JSolo
2500 Posts Club!
Hello!
I've been posting elsewhere for about a month here but figured I should make a proper intro thread.
Recently picked up a 22 gt-line in ceramic silver. It was a long car buying process - 2 years in the making.
Two years ago due to family reasons I had to sell my g37s (6mt). It was a great car with excellent driving dynamics and plenty of performance. Unfortunately it was small inside and got poor mpg compared to the other car in the household, a 9th gen accord exl 2.4L NA (cvt). The accord had lots of room inside, a large trunk, and sipped fuel (upwards of mid 20's in the city and 35-40 on the highway). It was a wonderful transportation appliance, but not much else. With performance tires (michelin as 3+) the cornering was much improved and confidence inspiring but the suspension and engine couldn't keep up.
Thought I wanted an suv so test drove a bunch including an rdx, cx5, rx350, rav4 and some others. Ultimately realized they're too tall, too heavy and corner like trucks. In fact, almost made a deal on a rdx but walked out because we were about $1K apart in the pricing and I didn't feel the right vibe in that car.
My kia experience started a decade ago with an optima sx that lasted about 3 months before I got rid of it. That car would not drive straight requiring small constant corrections to stay 'on center'. After too many visits to the dealership inc alignments, rotations, toe bolts, wheel swaps, etc, time to call it quits. Ordered the G37 instead. Swore I'd never buy another kia/hyundai ever again.
Ever since the stinger came out in '18 it was on my radar but due to the above not a real consideration. Performance was part of the appear as well as the larger cargo space. Have a thing for wagons/hatchbacks. A major con was first model year bugs. For my main use, the 6 cyl was overkill and 4 cyl too weak. Not to mention even poorer mpg (for 6 cyl ver) than the G. I was keeping my eyes open for options. Plan was to also sell the accord and combine profits into a single new car.
Not to long ago I was test driving the sonata nline and was impressed with the engine/trans performance. That deal too fell through, ~$500 or $750 separating the sale - it was a marketing adjustment addon local dealers are charging that I refused to pay out of principle. Ride was a bit rough too (19" wheels). Good thing that deal fell through too.
When I got home I realized the kia version of the car better aligned with my preferences. Leather (fake?) seats, analog gauges, traditional shifter, nicer looking front end. Only problem was it was nowhere to be found in a color I wanted without the inflated pricing. I spent a few weeks trying to find one. Eventually discovered the same engine was now offered in the genesis g70, g80 and the stinger. The former is too small, same size roughly as the G inside, the middle is too pricey, which left the stinger.
Again same BS with the local dealers in terms of pricing. However, expanding the search radius yielded some dealers further away (but reasonable) that were offering below msrp (~$3K) pricing. Coupled this with the inflated appraisal from carmax made the deal worthwhile, albeit it was two completely separate transactions given dealer's trade value was thousands of dollars less than carmax.
I don't care much for aesthetic mods. So far first on the list is to get better tires. The re97as-02 really undermines this car. The accord cornered much better with those A/S tires than the stinger currently does. Maybe sway bars next year.
Sorry for the long rant. Figured it was might be helpful to give context to why I chose this.
I've been posting elsewhere for about a month here but figured I should make a proper intro thread.
Recently picked up a 22 gt-line in ceramic silver. It was a long car buying process - 2 years in the making.
Two years ago due to family reasons I had to sell my g37s (6mt). It was a great car with excellent driving dynamics and plenty of performance. Unfortunately it was small inside and got poor mpg compared to the other car in the household, a 9th gen accord exl 2.4L NA (cvt). The accord had lots of room inside, a large trunk, and sipped fuel (upwards of mid 20's in the city and 35-40 on the highway). It was a wonderful transportation appliance, but not much else. With performance tires (michelin as 3+) the cornering was much improved and confidence inspiring but the suspension and engine couldn't keep up.
Thought I wanted an suv so test drove a bunch including an rdx, cx5, rx350, rav4 and some others. Ultimately realized they're too tall, too heavy and corner like trucks. In fact, almost made a deal on a rdx but walked out because we were about $1K apart in the pricing and I didn't feel the right vibe in that car.
My kia experience started a decade ago with an optima sx that lasted about 3 months before I got rid of it. That car would not drive straight requiring small constant corrections to stay 'on center'. After too many visits to the dealership inc alignments, rotations, toe bolts, wheel swaps, etc, time to call it quits. Ordered the G37 instead. Swore I'd never buy another kia/hyundai ever again.
Ever since the stinger came out in '18 it was on my radar but due to the above not a real consideration. Performance was part of the appear as well as the larger cargo space. Have a thing for wagons/hatchbacks. A major con was first model year bugs. For my main use, the 6 cyl was overkill and 4 cyl too weak. Not to mention even poorer mpg (for 6 cyl ver) than the G. I was keeping my eyes open for options. Plan was to also sell the accord and combine profits into a single new car.
Not to long ago I was test driving the sonata nline and was impressed with the engine/trans performance. That deal too fell through, ~$500 or $750 separating the sale - it was a marketing adjustment addon local dealers are charging that I refused to pay out of principle. Ride was a bit rough too (19" wheels). Good thing that deal fell through too.
When I got home I realized the kia version of the car better aligned with my preferences. Leather (fake?) seats, analog gauges, traditional shifter, nicer looking front end. Only problem was it was nowhere to be found in a color I wanted without the inflated pricing. I spent a few weeks trying to find one. Eventually discovered the same engine was now offered in the genesis g70, g80 and the stinger. The former is too small, same size roughly as the G inside, the middle is too pricey, which left the stinger.
Again same BS with the local dealers in terms of pricing. However, expanding the search radius yielded some dealers further away (but reasonable) that were offering below msrp (~$3K) pricing. Coupled this with the inflated appraisal from carmax made the deal worthwhile, albeit it was two completely separate transactions given dealer's trade value was thousands of dollars less than carmax.
I don't care much for aesthetic mods. So far first on the list is to get better tires. The re97as-02 really undermines this car. The accord cornered much better with those A/S tires than the stinger currently does. Maybe sway bars next year.
Sorry for the long rant. Figured it was might be helpful to give context to why I chose this.
