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2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
I just wish the city lights on the U.S. Aveo worked. It seems silly to have conspicuous light housings with nothing inside. I spent almost an hour, back when I first bought my Aveo, trying to find a switch that turned these small lights on. I gave up only after I went under the hood, looked behind the city lights, and discovered that the opening where a bulb should poke through was covered with a piece of plastic! Cheapness wins again!!
Well, I am not sure about the US. But in Canada, all cars must run with daytime running lights (DRL). This means that, even without the parking/low-beam on the high beam will run at 1/2 (1/3) strength. This has the same functionality as the city lights from what I gather. Since this DRL has to be implemented by law there is no need for the city lights
Other than that the car runs great and it's very practical.
I've disabled the amber lights coming on with the city lights on my Ford Focus (which has city lights as part of a headlight upgrade). Looks better too.
When the Aveo came out, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to revisit those days, and went to the dealership to buy one. Instead, I ended up falling in love with a 2 year old low mileage black Grand Am GT. Let me tell you something about owning something that can do 0-60 in under 8 seconds: it feels real good, rather like being on a jet plane as it launches into the atmosphere. It's also addictive, which can be a problem. Then there's the ability to pull .82g in a corner. There's the 200 watt 8 speaker Monsoon stereo system. There's the 4 wheel disc brakes that can bring it all to a halt much quicker than most other cars on the road today. There's the standard features, such as cruise control, traction control, ABS brakes, 4 vanity lights, automatic headlights, power sunroof, oil life monitor...I could go on and on with the endless features. There was the fact that it's a bigger car, and looks sharp, especially with the chrome 16" wheels. For the price of a brand new Aveo, I bought a loaded 2 year old Grand Am GT and an extended warranty. You want value for your dollar; it doesn't get better than a 2 year old domestic GM vehicle.
I still think there may be an Aveo in my future; I figure I may buy one for my son to learn to drive on. Of course, I'll drive it for a couple of years first (helps with insurance rates when a car is a little older), then sell it to him, then get something else. Some things I'd like to touch on after reading some of these posts:
-There's no reason why a properly maintained Aveo wouldn't last past 300,000 miles. The only reason why cars like it usually don't is because they're usually treated poorly.
-If you're concerned about crashworthiness at higher speeds, don't get any car in the Aveo's class! The Chevrolet Impala and Malibu still get very good fuel economy, can be had very gently used for the price of a new Aveo, and will offer superior crashworthiness. Clearly, the Aveo (and cars in its class) can handle collisions at in-town speeds (<35 MPH) with 5 stars. It's evident to me that the Aveo is meant as an urban commuter, scooting in and out of tight spaces rather than as a highway cruiser. It should also be noted that the current average speed in rush hour traffic in around major urban centers is typically much less than 35 MPH. Most days, you're lucky to get out of 2nd gear.
-As the problems get worked out and the car improves, the price will climb.
My dream Aveo would be a silver base model with a 5 speed. I'd have the windows tinted and I'd install a decent aftermarket stereo system. I'd also have to add an armrest and cruise control. I'd add extra gauges, like a volt gauge and an oil pressure gauge. I'd put meatier, sticker tires on it, along the lines of the Cooper Cobra GT (one of the best performance tires for the price). I'd replace the shifter bushings with some firm nylon ones, and do some mild performance upgrades (ie; cold air intake). Then I'd use it for scooting around town, zipping through traffic and in and out of tight parking spaces.
This is a shame given that the car has character and I was relatively impressed with it.
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with all
four wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must
be towed, you should use a dolly. See “Dolly Towing”
that follows for more information.
Have heard of other owners having problems with valves requiring complete replacement. Seems to be a spotty issue only affecting some vehicles, regardless of model year.
Also, the timing belts tend to fail early, far short of the 60K mile replacement guideline. Mine went at 38K miles (without actually snapping) and have heard of others failing before 50K. To be on the safe side, will replace after 40 - 50K miles. Not happy about the $500 repair cost for a belt replacement! Wish the automakers would give it up on the rubber belts and go back to timing chains or a gear drive instead.
As far as the timing belt is concerned yes it would be nice to have a steel belt like the Ecotec engines, but rubber timing belts is the normal in the industry. I have only heard of one owner who has had issues with premature replacement of the belt, and that would tell me it is isolated. Rubber belts are designed to be replaced at 50-60,000 miles in these small four cylinder cars, and $500 or more in some cases is also normal for having the service done.
I usually run cars to 200-300K miles in 3-5 years using them for light medical deliveries. The cost for replacing timing belts will add thousands to the operating costs compared to a car that doesn't use rubber belts. I'll definitely take that into consideration on my next purchase.
Have had engines with them before, but they went over 100K between replacements and it was a $125 repair.
Any haggling tips.. or tips in general?
Thanks! -Jay
Thank you!
-Jay
What are some defects i should check for durring my test ride tomorrow? Im going to ask about the wheels.
That is all the news for now.. here are pics of the one im looking at.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jaylibbys/Photo290.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jaylibbys/Photo289.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jaylibbys/Photo293.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/jaylibbys/Photo287.jpg
p.s. we talked him down to $10,000 already.
