You're Not Going To Stop People From De/Re-Badging Their Stingers!

[Kia Performance]

I'm a reseller of many different KDM items (don't worry I'm not spamming you with a link) and over the past few weeks it's been very difficult getting anything Stinger related from Korea. First it was Chinese new year. That basically means 2 weeks off for everyone in Korea. Then there's the week after when everyone is trying to put their life back together after being drunk for 336 hrs. Since then it's been excuse after excuse.

I put the time in and figured out what's going on. Kia wants the old, dumb looking KIA badge on all Stingers. Why? Well it was fine when just a few of us small guys were ordering and reselling the badges. But then the dealers started bulk ordering. That threw up some red flags at Kia and now they're witholding parts going outside Korea.

Ya know what? This is America. Not Korea. If we want to debadge our car or switch to a different badge, there's nothing you can do about it. When people in America pay $40 or $50k for a car, we do with it whatever we please. It's not our job to market your product. That's your f*ckin job.

So don't think you're going to stop us from making changes because you're witholding products like a big baby. There are plenty of other options to take your f*cking ugly asstastic badge off our Stingers.

 

[Eugene Onegin]

Concur .

 

[iclicku]

Thanks for venting. I feel better now. /s

 

[westcoastGT]

a simpler reason might be that demand has far outstripped supply ........... the aftermarket producers will fill the void if they really are choking supply

 

[0FSGVN]

I still don't get the big deal. In my test drive, I came tooling out of the dealership, and had 3 cars leering at the car and giving thumbs up. One was a Bimmer, an audi, and I don't remember the other one. Point is, this car will turn heads regardless of if it's performing or just sitting in a parking lot. Badge doesn't matter.

 

[Kia Performance]

a simpler reason might be that demand has far outstripped supply ........... the aftermarket producers will fill the void if they really are choking supply

It's possible but I've heard otherwise. But who knows for sure? I'm waiting to hear more news.

 

[Kia Performance]

I still don't get the big deal. In my test drive, I came tooling out of the dealership, and had 3 cars leering at the car and giving thumbs up. One was a Bimmer, an audi, and I don't remember the other one. Point is, this car will turn heads regardless of if it's performing or just sitting in a parking lot. Badge doesn't matter.

Like many I just don't like the badge. It's like a pimple on an otherwise clean face. A wart on the nose.

 

[JustThatPenguin]

I still don't get the big deal. In my test drive, I came tooling out of the dealership, and had 3 cars leering at the car and giving thumbs up. One was a Bimmer, an audi, and I don't remember the other one. Point is, this car will turn heads regardless of if it's performing or just sitting in a parking lot. Badge doesn't matter.

I have to say I have been getting a lot of people looking at my car in parking lots. I always park where I can see my car while I am dining in somewhere. I've also had a lot of people come up to me ask what kind of car this is. You gotta give it up to kia. They really nailed the design on this one. Coming from nothing but German cars, I never thought I'd own a kia.

 

[Kia Stinger]

Through my experiences, I see things differently than some. The way I see it, without the Kia badge, everyone says, "What is this mysterious car that I love?". When they find out it's a Kia they can either admit they still love it - or lie to themselves. With the Kia badges on the car, they never even give it that chance.

 

[westcoastGT]

Through my experiences, I see things differently than some. The way I see it, without the Kia badge, everyone says, "What is this mysterious car that I love?". When they find out it's a Kia they can either admit they still love it - or lie to themselves. With the Kia badges on the car, they never even give it that chance.

I've had cars chase me down to film the car , I'm completely rebadged with E , Stinger ,3.3T , and GT 4S ....................people think this is some new "exotic" ...........when asked I always tell them exactly what it is .............the response is aways the same ...............varying degrees of "WOW", I had one of the first BMW 650 Cabriolets in our locale and never had anywhere near as much attention and interest in the car , go boys !!

