traded a 2019 Golf R manual for it. I loved the Golf (still do) but the manual meant my wife couldn't use it if I took her car to work, and she doesn't care to learn so after a few times of having to run home to swap cars when something came up I started looking for something fun and auto. Could've just gotten a DSG Golf but where I live pretty much all the roads are flat and long, and I decided to prioritize comfort and cruising over tossability this time around.

I'll be honest I was strongly considering a C43 or M340 before the Stinger/G70 even hit my radar, but when I stumbled across the Stinger listings I knew I had to include it in my road tests. The M340 felt quicker, and the C43 was nicer inside (I've never been a fan of modern BMW interiors) but the Stinger just felt like a really nice place to be. Creaks? Yeah, one day I'll get around to working on the sunroof but I've never had a sound from my hatch unless I hit a really big, sharp bump and at that point I've been in enough German luxury cars for work to know that they also make noise after some mileage on the odometer.

I was also pretty heavily skewed by the fact I'm a mechanic by trade. I knew going in that fixing any of those options would be labor intensive, but I find Hyundai/Kia engines to be for friendlier to work on and I've seen enough BMW inline 6s torn apart to last me a lifetime. That's also why no Cadillacs were even in contention since I hate, **hate** the GM V6's. No actual idea on the turbo engines but the plain NA ones are just... Not great.

I'm not naive enough to think the Stinger is going to be a full-on future collectible, but I do think they are and will be rare enough to feel special on the road when you come across one.

I very much enjoy my Stinger, at 56k km I haven't had any problems with it. I'm not big into tuning since it's plenty quick enough to get my risk-averse ass into trouble but I do get a smile from having blow off valves. If I had to replace it today I'd probably look for a 2023 Tribute, or possibly a G80 3.5T. runner up would be an IS500/LC500 but given we have 8 months of winter and lots of snow/ice on the roads I would prefer the G80 for AWD. EVs aren't ideal yet considering the average round trip highway drive to visit another city here is 400+ km and there's one town with a charging station between destinations.

Not here...

Dump pipes incoming...

And a HUGE thanks to the Man the Myth the Legend, Sal for my Alcantara Wheel... this thing is mint and it's going on this arvo !!

With all the Carbon bits and now this wheel I have actually created what you guys call the GTS over there.

It was called the Carbon Edition over here only in Federation Orange and it was $70k 4 yr's ago, they released it coinciding with KIA's Sponsorship of tennis at the time...

nice i have a GTS

I have lost the heating function for the wheel but I really don't need it here in QLD Australia lol

Plus I might be able to use that switch to activate something else now

Cannot wait to get all my Horsepower and Torque back that I had last year, not going to bed tonight until it's all done... I might even do a cold start vid for you legends

That made me snort out loud! Thanks for the smile!

DonM said:

For a short time, my Stinger will have to sit outside. Today we're supposed to possibly have a hail storm so it's out there with heavy blankets held on with straps under the car. It got me thinking that maybe I should invest in a car cover for times like this. While researching I also came across this Polaris Ranger accessories page which had some useful protection ideas for outdoor vehicles. My thinking is I could put a heavy set of blankets on the car and then throw the cover over and it would hold the blankets down and protect the sides, etc. I shopped online and only found lots of options. I was wondering if anyone here had found a really nice cover under $500?

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Your blanket-and-cover combo idea is actually smart. Your blanket-and-cover combo idea is actually smart. For a dedicated hail solution, look at the Hail Protector system, which inflates around the car and is built specifically for this. For a quality cover to hold everything down, Covercraft WeatherShield HP is the best under $500 and doubles as a great all-weather cover too.

Mine cost $351

BIG-D said:

Mine cost $351

View attachment 93430

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What brand is that? Got a link?

NS_Stinger said:

What brand is that? Got a link?

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Was an Australian company and thru bookface mate, sorry I can't remember off the top of my head.
I did post all the info somewhere on here but got hammered by a troll over it not having a provision for the aerial so I deleted it.

Thanks Daniel - is there any data on the spring rates? Which is considered "sportier"?

turboAWD said:

Thanks Daniel - is there any data on the spring rates? Which is considered "sportier"?

