The Other Side of “It’s a KIA”?

[westcoastGT]

Stop being such a hater falanger. If you want the best if the best service and a car that lives up to your high standards than go and get a high end vehicle that cost a ton and has the reputation. The Stinger is an A+ for the sticker price. Every car on the market is going to have negatives, especially the small ones you are pointing out.

He has valid points , and they are not small issues , in combination those issues , experienced daily,would drive me crazy too ! My sunroof creaking almost pushed me to get rid of my car , yes they fixed it , and yes I'm very happy with the car now but ..................

 

[Jacques]

Besides the 15 mpg/190 mile full tank range, the rattling roof/trunk that multiple dealers deemed "unfixable" and "normal", the fading stereo that they refuse to replace despite the tsb, the front brake that squeals like a stuck pig that's also called "normal" or the peeling/wrinkled/misaligned leather seats? Nah, it's perfect otherwise.

That stinks then that the dealerships in your area aren't addressing any of these issues. You've not reached out to Kia Consumer Affairs? Me personally, I'm not one to keep still, and have no problems going up the ladder if I had your issues. I had clearcoat peeling on my Optima SX's stock rear spoiler (which shouldn't happen for a 60k+ mile car), but I contacted Kia's Consumer Affairs, had me connect to the region's service manager (who oversees multiple dealerships), and had arranged to have it sanded/repainted. I didn't get to see it through though because I traded her in last week for the Stinger.

 

[nhcowboy28]

So they got the looks right, they gave it an incredible V6 that responds well to mods, and they gave it plenty of features for the dollar; that's well and good, but everything else about it reminds me why people say "it's just a Kia".....

Stuff like shady sales and finance people that are used to pedaling Fortes to people with less than perfect credit; a "premium support line" that's absolutely useless; a finance company that seems to only hire the most incompetent employees they can find; service departments that ignore you for 20 minutes when you show up, and can't seem to fix anything right or handle anything more challenging than oil changes.

I'm pretty disgruntled at this point and will definitely be moving on later this year. Owning this car is like being married to Angelina or Halle; sure she's a looker and turns heads but there's gotta be more positives to keep you in the relationship for the long haul...

You didn’t know this going in?

 

[Jimmer]

I've had nothing but great service from my Kia dealer. No games during sales, great service department. Had one issue with the stereo in the Stinger they replaced it without any hassle.

I feel bad for those having issues, but I have had no issues with the dealership, or the finance people.

 

[edgarciadesign]

I've had nothing but great service from my Kia dealer. No games during sales, great service department. Had one issue with the stereo in the Stinger they replaced it without any hassle.

I feel bad for those having issues, but I have had no issues with the dealership, or the finance people.

Same here in South Florida, I used Gunther Kia and they have been great so far. It was easy to buy and service has been great so far. First Kia and most likely not the last.

 

[Thecklos]

Seems ood, does it not, that only the lower prices brands are seen as having "inferior" emblems? Gee, I wonder if it's possible that how we feel about the emblem is based on our prejudices about the brand? If a Yugo used a raging bull it would look cheesy. On a Lamborghini it's cool. There is nothing great about a prancing horse or peace sign but Ferrari and Benz have earned their respect over the years.

I remember when I worked at the Hoffman Building many years ago (northern Virginia) there was somebody that had a Yugo with a fake hood scoop and the screaming chicken firebird logo on the hood. It also had louvers on the back, a row of the dingleberry things across the inside top of the windshield, and a bunch of other oddities, but the screaming chicken and hood scoop stood out the most.

Whirled Peas

 

[Thecklos]

He likes the car? Really? Cause he rags on it quite extensively and constantly.

I literally have no desire to have a BMW.

I have zero desire for a BMW as well.