 

[Stinger GT SS]

I'm a reseller of many different KDM items (don't worry I'm not spamming you with a link) and over the past few weeks it's been very difficult getting anything Stinger related from Korea. First it was Chinese new year. That basically means 2 weeks off for everyone in Korea. Then there's the week after when everyone is trying to put their life back together after being drunk for 336 hrs. Since then it's been excuse after excuse.

I put the time in and figured out what's going on. Kia wants the old, dumb looking KIA badge on all Stingers. Why? Well it was fine when just a few of us small guys were ordering and reselling the badges. But then the dealers started bulk ordering. That threw up some red flags at Kia and now they're witholding parts going outside Korea.

Ya know what? This is America. Not Korea. If we want to debadge our car or switch to a different badge, there's nothing you can do about it. When people in America pay $40 or $50k for a car, we do with it whatever we please. It's not our job to market your product. That's your f*ckin job.

So don't think you're going to stop us from making changes because you're witholding products like a big baby. There are plenty of other options to take your f*cking ugly asstastic badge off our Stingers.

Don’t forget Korea just finished 2 weeks of the Winter Olympics, this can also put locals in holiday mode, I remember it did that in Sydney 2000, everyone was in party mode.

 

[Clearly Canadian]

It's not our job to market your product.

Agree.

 

[JustThatPenguin]

Through my experiences, I see things differently than some. The way I see it, without the Kia badge, everyone says, "What is this mysterious car that I love?". When they find out it's a Kia they can either admit they still love it - or lie to themselves. With the Kia badges on the car, they never even give it that chance.

Exactly. As soon as they hear kia. They're all of a sudden too good for this car and it isn't interesting nor beautiful. But true car enthusiast don't care about an emblem.

 

[eflyguy]

I don't care that people know it's a Kia, but I too hate the US badge. I made my own version for my Sorento, just heavy carbon-effect vinyl, with the "flying K" cut from chrome tape. I had many people ask where I got my badges from back before they were available everywhere. The chrome tape weathers after a couple of years, but it's quick and easy to replace, but I picked up some clear UV-protective film which I'll be putting over it next time.

Google "my version of flying K" for pics. The one I posted used two strips of chrome, that was before I bought my vinyl cutter and made a more detailed version. Now that I have the clear to cover it, I'm going to use the double line on top like on the Korean Motors badge.

 

[mev202]

So, and this may be controversial, people change the badge because they care what other people think.

I personally couldn't give a sh*t what anyone else thinks. Just like Audi drivers are happy to be known as complete "douch bag" (I said that with an American accent) I'm happy to be seen driving a kia.

I am of course going to tint my my windows so no one can see me driving it. ;-)

 

[StingerGT68]

I still don't get the big deal. In my test drive, I came tooling out of the dealership, and had 3 cars leering at the car and giving thumbs up. One was a Bimmer, an audi, and I don't remember the other one. Point is, this car will turn heads regardless of if it's performing or just sitting in a parking lot. Badge doesn't matter.

Yeah but if they can't tell what kind of car it is, doesn't it hurt the brand?

 

[Kia Stinger]

Yeah but if they can't tell what kind of car it is, doesn't it hurt the brand?

Most rebadgers use the Stinger text script in the back. If they want to know what it is, it's easy enough.

 

[eflyguy]

I don't care what anyone else thinks, I personally just don't like the "killed in action" association, and don't want to see it every time I walk up to/drive my vehicle.

 

[Andreas Magnusson]

The Stinger text script in the back is part of the original design. Loved it when I first saw it. The rear end doesn't look as good with the ugly Kia badge.

 

[Euljiro1ga]

Don’t forget Korea just finished 2 weeks of the Winter Olympics, this can also put locals in holiday mode, I remember it did that in Sydney 2000, everyone was in party mode.

Only for the Olympic to be somewhat of a failure. No big parties here for the Olympics. It didn't get the whole country going like the World Cup in 2002 did.