1) Does anyone know what the going competitive rate is for a 60 month auto loan on a new Kia? I've seen 5.5% online but you never know what costs are involved there until the last minute it seems. My bank is offering 6.5%. Would a dealer match - or beat - 5.5%?
2) I failed to mention one other slight "negative" I noticed on the showroom floor model Sedona EX I looked at (not the one I drove w/the rattle). In the back the plastic was quite beat up/scratched up. We've had two Dodge minivans now so I know how that injection-molded plastic can get scratched up tossing things in and out. But the scratches on the Kia seemed to be the kind of scratches I'd expect to see on a 100,000 mile vehicle, not on a showroom floor model. Has anyone had any good/bad experience w/the plastic on the inside cabin? And while I'm at it how about the fake wood? I can take it or leave it but I've never owned a vehicle w/fake wood and wondering if it shows smudges easier than plastic, harder to clean, etc.?
Well I'm disappointed to say we couldn't get a deal done today...though we tried hard. Some random thoughts from our two dealership Kia excursion (that unfortunately took about five hours total): - I would advise anyone in Southeast Michigan to think VERY hard before visiting Goodman Automotive Group in Ann Arbor. Both vehicles we drove there had something wrong w/them and the salespeople didn't seem the least bit concerned. When I went to negotiate with the salesman he pulled the following: - The $1000 rebate will DEFINITELY be gone next month (highly unlikely in my opinion but even other dealers said it will "likely" continue) - They were willing to give me $6000 on my '96 Plymouth trade-in (though charge me full MSRP on the Kia), which is currently worth about $5200-$5800 wholesale according to Kelley Blue Book, but he said next month after it hits 90,000 miles it would be worth $2500. HUH!?!?!?! - He said he'd pull out "all the stops" to get me 5.5% 60 month financing though the next dealership easily offered 5.04% - In addition I had to practically beg him to show me how the seats work and, once he did, that's ALL he showed me on the van...nothing else.
- We then went to Dick Scott Kia in Canton, MI. VERY professional group and you can tell it the minute you pull up. We dealt with Jeff Powers who was probably one of the nicest most professional car salesman I've met. Unfortunately we couldn't agree on a value for our trade-in van. But they did come down to $49 over invoice and 5.04% financing.
We may take our van to a few more Kia dealers to see if anyone is willing to bite on our van but I think we're also going to start looking at the new Dodge Grand Carvans. I know these dealerships will have a little easier time moving a used '96 with 90,000 miles so I'm hoping for a better trade deal. We'll see where it leads us. But it bothers me to lose out on a decent minivan with a hell of a warranty AND with leather and sunroof for ~$20,000!!!
1. Door Handles: Yes, they feel like something from a kid's toy, but they appear to be quite tough. I haven't heard of anyone in this forum breaking one. Ours survived an Alberta winter in fine shape.
2. Rider's Mileage: In Canuck gallons you should be easily getting over 30 mpg on the highway with A/C and a few kids on board. We have enjoyed as high as 34 mpg. City mileage varies from the 18-19 that my hotrod wife gets, to my more leisurely (love that stereo) 21-22 mpg.
3. Rear Room: Taking out one seat makes an incredible difference. If you are not up to dead-lifting 60-70 lbs of seat, then we find folding the rearmost seatbacks forward until flat creates a lot of storage room. We cover them with a heavy plastic tarp to protect the (table tray?) surfaces.
4. Plastic: The fake wood stands up very well so far (12 months this August). The rear horizontal plastic piece ahead of the tailgate will become scratched if you are not careful, but I believe that it is considerable narrower than the piece on the Ford and others.
We bought our Sedona EX with everything except rear spoiler from Jeff Powers at Dick Scott Kia in Feb. 2002.
I'd encourage you to shop your used Caravan around to some other dealers and see what they are willing to offer you for it. You might do better than what Dick Scott offered you. Also, my preference is to sell my outgoing vehicles privately. I've never had a bad experience and always gotten much more than a trade-in would have yielded.
Don't let the low trade-in offers on your Caravan prevent you from pulling the trigger on the Sedona.
Email me if you are interested in having me 'refer' you to Dick Scott, even though you've already visited there. I'd sure like to get a $100 referral and I'd be willing to split it with you. Technically, I did suggest Dick Scott to you on this forum before you visited, so it wouldn't really be 'cheating.'
Thanks for the reassurance about the durability of the plastic door handles through the winter.
As for fuel economy, my calculations for fuel economy are based upon approx. 600 km (373 miles)on a 75 litre (20 gallon) tank of gas. I'm hoping that my calculation of approx. 19 mpg is incorrect (for Canadian gallons) and do hope that my fuel economy on the highway goes as high as your Sedona's.
Perhaps after the engine breaks in the economy will improve? I shouldn't say that I'm disappointed, as I knew that the Kia wasn't the "miser" of all the mini-vans on the maket, but it is a little harder on gas than expected. Nonetheless, even considering the added fuel expense, I still believe that I'm further ahead (economically) with a Kia than any of the other choices.
I just realized last night that my vehicle was manufactured on a Friday. Any concerns out there with this (is Friday the end of the work week in Korea too?). Food for thought...
5500 miles since 12/31 and we absolutely love the van. As posted back in mid July, we did have the van in for an electrical repair and power control module fix. While I did have to do a little hand holding with the dealer, they did get it done, and did it right.
Subsequently, packed the family up for a 1500 mile trip VA-MI and back last week. No problems.
This is the second major (1000+ mi.) family trip and I just have to say, this van loves to cruise down the highway. The cruise control is excellent in that I really like the ability to modify the speed setting in 1mph increments. MPG was consistently about 23 with long segments at 70-75.
Of course, no trip is complete without a good emergency maneuver, and the van handled a 75mph last second right lane sidestep pass and re-establish lane maneuver when the 50 mph on ramp traffic elected to merge immediately into the right lane instead of using the 1000'+ of remaining merge lane to yield and merge at speed. Thoughts about my decision making aside, the van handled remarkably well.
