Alberta Stingers Check In

[Soca Boy]

Took me like 15 minutes my first time while taking my time. Super easy!

Yeah it didn’t look too bad from what seen, busy with work so hopefully next weekend I’ll have it done.

 

[Tharhino]

YOHB!!

 

[Tips]

Hello, I stumbled upon this form in my car shopping, and since I live in Edmonton I felt it might be a good place to post this question, however if its better suited elsewhere, sorry in advance.

Quickly: I have been searching for a unique, fun to drive, yet practical car for years. While in a perfect world I would be after a sport wagon (however, this being North America, good luck with that), when I first heard about the Stinger, my interest was high. All wheel drive? A liftgate hatch? 365hp? This requires a deeper dive.

Where I can now entertain a purchase like this, I finally test drove one recently to appease my curiosity, and actually liked it more then I thought. However, the deeper dive I took, the more conflicted I got. I've never been a muscle/performance-car guy, and reading about $2k windshield replacements, customizing, fitment issues with winter tire/rims, and some people just parking their cars for the the winter is not something I have in mind for my next car. While on the other hand, it does seem to check a lot of boxes for me, and auto journalists seem to love it.

While this may not be the place to get an unbiased answer, I was wondering what actual Stinger owners from this crazy Alberta climate of ours think. I'm looking for a car that does it all. This would be my only vehicle, so daily driving it in all conditions all year around is a must, also being able to handle routine commutes though the heart of the city, soak up potholes, swallow up large hockey bags and sticks, survive the payload from a Costco or Ikea visit, head to the mountains for a ski or camping trip, and maybe even handle a child passenger or 2, all in -40c ice and snow to +40c heat, while putting a smile on my face.

Thoughts? Would a Stinger work for me? Or should I just go get a Allroad, or (barf) another SUV...

(full disclosure, my wife recently bought a new SUV, so one is available, but I don't want my car to be relegated to "fun car only" status, it needs to be practical too.)

Thanks in advance.

 

[Revvdmedia]

Hello, I stumbled upon this form in my car shopping, and since I live in Edmonton I felt it might be a good place to post this question, however if its better suited elsewhere, sorry in advance.

Quickly: I have been searching for a unique, fun to drive, yet practical car for years. While in a perfect world I would be after a sport wagon (however, this being North America, good luck with that), when I first heard about the Stinger, my interest was high. All wheel drive? A liftgate hatch? 365hp? This requires a deeper dive.

Where I can now entertain a purchase like this, I finally test drove one recently to appease my curiosity, and actually liked it more then I thought. However, the deeper dive I took, the more conflicted I got. I've never been a muscle/performance-car guy, and reading about $2k windshield replacements, customizing, fitment issues with winter tire/rims, and some people just parking their cars for the the winter is not something I have in mind for my next car. While on the other hand, it does seem to check a lot of boxes for me, and auto journalists seem to love it.

While this may not be the place to get an unbiased answer, I was wondering what actual Stinger owners from this crazy Alberta climate of ours think. I'm looking for a car that does it all. This would be my only vehicle, so daily driving it in all conditions all year around is a must, also being able to handle routine commutes though the heart of the city, soak up potholes, swallow up large hockey bags and sticks, survive the payload from a Costco or Ikea visit, head to the mountains for a ski or camping trip, and maybe even handle a child passenger or 2, all in -40c ice and snow to +40c heat, while putting a smile on my face.

Thoughts? Would a Stinger work for me? Or should I just go get a Allroad, or (barf) another SUV...

(full disclosure, my wife recently bought a new SUV, so one is available, but I don't want my car to be relegated to "fun car only" status, it needs to be practical too.)

Thanks in advance.

The Stinger is absolutely a jack of all trades, master of none. For the same money, you can have better performance (Mustang) but lesser quality. Or you can have better build, like Audi A5, but slower. The list like this goes on. The Stinger is enjoyable to drive, fast "enough," handles winter well enough, is big enough with the hatch, has enough features, has a decent build quality but not stellar. It also has a long enough warranty. My honest opinion is carry no expectation that it will be perfect because it's quite likely it will have flaws, but it's pretty darn good for what you spend. Definitely test drive some other things though so you don't wonder what could have been.

 

[SteveCo]

While this may not be the place to get an unbiased answer, I was wondering what actual Stinger owners from this crazy Alberta climate of ours think.

A valid question - from one who pondered many of the same questions.

Yes, you are preaching to the choir here, but it will certainly do all of those things you are looking for, and do them extremely well.

As for your stated concerns:

1). 2K windshields look to be a thing of the past. They were single source (from KIA) at the start due to the model being brand new. While it's never going to be the cost of a plain glass econobox windshield due to the included technology, it's now at least comparable to other similar makes.
2). Customizing is not a requirement. Some people do it to any vehicle because they enjoy it, but it's an excellent car 'out of the box' - nothing that I feel needs to be upgraded.
3). Wheel/tire fitment - again an issue at the beginning while people and dealers sorted out what would wrap around those big Brembo brakes. All pretty standard stuff now, and lots of good information (and pictures) on what people like on this forum.
4). Parking for the winter - was never an option for me. Best winter vehicle I've ever experienced. After years of having a 'nice' summer car that I parked for the winter, I bought this one as a year rounder - and it's filled that role brilliantly.

