Brand New & Reaching Out

[WRXtoStingerGT]

Hey everyone!

I just picked up my Stinger (2020 3.3tt v6 w/ RWD) a few days ago. I'm over on clubwrx but wanted to make an account here also. I have a ton of questions and am extremely excited to have this new toy in my garage. I never thought I would be owning a Kia since we come from a family of Toyota's and the one Subaru we used to have. I want to thank everyone ahead of time for any feedback and information that they are willing to share with me. I will definitely be posting here on the forums and doing my best to learn and explore plus meet some really cool new people. I am located in Hollywood Florida if anyone suggests any car meets or places to link up. I am always down on making new friends and helping people out and meeting other enthusiasts.

Thanks all!

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1 - Is the ride height adjustable? Specifically, does going into "Sport" mode lower the car?

2 - Does anyone recommend any items or tools to help peel and remove the excessive stickers such as the "Serious XM" radio sticker?

3 - What is a good tire pressure for performance for the stock summer tires that come with the car?

4 - I wish to install a dash cam in the future to make sure my car is safe if and when being serviced. Anyone suggest a specific brand and where it can be placed? I would prefer one that picks up on audio and begins recording on its own. I have never owned a dash cam for a vehicle but want to make sure my car is safe and sound since it is a huge financial investment for me.

5 - The car has some sticky tape on one side of the door and behind the antenna. The dealership is well over an hour away though. Is there a tool I can use to carefully peel this material off?

6 - The car seems to pull sometimes really hard to the left or right under hard straight line acceleration. Is it possible one of the tires doesn't have the ideal tire pressure or the alignment may be off from the factory? How could I check? I know the penny trick is for how much tire life is left. The vehicle was purchased brand new with less than 15 miles on the odometer.

7 - How do I set specific "trips" such as "Trip A" or "Trip B" or "Trip C" so that I can monitor and track how many miles are being put and what my MPG is and so on and so forth?

8 - Any basic weight reduction suggestions for the car? I want to remove the spare tire and all that extra foam and kit stuff in the trunk but am worried that taking weight off the rear on a RWD car will actually hinder performance. What do you guys think? My "performance" goals are going fast mostly in a straight line whether that is off the line or at higher speed pulls.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Howdy. That's a lot. Some of it I can address, before heading off to bed.

The car does not lower in Sport mode.

Psi is listed on the B pillar placard. Obviously lower psi will increase gription at the expense of tire life.

I don't know what you're referring to as "sticky tape" and you could be referencing the three patches down low behind the rear doors. Don't touch those. They are there to protect against stuff flipped by the front wheels and they are expensive to replace if you take them off and change your mind (ask me how I know).

There shouldn't be any pulling to the left or the right under turbo boost (acceleration). But being RWD, possibly you're just feeling torque in the rear. If your car is out of alignment it will pull to one side or the other under all circumstances, not just acceleration.

Read the OM about the LCD screens. The GT1 and GT2 have the same larger and more informative screens; the base GT does not have all the screens (unless I am behind the curve on changes to the 2020 trims). Basically there are three trip related screens; accumulated info and trip info (which resets if the car sits for more than four hours) and average MPG (with a meter that monitors your present MPG; this resets to zero when you gas up). There is no "Trip A, B or C" functionality.

 

[RedCal]

Welcome to the hive!

 

[SafetyPilotCal]

Welcome! Good choice on the new car! I'll answer what I can:

1. Ride height does not change. Sport mode firms up the shocks, though.

2. The stickers on the windows? A razor blade. If you mean the screen printing on the bezel around the infotainment I have no idea how to get that off.

3. I run whatever the door jamb sticker says.

4. I personally like the ROAV dashcams on Amazon, but do some searching around the Internet and watch some sample videos. They pretty much all work the same way now, but some allow second channels (rear view, for example).

5. Where is the sticky tape? There is a clear protectant film on the bottom of the back doors which should not be removed. Anything else I'd assume is shipping protectant.

6. The car should not pull from side to side. Another owner here had the same problem after the dealer replaced his diff under warranty. Something in the back of the car ended up being loose, I think one of the control arms. Have the dealer check this, it is not normal.

7. I actually never use this feature, sorry!

8. Sprung weight really isn't saving you much in the way of performance. IMHO, the Stinger just isn't that kind of car. It would take some more extreme weight savings to make much of a difference. Unsprung weight is where you can pick up some scoot.

Hope that helps.

 

[NS_Stinger]

Welcome to the forum!

1 - Is the ride height adjustable? Specifically, does going into "Sport" mode lower the car?

No, the ride height doesn't change just the damping stiffness.

2 - Does anyone recommend any items or tools to help peel and remove the excessive stickers such as the "Serious XM" radio sticker?

You could always pick up automotive goo gone. I find just getting under the edge of a sticker and peeling with your hands works best, then soak with some goo gone, let it sit for a while and then wipe away and remaining adhesive.

3 - What is a good tire pressure for performance for the stock summer tires that come with the car?