Oh, and no summer trip is complete without a 1 hour traffic delay at 12:50pm on a 98 degree MI day (on the Zilwaukeee bridge if anyone cares). And as noted in other posts, even running the A/C in dead stop hot traffic, the engine temp gauge registered zero change remaining one needle length short of the middle mark for the entire trip.
I went to the local Kia dealership to check out the Sedona, based on glowing reports in this forum. Lots of nice features and good price, as expected.
But...a big disappointment for me was the way the back row seats folded up " out of the way". The poor salesman struggled to show me how they worked. He couldn't fold one of the up in the showroom vehicle. He chalked it up to the fact that the vehicle hadn't been "PDI'd" . So I suggested that we go outside where he could demonstrate how they worked on another vehicle on the lot. He struggled yet again and finally was able to show me.
I was disappointed to find out that the seats basically had to be completely unlatched from the floor and then tied up to the second row seats. Is this dumb and awkward, or what??
Re: Zilwaukee bridge backup, you must have been traveling to northern Michigan on a Friday, or back from there on a Sunday!
The temp gauge not moving even with A/C running and vehicle at idle makes you wonder if the gauge even works! I, too, have been impressed by the cooling ability of the A/C and the van's resistance to overheating.
I have had an EX for a month. There is really no room behind the 3rd row for a suitcase or beach chairs or much else other than a few shopping bags. What I do now is (when I need to) I take off 1 headrest from a 3rd row seat, then unlatch the seat and fold it forward against the 2nd row. That solution provides me with enough room for me in most cases. It take literally 15 seconds to do and just as fast to put the 3rd row seat back. I just don't know what to do with the headrest when I'm not using it. It's leather and I don't want it to rip.
Well what do you know, the dealers are all in cahoots with each other! No one would give me more than $3200 for our '96 Plymouth Grand Voyager. Kelley Blue Book shows it worth at least $5200 wholesale so I'm going to try and sell it on my own and hopefully get at least $6000 for it. Any less than that and we'll drive the wheels off it (though that will mean two years of hearing my wife openly worry about parts flying off the van).
So perhaps we're not done w/the Kia just yet. Although the Dodge dealers were willing to come down to $15,500 on a 2001 executive-driven Town & Country Lx with 18-22,000 miles. That would put me at about $315/month out-the-door, versus the Kia at about $415/month. Although the Dodge wouldn't have ABS, leather or sunroof and we'd have that peace of mind of the 100K warranty. First things first I guess, we need to sell our '96! It's in great shape if anyone is interested! (Sorry for the soliciation Steve).
Does anyone else have any thoughts on the back seat fold-up issue? The schlocky dealer we went to just kind of explained it to us w/out actually doing it. But it apppeared that I'd have to somewhat "remove" the seat and then tie it down (?) with a strap of some kind. I'm trying to picture my wife trying to lean into a van 3-4' to tie down a seat while our two little kids are running around and her grocery cart is rolling downhill towards another car in the Sam's Club parking lot.
Oddly, prior to us buying the LX, the sales people (3 of them) told me that the third row cannot be folded and tumbled forward. The owners' manual says otherwise, so tonight, I shall go home and try it (where does the tether strap come from?).
First, the windshield developed a stress crack and had to be replaced. Wow! Am I glad the warranty covered it! With my $500 deductible, I would have been paying the $400+ myself if it had been caused by a rock instead.
Next, at around 12,700 miles the power steering unit completely failed. We had began hearing an odd 'purr' noise that rose and fell with the RPM. Called the dealership about it on a Thursday and they said "go ahead and drive it--bring it in Tuesday". It lasted until Saturday evening when it "groaned" on one sharp turn in a parking lot. Recognizing the sound, I knew immediately then that the power steering was involved. In less than one mile it began a constant "garbage disposal" sound--the power steering unit had emptied itself of all the fluid and was fried. Had it towed in and the dealership replaced it.
About 500 miles after the power steering replacement, my wife called me at work to say she had was stranded at a shopping center. She walked out after a 10 minute stop and the van wouldn't start--clicking like a dead battery. Had it towed. The dealership diagnosed a bad alternator--suspected the "hot weather" as a factor. When the alternator arrived 2 days later, I suppose they got as far as installing it and then realized it wasn't the alternator after all. At that point they decided it was a fried battery. Reportedly, the folks at Sedona said the original equip battery was undersized and therefore had been overcharged/burned up. They had the dealership purchase and install a pumped-up gel battery.
We've now had it back for about 10 days and so far no further problems.
Now--before some of you jump to conclusions--we still love the van! I'd still recommend one to anyone who asks. But, I thought you all deserve to know what has transpired--especially since it seems to be the exception rather than the rule among experiences posted on this board.
Yep. Unfortunately, we were about 20 minutes late or we could have avoided the southbound lane closures for the on-bridge accident involving a camper-trailer.
I made a long, and hot, day trip from Orange County, CA to Death Valley last week.
- The weather was hot, +/- 120 degree at valley floor and +/- 110 degree at most desert road during day. - My 4 month old Sedona EX successfully kept cool inside temperature. My kids in the back seat complains TOO cold, time to time. The temperature gauge stays where it used to be, even in the Devil's Golf Course area. - Gas mileage was not impressive. It measures about 17 mpg. (When I had a trip with Chevy Venture last year, it averages 25 mpg.) Due to low or no traffic, I maintained over 60 mph average, means median speed somewhere around 85 mph. - Transmission downshifted a lot. While driving 80+ mph, with little more pressure on gas pedal ignite downshifting. I understand its little hilly and high altitude landscape, but it bothers me quite a bit. - Ride quality is good in paved road, but not in rough paved or not paved area. Steering wheel giggles a lot in gravel road.
Well, at the risk of sounding more argumentative than informational, page 4-19 of the Sedona manual I have says 1 mph (1.6 kph) in discussions of both acc and coast, and that is consistent with my experience.
