KIA - Would you buy one?

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

I wonder if it's a price and brand concern - they're $60K mark aren't they?

Not sure. Maybe it’s just people not really wanting big sedans/ hatches anymore?
Or they see the price and think i’m not spending that much on a kia, when i can buy a small merc or bmw for the same price?

[383hq]

https://www.jdpower.com/business/pre...lity-study-iqs

Kia, Hyundai, Toyota, Lexus and Porsche always do well in these. Not sure what to make of Dodge

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Well you are getting your wish. They only sold about 80 stingers last month. It has sold in numbers well short of their predictions.

What were their Stinger sales predictions?

If point me to a source that would be great.

80 in a month seems reasonably good considering the market at that price. (especially during Covid when nearly all vehicles have dropped in sales)

[Tassie f100]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Not sure. Maybe it’s just people not really wanting big sedans/ hatches anymore?
Or they see the price and think i’m not spending that much on a kia, when i can buy a small merc or bmw for the same price?

But would you buy a cheap s*** Euro when you can get better out of Korea for the money Badge snobbery again I suppose.Must remember that both Falcon and Commodore didn’t die because they were a top selling vehicle.

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by Tassie f100

But would you buy a cheap s*** Euro when you can get better out of Korea for the money Badge snobbery again I suppose.Must remember that both Falcon and Commodore didn’t die because they were a top selling vehicle.

A lot of people cannot get past the Badge in that price range. There will always be those who think a Kia is not worth more or equal to a euro so will poo poo the thought process in getting one.

[Swordie]

Kia seems to build very good cars plus they back them with industry leading warranties. Their long warranties is a very nice bonus.

There will be people who need to replace their turbo six Falcon's with a new car (eg sales rep). The Stinger is probably the closest logical replacement there is. Shame the Stinger doesnt come with a v8 too.

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Or they see the price and think i’m not spending that much on a kia, when i can buy a small merc or bmw for the same price?

^^^^ I think this is the Issue with a lot of (Particularly Older) Buyers..

[Whitey-AMG]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Not sure. Maybe it’s just people not really wanting big sedans/ hatches anymore?
Or they see the price and think i’m not spending that much on a kia, when i can buy a small merc or bmw for the same price?

Guilty of that I’m afraid.
Couldnt go past the AMG badge. Blinded might say. Not that I’m sorry about it.
Same when I bought my BFGT way back in 2007. Could of just bought a fully loaded XR6 turbo and “done a CHOON on it mate” and saved myself 20k
Something about being a zealot for things makes it difficult to reason with logic alone.......
Stinger is a good car by all accounts but something about the car, the badge, the ownership just says.... MEH. I’d prefer a WRX to it. Maybe it’s heritage and image > value and warranty.

[blueoval]

Subaru and Mazda back in the 70's and 80s had the same problem when they brought their brand to Australia. Everyone screwed up their noses to a "Japanese" car and pretty much praised Ford & Holden of the day.

Look at the brands now! Mazda's are quite expensive and have one of the best reputations on Australian soil. Subaru is up there but no where near as much as Mazda. Mitsubishi also are making their stamp on things to a degree more so than they did in the 80s.

I forsee KIA and Hyundai are going thru that process now at the moment. But will eventually make their branding to stick much like Subaru and Mazda now.

[Tassie f100]

Re Mazda,had a WW2 vet said he would NEVER buy a Japanese car after what happened during the war.Anyway he turned up driving a brand new Ford Laser.I said,didn’t reckon you would have bought one of those Japs.Well he was really distraught when I pointed out that
his Laser was just a rebadged Mazda 323, but he did keep it and I think he actually liked the finish etc.

[bathurst77]

Originally Posted by Tassie f100

Re Mazda,had a WW2 vet said he would NEVER buy a Japanese car after what happened during the war.Anyway he turned up driving a brand new Ford Laser.I said,didn’t reckon you would have bought one of those Japs.Well he was really distraught when I pointed out that
his Laser was just a rebadged Mazda 323, but he did keep it and I think he actually liked the finish etc.

Laser was a 323 rebadge, yes, but it was built in Australia by an American owned car co. Bit harsh to call the diggers car Japanese and upset him.

[Tassie f100]

Originally Posted by bathurst77

Laser was a 323 rebadge, yes, but it was built in Australia by an American owned car co. Bit harsh to call the diggers car Japanese and upset him.

