Kia: Ya or nay? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Holo · 10-28-2003, 05:50 AM

Did a search and found no Kia specific threads so I wanted to ask the forum if anyone had any experience with Kias or a friend that has one. Please don't say Kia sucks just because it's the cheapest car; I really want actual experiences with them from yourself or ppl you've known. We're considering getting one as all our used cars end up being shite and don't have the best credit record or a ton of cash to put down so a Honda/Toyota/Nissan is most likely out of the question.

onetime2 · 10-28-2003, 06:18 AM

I know of a few people that have them and no one has mentioned any issues. There are a couple of things to consider though.

The first is how you plan to pay for vs how long you plan to have it. If you plan to have it for many years and not expecting to really resell it, then it may be a good option. If you plan to take out a long-term loan and will be trading it in or selling it in a year or two, it's a bad idea.

Resale value of a Kia is generally low. This may put you in the position of owing more than the vehicle is worth. Should you get into an accident or it gets stolen under these conditions or you want/need to sell it or trade it in, you will be laying out thousands of dollars to make up the difference. Gap insurance is designed to cut down the risk with regard to an accident but there's nothing to limit the risk in case you want/need to sell it or trade it in.

That being said, if the warranty/price meet your needs and you don't fall into the above problem I would say go for it. They seem like pretty nice cars. I would check for specific criticisms in Consumer Reports or the like for the model(s) you're looking at though. Good luck!

spirol · 10-28-2003, 07:28 AM

Its a good car that can take you from point A to point B. My manager drives a KIA, he said its a reliable car so far (currently 2 years). I've heard that the KIA sportage has the FE3n (FE-DOHC) engine which came from mazda. That engine has stock 140 hp but has the ability to go up to 200-400 hp using turbo (it can take a beating). I know much about their other models..

irseg · 10-28-2003, 08:46 AM

My mom has a '98 Sephia. It was in the garage every month for about the first 8 months she had it. It was all under warranty, but a pain in the ass anyway. Since then it's been pretty reliable. It's still a cheap, slow cheap piece of junk though, and the brakes on that car are so weak it's scary.

Rather than spending $12k or so on a Kia, I'd buy a 10 year old used car for $5000 and put some money aside for repairs. That way I'd have a much nicer car and come out ahead financially too.

madsenj37 · 10-28-2003, 10:50 AM

My friend says its unbearibly slow to drive, especially uphill

irseg · 10-28-2003, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by madsenj37
My friend says its unbearibly slow to drive, especially uphill

That, too. I lived in western Maryland, on the hills it was ridiculous. On one in particular (Sideling Hill for those of you familiar with the area) it had a top speed of 64 mph. All my cars would do 90+ without straining and they weren't exactly Ferraris.

I'd take that damn Kia on a 60 mile road trip and end up exhausted from the wind noise, tire noise, other random noise, having the shit scared out of me when I'd have to merge, putting up with it downshifting every 5 seconds to maintain speed, etc. Small underpowered cars just plain suck.

Peryn · 10-28-2003, 07:01 PM

In my experience with people that have them....it seem you get what you pay for. If you want something cheap, dont drive too many miles, it is good. A 100k mile warranty is what you are getting when you get one. You will get a decent 100,000 miles, then get a new car. And at that price, its not too bad of an option. Personally, i would say get a low model civic or accord, and have it last twice as long.

fishin · 10-28-2003, 08:27 PM

My brother has the Kia minivan. He has had it for about 2 years and he's had no problems. It does have this "cheap" feel about it though...

Blahman · 10-29-2003, 07:40 AM

For the price, you can't go wrong. May have some problems, but it does have a killer warranty though, better than even some other 10/100 warranties, because it is through Kia the entire time.

If you need an inexpensive car, they aren't bad.

bobby · 10-29-2003, 07:10 PM

I LIKE THE NEW SUZUKI VERONA...MORE STUFF AT A CHEAPER PRICE...LOOK INTO IT...HUNDI SONOTA IS NICE TOO,BUT IS EQUAL TO KIA OPTIMA...MY VOTE IS SUZUKI !! XOXOXOO

sangokujin · 10-29-2003, 11:11 PM

i dont understand how cars can be that inexpensive? how safe are kias?

peacy · 10-30-2003, 07:48 AM

How safe? Well, don't expect too much "material"... (In my eyes it's a tincan...)
I've driven my father-in-law's Kia couple of times. Yes, it feels really cheap. And the handling is terrible. Worst suspension ever...

Blahman · 10-30-2003, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sangokujin
i dont understand how cars can be that inexpensive? how safe are kias?

Most kia's have a 5 star crash impact saftey rating. They focus a lot on the saftey of their cars.

peacy · 10-30-2003, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Blahman
Most kia's have a 5 star crash impact saftey rating. They focus a lot on the saftey of their cars.