Don't let the trade-in value of your van put a bad taste in your mouth with the dealers. Remember, Kelley Blue Book is a reference at best--and not a very good one. What the dealer will give anyone for any trade is based on things like: what they can buy them for at auction, how many they have on the used lot right now, and how long they think it will take to sell it once they put yours out there. When we traded our 1997 Sonata in May, 2001, kbb.com said it was worth about $8000. The first dealer offered us $3000 for it. When asked why so low when it was "worth" $8000 as per kbb.com, I was told "You're not selling your car to Kelley Blue Book, you're selling it to us." The second dealer offered $5500, which was better, but not what we were hoping for. So, their offer is probably based on your local market, no because they are getting together to drive down the trade in values of vans like yours.
I dumped my 96 grand caravan to get the kia with all the bells and whistles.
best move i've made in a long time.
I got $2300 for it. Good thing because it had almost 120,000 miles and it had this annoying check engine light and various other electrical problems with it. It started having electrical problems within 3 months of purchasing the GC. Typical of Chrysler products. The KBB site would not value my van due to the mileage. The GC was costing me a $1,000 a year in repairs with no end in site.
At 3,000 miles on the Kia I have not had any issues, other than trying to keep it clean after several long road trips with 2 kids in the van.
I'm hoping I don't have to use my warranty as much as I did on the GC. So far the info on the Kia Town Hall says I won't.
I refused to trade my Caravan when I saw how little they wanted to give me -- their is no resale/trade value for Carvan's today!!! My Dodge is a 98 with 70,000 miles on it. A new head about 10,000 miles ago (>$2,000). Owning a Caravan can be a painful experience...
I bought the Sedona and kept the Dodge -- just call me soccer dad. I'll probably sell the Dodge soon and look for a used BMW -- definately by the time my next major repair is due.
On the Kia -- so far we are very pleased. It compares well with the Dodge. With the warranty program (my Dodge was 3/36) on the Kia I expect to not have to do much out of pocket work. The Kia is also a sharp looking car -- and I couldn't touch a van by anyone else with the options at anywhere near the price.
We live in Houston and we purchased our Sedona EX with Two-Tone White/Beige, Sunroof,ABS,Homelink from Joe Meyers Kia at 290 and the Beltway. Larry Hicks was our salesperson and we couldn't have found a better salesperson to work with. We walked out the door with Rebate,Tax,Title and License for $22,500. I called every dealer in Houston and that was the best deal I could find. We did not have a trade-in. Good Luck!
Saw this on MSN tonight. The heading was "19 cars buyers love."
AutoPacific's results come from surveys of more than 34,000 owners and lessees of new 2002 vehicles acquired from September to November 2001. Owners are asked about the overall satisfaction they have with the vehicle, as well as 43 features that are important in a vehicle's operation, comfort and safety.
AutoPacific said Kia made the list for the first time, with the 2002 Kia Sedona minivan named best in satisfaction among minivans. "This is a remarkable accomplishment; not just for the vehicle but for the brand itself," Peterson said.
I had posed this once before, but my comment was lumped together with issues regarding the amount of space behind the third row of seats.
Is it fair to say that, in general, minivans are less reliable then other cars? It seems like an Accord will hold up better then an Odyssey, a Maxima will hold up better then a Quest, and a Camry will hold up better then a Sienna. Do most people find this to be true? People I know that purchase cars (reasonably) expect them to last 150,000 miles without major problems, but I don't know many people who have the same expectations with regard to minivans.
Obviously, the reason I'm asking is because of the reliability issues with the Sedona. I'm not so sure that comparing the reliability of a Sedona with a Sienna is the same as comparing the reliability of an Optima with a Camry.
If you have a car and van that share the same platform, engine, drivetrain, etc. you could posit that the van would be less reliable since it will be heavier and may be hauling bigger loads, with correspondingly harder wear on the transmission, etc. Things like the front brake pads would also tend to wear faster.
I think you could check reliability ratings from CR, CarPoint, JD Power and whoever else and see it there's a glimmer of truth in this assumption. I tend to think there is myself but never checked out any stats. Plus it's also commonly assumed that MV drivers are saner than other drivers, so we aren't so hard on our vehicles, which would trump the first assumption. And you know what they say about assumptions :-) Steve Host SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
A few (more) questions for the more seasoned Sedona owners: (1) With Canadian vehicles, daytime running lights are standard (required by law). Normally, only the headlights are "on", but I've noticed that the taillights are also "on" when my Sedona is running. Is this typical? (2) Has anyone put the oil additives (friction reducers) into their Sedona with hopes of boosting the gas mileage? Is this worthwhile, and more importantly, will using these additives void the factory warranty? (3) Has the rear heater debate been concluded? I haven't checked, but I'm curious as to whether the rear heater has only one temp. or if it can be controlled with the front temp. control knob. (4) I've got a Craftsman (Sears) garage door opener with a small controller. In my LX, the remote fits into the garage door opener compartment in the ceiling of the van, however, pushing this compartment will not activate the controller. Any tips for making this work? I've thought about gluing a small dowell into the door that will push the controller button when the compartment is pressed...
amyshubby, you may have something there. In many cases, including Honda and Nissan recently, I don't think the manufacturers have worked as hard to deliver top-quality/reliability in their minivans. It's almost as if people will buy a minivan because that's what they need, and the car market is more competitive so the manufacturers' focus stays there.
I don't think there's anything inherent about minivans that prevents them from being as reliable or trouble-free as cars, though.
Personally, my expectations for the durability, reliability, and longevity of a vehicle are the same regardless of the body type or EPA classification. I fully expect/hope our Sedona will last 200k miles, and I expect our Isuzu Trooper to do the same. Your idea that minivan owners have lower standards isn't something I've heard before, and I'm inclined to disagree with it.