I think you meant to say partially assembled and badged in Aust.

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by Whitey-AMG

Guilty of that I’m afraid.
Couldnt go past the AMG badge. Blinded might say. Not that I’m sorry about it.
Same when I bought my BFGT way back in 2007. Could of just bought a fully loaded XR6 turbo and “done a CHOON on it mate” and saved myself 20k
Something about being a zealot for things makes it difficult to reason with logic alone.......
Stinger is a good car by all accounts but something about the car, the badge, the ownership just says.... MEH. I’d prefer a WRX to it. Maybe it’s heritage and image > value and warranty.

Can understand about your purchase and rationale until the WRX comment.

Extremely common and boring imho. At least the Stinger has the appeal of being a bit different like your AMG.

[Whitey-AMG]

Originally Posted by MercuryT

Can understand about your purchase and rationale until the WRX comment.

Extremely common and boring imho. At least the Stinger has the appeal of being a bit different like your AMG.

I guess what I was trying to say is that you know what you get with some cars. Image, performance , heritage , rally , drag , luxury.
Stinger attempted to try and mix all of that up somehow to make it such a great proposition that it ended being none of them at the same time ?? Weird but somehow they managed to create nothing out of something. It’s a conundrum !

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by Whitey-AMG

I guess what I was trying to say is that you know what you get with some cars. Image, performance , heritage , rally , drag , luxury.
Stinger attempted to try and mix all of that up somehow to make it such a great proposition that it ended being none of them at the same time ?? Weird but somehow they managed to create nothing out of something. It’s a conundrum !

No I think you are right.

I'd buy the AMG also.

You are putting similar qualities on a **** Subaru - they are boring as.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by MercuryT

No I think you are right.

I'd buy the AMG also.

You are putting similar qualities on a **** Subaru - they are boring as.

You know the old stereotype about Volvo drivers?

They've moved onto Subaru

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

You know the old stereotype about Volvo drivers?

They've moved onto Subaru

Yeah Christ I nearly fell over read a WRX over a Stinger.

Subaru's are great family and off-road cars, but the WRX is just cringe-worthy now. Awful.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

You know the old stereotype about Volvo drivers?

They've moved onto Subaru

And Skoda's.

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

And Skoda's.

I'd prefer to be seen in a Skoda than a side cap, dic'hea' wearing idiot who typically drives WRX's.

[Whitey-AMG]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

You know the old stereotype about Volvo drivers?

They've moved onto Subaru

To me it seems like It’s Toyota CAMRY’s now. I steer clear of them like I used to Volvo’s. Almost guaranteed to be Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder co pilot behind the wheel each and every time.

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

You know the old stereotype about Volvo drivers?

They've moved onto Subaru

Ease up mate. I haven't installed the zimmer frame to my XV yet and I do use indicators despite common belief.

My question is, do i use a fedora or bowler hat on my parcel shelf?

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by blueoval

Ease up mate. I haven't installed the zimmer frame to my XV yet and I do use indicators despite common belief.

My question is, do i use a fedora or bowler hat on my parcel shelf?

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by DJR-351

image

I'll get 2. That way everyone can avoid me at the same time.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Tassie f100

But would you buy a cheap s*** Euro when you can get better out of Korea for the money Badge snobbery again I suppose.Must remember that both Falcon and Commodore didn’t die because they were a top selling vehicle.

People buy them to look like ballers. So they can say I drive a Mercedes or BMW.

You will also notice they won't mention it's a bottom of the range 118i or A200.

A lot of them have the model badges removed as well

It's all about looking like you have money to some of these people.

If you drive an E or S class, or an AMG variant then yes you could say that. Hard to see how you can believe that of someone driving a bottom of the range A class. The guy next to you at the lights in his Wildtrak that they would probably look down their noses at, is driving a more expensive vehicle.

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

People buy them to look like ballers. So they can say I drive a Mercedes or BMW.

You will also notice they won't mention it's a bottom of the range 118i or A200.

A lot of them have the model badges removed as well

It's all about looking like you have money to some of these people.

If you drive an E or S class, or an AMG variant then yes you could say that. Hard to see how you can believe that of someone driving a bottom of the range A class. The guy next to you at the lights in his Wildtrak that they would probably look down their noses at, is driving a more expensive vehicle.

