Blind Kia Hate?

[Steeler84]

Hey everyone,

Considering leasing a Kia Stinger GT2 and was wondering if any of you have experienced the same thing as I currently am. While this will certainly sound stupid, literally everyone I know is yelling "DON'T GET A KIA!" in my ear, without ever seeing the car in person, and it's making me question my decision. Generally, I kind of let this stuff slide, but in the back of my head, paying $24,564 over the course of 36 months on a lease with 15k miles had me questioning myself in the first place. Coming from an Audi, you definitely have some pride that you "drive an Audi", but at this point in my life, I couldn't care less about that.

I think the main problem is the severe negativity that this badge breeds. I truly don't believe you can buy a better car for the money (although on a lease, you can probably get a better bang for your buck with these terrible residuals / MF's). Everyone that physically sees the car in person likes it - everyone that looks up the car / hears that it's a Kia...yeah, they tell you to run as far away as you possibly can, and the fact that there's 10 people that hate it to every 1 person that loves it, along with the fact that these cars are sitting on dealer lots, as a "new" purchaser, you sit here questioning your every move.

Trying to block this out of my head, but I've had at least 10 people go out of their way to tell me not to do this, with a few others that say it's a great car for $450 a month (unattainable IMO). Would love to hear from some current owners.

 

[Ucinn]

Those people are still living in the 1990's. Kia was horrible when they first started selling cars with the Sephia and Rio and such for 8995..no quality..pure pieces of crud. That's where those people are still at. Kia has now been #1 in Quality from JD powers for 2 years running and has been in the top 5 I think the past 5 years. They are definitely higher than Audi and have been battling with Porsche. I've owned Kias now since my 2004 Spectra and have had 5 Kia's since and every one of them have been trouble free. I'm in a good spot as I don't really care what other people think and don't care about what logo is on the front of my car. What I care about the best deal I can get for my money. Something that has the features, quality, and dependability I can get for the best bang for the buck. The decision was a very easy one for me.

 

[Hojae84]

It depends how much you value the prestige or image of a badge. I live in a super wealthy area w bmws, benz,maserati,land rovers. I can tell you some folks are just snobby w brands. W kia logo on mine, people dismiss. W it debadged, they think it's an exotic Maserati. Some people also need brands or possessions to feel worth. They want to project an image of power and wealth so they'd rather get a low powered/equipped base bmw or benz for same price.
A stinger is more unique than bmw benz... will get more stares since it's a great looking car. Every friend I let drive the stinger former BMW guys r blown away. They r skeptical but then speechless after driving the stinger as the steering response is top notch. Springs r on softer side in the rear but it's a gt car not a track car.
You will have to deal w non luxury maintenance services but if u can get over the badge and also dont care about what some snobs think, it's a fun and practical car.
U can save at least 10-20k over a similarly equipped german car. The way I looked at it, f the snobs, enjoy the car and save a chunk of money, or buy a 2nd car w the saved money. Gd luck w ur decision

 

[Schpok]

I had exactly the same... Why would you buy a pice of sh*t Kia, for that Money you should buy a german car and so on... We all know how it goes

but like you already said, you won't find a car with all those features and chassis and stying, combined for that Money.
It is basicly a european car Design - Audi, Chassis - BMW

and after I bought it everyone loved it and couldn't believe that this is a Kia. If you Change the badges to original Korean spec no one will ever know

Yes of course all of us here are Stinger fanboys But I looked at least at 10 other cars before I endet up buying this.
(one thing as an additon to this, I had a 2018 Sorento for a fiew days. The materials and knobs and all where almost the same but the quallity wasn't even close to my stinger)

 

[StingerNYC]

Everyone changes their mind when they see it and wants one when they drive it.

 

[Kato_the_kia_stinger]

You’ll know exactly what to do when you drive it. The only cars I ever consider are the ones that I don’t want to get out of when I reach my destination. My Stinger has given me that feeling back.

 

[KiaofMuncie]

Those people are still living in the 1990's. Kia was horrible when they first started selling cars with the Sephia and Rio and such for 8995..no quality..pure pieces of crud. That's where those people are still at. Kia has now been #1 in Quality from JD powers for 2 years running and has been in the top 5 I think the past 5 years. They are definitely higher than Audi and have been battling with Porsche. I've owned Kias now since my 2004 Spectra and have had 5 Kia's since and every one of them have been trouble free. I'm in a good spot as I don't really care what other people think and don't care about what logo is on the front of my car. What I care about the best deal I can get for my money. Something that has the features, quality, and dependability I can get for the best bang for the buck. The decision was a very easy one for me.

Everyone starts somewhere and they build upon what they learn.