My wife and I just purchased a Sedona EX, leather, sunroof, homelink, blue/platinum. I think we worked out a pretty good deal, getting them down to 21300 with the rebate and an additional $1000 discount and up to 2500 for our 94 chevy blazer trade. Another dealership only offered 1500 for the trade, and the 2500 had been my initial target, and since my bank only required 10% down, I didn't have to tap my checkbook at all. So, all in all, we're only financing 18800 for what we think is one sharp van.
I'm a tall guy, about 6'5", and although with the sunroof there's not much headroom, and not much room for my knees in front, it's perfect for my wife and three children.
A question. Was anybody offered the extend warranty on the sedona? I need to go back and read through it, but they claimed it would cover the van, bumper to bumper, for 5 years/100,000 miles. I haven't purchased it yet, but I am considering it if it is worth it. The finance guy who was pushing it claimed that it would cost 3 times the amount they were offering it for if I purchased it 3 years down the road. Is there any truth to this? Also, he offered it to me for $895, which he claimed was discounted from $1500. Does this sound accurate? I can't help but not trust these guys, especially when I'm not using their financing. I'm sure they're going to take any angle they can to get some extra cash for the dealership.
A 5 yr bumper-to-bumper warranty really is not providing much additional coverage. Unless it's 500 bucks or less, I'd pass. Nobody at our dealer even mentioned it. I think they could tell that I was not the type of customer who'd be interested in something like that.
Yes, the cost of an extended warranty might be higher once the vehicle is beyond the factory bumper-to-bumper warranty. I believe that's the case with Warranty Gold's warranties.
$895 for the 5 yr / 100k bumper-to-bumper sounds too high. You could probably get something cheaper through Warranty Gold or someone else. I don't know which would be more convenient, easier to deal with, etc.
Hi folks: It's been a busy summer, and I haven't sat down to this board for a while. Still have over a hundred posts to catch up on, but I wanted to return to throwing in my two cents.
Have now had our EX with leather/ABS for 7 1/2 months and 10,000 miles. I've had only two problems, really: it pulled left a bit for the first few months, but the dealer adjusted the alignment (under warranty), and it's fine now. Then, in May, the left side sound on the stereo went out, but only for CDs, not for the radio. Dealer replaced the CD player under warranty with a smile and a "yes sir".
On some of the issues people have discussed in the past: -Finally got her out on the highway on a long trip. Got between 19 and 23 miles per gallon depending on speed, with A/C on. Seemed to get very slightly better mileage with premium gas. -A/C does indeed seem to take a little while to cool the cabin, but after a maybe ten-fifteen minutes on the road, does a fine job. I was continually being told to turn it down because the Supreme Commander was cold.
Speaking of mileage, I've got a funny story to post when I get a few minutes. Stay tuned. Best to all of you (kinda like old friends, now!), and I hope your families are safe and your vans are running well.
Some of us old "charter members" still hang around here. Its been a great summer, I'm starting to see Kia Sedonas on a consistent basis around Madison, about 50/50 EX/LX. I guess some of us just saw a good thing before others. I will be interested to see what changes will be made in the 2003's. I am so impressed with the towing capability of this van, it really performs well in all aspects. I never get tired of the smell of leather either.....! A happy Sedona owner I am indeed....Ex3
Well I'm feeling a little better. I bought a new ex loaded last week. I got it for 20,967. this was with the 1000 rebate. last one on the lot. It had bumper scuffs, dealer is fixing that. We took it home and went out later for ice cream. It wouldnt start... :O got a jump and it never happened again. We took it on our vacation this week and put 700 miles on it got better than the epa gas mileage. So far we like it. Our first minivan. We had a taurus, three kids in car seats in back... ug.... now I drive it, and we are selling our 96 honda, Dealership wanted to give us 2k for it. Similar ones are selling for 6k privite sale with 2x as many miles. So i'll recoup most of my down payment. One gripe.. one key fob?
good to hear from you, i just got back myself, my have things changed in such a short time, navigating on edmunds threw me for a loop when i first came back, i didn't recognize town hall for a couple of clicks. Will be looking for your post, take care.
To Strokoluck and anyone else considering trading in one car to buy another - Don't! That's just throwing money away by giving the dealer the upper hand in creating whatever deal he/she wants to. You are at a distinct disadvantage - especially if you still owe money on your current clunker.
The first step in buying smart is to buy a vehicle you can afford to pay off in a reasonable amount of time so you won't be looking to get rid of it while you still have all those coupons left. Congratulations - buying a KIA Sedona is a smart move in that respect.
The next step is to keep the vehicle for at least enough years after you've finished paying it off until it is worth only 2-3 thousand dollars. I've found that cars in that price range sell quickly and easily.
Another good trick is to keep making payments to yourself after the car is paid off - putting that money aside for the down payment on your next car. The more you can put down, the shorter you loan will be and you will be ahead of the game next time.
Here's a tip to make flipping the rear seats forward a bit easier. Push the seat all the way back before you flip it. When you do this and fold the seat back down just before flipping - it puts the top of the seat back even with the seat itself and makes flipping it easier. If you don't do this first, the seat back will stick out beyond the seat so, when you flip it, it wants to rock back.
I bought my Sedona in Dec 2001. My problems started in May when I started using the A/C full blast (I live in South Florida). Since then I had to be jumpstarted 10 times, the battery was changed twice, the alternator was changed twice and now the A/C is not cooling anymore. Kia diagnosis: onboard electrical/computer design flaw. Their solution: I have to call Kia roadside assistance. Engineer are working on it (sounds like "the check is in the mail" !!!) Anyone with the same problem ? You can do an easy test: run the engine at idle, turn on all electrical equipment (headlight, A/C, defrost, radio ... everything) wait for 30 minutes or so, turn the engine off, try to start. In our case, the alternator could not take the load, the battery got discharged. We found out when on two consecutive days, we did a lot of stop and go shopping, one of us would stay in the car while the other goes in the store. At the 3-4th stop, the car would not start.