I'd just stick with the OEM recommended psi shown in the drivers side door jam sticker. The Stinger comes with some of the best street tires on the market right off the showroom floor. If you find you dont like how it feels, because I think the OEM recommended numbers are higher than you typically see, you could drop the psi by a couple front and back until you find your sweet spot.

4 - I wish to install a dash cam in the future to make sure my car is safe if and when being serviced. Anyone suggest a specific brand and where it can be placed? I would prefer one that picks up on audio and begins recording on its own. I have never owned a dash cam for a vehicle but want to make sure my car is safe and sound since it is a huge financial investment for me.

Sorry can't help you on this one as I don't have much knowledge about dashcams.

5 - The car has some sticky tape on one side of the door and behind the antenna. The dealership is well over an hour away though. Is there a tool I can use to carefully peel this material off?
Sticky tape?

Are you talking about the paint protection film (PPF) on the lower rear door and fender of the car? If so dont remove that, it's there to protect the paint because the car has a tendency to spit rocks there from the front vents located behind the front tires. The stuff up by the antenna is probably just for shipping and should just peel off easy with your fingernail.

6 - The car seems to pull sometimes really hard to the left or right under hard straight line acceleration. Is it possible one of the tires doesn't have the ideal tire pressure or the alignment may be off from the factory? How could I check? I know the penny trick is for how much tire life is left. The vehicle was purchased brand new with less than 15 miles on the odometer.

This Stinger makes a lot of torque at a very low rpm and you might just be feeling some traction loss. If the car is only pulling left or right under hard acceleration it's just traction loss and traction control probably making you fight with the wheel to keep the car straight. As for tire psi that should be available to see in your cluster and you can compare with your door jam sticker to ensure it's to spec.

7 - How do I set specific "trips" such as "Trip A" or "Trip B" or "Trip C" so that I can monitor and track how many miles are being put and what my MPG is and so on and so forth?

Pretty sure you just cycle through those in your cluster and when you want to reset one you just hold down the ok button or something simple like that. If I'm wrong the manual is your friend.

8 - Any basic weight reduction suggestions for the car? I want to remove the spare tire and all that extra foam and kit stuff in the trunk but am worried that taking weight off the rear on a RWD car will actually hinder performance. What do you guys think? My "performance" goals are going fast mostly in a straight line whether that is off the line or at higher speed pulls.

I doubt you'd see much more straight line speed dropping the spare. It's a heavy car but short of pulling the spare and tools, and dropping in a smaller battery your going to be having to pull seats and stuff. The best thing you could do if you're concerned about weight is upgrade to some lightweight wheels as the stock ones are very heavy. If you want straight line speed adding the BMS power pack will get you to 450whp for just over a grand: 450 Wheel Horsepower KIA Stinger / Hyundai Genesis Package

 

[Kia Stinger]

Hey everyone!

I just picked up my Stinger (2020 3.3tt v6 w/ RWD) a few days ago. I'm over on clubwrx but wanted to make an account here also. I have a ton of questions and am extremely excited to have this new toy in my garage. I never thought I would be owning a Kia since we come from a family of Toyota's and the one Subaru we used to have. I want to thank everyone ahead of time for any feedback and information that they are willing to share with me. I will definitely be posting here on the forums and doing my best to learn and explore plus meet some really cool new people. I am located in Hollywood Florida if anyone suggests any car meets or places to link up. I am always down on making new friends and helping people out and meeting other enthusiasts.

Thanks all!

/// /// ///

1 - Is the ride height adjustable? Specifically, does going into "Sport" mode lower the car?

2 - Does anyone recommend any items or tools to help peel and remove the excessive stickers such as the "Serious XM" radio sticker?

3 - What is a good tire pressure for performance for the stock summer tires that come with the car?

4 - I wish to install a dash cam in the future to make sure my car is safe if and when being serviced. Anyone suggest a specific brand and where it can be placed? I would prefer one that picks up on audio and begins recording on its own. I have never owned a dash cam for a vehicle but want to make sure my car is safe and sound since it is a huge financial investment for me.

5 - The car has some sticky tape on one side of the door and behind the antenna. The dealership is well over an hour away though. Is there a tool I can use to carefully peel this material off?

6 - The car seems to pull sometimes really hard to the left or right under hard straight line acceleration. Is it possible one of the tires doesn't have the ideal tire pressure or the alignment may be off from the factory? How could I check? I know the penny trick is for how much tire life is left. The vehicle was purchased brand new with less than 15 miles on the odometer.

7 - How do I set specific "trips" such as "Trip A" or "Trip B" or "Trip C" so that I can monitor and track how many miles are being put and what my MPG is and so on and so forth?

8 - Any basic weight reduction suggestions for the car? I want to remove the spare tire and all that extra foam and kit stuff in the trunk but am worried that taking weight off the rear on a RWD car will actually hinder performance. What do you guys think? My "performance" goals are going fast mostly in a straight line whether that is off the line or at higher speed pulls.

Welcome aboard! And thank you for signing up. Congratulations on your brand new Stinger GT! I’m glad you found us.

 

[mhal8876]

Congrats and Welcome!

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

Wow! What an amazing welcome! Thank you all very much!

I really appreciate everyone answering my questions, I understand there were a ton haha.