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I dont have any of that data available. I personally would go with the H&R because of the lower drop. I dont feel like an inch is significant enough because of how bad the factory wheel gap is. A lower center of gravity will always feel much sportier as well.

Question is this for the RWD or AWD?

mhal8876 said:

Question is this for the RWD or AWD?

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These lowering springs fit all Stinger models. Please keep in mind this is not the RWD specific springs as those are not offered to vendors here in the United States yet.

Daniel @ K8 Stinger Store said:

Hey Guys,

If you were looking for a great lowering spring for your Base or GT at an insane deal, our End of the Year SALE is right around the corner. The H&R lowering springs get rid of the factory wheel gap and stiffen up the Stinger's relaxed suspension. Lowering springs are a great way to change the look of your vehicle without breaking the bank. Your car will instantly look more sporty, aggressive, and expensive. If you have any questions at all about the H&R lowering springs please reach out and I can help answer those with you.

Hope you had a great holiday,
Daniel​

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How about a “Build back Broke” sale here for 2022! We’re having to stretch our $$$ a lot further theses days.

How is this installed

Jason Laliberte said:

How is this installed

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The install for this is pretty straight forward and quick you can tap into the ambient lights or to the door lights. We recommend professional installation with this if you are unsure on the installation process as it does not come with installation instructions.

The Scorpion did not get released until June 1 so only six months how many are there out there?

I am a new member too and also have a 2022 Stinger GT2 Scorpion. Mine is AWD with Ceramic Silver paint. I bought it new in 2021 and currently have 38,195 miles on it. I've been trying to nail down exactly how many Scorpions were made with some difficulty since it's an appearance package and not tied to the VIN. Long story short and with help from AI, the best guesstimate is only 250 were made due to poor sales at the time. The leftover parts were used to make the 2023 Tribute Edition. 125 Scorpions made it to the US and 125 to Canada. Of The 125 to the US, 60-65 were AWD. If anyone has anymore detailed information or stats, I'd love to know it and the source.

AI consistently says that the total was revised down to 250 Scorpions total for the year, and as you say half went to Canada. All were AWD to Canada. Half of the 250 were Ceramic Silver. The other half was split between Black and White. Alcantara interior to Canada, Nappa to US, red and black split 50/50 in each color. So, if you have a red interior white or black exterior, you have one of c. 17 vehicles total made. Pretty rare beast!

But the "source" is a post by an unverified account, so, take it for what it's worth.

I tried to purchase a Tribute back in 2022 the day i ordered my current GT2
I wanted Build No 351, but firstly that wasn't a RHD build and secondly not 1 ever came to OZ, people who put deposits down had them refunded fairly quickly!

Enjoy what you guys have got over there..

GareBear said:

I am a new member too and also have a 2022 Stinger GT2 Scorpion. Mine is AWD with Ceramic Silver paint. I bought it new in 2021 and currently have 38,195 miles on it. I've been trying to nail down exactly how many Scorpions were made with some difficulty since it's an appearance package and not tied to the VIN. Long story short and with help from AI, the best guesstimate is only 250 were made due to poor sales at the time. The leftover parts were used to make the 2023 Tribute Edition. 125 Scorpions made it to the US and 125 to Canada. Of The 125 to the US, 60-65 were AWD. If anyone has anymore detailed information or stats, I'd love to know it and the source.

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Welcome aboard!

Snicklefritz said:

AI consistently says that the total was revised down to 250 Scorpions total for the year, and as you say half went to Canada. All were AWD to Canada. Half of the 250 were Ceramic Silver. The other half was split between Black and White. Alcantara interior to Canada, Nappa to US, red and black split 50/50 in each color. So, if you have a red interior white or black exterior, you have one of c. 17 vehicles total made. Pretty rare beast!

But the "source" is a post by an unverified account, so, take it for what it's worth.

https://stingerforum.org/threads/number-of-kia-stinger-scorpion-edition.28990/

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Topics merged...

I think you probably need a spare ECU, due to it not necessarily being able to flash the VIN / CAL ID? Although not sure if they can detect even that? Where are you planning to buy the EK1 from? No one will ship to CA that I can see..

