Kia Sedona (2005 and Earlier)

scousi

I just purchased a new Sedona EX Luxury for 28000 CDN/17700 US - 32200 CDN/20400 US After taxes. I researched this vehicle quite a lot and couldn't find a good reason of not buying it. The 4 negatives I did find were the following:

1) High gas mileage
2) Heavy weight
3) Too good to be true price.
4) Unproven reliability.

For current owners, how does the gas mileage compare with the published numbers?

Does the heavy weight increase the brake pad wear?

Anyone else purchase this van in Canada? I was wondering if I got a decent price on mine.

I am picking mine up tonight. I love the leather seats!

Thanks in advance for replies.

andrd

The 2003 Sedona price increase is $100.00 at $24995. cdn for a LX. I saw one this morning at Promenades Kia in Gatineau; I havn`t noticed any modifications with the 2002 and the sticker lists the same standard equipment.

excelent3

I saw the first 2003 Sedonas today. They're coming soon to your neighborhood. These were "basic" Ex's with cloth interiors, and no options listed. Colors were the same, red/beige, white/platinum, white/beige. They came with both Kumho and Hankook tires. The rear tail lights now have the backup lights in the middle as a narrow clear lens instead a wider clear lens at the base of the tailight. Looking at the stickers of these three Ex's indicated that the two-tone package is now standard on the Ex, because no options were listed, they all had two-tone paint scheme. Changes were subtle, chrome touch on the ash tray push rail. No changes to the heater controls, same single control. I did also notice that on the right side of the control panel on the dash, the defroster for the rear was missing, did not see where they relocated it, ran out of time, had to go. Otherwise absolutely identical, from what I could see.
EX3

bluedevils

Look back at the previous posts if you want more fuel economy sample data from owners. Our Sedona is getting about 19.5 MPG overall - we have about 8k miles on it. That's a nearly 50/50 mix of city and highway driving. If you throw out the first 2,000 miles or so (lower fuel economy during engine break-in), the overall figure is about 20.5 MPG.

Most people are reporting quite a bit better numbers than the EPA ratings (15 city / 20 highway).

amyshubby

I thought they weren't coming out until October?

There is nothing about them on Kia's website yet.

Did you notice how much higher the MSRP was?

Thanks

minivanfrank

I have just had the same experience as Alexbeth. I just returned from my Kia dealer and was looking at a 2002 EX with everything. After showing him my Edmunds sheet he came back with his invoice pricing sheet which also was about $1,000 higher. I didn't know what to believe.
I am told that I can have the vehicle for about $23,000 before rebate but this is signifigantly higher than the TMV price of $21,905. WOW !
I do know this - there aren't too many 2002's left in my area. As for the 2003's the MSRP for the LX at the dealer today was $19,370 with $595.00 freight for a grand total of $19,965.00.
That is an increase of, I believe, $375.00. I do know that the 2003's will have a door lock/unlock switch on the passenger side and that 2 sets of keys will now be able to be programmed with the electronic door opening feature. Can anyone tell me if the "Advertising Fee" must be paid for? This is my first new vehicle purchase and this seems to be an issue still debated.

banddexpress

Advertise fee is negotionable. I ran into the same thing with the tmv if it was me I would go ahead and purchase the van because there isn't a rebate on the 03 yet and there might not be. If you need a van just think of what another make would of cost you its still much cheaper then anything else. Goodluck with your decision

hoyahenry

I am told that I can have the vehicle for about $23,000 before rebate but this is signifigantly higher than the TMV price of $21,905. WOW !

I believe that the Edmunds invoice information is correct. Kelly Blue Book has the same numbers. I went through this one myself, recorded post facto on this board. Some thoughts:

1) There's a very good chance that the dealer will find a buyer willing to spend $23K for this van by the end of the month -it's a bit early for them to be nervous that they might not make a commission this month if they don't sell the van to you.

2) Is $22K approximately the amount you planned to spend? I would not go above what you planned to spend. Using Edmunds numbers, $22K is not an unreasonable offer, but the dealer margin is 3% which is pretty slim. See point 1.