Why do you have the headlights on while the car is parked, to turn the lights off just applied the parking brake at least the Sedona sold in Canada works that way. If you use the defroster while the A/C is running it is surely put quite a load on the electrical system, the person who stay in the car should depress the accelerator to have the engine running at a higher RPM, may be the idle is to slow.
I have followed this message board for a while now, as I have been looking to purchase a Sedona for a few months, and wanted to see how current owners feel about their vans. I must say it has been a wealth of information.
My question is for Canadian owners. I am looking to purchase the EX Luxury model, and was curious as to what deals everyone is getting. The dealers I have spoken to are not very willing to negotiate. Any help with this would be appreciated, even if I can get a price on the EX model, for comparison.
Well, our EX loaded just had it's first birthday. It has been back to the dealer exactly twice. Once to have the blockheater installed that it was supposed to come with, and a second time to adjust the rear passenger door to stop rubbing on the edge of the rear vent window on that side. The door is rubbing again and will have to go back to the dealer.
Needless to say we love the van and hope to keep it for a long while.
To geosks: search for dealers offering "no dicker sticker" prices. We found two of these in Alberta that were offering prices about $500-$800 lower than the dealers operating under the traditional offer/counter-offer format. Saved a lot of time closing the deal as well. We paid $28,300 for our EX (loaded) in August of 2001 at Sherwood Kia in Sherwood Park.
Electrical issues: we operated our van in -10F to -20F conditions several times last winter (we were having a mild winter) with full heater fan front/rear, all the electric defrosters, headlights, foglights & probably stereo. Even with the reduced capacity of a very cold battery, we never had any problem starting the van. xarly should investigate the lemon laws in his/her area. The lack of similar problems on this board indicate that perhaps your van is seriously defective.
excelent3: does your towing setup include a "hot" wire to charge the battery of the rvs that you pull? If so, then you will have been placing an even greater load on the van's electrical system than the rest of us.
We purchased our Sedona a few months ago and now have approximately 10,000 miles on it. My biggest complaint so far is that the gas mileage is lousy for a mini van. When we purchased our Sedona the dealer assured us that most people were getting 20 to 25 mph with their vans. However, the best we seem to get is about 15 mph average on both city and highway driving. I would like to hear what other owners are getting and what you have found to improve mileage. Thanks for your response.
No I do not use a 7 pin set up, mainly because I tow relatively short distances one-way. I do not have a brake controler either for the same reason. If I did have a the hot lead comining off my van it would not be any a major drain because they are only meant to "top off" the auxiliary battery in the camper. The alternator in the Sedona would not have any trouble with this. Now if the the trailer I was towing had a 12volt side on the fridge that woulld require more but not enought to put a substantial drain on my electrical system, the draw simply isn't that much. I never endorsed the real world functionality of the 3-way refrigerators because their is no thermostadt control on the 12 volt side, quite frankly it does not work that well, freezes your food sometimes. Of course the dealers don't tell their customers that, just another marketing ploy to sensationalize a rather potentially disfunctional feature.
DL Cooper....Your gas mileage is certainly suspect. I would have that checked over immediately. Some of us charter members contributed to a MPG poll back in February, most of us did not have our vans close to break-in and we were averaging on the hwy 23.725 mpg . I get 24-25 on the hwy, without my air on with midrange (89-90) octane fuel. Check your tires also, can make a difference.
Our EX, with 7200 miles, has been getting anywhere between 17 and 23 mpg highway with A/C running. Vehicle and wind speed are big factors. Even cross winds. We generally run ~ 72 on interstate. Maybe when it cools down a little and we can run w/o A/C we'll see closer to that 23 mpg more often. In town, 14 to 15 is the norm. But we aren't too light on the accelerator in town. 4700+ lbs. is a lot of weight to move around, stop and go.
Your price of 28300 was for the "loaded" EX model. Does that include the leather and sunroof? I gather your price did not include GST but included everything else. I will be calling other dealers tomorrow to compare (I am in Calgary).
Apparently the 2003 models won't be out until October (at least that's the line I am getting). The dealer is telling me that when the new model comes out, the price will go up 8%. They also say that there are no changes with the new model year.
On another note, I have been reading in this forum that any Sedona made after February comes with two remotes. The dealer I spoke with told me the second remote has to be ordered and I would have to pay for it. Could you confirm?
Sedona EX invoice is $25140, add $350 if you will be using special lease rates. Luxury pack invoice is $1785. Also don't forget $750 "dealer support" which expires August 31.
Many moons ago I asked about after market roof racks since our LX didn't have one. You offered some good advice - but we didn't take it! Our annual camping trip has come and gone and we managed to use our car top carrier without a roof rack. My husband found some brackets in the basement which he suspects came with the carrier(Sears). They fit perfectly around the rubber gasket of the sliders and tied down the carrier very securely. We used to tie down the carrier on the Caravan gutters (using a different bracket). No damage to the roof of the Sedona. Just thought you and others would like to know. BTW, comparing cargo area (without the 3rd row) between the Caravan and Sedona, my husband (the master packer of cars) says he fit a lot more into the Sedona than the Caravan.
klcooper: about your poor mileage on the highway - do you have the overdrive feature engaged? Just a thought.
Given your numbers then, the invoice on the EX with leather and sunroof is $26925. The price I was quoted, all in except for GST, is $30000. I gather I should be able to do better than that. How did you fare when you purchased?
As well, can any Canadian owner tell me if they received 1 or 2 keyfobs, as I am told they only come with one, but I can order a second at my cost.
Comments
2) I failed to mention one other slight "negative" I noticed on the showroom floor model Sedona EX I looked at (not the one I drove w/the rattle). In the back the plastic was quite beat up/scratched up. We've had two Dodge minivans now so I know how that injection-molded plastic can get scratched up tossing things in and out. But the scratches on the Kia seemed to be the kind of scratches I'd expect to see on a 100,000 mile vehicle, not on a showroom floor model. Has anyone had any good/bad experience w/the plastic on the inside cabin? And while I'm at it how about the fake wood? I can take it or leave it but I've never owned a vehicle w/fake wood and wondering if it shows smudges easier than plastic, harder to clean, etc.?
