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2013 and earlier Kia Sedona Prices Paid and Buying Experience
Did you get a good deal on your Sedona? Please share your experience here.
Steve, Host
Steve, Host
0
Comments
Regarding my problems:
1)Since when is a seat not a manufacturing issue?
2)Since when is the location and quality of the fuse panel door not an engineering and manufacturing problem?
3) I forgot to mention that whenever I use the lumbar support a loud unnerving electrical sound come through my speakers. Is that a dealership issue?
4) The poor mileage issue. I just expected to get near the 15 city 20 highway that was advertised. Not 12 city and 14 highway.
IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK? UGA, why become so defensive? I am just sharing my experiences. I guess you would prefer that I make up a story that says this is the best major purchase I ever made when in fact I am beginning to think that it is the worst major purchase I ever made.
I work hard for my money and I just want to feel comfortable with my purchase. Now I know the truth about Kia.
I had a cracked windshield on the Kia (manufacturing defect -- around 10k miles) and the dealer took care of it -- no questions asked. Kia issue that the dealer made right.
Other than that I'm at 25,000 miles on a 2002 EX and my wife (the primary driver) is still thrilled. Milege is steady around 20 (30% city, 70% highway -- last three tank averages were 20, 21.5 and 20.1). So far an excellant vehicle for us.
Start by checking out a new dealer to handle the gripes you have -- legitimate gripes from the sound of it.
PS: I have used Lia Kia in Schenectady for mine -- and it all worked well. What are of the country was your dealer in? (Hopefully not Lia in Schenectady -- although I haven't been back in for 6 months).
By the way, have you had problems with the fuse box cover or any of the nagging problems I have mentioned? Thanks again.
For example, whenever I buy milk and take it home and it is spoiled, I return to the market that I purchased it from. I am then suspicious of the brand I purchased and look at every detail going as far as sipping the milk before I give it to my children. I never seek the cow even though the milk could have been bad since it's delivery from the udder (I know that this is a silly comparison but at least I am trying - :0)Sorry but give some credit for the effort.
Your MPG is a typical break-in situation that will improve over time. Ours improved dramatically between 2,000-3,500 miles. Still improving at 8,000. Ours is continually above EPA.
Checked the fuse box this morning. Ours has a little sliding latch on the cover that secures it.
If yours is broken and does not slide forward, they should replace it. It is a pretty simple piece of equipment and certainly adequate to the task.
On delivery the front AC wasn't 100% right -- handled promptly by the dealer (it would only cool when the back was on).
I had some scratches on the back trim (interior) -- and I do think Kia should change that design. On the other hand after a year of hard use (7 year old and 3 year old and small dog) it hasn't gotten any worse. The dealer did offer to install new trim -- and I took 'em up on it.
I concurr with the milege posts you've seen -- the milege did pick up after a couple of k -- and it works well.
Yes, it's a Kia -- but it's one of the most expensive Kias they make and they should treat you as a good customer. On the other hand -- I'll never go back to the Dodge dealer again (Caravan) -- I loathed them then and loathe them now. Sales was "ok" but service stunk.
When I installed it I did not find it needed to smear grease on my upholstery either .
The trailer hitch add a whole further dimension to the van. I towed a 3,000 lb trailer loaded with my old aunties furniture from the mountains in Plattsburgh to Rochester, NY. I got 16.7 MPG towing. In the mountains. I too get 20-26 MPG highway. With the A/C running.
I have 25,000 miles on mine.
I have not had the trouble with the dealer staff. They are not KIA experts in the service department. I would bet on the saleswoman vs the technicians any day.
However, when they had to find a shorted wire in the Drivers seat ( from the seatbelt warning switch ) they did a good job.
Hey, could your electrical problem stem from the metal lumber flexing device , pinching a misplaced wire from the seat belt warning circuit? sounds like it would be worth checking.
I get no static from my radio operating the seat controls. I have the cheaper model with mostly manual controls.
Oh , I missed the software recall on the ABS , since I do not have ABS.
I checked my brakes and have more than 50% material left.
My tires are wearing very nice and flat across the tread. The front tires wore 50% down in 20,000 miles. The back tires wore 10% down.