Hmmm...

This is what I found:

Code:

Model                 Year      Test by   Rating

KIA SPORTAGE          1996-99   ANCAP     *
KIA SPORTAGE(US)      1998-     IIHS      **
KIA SORENTO(LHD)      2003-     ENCAP     ****
KIA CARNIVAL(LHD)     2003-     ENCAP     **
KIA SEDONA(US)        2002-     IIHS      **
KIA MENTOR            1996-00   ANCAP     **
KIA MENTOR SEDAN      1998-00   ANCAP     *+
KIA RIO 5 DOOR HATCH  2001-     ANCAP     **+
KIA SEPHIA(US)        1996-97   IIHS      *
KIA SEPHIA(US)        1998-     IIHS      *

You can draw your own conclusions...

bad30th · 10-30-2003, 11:04 AM

Friend of mine had a BRAND NEW Kia....went thru 2 (yes TWO) transmissions in the first 7000 miles. Car rode like a tank (i mean that in the worst possible way), and couldnt get out of its own way.

In short, it was a pile. I wouldnt recommend buying one.

irseg · 10-30-2003, 11:56 AM

Oh yeah, I forgot about the suspension on the Sephia. Somehow they made it ride like a pickup truck but wallow and plow in turns like a Lincoln. That's quite an accomplishment!

Booty Man · 10-30-2003, 05:59 PM

wakelagger · 10-30-2003, 07:54 PM

My friend and I joke that Kia is the first company to perfect plastic engines and rope driveshafts.
We're weird.

ickma · 10-30-2003, 08:07 PM

HAHAHA Thats me. Every time I pass a kia I yell some crazy thing about plastic engines. I get a very sick pleasure at yelling this at the owners of the car. I just hope they don't carry guns but those are probably plastic too. Wakelagger thought up the thing about the rope drive shafts.

magnum · 10-30-2003, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Booty Man
nay

Yeah...Kia is a pos car...

MSD · 11-01-2003, 09:34 PM

Here's what I can determine from what people I know have said

-Kia has the highest rate of complaints per 100,000 cars of any auto manuracturer this past year.
-The cars are undrpowered, almost painful to drive in hilly areas.
-The suspension makes teh ride unbearable, especially with a bad back
-With the exception of one or two models, the crash ratings are not up to par with other manufacturers
-The interior has a cheap feel, consistent with the low price fo the car
-The reliability is sub-par. If you void your warranty, you will be likely to end up paying more than the value of your car in repair costs in one year.

sTghezzo · 11-02-2003, 12:59 AM

ive heard alot of bad things about kias. the only good thing ive heard about kias is they are cheap. i really havent done any research on them. i perfer older cars myself, but yea

acpower · 11-04-2003, 04:57 AM

One word: nay

Save up for a Toyota Echo or something.

Shauk · 11-04-2003, 05:10 AM

I bought a used 92 honda civic w 145k miles on it for 1600$

I've had it for a year, have replaced the engine, and 2 tires, some minor electrical problems (one tail light, and the heater fader on the dash dont light up all the time)

I just broke the lock on the passenger side door today (shouldnt be too spendy)

well my point is, kias are cheap, but a used honda with an engine swap and the repairs I listed did not exceed 3000$ in the lifetime of my ownership with this car.

I know honda's arent for everyone but I like mine.

find something comparable in that price range, no older than 10 years, and snatch that puppy up.

its the best bet.

bigoldalphamale · 11-04-2003, 07:33 AM

if you live in the city, or very close to the city (pre-suburbs)...a kia or some other cheap shit box beater would be fine. it would be something that could make short trips, in traffic, efficiently and it wouldnt break your heart for it to get all dinged up and shit. if you live in the burbs, or further out, and commute more than 15 minutes to work, i dont recommend this car.

Spyder_Venom · 11-04-2003, 07:38 AM

NAY- look at thier warrantee history

irseg · 11-04-2003, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shauk
I bought a used 92 honda civic w 145k miles on it for 1600$

I've had it for a year, have replaced the engine, and 2 tires, some minor electrical problems (one tail light, and the heater fader on the dash dont light up all the time)

Holy shit did you ever get ripped off! Did the seller at least use some KY when he bent you over? I wouldn't give more than $300 for a 145k mile 10 year old Civic with a dead engine. And that's being generous, and assuming it's in excellent shape otherwise.

T-Prime · 11-04-2003, 06:55 PM

Somewhat off-topic, but my friends friend bought a Kia brand new, as close to the base model as possible. Is it true that the steering wheel on a Kia is an OPTION? (Stupid question from a stupid person, me)

irseg · 11-04-2003, 07:42 PM

Ummm..no. Just a figure of speech. Non-steerable cars would not be too practical, not to mention the safety hazard.