Good luck - it sounds like this car is right up your alley ...

 

[Bauser]

Hello, I stumbled upon this form in my car shopping, and since I live in Edmonton I felt it might be a good place to post this question, however if its better suited elsewhere, sorry in advance.

Quickly: I have been searching for a unique, fun to drive, yet practical car for years. While in a perfect world I would be after a sport wagon (however, this being North America, good luck with that), when I first heard about the Stinger, my interest was high. All wheel drive? A liftgate hatch? 365hp? This requires a deeper dive.

Where I can now entertain a purchase like this, I finally test drove one recently to appease my curiosity, and actually liked it more then I thought. However, the deeper dive I took, the more conflicted I got. I've never been a muscle/performance-car guy, and reading about $2k windshield replacements, customizing, fitment issues with winter tire/rims, and some people just parking their cars for the the winter is not something I have in mind for my next car. While on the other hand, it does seem to check a lot of boxes for me, and auto journalists seem to love it.

While this may not be the place to get an unbiased answer, I was wondering what actual Stinger owners from this crazy Alberta climate of ours think. I'm looking for a car that does it all. This would be my only vehicle, so daily driving it in all conditions all year around is a must, also being able to handle routine commutes though the heart of the city, soak up potholes, swallow up large hockey bags and sticks, survive the payload from a Costco or Ikea visit, head to the mountains for a ski or camping trip, and maybe even handle a child passenger or 2, all in -40c ice and snow to +40c heat, while putting a smile on my face.

Thoughts? Would a Stinger work for me? Or should I just go get a Allroad, or (barf) another SUV...

(full disclosure, my wife recently bought a new SUV, so one is available, but I don't want my car to be relegated to "fun car only" status, it needs to be practical too.)

Thanks in advance.

Hey Tips,

Like everything there are compromises to make with a sporty car. I was in the exact same boat as you, I wanted a one size fits all vehicle for myself and I really feel like I found it in the Stinger.

Will it fit everything from an Ikea visit? Probably not. There is a lot of cargo space with the seats folded down but height is problem and with the power rear hatch it can be finicky about closing when you have stuff that needs to be squished down a bit. But I throw my mountain bike in the back of the car all summer long.

Winter driving? I love it! I have found wheels in several sizes that will fit the car no problem in 18's. Ride height can be a bit of an issue, during some of the bigger snow storms last year I was worried about plowing snow with the bumper. However if you keep it off back alleys and unused side streets you should not have a problem. The AWD on this car works amazing in the snow, very confidence inspiring.

Windshields costing 2k? I have heard this but not gotten a quote for glass myself. You can get coverage for it and I would recommend it, after a year of driving the car my windshield is pretty marked up from rock hits...

Customization? There is a steadily growing aftermarket for the car, most of the stuff will have to come out of the states but the market is growing all the time. Unless you want something crazy it is probably already being made.

If you are interested in anything else shoot me a PM and we can chat.

Brian

 

[Tips]

Thank you for the quick replies, that's all interesting information.

One clarification, I completely understand that there's no "unicorn" vehicle can literally do it all, I would just like to get as close as possible. I don't realistically expect a Stinger (or any car I decide on) to check literally every single box for me, there will always be pros and cons. I went the "safe and sensible" route for my last vehicle (the world most uneventful, but otherwise reliable SUV), so I hope for something with some spice this time without sacrificing too much practicality/winter-readyness.

Interesting your note about the back alleys/side streets Bauser/Brian, I live in an older area where access to my garage is only via a back alley (and a sloped driveway), and we have tight side streets that sometimes can get a bit ugly depending on the snowfall/cold. That said, my neighbour has a Audi S5 2-door coupe and never seems to have an issue in the winter.

Basically I'm between the Stinger and an Audi Allroad right now, both have pro's and con's, as mentioned, and I have test driven both.

A couple of follow up questions (I realize there's likely threads on these elsewhere, but I am interested in local perspective):

- Seems like there's been lots of research on winter tries, what do you guys suggest? I assume 18"s are better in the cold as long as the wheels fit over the brakes.

- I've read that 87 octane fuel is fine for the Stinger, but premium is likely better for it. What do do you guys use?

- Should it take synthetic oil? A dealership I've been talking to has mentioned something like $50-60 oil changes, which seems too cheap to be synthetic...

FWIW, I contacted Crystal Glass today to get an idea of windshield replacement costs, and they said they are still up there ($1500+) on the Stinger as "there isn't a good aftermarket version yet"...

Thanks again.

 

[Revvdmedia]

Thank you for the quick replies, that's all interesting information.