I rotated them this week. The full size spare sure comes in handy. I put it on the back of the van when I did the rotation. now I have three " new" tires. I got into a big storm by Pittsburgh last week and the deep tread was great. Look at your vans tires . If they are the Kumho tires they may have the rating of 44 PSI pressure. I contacted KUMHO USA and got a technical person who said they would approve inflating the tires to 40 PSI for everyday use, on the van. You may find your tires are inflated to 28 0r 30 PSI.
You could improve your mileage by raising your tires to a higher pressure. How high can you go ?? that is a matter of great debate between me and steve and others. So far all the fears/uncertainty& doubt concerning " too high tire presure " for these KUMHO tires appear to be completely unfounded. I have proper wear patterns and great tire performance.
Overall the van has been great.
PEter Butterfield is the USA president of KIA and he operates from Irvine california.
Write him a letter , use what you put in your post.
He may be able to at least try geting a better handle on the boneheads at the dealer.
BRONX KIA has come in for some well deserved critisism on this board. Maybe it's your dealers turn too!
Air pressure should be set in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's specification ..."
Kumho's Frequently Asked Questions
Rebuttals and other Kia comments welcome, but please continue in the Kia Sedona discussion so we can keep this one focused on pricing. Thanks,
Steve, Host
p.s. may have been able to brough beat salesman
for a few $ more but then again I want good service and friendly co-operation. Any comments on price
You seem to be coming around on how you feel you about your Sedona and that's good. I think your problem is that you took a chance on Kia--instead of a "name brand"--and you don't like feeling as though you made a mistake right from the start. I don't blame you. Like many Sedona owners today, a couple of years ago you probably never thought you would own a Kia product now. Now that you do, you don't want to see your new van in a less than perfect state. Can't blame you there--no body wants their new car to have issues. Just try to get them resolved and enjoy your new van!
Rio $2K
Spectra forgot
Optima/Sedona/Sorento are $3K
Too bad, i just bought my 2nd Kia few days ago, which is a RIO with AT/AC for $6995 after all rebates, including $1K fatory rebate and $1K loyalty rebate.
The buying experience is a completely different story. The people working for the financing department were just awful. They offered (i bargained) the above-mentioned price, but when it was time to sign the papers they jacked the price up to 18,000. I went home and check the documents the following day. I had to go back to "fix the problem" It took me four days to get things straighten out.
leather, ABS, moonroof, cargo net
The price this afternoon was $100 less but the van (with the color combo we wanted) was sold off the dealer floor in the 3 hours it took to round up the wife. We hadn't pinned down the color or it would have been held. We got the cargo net to help make up for the difference.
We're hoping to do better than the $30k Windstar that had $5k of repairs before 37k miles!
Sapphire Blue/Beige with ABS and a Sunroof, cloth interior. $23770 MSRP, paid $100 over invoice ($22344), less rebate, which took us to $20344. Then I dropped our trade on them, and they gave me a good number on what became (for them), a lot lizard. Hey, it's buyer beware on a used car over 100K miles.
Now they didn't hassle me or anything, but consider the rest of my buying experience.
At Martin Kia, the salesman tells me to bring my wife by and he'll give a price. Then he tells her to bring me for numbers etc. (We went separately, it's too distracting to shop cars with two under the age of 5). Then he says I can't get EX with ABS unless I get leather. Trust me, I don't want leather. 'Leather's hot, it cracks, nothing but trouble.' (Anyone know what movie that's from?). At least my wife got a test drive, I wasn't offered one, but I test drove here during the Lord of the Rings giveaway. Something she didn't like was the salesman's attitude, and the way he tried to persuade her to get the 'pretty red one.'
After that experience, I went to Victory Kia in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, which is about 90 min NW of us. There, the salesman gives me MSRP as a 'Good number', takes the $2000 rebate off and sends me on my way with a brochure, no walk around, no test drive. I guess if you drive that far to look at a car, you can't possibly be a serious buyer.