Thanks,
Rob
- I would advise anyone in Southeast Michigan to think VERY hard before visiting Goodman Automotive Group in Ann Arbor. Both vehicles we drove there had something wrong w/them and the salespeople didn't seem the least bit concerned. When I went to negotiate with the salesman he pulled the following:
- The $1000 rebate will DEFINITELY be gone next month (highly unlikely in my opinion but even other dealers said it will "likely" continue)
- They were willing to give me $6000 on my '96 Plymouth trade-in (though charge me full MSRP on the Kia), which is currently worth about $5200-$5800 wholesale according to Kelley Blue Book, but he said next month after it hits 90,000 miles it would be worth $2500. HUH!?!?!?!
- He said he'd pull out "all the stops" to get me 5.5% 60 month financing though the next dealership easily offered 5.04%
- In addition I had to practically beg him to show me how the seats work and, once he did, that's ALL he showed me on the van...nothing else.
- We then went to Dick Scott Kia in Canton, MI. VERY professional group and you can tell it the minute you pull up. We dealt with Jeff Powers who was probably one of the nicest most professional car salesman I've met. Unfortunately we couldn't agree on a value for our trade-in van. But they did come down to $49 over invoice and 5.04% financing.
We may take our van to a few more Kia dealers to see if anyone is willing to bite on our van but I think we're also going to start looking at the new Dodge Grand Carvans. I know these dealerships will have a little easier time moving a used '96 with 90,000 miles so I'm hoping for a better trade deal. We'll see where it leads us. But it bothers me to lose out on a decent minivan with a hell of a warranty AND with leather and sunroof for ~$20,000!!!
Good luck all,
Rob
2. Rider's Mileage: In Canuck gallons you should be easily getting over 30 mpg on the highway with A/C and a few kids on board. We have enjoyed as high as 34 mpg. City mileage varies from the 18-19 that my hotrod wife gets, to my more leisurely (love that stereo) 21-22 mpg.
3. Rear Room: Taking out one seat makes an incredible difference. If you are not up to dead-lifting 60-70 lbs of seat, then we find folding the rearmost seatbacks forward until flat creates a lot of storage room. We cover them with a heavy plastic tarp to protect the (table tray?) surfaces.
4. Plastic: The fake wood stands up very well so far (12 months this August). The rear horizontal plastic piece ahead of the tailgate will become scratched if you are not careful, but I believe that it is considerable narrower than the piece on the Ford and others.
I'd encourage you to shop your used Caravan around to some other dealers and see what they are willing to offer you for it. You might do better than what Dick Scott offered you. Also, my preference is to sell my outgoing vehicles privately. I've never had a bad experience and always gotten much more than a trade-in would have yielded.
Don't let the low trade-in offers on your Caravan prevent you from pulling the trigger on the Sedona.
Email me if you are interested in having me 'refer' you to Dick Scott, even though you've already visited there. I'd sure like to get a $100 referral and I'd be willing to split it with you. Technically, I did suggest Dick Scott to you on this forum before you visited, so it wouldn't really be 'cheating.'
Jason
white_shoes_white@yahoo.com
As for fuel economy, my calculations for fuel economy are based upon approx. 600 km (373 miles)on a 75 litre (20 gallon) tank of gas. I'm hoping that my calculation of approx. 19 mpg is incorrect (for Canadian gallons) and do hope that my fuel economy on the highway goes as high as your Sedona's.
Perhaps after the engine breaks in the economy will improve? I shouldn't say that I'm disappointed, as I knew that the Kia wasn't the "miser" of all the mini-vans on the maket, but it is a little harder on gas than expected. Nonetheless, even considering the added fuel expense, I still believe that I'm further ahead (economically) with a Kia than any of the other choices.
I just realized last night that my vehicle was manufactured on a Friday. Any concerns out there with this (is Friday the end of the work week in Korea too?). Food for thought...
Subsequently, packed the family up for a 1500 mile trip VA-MI and back last week. No problems.
This is the second major (1000+ mi.) family trip and I just have to say, this van loves to cruise down the highway. The cruise control is excellent in that I really like the ability to modify the speed setting in 1mph increments. MPG was consistently about 23 with long segments at 70-75.
Of course, no trip is complete without a good emergency maneuver, and the van handled a 75mph last second right lane sidestep pass and re-establish lane maneuver when the 50 mph on ramp traffic elected to merge immediately into the right lane instead of using the 1000'+ of remaining merge lane to yield and merge at speed. Thoughts about my decision making aside, the van handled remarkably well.
Oh, and no summer trip is complete without a 1 hour traffic delay at 12:50pm on a 98 degree MI day (on the Zilwaukeee bridge if anyone cares). And as noted in other posts, even running the A/C in dead stop hot traffic, the engine temp gauge registered zero change remaining one needle length short of the middle mark for the entire trip.
But...a big disappointment for me was the way the back row seats folded up " out of the way". The poor salesman struggled to show me how they worked. He couldn't fold one of the up in the showroom vehicle. He chalked it up to the fact that the vehicle hadn't been "PDI'd" . So I suggested that we go outside where he could demonstrate how they worked on another vehicle on the lot. He struggled yet again and finally was able to show me.
I was disappointed to find out that the seats basically had to be completely unlatched from the floor and then tied up to the second row seats. Is this dumb and awkward, or what??
Does this bother anyone else?
Steve
Host
Vans, SUVs & A&A Message Boards
The temp gauge not moving even with A/C running and vehicle at idle makes you wonder if the gauge even works! I, too, have been impressed by the cooling ability of the A/C and the van's resistance to overheating.