Yep. Its the perception that anyone driving an expensive European/German brand is elite/cashed up or well to do. That may have been the way things were in the 90's or early 2000s, but the gap between the makes these days in terms of off as a snob is a lot less.

Ive seen soccer mums rock up in their brand new Mazda CX9's and VW Tiguan's and look down on people driving a "KIA/Hyundai"

[Whitey-AMG]

Originally Posted by blueoval

Yep. Its the perception that anyone driving an expensive European/German brand is elite/cashed up or well to do. That may have been the way things were in the 90's or early 2000s, but the gap between the makes these days in terms of off as a snob is a lot less.

Ive seen soccer mums rock up in their brand new Mazda CX9's and VW Tiguan's and look down on people driving a "KIA/Hyundai"

Too true !
I only bought the AMG as it was 2.5 years old. No way I could shell out for a brand new one. I certainly appreciate that many so called “lesser” brand new vehicles on the road will cost many thousands more than my purchase. The astute observer will always know real money from a paupers attempt. I’m definitely in the latter category.....

Bottom feeder entry level Euros aren’t and should not be seen as status. Those that think that are kidding themselves. Plenty of good competition from all marques in that segment. I think that’s where marques like KIA and Hyundai are excelling ( hahah ... pun ) and should not be overlooked.

I guess it’s when the likes of KIA and Hyundai purport to compete in the upper bracket is when it gets a bit blurry. It’s never seen as a direct competitor, the premise is that it’s “good value” and almost has the opposite effect. Like when you see a 5 year old A class Merc and think “tosser thinks he’s prestige”
An expensive KIA is like “ you know you really wanted an AUDI or MERC but life hasn’t been kind”

[FTE217]

I think for the everyday motorists there sure is a portion who hide behind the euro brand, bottom end or not, it no matter its all about the image.
Good luck to them, insecurity lives in these times more than ever before, especially since the euro brands figured out to come into the jap/asian sectors.

KIA's issue for similar like minded people like ourselves (me) is 2 main points Whitey mentioned :
Pedigree
Heritige

I could have stretched myself into one I guess but - if my mind isn't set it isn't set like any of us.
Stingers best selling point is the 7yr WTY imo followed by its overall performance.
Myself I would have struggled at first saying I got a Stinger, friend would ask, what is it ? I'd say its a KIA Stinger - wouldn't have a clue would they.
Then I'd be in the position of selling it to him, or justifying the purchase not that I need to in the first place but know what I mean.
I would have jumped into a STI easily for they are proven hands down and was definately on my short list.
Mercury T, they have been cringeworthy for as long as we can recall barring an exception or 2 at most but they have the pedigree/heritage period fugly and all to me.
A well set up really fugly WRX/STI has cred - whereas I could never eva eva eva be in a commodore as you have. Horse's for course's mate.

So I ended up with in a snobby Bimmer badge, not new low k one owner 330i MSport wagon.
Pedigree/heritage, just like how I feel about my TS50 and Sprint warts and all.
IMO its far better than the Stinger hands down once you've driven it - I have no care about its maintenance cost for I know how to manage that plus I have 3yrs WTY.

Hence Stingers issues lacking sales, you need to earn the cred not buy it in performance sectors imo.

[Whitey-AMG]

Not a KIA..
But here’s a small update on the i30N..... with canon exhausts.

https://www.caradvice.com.au/861457/...-sharper-look/

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by blueoval

Yep. Its the perception that anyone driving an expensive European/German brand is elite/cashed up or well to do. That may have been the way things were in the 90's or early 2000s, but the gap between the makes these days in terms of off as a snob is a lot less.

Ive seen soccer mums rock up in their brand new Mazda CX9's and VW Tiguan's and look down on people driving a "KIA/Hyundai"

Deadset true and worse.

I met my friends Sat night and their daughter (14) refuses her Dad to drop her off at school in their newish Astra.

Also near new VW Tiguan only and even then says she is made fun of by her friends (it's a private Hobart school)

I tried to suggest how lucky she was in having new cars compared to so many other children......I might have been talking to the wall. Didn't understand.

Yes she comes across as a spoilt brat I agree but that is reality in certain places.

Badge is everything to many buyers.

[anobserver]

The Optima is dead. Long live the K5.. except its lhd only, so not coming here.

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...-optima-drive/