Faulkner Kia, in West Chester, Pennsylvania was my third stop, about an hour north of me. This dealer has no Sedonas and suggests I'd do better at NuCar where I did end up buying. At least if he wasn't interested, he didn't waste my time. On an aside, I never thought I'd see a lot with FOUR new vehicles as the entire inventory.
Winner Kia, Dover Delaware was our last shopping stop, an hour south of us. No test drive, no walkaround. Salesman says he'll call if he can get EX and ABS without Leather. His Sedonas all had Door Moldings and Pinstripes ($300 total) added, and $1600+ in 'Adjusted Market Value'. He still hasn't called.
Now, I know car dealerships 'pre-qualify' buyers, because they think the customer doesn't have the means to buy, or is looking for a joyride. But I can't imagine that's why no one would help me. I'm (barely) in my 30's, and showed up in more or less business casual clothing, and I drive a 1997 Acura Integra. That should tell them that the money/financing is going to be there. With two car seats jammed in the back, and a stroller occupying the trunk, there's the need. It should have been obvious I was a buyer, and hey, it's a Kia Sedona. Not exactly a joyride kind of vehicle.
UTICA is a dying town as far as joblessness. They must figure people gotta have cars and Sedonas are a great value.
I highly reccomend you check this out and maybe you can get some service ,maybe it could be a stock sedona delivered via your local dealer but without goofy add-ons.
The chat time is 6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET. Pop in for live chat with other members. Hope you can join us!
Here's the link.
Steve, Host
And if the SE Pennsylvania and Delaware dealers weren't going to be helpful, I was more than ready to go into Maryland. So from DC Metro, you have Baltimore area, Annapolis, and Northern VA, should give you a wide range of choices.
I don't want to spend more than $22K. Am I reasonable? Is it available for less?
Also, what are the finance rates available now through Kia (for a 48 month loan with $5000 down)?
There's a $2,000 rebate on 2003 Sedonas right now. According to the Kia website as of right now, APR is 0% to 36 months, 0.9% to 48, and 1.9% for 60. You can choose rebate or low APR financing, NOT both. Do your own math to figure out exactly which is a greater benefit for you; this depends on the alternate APR you'd get elsewhere and how much you are putting down. Current Kia owners get an extra $1,000 cash back. This has actually caused me to think about buying another Sedona, even though we have absolutely no need for one! My rough guess is a loaded 2003 Sedona EX could be had for less than $20,000 including the $2,000 rebate and extra $1,000 owner loyalty rebate.
On 2004 Sedonas, there's a $1,000 rebate or low APR financing as follows: 0% to 24 months, 1.9% to 36, 2.9% to 48, or 3.9% to 60.
Incentives end 9/30/03, but like other manufacturers will probably be extended.
With decent credit, looks like you could get 48 month financing around 4.25%. Most folks would be better off taking the rebate and arranging their own financing - 4.25% is pretty darn good. That's Peoplefirst.com's (they are now a Capital One company) current advertised rate; it's a quarter-point lower through Costco if you are a member.
Edmunds' True Market Value (TMV) calculator pegs target price at about $500 over invoice, not including rebates. On a loaded 2003 EX with all but rear spoiler (I don't like it):
$24,845 MSRP
$22,625 invoice
$23,063 Edmunds TMV
I'd shoot for invoice since the 2004 models are hitting dealer lots. $200-400 over invoice shouldn't require much haggling at this point. So after the $2k rebate, you're looking at about $20,600. A loaded Sedona is a tremendous value at that price.
Borrowing $17,000 at 4.25% for 48 months, that's $385.74 a month, total interest costs about $1,515. At 1.9%, it's $368.07, total interest costs about $667. So you save about 850 bucks taking Kia's financing, which makes the $2,000 rebate the far better choice for almost all Sedona buyers.
I wasn't planning on doing the math for you, but I'm bored.
Steve, Host
Since I could have paid $200 more for a 2002 Sienna with 28K miles on it, I still feel I got a good deal.
Some of the sales guys told me, after I bought it, that the Sedona's were killing their sales on Chrysler Voygers. For the price of a Sedona, you can get a Voyger with 6 cylindar engine and A/C and that's about it.