So perhaps we're not done w/the Kia just yet. Although the Dodge dealers were willing to come down to $15,500 on a 2001 executive-driven Town & Country Lx with 18-22,000 miles. That would put me at about $315/month out-the-door, versus the Kia at about $415/month. Although the Dodge wouldn't have ABS, leather or sunroof and we'd have that peace of mind of the 100K warranty. First things first I guess, we need to sell our '96! It's in great shape if anyone is interested! (Sorry for the soliciation Steve).
Does anyone else have any thoughts on the back seat fold-up issue? The schlocky dealer we went to just kind of explained it to us w/out actually doing it. But it apppeared that I'd have to somewhat "remove" the seat and then tie it down (?) with a strap of some kind. I'm trying to picture my wife trying to lean into a van 3-4' to tie down a seat while our two little kids are running around and her grocery cart is rolling downhill towards another car in the Sam's Club parking lot.
- R
It has been in the shop for 3 substantial items:
First, the windshield developed a stress crack and had to be replaced. Wow! Am I glad the warranty covered it! With my $500 deductible, I would have been paying the $400+ myself if it had been caused by a rock instead.
Next, at around 12,700 miles the power steering unit completely failed. We had began hearing an odd 'purr' noise that rose and fell with the RPM. Called the dealership about it on a Thursday and they said "go ahead and drive it--bring it in Tuesday". It lasted until Saturday evening when it "groaned" on one sharp turn in a parking lot. Recognizing the sound, I knew immediately then that the power steering was involved. In less than one mile it began a constant "garbage disposal" sound--the power steering unit had emptied itself of all the fluid and was fried. Had it towed in and the dealership replaced it.
About 500 miles after the power steering replacement, my wife called me at work to say she had was stranded at a shopping center. She walked out after a 10 minute stop and the van wouldn't start--clicking like a dead battery. Had it towed. The dealership diagnosed a bad alternator--suspected the "hot weather" as a factor. When the alternator arrived 2 days later, I suppose they got as far as installing it and then realized it wasn't the alternator after all. At that point they decided it was a fried battery. Reportedly, the folks at Sedona said the original equip battery was undersized and therefore had been overcharged/burned up. They had the dealership purchase and install a pumped-up gel battery.
We've now had it back for about 10 days and so far no further problems.
Now--before some of you jump to conclusions--we still love the van! I'd still recommend one to anyone who asks. But, I thought you all deserve to know what has transpired--especially since it seems to be the exception rather than the rule among experiences posted on this board.
Yep. Unfortunately, we were about 20 minutes late or we could have avoided the southbound lane closures for the on-bridge accident involving a camper-trailer.
- The weather was hot, +/- 120 degree at valley floor and +/- 110 degree at most desert road during day.
- My 4 month old Sedona EX successfully kept cool inside temperature. My kids in the back seat complains TOO cold, time to time. The temperature gauge stays where it used to be, even in the Devil's Golf Course area.
- Gas mileage was not impressive. It measures about 17 mpg. (When I had a trip with Chevy Venture last year, it averages 25 mpg.) Due to low or no traffic, I maintained over 60 mph average, means median speed somewhere around 85 mph.
- Transmission downshifted a lot. While driving 80+ mph, with little more pressure on gas pedal ignite downshifting. I understand its little hilly and high altitude landscape, but it bothers me quite a bit.
- Ride quality is good in paved road, but not in rough paved or not paved area. Steering wheel giggles a lot in gravel road.
Overall, it was a good trip.
best move i've made in a long time.
I got $2300 for it. Good thing because it had almost 120,000 miles and it had this annoying check engine light and various other electrical problems with it. It started having electrical problems within 3 months of purchasing the GC. Typical of Chrysler products. The KBB site would not value my van due to the mileage. The GC was costing me a $1,000 a year in repairs with no end in site.
At 3,000 miles on the Kia I have not had any issues, other than trying to keep it clean after several long road trips with 2 kids in the van.
I'm hoping I don't have to use my warranty as much as I did on the GC. So far the info on the Kia Town Hall says I won't.
I bought the Sedona and kept the Dodge -- just call me soccer dad. I'll probably sell the Dodge soon and look for a used BMW -- definately by the time my next major repair is due.
On the Kia -- so far we are very pleased. It compares well with the Dodge. With the warranty program (my Dodge was 3/36) on the Kia I expect to not have to do much out of pocket work. The Kia is also a sharp looking car -- and I couldn't touch a van by anyone else with the options at anywhere near the price.
AutoPacific's results come from surveys of more than 34,000 owners and lessees of new 2002 vehicles acquired from September to November 2001. Owners are asked about the overall satisfaction they have with the vehicle, as well as 43 features that are important in a vehicle's operation, comfort and safety.
AutoPacific said Kia made the list for the first time, with the 2002 Kia Sedona minivan named best in satisfaction among minivans. "This is a remarkable accomplishment; not just for the vehicle but for the brand itself," Peterson said.
Here's the link if you're interested.
http://carpoint.msn.com/advice/windowshop.aspx?contentid=4020111&src=MSN
Is it fair to say that, in general, minivans are less reliable then other cars? It seems like an Accord will hold up better then an Odyssey, a Maxima will hold up better then a Quest, and a Camry will hold up better then a Sienna. Do most people find this to be true? People I know that purchase cars (reasonably) expect them to last 150,000 miles without major problems, but I don't know many people who have the same expectations with regard to minivans.
Obviously, the reason I'm asking is because of the reliability issues with the Sedona. I'm not so sure that comparing the reliability of a Sedona with a Sienna is the same as comparing the reliability of an Optima with a Camry.
I think you could check reliability ratings from CR, CarPoint, JD Power and whoever else and see it there's a glimmer of truth in this assumption. I tend to think there is myself but never checked out any stats. Plus it's also commonly assumed that MV drivers are saner than other drivers, so we aren't so hard on our vehicles, which would trump the first assumption. And you know what they say about assumptions :-)
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
(1) With Canadian vehicles, daytime running lights are standard (required by law). Normally, only the headlights are "on", but I've noticed that the taillights are also "on" when my Sedona is running. Is this typical?
