Hello, new here!

[Jacques]

Hi, everyone, and thanks for having me here! I don't have a Stinger yet, just got the blessing from my wife that I can look around and get one. We do own two Kias after many years being mainly Honda/Acura owners (I still own a Honda Prelude Type SH). She has a 2018 Sorento EX V6, while I have a 2013 Optima SX.

Anyways, hope to learn alot from you all, and hope to be driving a Stinger myself soon!

 

[Kia Stinger]

Hi, everyone, and thanks for having me here! I don't have a Stinger yet, just got the blessing from my wife that I can look around and get one. We do own two Kias after many years being mainly Honda/Acura owners (I still own a Honda Prelude Type SH). She has a 2018 Sorento EX V6, while I have a 2013 Optima SX.

Anyways, hope to learn alot from you all, and hope to be driving a Stinger myself soon!

Welcome aboard! And thank you for signing up.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I don't have a Stinger yet, just got the blessing from my wife that I can look around and get one.

Hi. Welcome. And happy hunting.

I told my wife over one short weekend (following a Friday evening test drive of a GT2), that on Monday morning, we were going to the dealership as they opened, and see if we could drive away with a Stinger that afternoon. She gave her "permission" to this plan of action. And I said that if any hitches in the gitalong of the buying experience cropped up, we'd bail and leave. But, if everything went smoothly and it felt right, we'd buy then and drive away in a brand new Stinger. And that's what happened!

 

[Jacques]

^^^I needed to ease into my conversation with the wife...mind you, we got the Sorento this past summer, and with the Telluride out, she has been getting a little buyer's remorse. We were in my Optima for a night out, and she commented on my car's lack of infotainment display, and more manual controls compared to her SUV. I then said, well, I've been mulling trading my Optima in, which it's held up pretty well (in Remington Red, has the 2.0L turbo, wheels and minor mods, nearly 70k miles in 6 years), plus, the Stinger is a hatch! She said something to the effect that if I want something more modern and relatively more practical than my current car, go right ahead.

Incidentally, months back I got to take a GT AWD (in blue) out for an extended test drive on my own (the Optima was having its engine tested for a recall), and drove it to my wife's store. She thought I spontaneously bought it. So she knows I've been eyeing one for some time.

 

[GenesisG70]

Congrats dude you need to buy this baby! Its probably far superior to any Japanese you have owned.

 

[MerlintheMad]

She said something to the effect that if I want something more modern and relatively more practical than my current car, go right ahead.

Stinger scores: 23.3 ft3 compared to 15.9 ft3, for starters; and then you can expand that to 40.9 ft3 with the back seats lowered. If that isn't practical, the word does not apply to cars.

Sounds like you are free to indulge: in performance, style, comfort, luxury and practicality. Did I miss anything? Oh, price point for all the tech goodies and features: thousands less than the same costs in the "badged" brands.

 

[Jacques]

Thanks for all the welcomes! I'm heading to the dealership tonight to take a look at their GT1s. Online, their inventory said there's only one in white, but when I went by the lot, appears to be 2 GT1s in black and Ceramic Silver, and one red GT2...I only figured out it's a GT2 by the upward-facing glass on the driver's side dash (none of the cars had dealer stickers). I would lean more on the Ceramic Silver, but they placed a front plate mount on the bumper. :/ Anyways, will see what they could offer along with the Costco Auto Program discount.

 

[Jacques]

So, I did end up pulling the trigger tonight...


Picked up a 2019 GT1 in Ceramic Silver. It has 96 miles on the odometer...20 or so of those miles were from me. Parked next to it is my 2013 Optima SX, which I traded in. Sad to see her go, but I expect her to go to a new owner sooner rather than later! Now I can say I'm no longer a prospective buyer.

 

[GenesisG70]

So, I did end up pulling the trigger tonight...
View attachment 24568

Picked up a 2019 GT1 in Ceramic Silver. It has 96 miles on the odometer...20 or so of those miles were from me. Parked next to it is my 2013 Optima SX, which I traded in. Sad to see her go, but I expect her to go to a new owner sooner rather than later! Now I can say I'm no longer a prospective buyer.

Beautiful congrats!

 

[Sabs]

Congrats Jacques! Great choice of color. Let us know your impressions once you're past break-in and have some time behind the wheel.

 

[Jacques]

Congrats Jacques! Great choice of color. Let us know your impressions once you're past break-in and have some time behind the wheel.

Thanks! Speaking of break-in, should I be taking it easy on the brakes early on? I recall reading long-term Stingers had issues with warping rotors in the first 10-15k miles.

 

[Sabs]

Kia's recommendation is to avoid hard stops if possible during the break-in period.

Here's some further discussion on the topic if you'd like to read more.

 

[Jacques]

^^^I did see this per the Stinger owner's manual...

VEHICLE BREAK-IN PROCESS

No special break-in period is needed. By following a few simple precautions for the first 600 miles (1,000 km) you may add to the performance, economy and life of your vehicle.
• Do not race the engine.
• While driving, keep your engine speed (rpm, or revolutions per minute) between 2,000 rpm and
4,000 rpm.
• Do not maintain a single speed for long periods of time, either fast or slow. Varying engine speed is needed to properly break-in the engine.
• Avoid hard stops, except in emergencies, to allow the brakes to seat properly.
• Don't tow a trailer during the first 1,200 miles (2,000 km) of operation

Interestingly, it's not a whole lot different from the recommendations for my wifey's Sorento when we got it new last year.

 

[robz32]

Welcome aboard and congratulations...Great color choice.

 

[Tobstertx3]

Brilliant. Great photo too!