Have you considered / tried a jb4? Much easier to remove, and at least half the benefits of an ECU tune, IMHO.

I'm coming up on my first smog in about a year (bought car late in the '19 model run) - will need to undo intakes. I'm trying to remember if I need to replace the OEM intercooler? Pretty sure they won't care about my transmission cooler. Also intakes (going back to stock, may stay there).

turboAWD said:

I think you probably need a spare ECU, due to it not necessarily being able to flash the VIN / CAL ID? Although not sure if they can detect even that? Where are you planning to buy the EK1 from? No one will ship to CA that I can see..

Have you considered / tried a jb4? Much easier to remove, and at least half the benefits of an ECU tune, IMHO.

I'm coming up on my first smog in about a year (bought car late in the '19 model run) - will need to undo intakes. I'm trying to remember if I need to replace the OEM intercooler? Pretty sure they won't care about my transmission cooler. Also intakes (going back to stock, may stay there).

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I have family in Oregon that can buy then ship it to me, but was just wondering how it would work with different ECU. Could it just work plug and play? Or does mileage or VIN have to match vehicle for it to work?

Also I already have JB4, I’ve had it since I got the car about 5 years ago and haven’t had any complaints. Just looking for a little more.

xRagee23 said:

I have family in Oregon that can buy then ship it to me, but was just wondering how it would work with different ECU. Could it just work plug and play? Or does mileage or VIN have to match vehicle for it to work?

Also I already have JB4, I’ve had it since I got the car about 5 years ago and haven’t had any complaints. Just looking for a little more.

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Ah, ok.. I've tried to find out, but with the car this close to smog every 2 years, etc, I'm happy with jb4 / E30. This is my "less mods" car, compared to the '05 Legacy GT where I had a stuffed turbo, gutted the UP, one DP cat, valve body (no TCU), etc, etc.. Took several hours to swap for smog and was always a pain. I'm getting older and have less time..

There is so little information out there about all of this and whole bef process. I'll try to help with whatever information I have available to share.

When you get a flash tune for ek1 you are also provided the oem ecu flash tune file. The smog will care more about having your oem primary cats on and no CEL being active. Worst case might need your oem secondaries back on temporarily. Really shouldn't have to reflash stock ecu but you do have that option if needed. Also I would think running a burble tune might negatively affect the results but I am not 100% sure about this. That's why it's good idea IMO to have the oem file, your tune with no burbles and maybe a mild burble tune if you want that.

There has been some changes happening also to the whole bef process where ek1 wants to basically be the online store for all the bef tunes out there. You no longer go to the tuner to get the tune. Honestly not a fan of it as it further just complicates things having to use ek1 currency system to buy a tune.

Right now at least with KJT there are owners having issues with the flashing process where the car can lock up and you will have to reflash the stock ecu. Some owners i know also were having bad timing corrections happening. It's being looked into so for now I would just stay with jb4 alone. No idea about bms or sleepytuned tune files. My tune is perfectly fine as it's from before all these changes. Remains to be seen what will happen. Really would like them to abandon this whole idea. If it aint broke don't fix it is my motto.

Some information below:

Wow, that's even worse (bricking cars). There has been a question in CA about them also checking VIN number and CRC/checksum code, which would fail if you have an aftermarket flash.

I guess they ended up finding out that it was user error but haven't posted any updates yet. Oh well. I did talk to a owner who was doing back to back revisions and that ended up locking his ecu. Like doing at least 6 flashes one after another. Not something I would do lol. Also always need to use a battery tender no matter what.

Well anyways, I would go to a smog place you know and trust

BY2EX....(good)BY(E) to EX

HDTurbo said:

BY2EX....(good)BY(E) to EX

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Excellent. It cannot mean anything else.

I think the two tanks in the Mustang are nitrous tanks.

Snicklefritz said:

Excellent. It cannot mean anything else.

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At least we usually get the cars.

The funny aspect is the vehicle mismatch with the plate message. Should be on something stealthy, not a grocery getter. Hah.

Plates are cryptic rather than actually funny. But the situation was amusing, having two white on black personalized plates both on pickup trucks in the same frame.
Pic is kind of small, they say W0LVES6 and EAG0RD0 ?