One clarification, I completely understand that there's no "unicorn" vehicle can literally do it all, I would just like to get as close as possible. I don't realistically expect a Stinger (or any car I decide on) to check literally every single box for me, there will always be pros and cons. I went the "safe and sensible" route for my last vehicle (the world most uneventful, but otherwise reliable SUV), so I hope for something with some spice this time without sacrificing too much practicality/winter-readyness.

Interesting your note about the back alleys/side streets Bauser/Brian, I live in an older area where access to my garage is only via a back alley (and a sloped driveway), and we have tight side streets that sometimes can get a bit ugly depending on the snowfall/cold. That said, my neighbour has a Audi S5 2-door coupe and never seems to have an issue in the winter.

Basically I'm between the Stinger and an Audi Allroad right now, both have pro's and con's, as mentioned, and I have test driven both.

A couple of follow up questions (I realize there's likely threads on these elsewhere, but I am interested in local perspective):

- Seems like there's been lots of research on winter tries, what do you guys suggest? I assume 18"s are better in the cold as long as the wheels fit over the brakes.

- I've read that 87 octane fuel is fine for the Stinger, but premium is likely better for it. What do do you guys use?

- Should it take synthetic oil? A dealership I've been talking to has mentioned something like $50-60 oil changes, which seems too cheap to be synthetic...

FWIW, I contacted Crystal Glass today to get an idea of windshield replacement costs, and they said they are still up there ($1500+) on the Stinger as "there isn't a good aftermarket version yet"...

Thanks again.

18's work well for winters and there are a good number of wheels that fit. Brembos are quite prevalent in the industry now, so lots of wheel manufacturers design wheels to fit.

87 octane works fine, but your car will be pulling timing to compensate and you won't be getting max power, but close. 91 is better.

It does not need synthetic oil, but I generally advocate people use synthetic if they plan to drive the car hard.

As for between the Stinger and Audi, if you are keeping long term, the Stinger should be less expensive over the long haul for maintenance and repairs. That was a big factor why I did not buy German, not to mention the higher price tag to begin with.

 

[Secondchance]

Went to Fedex to pickup my JB4 and stuuf that I got from KHart yesterday, and as I was coming out and walking around my car a guy walks up and says " hey, i like what you've done with your car... I have a blue one myself.. have you bought a JB4 yet?" So i reach into my car and pull it out to show him and hes like " I'm here to get mine too, did you get the billet plug gap tool, and did you get it from Nicholas @ KHart or whatever it is ?"

Lol. Super random that on the same day, at the same time, 2 stinger owners were at fedex to pickup the exact same parts.

 

[Soca Boy]

Went to Fedex to pickup my JB4 and stuuf that I got from KHart yesterday, and as I was coming out and walking around my car a guy walks up and says " hey, i like what you've done with your car... I have a blue one myself.. have you bought a JB4 yet?" So i reach into my car and pull it out to show him and hes like " I'm here to get mine too, did you get the billet plug gap tool, and did you get it from Nicholas @ KHart or whatever it is ?"

Lol. Super random that on the same day, at the same time, 2 stinger owners were at fedex to pickup the exact same parts.

Guess I have to order a JB4 then to fit in the club, lol

 

[Dspec 1]

Went to Fedex to pickup my JB4 and stuuf that I got from KHart yesterday, and as I was coming out and walking around my car a guy walks up and says " hey, i like what you've done with your car... I have a blue one myself.. have you bought a JB4 yet?" So i reach into my car and pull it out to show him and hes like " I'm here to get mine too, did you get the billet plug gap tool, and did you get it from Nicholas @ KHart or whatever it is ?"

Lol. Super random that on the same day, at the same time, 2 stinger owners were at fedex to pickup the exact same parts.

Ya, that was me! Sorry if I freaked you out. Was driving my old red truck!

 

[Soca Boy]

Seen a gray and white Stinger on 50 Street head north.

 

[Secondchance]

Ya, that was me! Sorry if I freaked you out. Was driving my old red truck!

It's all good lol. I was way over tired and not my usual talkative self haha.

I posted on the Facebook group that I randomly met someone picking up a jb4 at the same time and Nicholas from khart was like " oh you met Darin !". I was like... Wtf, lol... We bought the same thing from the same place and picked it up at the same time.

 

[Tharhino]

So this just happened... 2800km in

 

[Soca Boy]

So this just happened... 2800km in

Is the gas cap tight?

 

[Tharhino]

Is the gas cap tight?

I’ll check but I’m pretty sure it is.

 

[Tharhino]

Is the gas cap tight?

Yeah it’s tight

 

[Soca Boy]

Yeah it’s tight

Dropping it off tonight? Keep us posted, crap way to start the week.

 

[Tharhino]

Dropping it off tonight? Keep us posted, crap way to start the week.

I’m going first thing tomorrow morning.

 

[Tharhino]

Uvo doesn’t give anymore details either.