Kia Rondo Prices Paid and Buying Experience

bfieldnole · February 2007

I couldn't be happier with the deal I got on my new Rondo this weekend.

I had to search all over Southern California and the Central Valley for the exact color, interior color, and 3rd row seat that we wanted.

I bought the 2.4 LX w/ AC, Code 93222, with Convenience Pkg, 3rd row seat, and floormats for $16,300. That was after the 2.9%/$750 and a $750 Competency??? rebate. Other dealers that I talked to had no idea about the Competency rebate. The dealer asked for a copy of my Honda Civic's registration to prove that I was an owner of one of the cars on it's list to make me eligible.

I agreed on a price by phone with Glendale Kia in the LA area. The dealer was no-nonsense and kept the sales agreement exactly the way we talked about.

skiingyac · February 2007

How does this sound for an offer? A 4cyl LX with the convenience & the std. popular equipment group (A/C, cruise, keyless entry, roof rails), 3rd row seat, for $18,300 after the $750 rebate. According to kia.com, MSRP + $600 dest for this is $19390, so minus $750 rebate is ~18,640... bfieldnole's price is 1,500 less, even considering the $750 competitive/competition/whatever rebate. So what am I missing? The dest charge to the my zip is $600, so that can't be the only difference...

Also, when for example carsdirect.com lists the "target" price, is that before or after the rebate?

arumage · February 2007

If MSRP is $19,390, then invoice should be around $17,390. I would try to get them to go down to atleast $18,390 before the rebates come off, making the final price (minus both $750 rebates) $16,890. They're only going $340 off MSRP before rebates. Even if you only get one rebate, it's still $17,640.

bfieldnole · February 2007

The other dealers that I talked with said that Glendale Kia was able to cut such a great deal because they were probably a "volume dealer". I was confident that I had the best price when these dealers said to go with what I had, and that they couldn't come close to matching it.

skiingyac · February 2007

You are right on the money, thanks for the advice!! I just got a loaded Rondo LX 4cyl (convenience package, popular equipment, 3rd row, floor mats) for $17,650 after the $750 rebate thru the Kia financing. Got it from Martin Kia in Newark, DE. EXCELLENT experience.

Got a slightly higher quote from Kia of West Chester, PA who proudly claimed nobody could beat it because they are the #2 dealer on the east cost and do 3x the volume of Martin. Showed it to Martin, and Martin immediately came in $300 lower than West Chester (and $600 lower than their first offer in my prev post)!

arumage · February 2007

I'm glad you got what you wanted. I hope you're very happy with your Rondo.

Now that there are plenty of Rondo's to go around, good deals should be easier to come by. Nothing like a little competition to get a lower price.

mrswiss · February 2007

Finally got my new Rondo yesterday! I qualified for the 2.9% APR plus $750.00 of the purchase price. Buying experience was real good and straight forward with the dealership & salesperson I dealt with. I purchased the 4cyl EX with out the 3rd seat in silver color. I am totally happy with the initial impressions with my purchase. My observations ( with only 100 miles on the odometer)as follows:
1) KIA reliability: It crossed my mind at first but with car owners on many sights applauding there KIA vehicles and the warranty that the car comes with, KIA means business in satisfying the publics perception about a cheaply made vehicle.

2) Fit inside & outside of my Rondo seems perfect. Fender gaps & panels are all equal & minimal. Components inside are smooth & pleasing to the eye.

3) Drives kind of sporty with firm handling good progressive brakes (not too touchy (sensitive). Remember I have the EX model so it has 17" tires rather than the LX's 16" tires, so yes on rougher roads it is a bit rougher but that can be expected.

4) A very panoramic view looking out the windows. No blind spots at least for me, plenty of head room (I'm 6' :shades: 1" tall), has a very usable sturdy center armrest (unlike some of its competitors) it can be shared by driver & front passenger.

