Korean vs U. S. assembly

[Mike_TX]

After owning many Japanese cars, some assembled in Japan and some in the U. S., I guess I expected the Korean-built Kias to be well put together. At least as well put together as my two Optimas, built in West Point, GA.

But my 2018 Stinger has disappointed me in a few respects. For one, it has a dinner-plate-size defect in the paint on the hood (which I've posted about here). It also had the hatch "clunk", and it has a rattle above the passenger door somewhere.

Now it has a passenger door that has "drooped" enough in 6 months to cause the top left corner of the door to rub against the B-pillar trim and make the door "stick" when I try to open it, and it's beginning to damage the trim.

This is how much it has sagged:



(Sorry for the dirty car - we had just gotten back from a road trip.)

I went to my Kia dealer today, and the Service Mgr couldn't believe it. But he is sending the car to their body shop on Monday to adjust the door, see what they can do about the hood, and paint the decklid, which their touch-up guy had messed up after removing a spoiler I didn't want. I suspect they will paint the hood as well, which I don't like, but figure it's better than having it noticed when I eventually trade the car.

My Optimas had zero build issues, and were some of the best cars I've ever had. The Stinger ....... not so much.

 

[turboAWD]

When was yours built?

 

[Mike_TX]

One year ago this month - 7/18. I took delivery on January 2, 2019.

 

[GenesisG70]

Mine is absolutely flawless, maybe the guy at the line was tired, but yeah they need better quality control.

 

[MerlintheMad]

The human element creeps in. Sorry for all those fitment/quality issues! The door is beyond the pale stupid. Unbelievable. Hope you get everything sorted out. They all sound like they are fixable. Then you'll be "perfect".

 

[Mike_TX]

Yeah, I'm sure they'll get it all adjusted and repainted. I'm not crazy about having them repaint the whole hood, but at the same time I don't think the big circle will buff out. Here's the picture of the hood flaw again:



Circular hazy spot about the size of a dinner plate. No idea what caused it.

 

[AV8R]

Yeah, I'm sure they'll get it all adjusted and repainted. I'm not crazy about having them repaint the whole hood, but at the same time I don't think the big circle will buff out. Here's the picture of the hood flaw again:

View attachment 28172

Circular hazy spot about the size of a dinner plate. No idea what caused it.

Heat from underneath hood. I bet its over the turbo.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Yeah, I'm sure they'll get it all adjusted and repainted. I'm not crazy about having them repaint the whole hood, but at the same time I don't think the big circle will buff out. Here's the picture of the hood flaw again:

View attachment 28172

Circular hazy spot about the size of a dinner plate. No idea what caused it.

Didn't we hypothesize that someone must have left a cleaning product sitting on the hood? Probably a saturated buffing pad or the like. It is only going to have affected the clear coat.

 

[westcoastGT]

Thats not a factory defect , thats a bad detailer using dirty pads and poor technique , turbo heat will not cause that type of problem and if it did there would be several other members having similar issues ...............a "good" detailer may be able to correct it without the need to paint , pending how much clear coat they damaged

 

[washguy]

Mike sorry bout the paint and door problems...geeez.....what im concerned about is the rest of your paint in the pic....man that's some nasty looking paint besides the circle on the hood... Wash

 

[MerlintheMad]

Mike sorry bout the paint and door problems...geeez.....what im concerned about is the rest of your paint in the pic....man that's some nasty looking paint besides the circle on the hood... Wash

I just took it to be a highly reflective surface that masks the actual paint. I do see swirls, though.

 

[RLittle]

I had 3 Optimas

The 2 US built had a couple of small issues. The Korean build had no defects whatsoever. The two US builds were traded at 60k and 32k and the Korea build is still with us @ 60k miles.

 

[Shrikecorp]

Yeah, I'm sure they'll get it all adjusted and repainted. I'm not crazy about having them repaint the whole hood, but at the same time I don't think the big circle will buff out. Here's the picture of the hood flaw again:

View attachment 28172

Circular hazy spot about the size of a dinner plate. No idea what caused it.

I think I guessed crop circle on the other thread, but that's probably incorrect. Betting giant squid.

But seriously...glad they're they're getting it sorted. The door thing is bonkers.

 

[westcoastGT]

I think I guessed crop circle on the other thread, but that's probably incorrect. Betting giant squid.

But seriously...glad they're they're getting it sorted. The door thing is bonkers.

I'm betting a pad burn from some nube detail jockey running a disc grinder with a pad vs an orbital

 

[Revvdmedia]

Kia will learn to increase the quality control through owners like us. I feel the "average" clientele for the Stinger is different from buyers of Optimas, Fortes, etc. I see those buyers are more forgiving of flaws while Stinger owners are going to nit pick since many of us came from "higher end" cars and are more discerning. We will cost Kia an arm and a leg getting the defects fixed under warranty, including the expensive rework like sunroof noise remediation, repaints, etc. Unfortunately, some of us early adopters need to deal with the flaws and subsequent warranty repairs.

 

[SKStinger]

I'm thinking this is more a product of a brand new car in its first model year rather than where it was manufactured. I've had 0 issues with my 2019 (knock on wood).

The swirls in the paint though, I agree with others, that is just poor dealer cleaning/prep practices. A good detailer will be able to correct that for you.

 

[Mike_TX]

Well, it went in this morning for these issues. They said to expect it to be out of commission for a week, since they will be repainting the strip at the bottom of the hatch, and possibly the hood too if they can't get the dinnerplate out of it. The door I expect to be nothing more than a hinge adjustment, but I could be wrong.

I'm in a Sorento loaner until further notice.

 

[ZyroXZ2]

Yeah, I'm sure they'll get it all adjusted and repainted. I'm not crazy about having them repaint the whole hood, but at the same time I don't think the big circle will buff out. Here's the picture of the hood flaw again:

View attachment 28172

Circular hazy spot about the size of a dinner plate. No idea what caused it.

That is some REALLY bad swirling...

 

[Mike_TX]

That is some REALLY bad swirling...

I've never had a black car that DIDN'T develop swirls right away. And in the direct sunlight they are most visible.

Black cars have to be admired from several feet away, not up close.

 

[Mike_TX]

Just got the car back yesterday afternoon late. They buffed out the "dinnerplate" on the hood, repainted the hatch, and realigned the door.

The door works great, and the hatch looks like new. The hood is fine, but there are new buffer marks there now. Oh, well, maybe some good paste wax will tame them down.

I do have to say I'm impressed with how fast they took the car in and did the repairs.