I also think supply is getting tight here. This dealer was the only one within 150 miles who had an EX with all the options I wanted. He also owns the only other local Kia dealership, so the market here is sort of captive.
All in all, I feel like I did OK, and I was impressed with the way the dealer conducted everything after the price was agreed to.
I found a small scratch on the roof that looks like it happened when the rack was put on. They are fixing it with in a week, with no complaints.
along a state highway.
Utica is in the toilet economy wise.
not many differences in the 2004's, the MPG is slightly better(did they change something or just do more testing to arrive at a better number?), grey carpet is lighter as is the cladding. also, front grille is different. lastly, there is only half as much rebate available, $1,000.
Very pleased overall with the purchase. No regrets, except maybe that we didn't wait a while. Demand was fairly high back in early 2002, and we paid $22,930 which was $1,000 under MSRP. Back then, that was better than many folks were doing. I helped my parents buy a loaded 2003 EX earlier this year for $21,350 (plus tax/title/registration)!
Steve, Host
Purchased a 2003 Sedona EX with Leather, Moonroof, ABS, Spoiler for $19,300 which included a $2500 rebate and a $1000 loyalty discount.
Delivered it to me at no cost at a distance of 150 miles.
Bought this on the Internet at Jeff Belzer's KIA, Lakeville, MN.
Ron
Capitol Kia, Austin, TX
I hope it will last for many years.
Quick hook up, although if you wish to run wires for perm install attached to trailer, it will be harder(kit is for inside installation running wires outside hatch via the "slam the hatch down on it" occasional use. Getting the wires through the hatch is a little harder...involves drilling or pass through existing hole and resealing. That is the only thing that keeps me from installing my backup sensor...will take all pm to disassemble/reassemble tailgate. (hooks up around license plate)
I have been researching vehicles for about a week now, hard to decide if I want a van again (had a junk 96 Windstar) or "keep up w/the Jones" SUV. I have a family of 4 plus a 60lb canine and occasional friends. Really looking at the Sedonas for their value, safety and options (really want that SUNroof)! I am N of Lia (SS,NY) and would probably be shopping there - my question (finally)- Are you still satisfied with Lia? Was the car buying process fairly smooth? How is the service? How do u & your wife feel about your 2002 Ex to date?
I'm the wife and this will be my ride, mostly in town driving but occasional trips to Albany and Lake George, also would like to tow our small boat to our yearly camping trip to Fish Creek, NY(Tupper Lake). I am interested in the 2003 or the 2004- really trying to keep price low so will probably go with the 2003 (wondering if I'll find one really?)...
I hope your still out there and can give us all feedback on your dealer and your 03 Ex... : -)
Van tows fine. Having the oil and transmission cooler really helps. I have an aftermarket class 3 (2" square receiver)hitch I bought from etrailer.com...takes about 30 min and minimum tools to install.
Minor gripes: 1. It could use about another 12" behind the back seats. We usually leave the middle seat behind the driver out to carry extra suitcases or the junk my spouse can't live without on the daily runs to town. Makes it easier for the kid in the back seat to enter/exit as well.
2. Bumper covers are soft plastic and scratch VERY easily, showing the black color underneath. We have 3-4 big nicks on the front where road rocks and the occasional tall parking bullet rub show through.
Hope this helps. It's a good van, very solid, and ours has proven very reliable. I've had it in snow, ice, slush, mud, and heavy rain...it handles very well. Our stands up to DC stop/go traffic, and the I-95 grand prix races as well.
Recommend you look at the "used" values for low mileage 2003 here on Edmunds and use that as a bargaining chip while negotiating with your dealer. (...because 3 sec after you drive it off the lot, that is what it is worth)if you go after the 2003.
Have a great New Year.
We have > 24k on the van now and it does keep up with traffic (watch for tickets). Milege is as advertised (15 to 20 -- occassionally as high as 22) so keep that in mind but even the best minivan isn't much better.
If it's this or a Chrysler/Dodge -- I pick Kia (having owned both). If it's this or a Honda/Toyota -- if I had the extra $$ I might choose Honda/Toyota -- but it's a huge chunk of change (>5k) difference in out the door price.