5) For anyone considering the 3rd row seat option, reason I did NOT purchase that option is that one the extra storage compartment under the flooring has of course been repalced by the 3rd seat, and the second row seat is easier to fold flat without the 3rd row seat installed! Let me explain: with the 3rd row option-to fold the second row seat flat you have to first remove each of the headrests, pull the seat bottom up & towards the front row seatback. Without the 3rd row seat option all you have to do to lay the second row flat is pull up on the back release & lay it flat in one motion, you dont't have to remove the headrests or pull the seat bottoms up. If your still mystified by my explanation I think if you go to KIA's site the vehicle they show in the interior photos shows the bottom seat folded up with seat rests stowed on the 3rd row set up.

Anyway looking forward to my driving experience with this vehicle. I hope to report back in the future on more observations (still checking out all the gadgets & functions thru the owners manual) with gas mileage numbers to follow. A very satisfied-so far-owner. MRSWISS

crewzin · February 2007

Just bought the Rondo for my wife. We didn't even know it exsisted and went to look at the Sportage. We had an old style Sportage and I liked the new style. Also looked an Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV-4 and Saturn VUE. Wife has MS and certain needs as in ease of entry/exit. None of the SUV's were low enough. Saw the Rondo and she immediately liked it. Couldn't believe all the features (tire monitoring, CD with built-in 6 CD changer, traction control, anti-lock, 17 inch spoke wheels, V6, 3rd row seating elect moonroof, etc.) all for 22K on the road. Traded an 06 Suzuki Forenza that blue book had 7K tops...yes 50% depreciation in a little over a year. After negotiation I received 8K for the Suzuki, $750 rebate and 4.9% for 4 years.

Looking it over when I got home it has really good fit and finish. Got the cloth seats as leather for a car that sits outside gets extremely hot in Florida(my cars are in the garage). Will definitely have all the glass tinted first thing. Ride home was smooth and the V6 is responsive. Loads of room inside and a tremendous amount of space and holding areas throughout the whole car. One thing I miss is the short beep of the horn while locking/unlocking the doors. I know the lights flash but in the bright sunlight, you can't always see them.

Lastly insurance. Hartford (AARP) doesn't have a listing for the Hondo so the operator just tried to match it up with something else. She said it was only $15. more a year over the Suzuki so I'm pleased. looks like you can add a photo to this posting so here it is.

iluvmysephia1 · February 2007

congratulations on your new Rondo! I am on my 2nd Kia in a row new and the '01 Sportage 4x4 has 126,653 miles on it and is running like a champ.

I love the Kia brand and the new Rondo is just one more feather in their caps.

arumage · February 2007

Your picture looks very warm. The Rondo looks good too. :P I think it's 36 degrees here now.

dakota29803 · February 2007

Push the lock button twice when you lock the Rondo and the horn will beep. It is a very anemic beep.

crewzin · February 2007

Middle 70's here. Picture was taken about 30 minutes after we bought the Rondo at around 4pm. Backed it into the driveway and got the camera. I'll be making an appointment at the tint shop as soon as I can to keep the heat out of the interior. :shades:

Dakota: Thanks.

works like a charm, at least while locking it.

mrswiss · February 2007

Hi Crewzin: Congratulations on your new Rondo, Hope you like your new ride, I'm enjoying mine still getting the feel of all the features with only 200 miles & first tank of gas! Your Rondo looks real classy, what color is it, appears to be Almond Beige? Mines in Fine Silver.

crewzin · February 2007

Hello mrswiss,

Still on full tank here. Only 65 miles on the odometer. Yes it is Almond Beige. First time out in the dark just now. Everythings lit up nicely on the dash. Still getting used to all the features too.

skiingyac · February 2007

Has anyone found any (pet) seat covers for the rondo's 3rd row seat? It is 40" wide and I can't find any covers smaller than 50" wide.

crewzin · February 2007

Not sure where you have tried, but here's two places that I find/buy things from that I don't see at the auto stores. Hope it helps.

http://www.autoanything.com

http://www.autosportcatalog.com

atjazz · March 2007

I got the LX with the 4-cylinder engine. I drove the 4 and the V-6, and I didn't see much difference between the two engines, not enough to warrant paying $1000 more for the V-6. I guess it would make sense to get the V-6 if you carry a lot of passengers, but not for me. I did not get the third row seat, because I didn't need it, and I didn't want to pay extra for it.

