Veloster, Camaro and now Stinger

[Seaph03nix]

Hi all.

Just bought a 2022 Kia Stinger GT2 with low miles a month ago. Super stoked to have my own Stinger. I've seen them on the road for years and always thought they were striking and looked like a lot of fun. Started doing research about the specs and features, and was more impressed. I had never been in one literally until I went to the dealership for the very one I bought, and was even more impressed with the interior and everything. Some people are wary of the Hyundai/Kia brands, saying they aren't reliable or are the opposite of prestige, but that's not my experience. Having had a Hyundai Veloster Turbo as my first car, I loved it, and I think Hyundai/Kia have improved dramatically over the past 10/15 years in both reliability and prestige now with Genesis. So went ahead and bought the stinger that day, a month ago.

The Veloster was my first car, lost in a crash, totaled, some 5 years ago, just as the new and used car markets were out of whack with COVID. I tried a risky but somewhat successful strategy to not overpaying at that time - I bought a 10 year old car with relatively low miles, as the 10 + year old car market was less inflated and hot than new and < 10 year old used cars. I bought a v6 Camaro. Always wanted to have a muscle car for some time. My strategy sort of worked, especially since I was able to get a really good, legitimate extended warranty that covered repairs for a while, for a great price; but I reached the upper limit of the total repair amount that warranty would cover, and then repairs got expensive in the last year. I started looking into the car markets again, and after years they finally had cooled and normalized in the last year, so it was time to get out of the Camaro. Had my fun, but the repairs were not fun anymore. I think I was able to get a pretty good deal on the stinger I switched into now, so I'm pleased with that.

I've been posting on reddit on r/kiastinger and r/stingerGT but my posts/topics are a bit more detailed, like ideas, projects, modifications I have in mind, and haven't gotten many responses there, so I thought I'd join here and try and see how it goes.

My Stinger is snow white pearl outside and wine red leather inside. LMK if anyone would like pictures, I'll share some - I just figure since the car is stock right now, it looks the same as any stinger in that particular combination, that you can pictures for online by googling.

 

[Kia Stinger]

Hi all.

Just bought a 2022 Kia Stinger GT2 with low miles a month ago. Super stoked to have my own Stinger. I've seen them on the road for years and always thought they were striking and looked like a lot of fun. Started doing research about the specs and features, and was more impressed. I had never been in one literally until I went to the dealership for the very one I bought, and was even more impressed with the interior and everything. Some people are wary of the Hyundai/Kia brands, saying they aren't reliable or are the opposite of prestige, but that's not my experience. Having had a Hyundai Veloster Turbo as my first car, I loved it, and I think Hyundai/Kia have improved dramatically over the past 10/15 years in both reliability and prestige now with Genesis. So went ahead and bought the stinger that day, a month ago.

The Veloster was my first car, lost in a crash, totaled, some 5 years ago, just as the new and used car markets were out of whack with COVID. I tried a risky but somewhat successful strategy to not overpaying at that time - I bought a 10 year old car with relatively low miles, as the 10 + year old car market was less inflated and hot than new and < 10 year old used cars. I bought a v6 Camaro. Always wanted to have a muscle car for some time. My strategy sort of worked, especially since I was able to get a really good, legitimate extended warranty that covered repairs for a while, for a great price; but I reached the upper limit of the total repair amount that warranty would cover, and then repairs got expensive in the last year. I started looking into the car markets again, and after years they finally had cooled and normalized in the last year, so it was time to get out of the Camaro. Had my fun, but the repairs were not fun anymore. I think I was able to get a pretty good deal on the stinger I switched into now, so I'm pleased with that.

I've been posting on reddit on r/kiastinger and r/stingerGT but my posts/topics are a bit more detailed, like ideas, projects, modifications I have in mind, and haven't gotten many responses there, so I thought I'd join here and try and see how it goes.

My Stinger is snow white pearl outside and wine red leather inside. LMK if anyone would like pictures, I'll share some - I just figure since the car is stock right now, it looks the same as any stinger in that particular combination, that you can pictures for online by googling.

Welcome aboard! And thank you for signing up. Congratulations on your new Stinger GT! I’m glad you found us. The automotive landscape isn’t as vast as it used to be. Brands like Kia are leveling the playing field.

 

[Snicklefritz]

I enjoy detailed intro posts. I also enjoy pictures of Stingers, when they are aesthetically done and the files big enough to print up - minimum size I use is 300KB. I have a folder with "calendar worthy" Stinger pictures. So, with that response in mind, maybe you can post some photos of your new ride.

 

[Buzzman12]

I have a Pearl white 2023 GT (Canada). Came with every option. I don't have the red seats though. I would love that red interior.
I have done a few cosmetic mods and one performance mod so far. It's not a huge thing, but I installed the Velossa (spelling?) ram air scoops that go behind the grill. The factory air intake box' are very restrictive, and I find the car revs easier with better breathing.
I tinted the windows, installed side body moulding strips to hopefully catch any potential door dings in the parking lot.
I also installed a carbon fibre trunk lid spoiler, plus I replaced the shiny black fake hood scoops and front fender side scoops with carbon fibre units. Looks so much better. After 2 and half years of ownership, and only having done 4,000 miles, I still love this car.