Shauk · 11-04-2003, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by irseg
Holy shit did you ever get ripped off! Did the seller at least use some KY when he bent you over? I wouldn't give more than $300 for a 145k mile 10 year old Civic with a dead engine. And that's being generous, and assuming it's in excellent shape otherwise.

the engine was fine, I just swapped it for a newer one to avoid being in the shop for it later.. engine swaps these days arent that expensive if you get them done right.

10-28-2003, 05:50 AM	#1 (permalink)
Holo A Real American	Kia: Ya or nay? Did a search and found no Kia specific threads so I wanted to ask the forum if anyone had any experience with Kias or a friend that has one. Please don't say Kia sucks just because it's the cheapest car; I really want actual experiences with them from yourself or ppl you've known. We're considering getting one as all our used cars end up being shite and don't have the best credit record or a ton of cash to put down so a Honda/Toyota/Nissan is most likely out of the question. __________________ I happen to like the words "fuck", "cock", "pussy", "tits", "cunt", "twat", "shit" and even "bitch". As long as I am not using them to describe you, don't go telling me whether or not I can/should use them...that is, if you want me to continue refraining from using them to describe you. ~Prince

10-28-2003, 06:18 AM	#2 (permalink)
onetime2 Junkie Location: NJ	I know of a few people that have them and no one has mentioned any issues. There are a couple of things to consider though. The first is how you plan to pay for vs how long you plan to have it. If you plan to have it for many years and not expecting to really resell it, then it may be a good option. If you plan to take out a long-term loan and will be trading it in or selling it in a year or two, it's a bad idea. Resale value of a Kia is generally low. This may put you in the position of owing more than the vehicle is worth. Should you get into an accident or it gets stolen under these conditions or you want/need to sell it or trade it in, you will be laying out thousands of dollars to make up the difference. Gap insurance is designed to cut down the risk with regard to an accident but there's nothing to limit the risk in case you want/need to sell it or trade it in. That being said, if the warranty/price meet your needs and you don't fall into the above problem I would say go for it. They seem like pretty nice cars. I would check for specific criticisms in Consumer Reports or the like for the model(s) you're looking at though. Good luck! __________________ Strive to be more curious than ignorant.

10-28-2003, 10:50 AM	#5 (permalink)
madsenj37 Still searching... Location: NorCal For Life	My friend says its unbearibly slow to drive, especially uphill __________________ "Only two things are certain: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not certain about the universe." -- Albert Einstein

10-28-2003, 07:01 PM	#7 (permalink)
Peryn Junkie Location: San Diego, CA.	In my experience with people that have them....it seem you get what you pay for. If you want something cheap, dont drive too many miles, it is good. A 100k mile warranty is what you are getting when you get one. You will get a decent 100,000 miles, then get a new car. And at that price, its not too bad of an option. Personally, i would say get a low model civic or accord, and have it last twice as long. __________________ Dont cry kid, It's not your fault you suck.

10-28-2003, 08:27 PM	#8 (permalink)
fishin Crazy	My brother has the Kia minivan. He has had it for about 2 years and he's had no problems. It does have this "cheap" feel about it though... __________________ liberals rule. phhtt.

10-28-2003, 07:28 AM	#3 (permalink)
spirol Upright Location: toronto	Its a good car that can take you from point A to point B. My manager drives a KIA, he said its a reliable car so far (currently 2 years). I've heard that the KIA sportage has the FE3n (FE-DOHC) engine which came from mazda. That engine has stock 140 hp but has the ability to go up to 200-400 hp using turbo (it can take a beating). I know much about their other models..

10-28-2003, 08:46 AM	#4 (permalink)
irseg Junkie Location: Florida	My mom has a '98 Sephia. It was in the garage every month for about the first 8 months she had it. It was all under warranty, but a pain in the ass anyway. Since then it's been pretty reliable. It's still a cheap, slow cheap piece of junk though, and the brakes on that car are so weak it's scary. Rather than spending $12k or so on a Kia, I'd buy a 10 year old used car for $5000 and put some money aside for repairs. That way I'd have a much nicer car and come out ahead financially too.

10-29-2003, 07:40 AM	#9 (permalink)
Blahman Upright	For the price, you can't go wrong. May have some problems, but it does have a killer warranty though, better than even some other 10/100 warranties, because it is through Kia the entire time. If you need an inexpensive car, they aren't bad.