The LX doesn't have all the bells and whistles that the EX has, but I can live without them, especially when I think about how low my payments will be. MSRP for mine was $18,880, and they had $995 dealer markup. They dropped the markup, and I got $750 cash back and 2.9% financing, so I paid $18,130 plus tax and fees. I suppose I'm not a good haggler like some of you apparently are, but I'm happy with what I paid, and I'm happy (so far) with the vehicle.

skiingyac · March 2007

yeah, tried them, they said they don't have covers for it and to check back in 2 months. There are some 40" covers on amazon from PPE Wholesale, but they aren't the most stylish (either camo or license plate designs) and don't have slots for seat belts.

crewzin · March 2007

Question: I did get all the bells and whistles on my EX, everything I think except for heated seats. Anyway, saw where there was a security screen available as an accessory through a catalog at the dealer (there's also two kinds of rear wings lower and upper, front end bra, mud flaps, cargo net, body kit, locking lug nuts and rear bumper protector). I asked about the security screen which is a bar that goes across the rear and has a pull-out shade that goes towards the back hatch and hides your personal belongings from prying eyes. They quoted $300 for the screen! :surprise: How the heck can they justify 300 for a bar with a screen? I'm having the windows tinted next week and I guess I'll just have the rear glass and the two opera windows done in a limosine tint (very dark) to hide things in the back.

medicineman · March 2007

About covering your stuff in the back, csandste mentioned a cargo cover for the Rondo on eBay. Here it is for $199.95. You can also get it from KiaPartsPeople.com for $204, but I found this site thru googling so I don't know anything about this company.

When I'm ready to buy my 7 seater, I going to ask for a cargo cover from the dealership. Problem is, I hear that the cargo cover only works in the 5 seater, because the 7 seater lacks the attachment points for the cargo cover. I'm going to ask for one, anyway, and see if they can do anything about it. Where I live, you need a cargo cover, or else you might as well put a sign on your vehicle, "Please steal my stuff."

crewzin · March 2007

Medicineman,

Thanks. Sent a message to the Kia Parts People asking about the cover for the 7 seater or if it only fits the 5 seater.

medicineman · March 2007

Glad I could help. Please keep us up to date if you hear back from them.

what2get07 · March 2007

Hello,

Test drove an LX Rondo this weekend, dealer did not have an EX in stock. Loved the vehicle. Great fit & finish, nice cloth seats (and the EX has an upgraded seat too from what we were in on the LX). Since they did not have the EX in stock, I could not test to see if my iPod would work through the MP3 jack with connection cable I purchased.

Does anyone have an EX model and can tell me if iPod works through MP3 plug in? I ask b/c on Mazda board (had considered Mazda5), several owners talk about some additional and extra cost connector needed for iPod to work. Have not seen any comments here on whether iPod will work, so I figured I would ask.

Have considered the Dodge Caliber, but hit my head getting out of car due to sloping of car, so despite some of the cool interior features, I'm not as crazy about it as I was when I first saw it. Besides, probably not as solidly built car as the Kia. Once had a Dodge and at 36,100 miles my transmission had a big problem!

Thanks to anyone who replies!

what2get07 · March 2007

Hello,

Does anyone know if there have there been any recalls, issues, concerns with the Kia Rondo since this is the first year it is available here in the US?

Considering purchasing this vehicle - love most everything about it! However, since I have not seen any postings about issues / concerns, I figured I would start a thread to inquire.

This is important to those of us who are considering purchasing a vehicle. If you think I'm joking, check out the Mazda5 board and you will see that I have decided against even test driving that vehicle after reading some of the challenges on that board.

Much thanks to all!

crewzin · March 2007

Haven't heard back from the Kia Parts People yet. Sent them another query about the rear security screen, if it fits both the 5 and 7 seater Rondo. Meanwhile I took the Kia in and had all the window tinted. A little lighter on the front windows (driver/passenger) and darker on all the rest. I didn't have the limosine tint (completely black) on any of the windows.

dakota29803 · March 2007

I have an EX and cannot find an MP3 jack! It does have a CD player that plays MP3 CDs - which is great. I can put 150 songs on one CD.

skiingyac · March 2007

The Rondo is the same as the Carens (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kia_Carens ), and I think the 3rd generation Carens has been sold since mid-2006 or so... I don't know the exact date b/c European cars have revision #'s instead of model years. Only recall I can find on the Carens is a fuel pump issue (not a safety issue, the car just won't start). So one would think that any issues would have been sorted out already, I just expect a "normal" amount of issues from going from one generation to the next.