 

[Seaph03nix]

I enjoy detailed intro posts. I also enjoy pictures of Stingers, when they are aesthetically done and the files big enough to print up - minimum size I use is 300KB. I have a folder with "calendar worthy" Stinger pictures. So, with that response in mind, maybe you can post some photos of your new ride.

For sure! Well, these are (probably) the best photos I have of my ride, from the outside, which were taken right after I picked them up from the detailer, so as clean as I've had it. Not sure if they're "Calendar worthy" being as they are in an industrial parking lot, but the best I have at the moment. Maybe if I take my ride to a nice spot with my city's skyline and the bayfront or palm trees in the background, then it would be calendar-worthy. I might do that in a while, maybe 4 months to a year, once I feel like I've finalized the exterior customizations I want and find the time.

 

[Seaph03nix]

I have a Pearl white 2023 GT (Canada). Came with every option. I don't have the red seats though. I would love that red interior.
I have done a few cosmetic mods and one performance mod so far. It's not a huge thing, but I installed the Velossa (spelling?) ram air scoops that go behind the grill. The factory air intake box' are very restrictive, and I find the car revs easier with better breathing.
I tinted the windows, installed side body moulding strips to hopefully catch any potential door dings in the parking lot.
I also installed a carbon fibre trunk lid spoiler, plus I replaced the shiny black fake hood scoops and front fender side scoops with carbon fibre units. Looks so much better. After 2 and half years of ownership, and only having done 4,000 miles, I still love this car.

Nice, the GT stingers in Canada are a little different, right? Like they primarily (or only?) come in AWD, and they are called 'limited' and 'elite' vs 'gt-line' or 'gt1'/'gt2'. For any of the trim levels, you guys in Canada have the folding cupholder covers in the front center console standard, right? I'm interested in getting the folding cupholder covers as a mod for my Stinger. So much nicer. The only place I can find it is Tuscani Customs (tuscanicustoms .com/interior/2544-oem-center-consolecup-holder-with-cover-kia-stinger.html) , although it's a bit expensive. I actually looked into whether I could order it as an OEM part from a Canadian or Mexican KIA dealership and deliver to my US address, even with the customs/tariff charges, but it doesn't seem possible at all.

I've also been thinking about installing ram air scoops for the engine air intake, especially now that I bought a capable 3D printer, and I've heard other(s) have done it 3D printed, much more affordable than the aftermarket sellers sell for. Although I have to look into it more, as I also heard there was some lawsuit related to the 3d printing of the air scoops?

Funny that you mention about the side body moulding strips to protect against door dings, I took a similar but also different approach to remediate the same issue: I bought these (aliexpress.us /item/3256808517110600.html) magnetic car door protectors. Hopefully they'll get the job done, although of course they take manual application for a minute or two after each park.

I've also thought about changing the factory hood vents for some carbon fiber hood vents like you did, with the difference being that I thought of putting in some red carbon fiber hood vent covers. I posted about it on reddit and a lot of people screamed "rice" and "yuck" so, together with advice from friends, I figured it wasn't the right move. The reason I thought about putting on red carbon fiber is I thought it would be a nice color combination together with the snow white pearl and reddish wine red interior. Kind of like the color combination of the vintage / classic pop culture speed racer mach 5 car from the comic / tv movie series. Some said that if I were to do the red carbon fiber hood vents, I would need to do some more red detail / trim / color to the exterior to complete the look, which I would be totally down for, like adding a red spoiler, some red accents along the side skirts, red side ventilation vents where the current chrome ones are, or more. But still on the fence or discouraged on it, given the significant negative ('Rice!') feedback I got from some people just on reddit.

 

[Snicklefritz]

For sure! Well, these are (probably) the best photos I have of my ride, from the outside, which were taken right after I picked them up from the detailer, so as clean as I've had it. Not sure if they're "Calendar worthy" being as they are in an industrial parking lot, but the best I have at the moment. Maybe if I take my ride to a nice spot with my city's skyline and the bayfront or palm trees in the background, then it would be calendar-worthy. I might do that in a while, maybe 4 months to a year, once I feel like I've finalized the exterior customizations I want and find the time.

Thanks for sharing the "birth" photos, ha hah. Yes, not calendar worthy, setting boring, file size too small, and that blotch or red across the plate. Boo, Hiss. Lol. I look forward to possible future photo ops in some of those venues that you suggested.

 

[Snicklefritz]

I bought these (aliexpress.us /item/3256808517110600.html) magnetic car door protectors. Hopefully they'll get the job done, although of course they take manual application for a minute or two after each park.

Exercise those young legs of yours, and park far, far, far away from the madding crowd - and shopping carts. I would never stick anything on the side of my doors.

 

[Daniel @ K8 Stinger Store]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your new ride!

Pretty neat to hear that you started out your car journey with Veloster.

This website is a great resource for information and the community is very helpful.

If you are looking to get any aftermarket parts, come check out our store's website.

Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions or if you would like a discount!​

 

[Snicklefritz]

Thanks for sharing the "birth" photos, ha hah. Yes, not calendar worthy, setting boring, file size too small, and that blotch or red across the plate. Boo, Hiss. Lol. I look forward to possible future photo ops in some of those venues that you suggested.

What was I seeing? File size "too small"? Where did that come from? Those are fine. But the other two gripes remain. Ha hah. Carry on.