My tires came with PSI at 46 all around except the rear right is at 47. Should I adjust it to what the recommendation is on the door panel then as suggested here? I don't want to risk reducing performance or changing how the car feels and handles. I just want to make sure all settings and options are in a way that makes the vehicle optimal for driving properly but also with spirited fun.

Also, for the dash cam question... Is there somewhere here on the forums I should post and ask? I want to purchase at least two dash cams that can record the inside and front of the car, with sound as well, so that I am not worried when I have the car serviced at the dealerships. I have read some horror stories about Stinger owner's experiences on that.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[SafetyPilotCal]

I'm slightly impressed dealers are still screwing up the pre-delivery inspection and not checking tire pressure. It needs to match the door jamb. However, you aren't the first (and probably won't be the last) to see that problem.

High tyre pressures from dealer - check your pressures!

 

[NS_Stinger]

Wow! What an amazing welcome! Thank you all very much!

I really appreciate everyone answering my questions, I understand there were a ton haha.

My tires came with PSI at 46 all around except the rear right is at 47. Should I adjust it to what the recommendation is on the door panel then as suggested here? I don't want to risk reducing performance or changing how the car feels and handles. I just want to make sure all settings and options are in a way that makes the vehicle optimal for driving properly but also with spirited fun.

Also, for the dash cam question... Is there somewhere here on the forums I should post and ask? I want to purchase at least two dash cams that can record the inside and front of the car, with sound as well, so that I am not worried when I have the car serviced at the dealerships. I have read some horror stories about Stinger owner's experiences on that.

Thanks again everyone!

Yup dealer left your tires over-inflated. The tires get over-inflated for shipping purposes so that they don't flat-spot during shipping. Like SafetyPilotCal said you need to deflate them to match the psi listed in your drivers door jam.

 

[namja]

Dashcam you could probably join dashcam forums also to ask lol. There isn't really an issue that I'm aware of that forces you to choose a specific brand. I know there's Thinkware FA200 which is meant for rideshare drivers but could serve well in your case.

You could check other recommendations:

 

[jellyman]

Thinkware and Blackvue are made by Korean company and has high reviews, but they are pricy.
Viofo has a lot of features with medium pricing.
Low budget cams are okay but only buy cams with capacitors not lithium battery.

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

Thank you everyone so much! I love all the fast responses. I really appreciate it.

What is the safest and easiest way to reduce tire pressure? Do I do this when the car is cold and sitting in the garage or after I have driven it for half an hour after work?

Thanks all!

 

[jellyman]

Thank you everyone so much! I love all the fast responses. I really appreciate it.

What is the safest and easiest way to reduce tire pressure? Do I do this when the car is cold and sitting in the garage or after I have driven it for half an hour after work?

Thanks all!

Take the opposite end of manual tire gauge or use the corner of a house key to release pressure. Tire pressure should be measured when cold.

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

Thank you so much! I adjusted the tire air pressure from 47 that came from the dealership to 42 all around. These are measurements taken after half an hour of driving and the car is fully warmed up. On a "cold" test the pressure is between/around 38 or 39 or so. Depending on the tire. Let me know if you think I should adjust it even lower or not.

I have a few more questions since I am learning SO much about this amazing car and loving it!

How can I make the car louder, via exhaust, without voiding the warranty or reducing performance? The car, even in "sport" mode, is just way too quiet. I have turned the car on during a cold start, stood behind it, and can't hear it at all. I know my previous car, the 2014 WRX with the SPT catback exhaust, some people found too loud but I enjoyed it. I don't want anything that is too loud or drones but I do want something that can make the car just a little bit louder. Resonator? Axleback? What are everyone's thoughts and opinions? Emphasizing though, I don't want to take a route that could void my warranty or reduce the performance and fuel efficiency of the car.

Secondly, weight reduction. Anyone suggest the lightest wheels that would go on the GT (RWD) that don't sacrifice anywhere else? I like the grip and traction of the current wheel size and tire set up, but, I am reading that the OEM wheels are extremely heaver. Are there lighter options that people trust? Also, while on that topic, does anyone suggest any other "practical" weight reduction options? Remove the spare tire kit or replace the stock hood with a carbon fiber one? All suggestions are welcome!

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

It won't let me edit the typo, but, on the second paragraph the word "heaver" should be "heavy". My apologies!

 

[MerlintheMad]

I adjusted the tire air pressure from 47 that came from the dealership to 42 all around. These are measurements taken after half an hour of driving and the car is fully warmed up. On a "cold" test the pressure is between/around 38 or 39 or so. Depending on the tire. Let me know if you think I should adjust it even lower or not.

This psi stuff is on my mind lately, again. I just had my Michelins put back on a couple of days ago. They are filled with air not nitro. The installer put c. 40 psi in. On the drive home, the expected psi was c. 44. I would be thinking that this is a tad too high, except that my previous set of front tires wore down unevenly on the outside edge: leading me to believe that a little more wear in the center would have been achieved with higher psi. Thus the tread wear could have been evened out and by the time the outer edge was shot, the center tread would have been gone too. I'm willing to try higher than recommended psi to make the experiment.