(2) Has anyone put the oil additives (friction reducers) into their Sedona with hopes of boosting the gas mileage? Is this worthwhile, and more importantly, will using these additives void the factory warranty?
(3) Has the rear heater debate been concluded? I haven't checked, but I'm curious as to whether the rear heater has only one temp. or if it can be controlled with the front temp. control knob.
(4) I've got a Craftsman (Sears) garage door opener with a small controller. In my LX, the remote fits into the garage door opener compartment in the ceiling of the van, however, pushing this compartment will not activate the controller. Any tips for making this work? I've thought about gluing a small dowell into the door that will push the controller button when the compartment is pressed...
I don't think there's anything inherent about minivans that prevents them from being as reliable or trouble-free as cars, though.
Personally, my expectations for the durability, reliability, and longevity of a vehicle are the same regardless of the body type or EPA classification. I fully expect/hope our Sedona will last 200k miles, and I expect our Isuzu Trooper to do the same. Your idea that minivan owners have lower standards isn't something I've heard before, and I'm inclined to disagree with it.
I'm a tall guy, about 6'5", and although with the sunroof there's not much headroom, and not much room for my knees in front, it's perfect for my wife and three children.
A question. Was anybody offered the extend warranty on the sedona? I need to go back and read through it, but they claimed it would cover the van, bumper to bumper, for 5 years/100,000 miles. I haven't purchased it yet, but I am considering it if it is worth it. The finance guy who was pushing it claimed that it would cost 3 times the amount they were offering it for if I purchased it 3 years down the road. Is there any truth to this? Also, he offered it to me for $895, which he claimed was discounted from $1500. Does this sound accurate? I can't help but not trust these guys, especially when I'm not using their financing. I'm sure they're going to take any angle they can to get some extra cash for the dealership.
Yes, the cost of an extended warranty might be higher once the vehicle is beyond the factory bumper-to-bumper warranty. I believe that's the case with Warranty Gold's warranties.
$895 for the 5 yr / 100k bumper-to-bumper sounds too high. You could probably get something cheaper through Warranty Gold or someone else. I don't know which would be more convenient, easier to deal with, etc.
It's been a busy summer, and I haven't sat down to this board for a while. Still have over a hundred posts to catch up on, but I wanted to return to throwing in my two cents.
Have now had our EX with leather/ABS for 7 1/2 months and 10,000 miles. I've had only two problems, really: it pulled left a bit for the first few months, but the dealer adjusted the alignment (under warranty), and it's fine now. Then, in May, the left side sound on the stereo went out, but only for CDs, not for the radio. Dealer replaced the CD player under warranty with a smile and a "yes sir".
On some of the issues people have discussed in the past:
-Finally got her out on the highway on a long trip. Got between 19 and 23 miles per gallon depending on speed, with A/C on. Seemed to get very slightly better mileage with premium gas.
-A/C does indeed seem to take a little while to cool the cabin, but after a maybe ten-fifteen minutes on the road, does a fine job. I was continually being told to turn it down because the Supreme Commander was cold.
Speaking of mileage, I've got a funny story to post when I get a few minutes. Stay tuned. Best to all of you (kinda like old friends, now!), and I hope your families are safe and your vans are running well.
Mark
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
Will be looking for your post, take care.
The first step in buying smart is to buy a vehicle you can afford to pay off in a reasonable amount of time so you won't be looking to get rid of it while you still have all those coupons left. Congratulations - buying a KIA Sedona is a smart move in that respect.
The next step is to keep the vehicle for at least enough years after you've finished paying it off until it is worth only 2-3 thousand dollars. I've found that cars in that price range sell quickly and easily.
Another good trick is to keep making payments to yourself after the car is paid off - putting that money aside for the down payment on your next car. The more you can put down, the shorter you loan will be and you will be ahead of the game next time.
My question is for Canadian owners. I am looking to purchase the EX Luxury model, and was curious as to what deals everyone is getting. The dealers I have spoken to are not very willing to negotiate. Any help with this would be appreciated, even if I can get a price on the EX model, for comparison.
Thanks.
Needless to say we love the van and hope to keep it for a long while.
To geosks: search for dealers offering "no dicker sticker" prices. We found two of these in Alberta that were offering prices about $500-$800 lower than the dealers operating under the traditional offer/counter-offer format. Saved a lot of time closing the deal as well. We paid $28,300 for our EX (loaded) in August of 2001 at Sherwood Kia in Sherwood Park.
Electrical issues: we operated our van in -10F to -20F conditions several times last winter (we were having a mild winter) with full heater fan front/rear, all the electric defrosters, headlights, foglights & probably stereo. Even with the reduced capacity of a very cold battery, we never had any problem starting the van. xarly should investigate the lemon laws in his/her area. The lack of similar problems on this board indicate that perhaps your van is seriously defective.
excelent3: does your towing setup include a "hot" wire to charge the battery of the rvs that you pull? If so, then you will have been placing an even greater load on the van's electrical system than the rest of us.
I would like to hear what other owners are getting and what you have found to improve mileage.
Thanks for your response.
DL Cooper....Your gas mileage is certainly suspect. I would have that checked over immediately. Some of us charter members contributed to a MPG poll back in February, most of us did not have our vans close to break-in and we were averaging on the hwy 23.725 mpg . I get 24-25 on the hwy, without my air on with midrange (89-90) octane fuel. Check your tires also, can make a difference.
Apparently the 2003 models won't be out until October (at least that's the line I am getting). The dealer is telling me that when the new model comes out, the price will go up 8%. They also say that there are no changes with the new model year.
On another note, I have been reading in this forum that any Sedona made after February comes with two remotes. The dealer I spoke with told me the second remote has to be ordered and I would have to pay for it. Could you confirm?
klcooper: about your poor mileage on the highway - do you have the overdrive feature engaged? Just a thought.
As well, can any Canadian owner tell me if they received 1 or 2 keyfobs, as I am told they only come with one, but I can order a second at my cost.
Thanks