Current garage includes a 1967 Austin Healey 3000

Wishlist (or what I would have if money wasn't an object - 2 are sort of "stock", 1 is a 3rd party mod, and 2 would be pure custom madness)
Ariel Atom V8 (the dual Hyabusa V8 thing they made)
Porsche Panamera Tursimo Turbo (yeah the station wagon turbo)
Ford F150 Raptor with the Hennessey Twin Turbo treatment
Mazdaspeed3 (converted to 20b 3 rotor and RWD -... Mazdaspeed3Rotor)
My current stinger converted to a true station wagon (or maybe give it a mini hearse look ala the Jag in Harold & Maude just fer fun)

I might have to also add another RX7 to the list just because I always loved the RX7 (must go 20b and single large turbo though.) FD body.

 

[Jimmer]

I have zero desire for a BMW as well.

Current garage includes a 1967 Austin Healey 3000

Wishlist (or what I would have if money wasn't an object - 2 are sort of "stock", 1 is a 3rd party mod, and 2 would be pure custom madness)
Ariel Atom V8 (the dual Hyabusa V8 thing they made)
Porsche Panamera Tursimo Turbo (yeah the station wagon turbo)
Ford F150 Raptor with the Hennessey Twin Turbo treatment
Mazdaspeed3 (converted to 20b 3 rotor and RWD -... Mazdaspeed3Rotor)
My current stinger converted to a true station wagon (or maybe give it a mini hearse look ala the Jag in Harold & Maude just fer fun)

I might have to also add another RX7 to the list just because I always loved the RX7 (must go 20b and single large turbo though.) FD body.

I'd like to have a yellow Barracuda like Nash Bridges had and a '67 dark green Fastback Mustang, like Spenser (in Spenser for Hire) had.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I have zero desire for a BMW as well.

Current garage includes a 1967 Austin Healey 3000

Wishlist (or what I would have if money wasn't an object - 2 are sort of "stock", 1 is a 3rd party mod, and 2 would b pure custom madness)
Ariel Atom V8 (the dual Hyabusa V8 thing they made)
Porsche Panamera Tursimo Turbo (yeah the station wagon turbo)
Ford F150 Raptor with the Hennessey Twin Turbo treatment
Mazdaspeed3 (converted to 20b 3 rotor and RWD -... Mazdaspeed3Rotor)
My current stinger converted to a true station wagon (or maybe give it a mini hearse look ala the Jag in Harold & Maude just fer fun)

I might have to also add another RX7 to the list just because I always loved the RX7 (must go 20b and single large turbo though.) FD body.

Well, not being a car guy by any definition, I have "indulged" in exactly one car project; out of nostalgia for my first-ever car, a VW Bug. Mine had been a first model ('71) Super Beetle, orange. I had it repainted, got a tuned exhaust and replaced the distributer with a centrifugal advance instead of vacuum advance (if I am remembering the terms correctly). Then I gave it to my brother-in-law. Years later I bought a yellow bug, got touchup paint for the blemishes, stitched the sagging headliner back up, replaced the rusted out running boards. Then decided before any further nonsense that my eyes were not good enough to see in the dark driving this thing; especially in bad weather with a "defrost" that hardly blew any air at all. So I sold it. The End.

The only car I want, and would still take in a heartbeat, is a Cobra roadster, 289 or 427, I'm not choosy.

Oh, there is one other, a recent infatuation: a Morgan 3-wheeler, complete with silk scarf, leather "flying" helmet and goggles. Costs about as much as a Stinger, too.

 

[Jacques]

Being a Honda guy (I've owned 6, my wife 1), I would still like to own a 1st gen NSX (1990-05), either with the flip-up or fixed headlights. And of course, must be a manual.

I still have 1 Honda left, the Prelude (see my sig), which I bought new 20 years ago in June. My wife's Prelude, which is a JDM RHD 4WS is overseas, considering shipping it here.

If money were no object, the Ferrari 365 GTB/4.

 

[Slickx45]

For me it's the idea of getting a full synthetic oil change at the dealer for around $70. You're not getting that with any of the European brands.

 

[Waynerm002]

KIA needs to design a longer life oil filter, to go with that synthetic oil.

 

[Jacques]

For me it's the idea of getting a full synthetic oil change at the dealer for around $70. You're not getting that with any of the European brands.

I tend to do my own oil changes, but the cost is reasonable compared to what Euro dealerships charge for full synthetic oil and filter change.