Also the crash test ratings came out a week or two ago (see http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ncap/cars/4245.html ).

what2get07 · March 2007

Thanks Dakota. I actually stopped by the Kia dealership last night and learned the same thing. The "MP3" capability is only for playing MP3 CD's... I want the MP3 plug in to plug my iPod into and play through the stereo.

Needless to say, the Rondo is no longer a contender, which is too bad as it is a great vehicle. Back to the drawing board for more research...

crewzin · March 2007

Heard from the Kia Parts People that the Security Cover fits both the 5 and 7 seater Rondo. The dealer is asking $300 whereas the Parts people want $204. Still a little expensive for a roll out cover but maybe worth it for piece of mind if you want any packages covered in the rear space.

medicineman · March 2007

Thanks for the update, crewzin. That's good news.

medicineman · March 2007

what2get07, I guess you must really love your tunes if you're dismissing the Rondo based on a lack of an MP3 plugin. One solution is to buy an FM transmitter for your iPod, which allows you to play your iPod through your car's FM radio. It's an imperfect solution--it might be hard to find an open FM channel that has minimal interference or the quality of the transmitter's signal can vary at times--but it's better than nothing. Here is one such transmitter.

crewzin · March 2007

Just ordered one from the Parts People. It came in Black, Grey and Beige so of course I ordered the Beige. Total with shipping is $226.95. Thanks for that link Medicineman.

w9cw · March 2007

To dismiss a car because it doesn't have a direct interface for an iPod, well . . . I guess it's 2007, and the current crop of young car buyer's "need" their iPods! Seriously, there is an adapter that interfaces directly into the audio system that provides a direct iPod interface, and it's not a RF transmitter. I've seen it while searching for an interface for my daughter's car. If I locate it again, I will post the link here.

Suggestion, wait for the 2008 - I'll bet it has an iPod input, and a variable intermittent rear wiper, as well as other tweaks.

medicineman · March 2007

Yep, on further research, there are ways of directly connecting an iPod to your stereo if your car doesn't have that magical MP3 plugin. Crutchfield's website seems pretty good at explaining how it is done (you can buy all the necessary stuff from them, of course).

How to connect an iPod to your car stereo
Digital Drive-thru - Select your iPod, car, & stereo type and get a list of products for playing your iPod in your car

what2get07 · March 2007

Thanks for your links and to everyone who has responded.

Yes, having my tunes on iPod is a critical part of my decision since I have lost all of my CD's (stolen). Yes, I could do after market, but really think if I'm going to invest $20k in a vehicle, I really think it should come with the features I desire.

Thanks again to all.

dakota29803 · March 2007

My wife's Buick Lucerne has a jack for MP3.

skiingyac · March 2007

The EX factory radio takes cassettes, you can use a cassette adapter which are like $20 and work just fine, and all people will see is a wire coming out of the tape deck, instead of a wire coming out of the aux input jack, if the stereo had one.

I decided to go with an LX, since paying $1000 more to have a cassette deck seems really dumb, and get some sort of after market adapter if I decide I really need it, which I could probably get professionally installed for like $100-200.

dakota29803 · March 2007

If the LX is what you wanted, good for you, but you get a lot more for the $1000 than just a cassette player. Read the options list. I test drove the LX, but they had an EX on the lot which I fell in love with, and bought immediately.

skiingyac · March 2007

Sure, I understand there are other things that EX has that the LX doesn't that justify the $1000 price difference, but the only thing I really wanted was the cassette deck. I just meant that from the perspective the person complaining of the Rondo's lack of some factory option for hooking up your MP3 player, you can get it w/ the EX, but it isn't worth paying $1000 if the only reason you want the EX is to be able to say you didn't need any after market stuff.

