So Much For KIA!


Jeramie

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I bought a 2001 Optima 3-months ago (roughly). Many of your will remember my brag post.... This is my anti brag post.

It quit about 10-days ago and Ive been in a mad scramble to find out what is wrong with the car. My F150 cost me $25 a day compared to the $8 of the KIA. Finally I get a hold of the local KIA dealer. He does his best to get me to Commit to service over the phone with, "What was your last name again? I want to be sure to get you scheduled in to have this fixed." He then tells me to expect repairs of $1,100 plus for..... Dum, dum, dum..... A timing belt.

Granted he hasn't even seen the car but another KIA provided the same results at the same cost. They then tell me that its at least $1,100 and if the belt breaks I'm looking at a news engine (I understand how that works). Regardless, Ive had this car for 3-months and put roughly 11k miles on it. Now all of a sudden I have to Pony up at least $1,100 just to get it to run!

I'm so fumed. Ive owned many, many cars and Ive never had one go down at 65k miles, especially to this degree! They advertise their 100k mile warranty, guess what.... Thats only if you're the original owner. So now I have a 6k car sitting in my drive way looking at $1,100 for just a stinking timing belt and the way the dealers are talking... It could and probably will cost more.

Never again KIA and I promise, you will get no good feedback from me. Ive never seen a car go down with 65k original miles on it. Pile of junk.....

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Re: So Much For KIA!

I'm not a fan of KIA either but I drive 55 miles one way. I needed something with remotely low miles for the price. It was bar none the best deal (or so I thought). As far as miles and such it was really taken care of. An old couple owned it and only drove locally. From everything I read they were suppose to be good cars, especially the Optima. Thats one of their better cars. Come to find out the belt has to be changed at 60k on all Kia's.

Btw Hutch, I payed 6K for it.

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Re: So Much For KIA!

Most of those foreign products are junk. No offence to anyone that owns one, but they are. Honda, Toyota and Nissan aren't bad, but their japanese. Kia, Hyundai, Daewoo etc are Korean junk! We have Daewoo engines in our Chevy Aveo's, Optra's and Epica's. They are all garbage. I'd rather spend an extra $10 grand and get something good that you don't have to keep dumping money into. You'll never hear me reccomend them. crazy.gif

Anything I own will always have a gold bowtie on the front... grin.gif

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Re: So Much For KIA!

I highly doubt the engine is damaged enough to need to be replace.Sounds like the dealer is trying to take advantage of a bad situation.I've had two timing chains break on me in the past and never did any engine damage.I would try to find someplace else to take it to for the repair.

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Re: So Much For KIA!

[ QUOTE ]

I highly doubt the engine is damaged enough to need to be replace.Sounds like the dealer is trying to take advantage of a bad situation.I've had two timing chains break on me in the past and never did any engine damage.I would try to find someplace else to take it to for the repair.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought the same thing. If it bent the valves they can be replaced. But sometimes they'll crack the piston and therefore they have to be replaced. Depending how many cylinders were effected it may be cheaper in the long run to get a new engine.

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Re: So Much For KIA!

[ QUOTE ]

I highly doubt the engine is damaged enough to need to be replace.Sounds like the dealer is trying to take advantage of a bad situation.I've had two timing chains break on me in the past and never did any engine damage.I would try to find someplace else to take it to for the repair.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats what I thought too. I wouldnt let him replace the thing before I took a look at it. However, my boss was telling me that his belt broke in his VW and it trashed the valves. Of course he had way over 100k on the motor...

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Re: So Much For KIA!

Oh now! Dont knock the fords. I have worked my Fords to death and have never had one lay down on me. Thats not to say im not a fan of Chevy, I just dont participate in that debate.

I have an honest love for them both. IMHO the two best motors ever built were the 350 and 302, in that order.

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Guest huntinsanobsession

Re: So Much For KIA!

if you want something with good gas mileage i don't know if the ranger is your best bet i get the same milage outta my 03 ranger that my dad gets outta his seirra 1500.

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Re: So Much For KIA!

IMO

I don't care WHOSE vehicle it is. If the motor has a timing belt instead of a timing chain and you don't change it every 60,000miles you're asking for trouble. BTW, lots of different manufacturers have belts instead of chains in their cars.

Timing chains are often good up to 200,000 but don't push it. There are plenty of things that can shorten the life of a chain too.

These aren't items you wait to break before you replace them. The expense after one breaks is much higher.

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