If you take it for a test drive, try to get some highway miles on it, preferably behind some trucks to get a feel for how it handles. Go for some tight off-ramps and bumpy areas, as well. I find the suspension to be the weakest part of the car -- abundant side-to-side sway and buffeting from trucks and wind.
The Aveo is very tall and narrow and tends to lean quite a bit in turns compared to lower-riding cars. Potentially tough on front tires, too -- just ate thru a set in 20K miles and I'm an easy driver. The rear tires you mentioned were probably rotated from the front.
Have you had trouble on highways? I am moving to Ohio, from Chicago in June. Should I be warned about something?
You all have been/are so helpfull. You all are making this transition from hatchback to hatchback very smooth.
Do any of you know how much I should be asking for my....
1997 VW Golf GL
Small rusting
76,000 miles
Little Slipping in Trans.
Euro Red
Nothing beyond what I've already mentioned. On an interstate at 60-70 mph with many trucks and/or crosswinds, the Aveo can feel very unstable with the stock suspension set-up. At least a couple of days a week, I have to keep a firm grip on the wheel while driving it, because it wanders and gets pushed around a lot by wind gusts.
This tendency has gotten worse as the miles pile up and the suspension loosens up. So far, no replacement struts or shocks are available other than the OEM units from the dealer.
Based on your test-drive, you may consider a lower, wider car such as the Rio or Accent, which will probably be far more stable at highway speeds, if that's of prime importance to you. The other alternative is to lower the body and add wider wheels/tires on the Aveo.
Being the Haggler I am I got the car for 8,999! AND a full set of new Tires. Wooo YEAH.
As far as shock absorbers are concerned I find it hard to believe that OEM are the only shocks available. That wouldn't make sense for a car going on three years here in the states. If I was to go to a Midas, Merlins, Car X, etc., for shock replacement, I would be real very surprised if their Gabriel or Monroe shock suppliers don't produce shocks for this car. The shock tunnels and suspension design are really no different than any other car.
I'm impressed with the overall interior and exterior appearence (looks very European, like a Fiat, a product of it's Italian design) and it handled better than I anticpated on a test drive. I didn't notice any problems with crosswinds even on the highway. Having owned a 1979 VW Bus though, I'm use to dealing with wind.
The cargo room was also better than I anticipated and I'm pretty much convinced I can get at least 32 MPG (about 11 better than I can manage with my current car) driving the way I do. Given that gas is probably going to peak somewhere north of $5.00 a gallon over the summer, the better mileage will certainly be worth it.
I guess time will only tell if this turns out to be a good purchase. :shades:
By the way the only other cars I was considering was a Scion Xa or a Toyota Yaris liftback, but every Toyota dealer I talked to refused to haggle and seemed like a jerk. After inquiring about certified pre-owned, I had one tell me that the price of used Scion's are more than new ones. I just left.
The Reno looks dangerously close to the Daewoo Tacuma. That is the small crossover that Daewoo US was actually offering as a prize if you could name the Tacuma for the American market for them(a contest round about late 2000 or so). Turns out all sorts of financial troubles began to flurry upon Daewoo and the prize Tacuma-car was never awarded to anybody, as far as I know. I kind of like the Reno's looks, it looks good, though the May C&D picked the Reno last place amongst 6 other econo contenders. They hated it's body roll and yawn and it's rubbery shifter. Also the "6 shades of grey" dash arrangement. Humm...not exactly condemning words to me, though. Priced right about what the Kia Rio or Toyota Yaris will set you back. Resale value will fall too quickly, yes it will. Just a factor that would have to be wagered when mulling a purchase decision over. If you take great care of your rigs and can resist trading in in two years a Reno would no doubt do you right.
I think The General made a smart move in buying up Daewoo spoils. One of their good moves.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
The car gets great reviews from people who have less than 20K on them. Big deal -- the real test isn't how a car runs when nearly new, but how it is at 50, 100, 150K miles.
My '04 rode and handled well when it was "young" but is deteriorating rapidly since 40K or so. Where it once felt smooth and stable on the highway, it now feels like it's riding on popsicle sticks connected to pudding. Very loose side-to-side and generally unstable. 10-15 mph breezes are enough to move the body back and forth.
Every damn bushing creaks and crunches. Even while accelerating gently, the suspension groans when the auto trans shifts from 1st to 2nd gear. It creaks when I get in and out and on every imperfection in the pavement -- forget speed bumps, the car sounds like it's tearing in two.
My own mechanic can feel the excess movement while on the highway and can pull the front wheels in and out, but has no experience with this model and has no suggestions but to order upper strut mount bushings online and have them replaced. The only other option is the dealer and I've been very dissatisfied with their performance.
No, there are no replacement parts yet for the Aveo and I'm not going to monkey around with Daewoo suspension parts, as though you could actually find those!
On the plus side: The engine runs great and I'm even getting better mileage lately -- averaging 33-35 MPG.
i want to get one for that price
thanks
No weight means no bite, so take it real easy on any curve and when stopping. Lots of wheelspin to get going from a stop, but once it's rolling -- not too bad.