What I should have said is its dumb to pay $1000 for *factory* MP3 player "support" unless you like the other EX features, then its not dumb to get the EX.

crewzin · March 2007

Well bad new on the security cover for the 7 seater Rondo. Just got this email from the KIA Parts People:

Hello Carey,

Thank you for your order. The cargo cover has arrived in to us, but
unfortunately, the 7 seater does not have the slots in the side for the
installation of the cover - it only fits a 5 seater. We have cancelled your
order and apologize that we will not be able to assist you with this item.
Please let us know if you have any future inquires.

Thanks again,
Mike

medicineman · March 2007

Thanks for the update, crewzin. Yeah, that sucks. I guess we'll just have to be creative and make our own cover.

ramblin · March 2007

Seems a little silly I guess. How does the premium stereo sound? Anyone?

I'm in the same boat now looking for a good way to hook up my Creative Zen vision:m 30gb media player.

crewzin · March 2007

The premium stereo sounds great to me. Yes, you do loose the cassette player but you get the in-dash 6 disk CD player. I guess there wasn't enough room for 6 disks and a cassette player. It also (supposedly) comes with 9 speakers plus a built in amp and 7 1/2 inch subwoofer for a total of 10 speakers. I can only find 9 and when I went back to the dealer and asked about the 10th speaker, he pointed out some brand new literature that says it only has 9 speakers. Everything I have says 10 (window sticker and official Rondo sales brochure), but 9 is plenty for me.

bluedevils · March 2007

We had an EX loaner for a couple days. I wasn't terribly impressed with the stereo (I'm about 95% certain it was the 6-disc CD changer stereo upgrade), especially considering the numbers on paper. It sounded decent, but the clarity and punch weren't quite what I was expecting.

crewzin · March 2007

I'm sorry, if 9 speakers from a tweeter to a sub-woofer, 315 watts of power, adjustments for the Bass, Middle and Treble aren't what your expecting, then you better move on up to the $30-40,000 range of cars with the ultra high end stereo. Some of them even have speakers in the headrests so you can be deaf before middle age.

ramblinmo · March 2007

It would be easy to tell if it had the upgraded stereo. Did it have a sun roof?

Sunroof/premium stero are packaged together.

crewzin · March 2007

Your so right, Premium Stereo/Sunroof = $1200 One package.

crewzin · March 2007

On my way to fitting out the wife's Rondo. Already bought the color coded cargo tray from WeatherTech. From AutoAnything.com I had a custom made solar Sunshade and from the KIA dealer I bought a full front nose bra. Unfortunately, one of the straps that hold the bra in place came off in my hands when I was test fitting it. I guess there were about 2 threads holding it on. The dealer jumped right on it though and ordered me a whole new bra. Already had the windows tinted and now spucing up the engine a bit. Some chrome wire looms, a bit of red/black paint and a polished stainless steel upper radiator hose on order. Will get to covering the battery, fuse box and air cleaner as time goes on.

bluedevils · March 2007

I'm not trying to bash the Rondo. We really liked it -- my wife moreso than me.

It isn't necessary to move up to a $30-40k car to get a really good-sounding stock stereo. For example, the stock stereo in our 2002 Kia Sedona EX sounded noticeably better than the Rondo's. It was one of the best-sounding factory stereos I've ever heard, along with the one in a relative's older Nissan Altima from a few years back. Both of those were low to mid $20s vehicles.

The numbers on paper for the Rondo's premium sound system are very impressive, but I just didn't feel the actual sound quality was as good as the specs would suggest.

crewzin · March 2007

Something that might explain why the differences in sound between the Rondo and Sedona is the size of the interior of both vehicles. The Rondo has loads of head room and space on the inside whereas the Sedona is more compact, not saying it's small, just nowhere near the interior space of the Rondo. Materials used inside both vehicles cold make a difference too. That may sound strange, but sound from the stereo is either absorbed or reflected off all the material used inside plus the placement of the speakers themselves inside the cars. Lots of different reasons why, even the same stereo would sound different or better.

Kia Rondo Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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