Does anyone own a KIA?

[Beauty]

I haven't had my own car in a year or so and finally decided I need something....I won't be doing any traveling in it, just something for around town, to pick up groceries or take John-Cole to and from baseball practice....

We went looking yesterday and found a brand new KIA that would be right around $200 per month....we need a cheap payment!!! Anyway this has the 10 year warranty and has everything I need. Just wondering if anyone owns one and could give me any thoughts.

Of course we could get in used vehicles but they you forgo the warranty.....

 

[tstobb]

We've got a Kia Sedona (mini van) and it's great! We've put about 7000 miles on it so far since getting it back in November. With the warranty and the fact that the closest competion, equiped the same way, was $5-10,000 more, it wasn't too difficult of a choice.

 

[jamsmom]

I have heard good things about them, but have never driven one. I love LONG warranties, though.

 

[Beauty]

The warranty is the #1 reason we are so seriously considering the KIA...well that and the $3,000 dollar rebate......

I'm going to see if it will let me link a picture of it....We still have a lot of questions to ask before we go through with it tomorrow but for now I'm excited

and of course I must have a Disney tag on the front and back

 

[jipsy]

beauty go to www.edmunds.com it's the best site for new and used cars.

That being said, I don't know what the sportages are like now. But I did have a few friends who bought one when they first came out 5 years or so ago, and they all had problems with them. It kept me from buying one. Maybe they have gotten better now? Check on edmunds and see how they review them.

The Kia Sephia though I have heard good things about.

 

[Beauty]

Thanks Jipsy going there now! I actually don't personally know anyone in town with a KIA although they are everywhere. The few used vehicles we have looked at have been Grand Ams and Grand Prixs...a few Intrepids and a few Explorer Sports. But then you get back to the very small warranty.

 

[PartyofSix]

I say don't do it. They are terrible on resale value and have in general of Kia's terrible repair down time. These things are not worth it. Get yourselve something else. We are in the used car business and they are not worth anything really when you drive them off the lot. They are cheaply made in everyway. Yes there cute for cute sake but dang don't throw your money away. Our service manager was the service manager at our local Kia store for 5 years please believe me when i tell you he told us alwful horror stories about these vechiles. The descision is yours but it may pay you to look elsewhere or just wait till you can do different.

 

[Rexfan]

I've never had one, but know a couple of people who regret buying them. I once bought a Hyundai bc of the warranty, but the thing was in the shop 8 times in 6 months! I tried to trade it in, and most dealers wouldn't even touch it. I finally got rid of it at a loss and bought a Toyota ECHO(it's name is Goofy. ). Anyway, I've had it for 3 years, 66,000 miles, and not a single problem. It gets great gas mileage and the payments are 228 per month.

 

[Beauty]

Well I've read both good and bad things, lol! I honestly don't know....I do know however that my best friend had a little white Hyndai (Is that how you spell it?) and it lasted her forever...I think it was close to 100,000 when she finally traded it in.

Let me ask this then, for a payment say under $250 dollars...(we have good credit not perfect, but good...probably in the 650-700 range on the whatever scale)....what would you suggest?? I hate hate hate small cars...I had an Olds Intrigue and HATED it and it wasn't even small!! All I need is something for car pooling to and from baseball and around town.

New or Used as long as the milage isn't just outrageous.....as I said they had a Grand Prix and a few Grand Ams and a few Ford Explore Sports....all around 35,000 miles.

 

[jipsy]

Beauty - are there any large companies around you that would have fleet vehicles?

We maintain a large fleet - We have Jeep Cherokees, Intrepids, Grand Ams, Ford Taurus and Ford Taurus wagons, all kinds of these size of cars. We have a very strict maintenance schedule and we must trade them in for a new one before they hit 70,000. Our company sells them off all the time for good prices too.

You could probably find a good, well-maintained, fleet vehicle if you just call any large company that gives company cars. Most is highway mileage, so not a lot of stop and go wear on them.

Anyway, good luck.

 

[browneyes]

I don't have one, I don't see too many of them in this area. But I love that Kia Sepphia commercial with the girl and her dog. It cracks me up.

Good luck.

 

[Beauty]

With the tow-truck guy Shannon????? I love it too!

Jipsy....in Mississippi....LOL!! No we don't have any large companies PERIOD!!!! But I could probably get you any type trailer or tractor you wanted....LOL!

We actually have 2 decent car delearships and thats it....of course if it comes down to it we could go to Memphis.....To tell the truth John will end up making the decison one way or the other anyway.

Where you work sounds AWESOME though!!!!

 

[Buckalew]

Beth, I test drove a Saturn Ion about 2 weeks ago for the fun of it. That was a fun little car to drive! You may look into that. It was a 4 cylinder but had some sort of a quad 4 engine. Quite a bit of pickup for a small car! Good luck!

 

[dandave]

I agree to check on a Saturn. We got one of the Silver Blue Spring Specials last year for around $10,000 and a Saturn Vue. The Vue was more $$, but I love them both. There is plenty of room in the Spring Special ( a basic SL model) for our family of 4. Even the small Saturns are pretty comfy and fun to drive. I think they have a 3/36,000 warranty.

 

[Tiggeroo]

Speaking of fleet vehicles. We just got my dd a Chevy Cavalier that had been a fleet vehicle with out local paper. It came with records showing it had been meticulously maintained. High mileage, but in excellent shape. It is just for college. We are very happy with this. MY dh and I kick ourselves for not picking up a second one for ourselves. What a cute little zippy car. We always drive bigger vehicles.

 

[tar heel]

Our last two cars have been lease returns with very low mileage (23,000 and 31,000). They were still under factory warranty and we also purchased the extended warranty. These cars were MUCH CHEAPER than a new one. Although my payments are a good bit more than $200 a month, buying a slightly used car enabled us to finance for only three years.

Until we bought my dh's Camry in 1998, we had always bought new cars. At that point, however, we had just moved into a new house with a huge mortgage when someone turned left in front of him, totalling his car. We didn't need a car payment, so we shopped for a good car that we could buy with cash (unfortunately, it was my decorating $ for the new house). The experience was so successful that we anticipate always looking for an almost-new car that qualifies for an extended warranty. Extended warranties are negotiable BTW -- don't accept the first price they offer you.

 

[snoopy]

With the exception of one car, I have always bought used cars with fairly low mileage. I have no desire to have a huge car payment, yet I want a car that is reliable.

I have not heard good things about the Kia either, my neighbor has one and regrets the day she bought it. I've ridden in it, it seems sort of cheaply made to me.

If I were you, I'd invest that $200 month into a car with a better consumer report rating, even if it means owning a car that is a couple of years old as opposed to brand new.

 

[Dodie]

Okay, KIA lovers, please take this in the spirit it is offered...

My FIL is a financing person for car lots. He says that KIAs are considered "throwaway cars" in automotive circles. They are cheap to buy because they are cheaply built. They offer the long warranty to encourage you to keep the car as long as possible because they really don't have any resale or trade-in value.

 

[Mermaid02]

I have a couple of friends with Hyundai's..... they both love them and have not had any problems with them. I don't know about Kia's though.

 

[Cinderellafifi]

I would also have to say don't do it. I had a Kia Sportage and it was so awful because I kept getting recall notices about everything! The final straw was the one that said "you can die" if you don't fix this. The resale was awful even with mint condition and low miles. Please consider something else, maybe a preowned with an extended warranty? Good luck!