10-29-2003, 07:10 PM	#10 (permalink)
bobby Super Moderator Location: 18,000+ posts on TFP #1,2,3,4 and 5,but I'm not counting!	I LIKE THE NEW SUZUKI VERONA...MORE STUFF AT A CHEAPER PRICE...LOOK INTO IT...HUNDI SONOTA IS NICE TOO,BUT IS EQUAL TO KIA OPTIMA...MY VOTE IS SUZUKI !! XOXOXOO __________________ "Life goes on,within you,and...with out you !" xoxoxoo

10-29-2003, 11:11 PM	#11 (permalink)
sangokujin Upright Location: California	i dont understand how cars can be that inexpensive? how safe are kias?

10-30-2003, 07:48 AM	#12 (permalink)
peacy Crazy Location: Reading, UK	How safe? Well, don't expect too much "material"... (In my eyes it's a tincan...) I've driven my father-in-law's Kia couple of times. Yes, it feels really cheap. And the handling is terrible. Worst suspension ever...

10-30-2003, 11:04 AM	#15 (permalink)
bad30th Insane Location: [insert witty play on location field here]	Friend of mine had a BRAND NEW Kia....went thru 2 (yes TWO) transmissions in the first 7000 miles. Car rode like a tank (i mean that in the worst possible way), and couldnt get out of its own way. In short, it was a pile. I wouldnt recommend buying one.

10-30-2003, 11:56 AM	#16 (permalink)
irseg Junkie Location: Florida	Oh yeah, I forgot about the suspension on the Sephia. Somehow they made it ride like a pickup truck but wallow and plow in turns like a Lincoln. That's quite an accomplishment!

10-30-2003, 07:54 PM	#18 (permalink)
wakelagger Insane Location: Toronto	My friend and I joke that Kia is the first company to perfect plastic engines and rope driveshafts. We're weird.

10-30-2003, 08:07 PM	#19 (permalink)
ickma Insane Location: Toronto	HAHAHA Thats me. Every time I pass a kia I yell some crazy thing about plastic engines. I get a very sick pleasure at yelling this at the owners of the car. I just hope they don't carry guns but those are probably plastic too. Wakelagger thought up the thing about the rope drive shafts.

11-04-2003, 07:38 AM	#26 (permalink)
Spyder_Venom Psycho Location: MN	NAY- look at thier warrantee history __________________ The local track whore

11-01-2003, 09:34 PM	#21 (permalink)
MSD The sky calls to us ... Super Moderator Location: CT	Here's what I can determine from what people I know have said -Kia has the highest rate of complaints per 100,000 cars of any auto manuracturer this past year. -The cars are undrpowered, almost painful to drive in hilly areas. -The suspension makes teh ride unbearable, especially with a bad back -With the exception of one or two models, the crash ratings are not up to par with other manufacturers -The interior has a cheap feel, consistent with the low price fo the car -The reliability is sub-par. If you void your warranty, you will be likely to end up paying more than the value of your car in repair costs in one year.

11-02-2003, 12:59 AM	#22 (permalink)
sTghezzo Loser Location: hi	ive heard alot of bad things about kias. the only good thing ive heard about kias is they are cheap. i really havent done any research on them. i perfer older cars myself, but yea

11-04-2003, 04:57 AM	#23 (permalink)
acpower Crazy	One word: nay Save up for a Toyota Echo or something.

11-04-2003, 05:10 AM	#24 (permalink)
Shauk Confused Adult Location: Spokane, WA	I bought a used 92 honda civic w 145k miles on it for 1600$ I've had it for a year, have replaced the engine, and 2 tires, some minor electrical problems (one tail light, and the heater fader on the dash dont light up all the time) I just broke the lock on the passenger side door today (shouldnt be too spendy) well my point is, kias are cheap, but a used honda with an engine swap and the repairs I listed did not exceed 3000$ in the lifetime of my ownership with this car. I know honda's arent for everyone but I like mine. find something comparable in that price range, no older than 10 years, and snatch that puppy up. its the best bet.

11-04-2003, 07:33 AM	#25 (permalink)
bigoldalphamale Loser	if you live in the city, or very close to the city (pre-suburbs)...a kia or some other cheap shit box beater would be fine. it would be something that could make short trips, in traffic, efficiently and it wouldnt break your heart for it to get all dinged up and shit. if you live in the burbs, or further out, and commute more than 15 minutes to work, i dont recommend this car.

11-04-2003, 06:55 PM	#28 (permalink)
T-Prime Banned	Somewhat off-topic, but my friends friend bought a Kia brand new, as close to the base model as possible. Is it true that the steering wheel on a Kia is an OPTION? (Stupid question from a stupid person, me)

11-04-2003, 07:42 PM	#29 (permalink)
irseg Junkie Location: Florida	Ummm..no. Just a figure of speech. Non-steerable cars would not be too practical, not to mention the safety hazard.