 

[AV8R]

I drove it liked it, the badge had nothing to do with it. Met 98% of what I was looking for and with a seven yr warranty.

 

[mldavis2]

Simply refer them to the current J.D. Power report. Top 3 brands are Genesis, Kia, Hyundai in that order. Then take a look at the worst and you'll find some of the Germans down there. Initial quality award for "Non-Premium" was Kia for 2018. The Stinger is not listed in either category yet.

 

[Weareblondi]

quite honestly, i don't give a flying fig what others think, its my money and i will do with it as i please. for the price i paid for a new stinger, i would have had to get a several year old panamera, a decades old maserati to be on the same level. would i like an m5? sure, but not at 110 g's. this way, i don't see myself coming the other way, it causes people to stop and ask and i have a 100,000 miles warranty. eat that bmw. which, as an aside, in ny- bmw stand for "but my wallet.."

 

[eljay]

Since I bought my GT2 in December, I haven't had one snarky remark about Kia, just admiring comments and comparisons to Maserati. Before I bought it, three mechanics told me, "Whatever you do, don't buy an Audi," and also discouraged me from buying a BMW if I planned to keep it past the warranty period. After driving a horrendously junky Hyundai through England (a couple of years before they came to the U.S.), I too had a prejudice against Hyundai/Kia. That car failed on us so many times that we named it the Hy-und-dry. But times have changed, and so have Korean cars, so now I'm a convert. If you like the car, get one, and if anyone makes a dismissive remark, consider the source. Their loss.

 

[1RADKIA]

Good luck deciding! For me, a ittle research ahead of time, including talking to actual kia owners made the choice much easier. Honestly, the only unproven data for your Stinger purchase would be reliability and resale value. If you are leasing. .. less worry on those. I've owned quite a few automobiles, and diven even more still - and honestly, this Stinger is one of my all time favorites. Fingers crossed on reliability. db

 

[westcoastGT]

Check out JD Power , at some point quality becomes sexy and desirable , driving German for me was like dating a super model thats cheats on you ..................great design , relaibility and now performance ....................I'll keep my GT any day !!

 

[SteveCo]

I do my own research, and make my own decisions based on the merits of the vehicle - the 'prestige' of a badge means nothing to me, or the opinions of people I don't know. Having said that, this car has 'opened the eyes' of people I DO know, who had a preconceived negative opinion of KIA, once they saw and experienced the car as well as well as looked a little closer at the facts about the company.

I have a BMW in the other half of the garage, which is a car I enjoy greatly as well. As I've mentioned before, when I drive the BMW I occasionally run across other drivers making disparaging remarks (sometime loudly and profanely) about the brand, and of course me by association. Now when I drive the KIA, I get the same kind of drivel from like minded idiots driving BMWs, Audis, etc.

Whoohoo - best of both worlds!

 

[phxgt]

Truth be told many cannot get past reputaions out of their head. Cars of the past were relatively awful compared to today. FixOrRepairDaly(Ford) FixItAgainTony(Fiat). Kia is now making top of the world class cars as noted above in the JD Powers reports. I have not had as many great cars as some on here but have had multiple Acura's, a Corvette ragtop and a Triumph TR6 but have never had a vehicle get as many compliments as the Stinger.

Some great vehicle acronyms compiled here: Car Acronyms

 

[Luminary]

FixOrRepairDaly(Ford)

I always said "Found on Road Dead" for Fords...

 

[westcoastGT]

BMW = Buy More Warranty or Bring More Wrenches ..............................

 

[Ucinn]

First On Race Day

 

[forzanerazzurri]

If its going to make you uncomfortable or regretful then just dont do it. I do find it ironic that those same people are so concerned about their perceived risk in relation to the badge but yet dont seem to think twice about the fact that they are leasing a 50,000 car. Generally speaking, that itself is not a wise financial decision and probably the more significant talking point, irrespective of the badge.

 

[Steeler84]

If its going to make you uncomfortable or regretful then just dont do it. I do find it ironic that those same people are so concerned about their perceived risk in relation to the badge but yet dont seem to think twice about the fact that they are leasing a 50,000 car. Generally speaking, that itself is not a wise financial decision and probably the more significant talking point, irrespective of the badge.

Well, the lease deal makes it somewhat of a wash. If I finance the car over 60 months or lease it and buy it out cash at the end of 36 months, I am paying almost the exact same thing. That allows me to determine if I like the car and want to keep it, or hate it and want to get rid of it. Truthfully, I think the residuals on this car are so extreme that in 3 years from now, anyone who leased this year will be able to buy it out and trade it in for more. I have absolutely no evidence of that, but I'd rather "test" it for 3 years with the option to buy it out for the same price than commit to it for 5+.