I hope it works out. Good luck.

alexbeth

Salesman called today. I was about 5 miles from the dealership so I stopped in. He showed me "the invoice". It had Dealer Holdback$562 and Advertising $416. The invoice he showed me had a total cost of $22,378 vs the edmunds invoice of $21,400. The van had an aftermarket(Audiovox) DVD at an additional cost of $1295. Bottom line sticker was $25,395 ($24,100 + $1,295) He told me he would sell the van for $22,295. I would be getting the van, less the DVD, for $22,000 which would be $378 under his "invoice". Less $1,000 rebate would bring the cost to $21,000. I would probably buy at this price but the wife prefers the MPV, even with less options at higher cost, go figure. I might stop back tomorrow to see if he will drop the price any lower. BTW - he had three new 2003 EX's on the lot today. He told me sticker was $100 higher than '02.

mcperr

If your new EX is a 2003, then you made a great deal. If it's a 2002, then you made a good deal. We paid $28,300 Hudson Bay Pesos for our EX Lux in 08/01 at a dealership who advertised their prices as "no-dicker sticker prices". Rates quoted at other dealers here in AB were $500 to $800 higher.

RE: Mileage
We consistently get over 30mpg on the highway with our van, winter or summer. City mileage varies from high teens to low 20's depending on how loud we have the stereo cranked.

scousi

It was a 2002.

The cash price was actually 26000 (before taxes)but my bank account was not that full. I financed it at 2.9% for 60 months which was decent for an import. Dealer invoice that the sales manager showed me was 27,700. The www.carquotes.ca invoice was 27,500. I think that there's a secret $1500 dealer incentive going on right now. There's also a 2k discount for a cash purchase. The sales manager stated that there is no holdback from Kia Canada?? Overall, a few hundred bucks doesn't make that much difference over the life of the vehicle. There comes a point where the extra effort needed to get a few more hundreds off is not worth it.

Difference 2002-2003 Ex Lux.

Dual keyless entry
Leather armrests
Heated seats
Higher price

erikklein

I spoke with a friendly Kia representative on their hotline (800) 333-4542 a few weeks ago asking the differences between the 2002 and 2003 models.

She mentioned many insignificant items. If someone has an opportunity to call this number and record the differences, it might be nice to post it here.

erikklein

My 2002 Sedona LX came equipped with the Hankook RA07 tires.

erikklein

I purchased my Sedona LX about 3 weeks ago and have noticed the following problems that I have not seen posted by anyone else. If anyone else has encountered these, please let me know.

-- Very Loud tapping in the upper part of the engine when started after not being run for 4 or 5 days ... tapping lasts for about 15 minutes, even after engine is at normal operating temperature and has been driven a few miles. Someone at the dealership indicated that it might be the "lifters" and that they may store oil in that area that drains out after no usage for more than a few days. This has me concerned.

-- Airbag warning light appears after I drive over a bump (not a crater, just a bump). It remains on and "magically" goes away later. Dealer claimed some kind of "harness" was loose and it had been repaired. On my drive home from dealership, light reappeared.

Any clues?

hoyahenry

I have read every message, or close to it, on this board. These issues are not previously posted by anyone else.

The explanation on the noise has merit, but the reasoning as to why makes no sense. I would have the oil and filter changed (under warranty, so to speak) to a known viscosity, SAE rating and label. My guess is that something did not seat correctly during the engine break-in, though it could be as simple as the oil level is in an over-filled state. (The latter is easy to determine.) That condition can also damage an engine.

If not overfilled, request that they cut the filter open to look for excessive metal contamination. Also find out if they will send the oil out for analysis. The analysis can identify what metals are wearing excessively, if any, and as such can be used to determine what parts in the engine are not or may not be working together as they should.

Something is not right, and you shouldn't have to wait until you end up stranded to get it fixed. If the dealer continues to take the wait-and-see, we'll-fix-it-when-it-breaks, attitude, call the 800 Kia number when the vehicle is at the dealer and be ready with the service advisors name. They will call the service manager and investigate what is going on with your vehicle.

On the airbags, it probably is a bad connection or sensor that needs to be replaced.

andrd

I have too noticed once a loud tapping 3 weeks ago when starting my Sedona after 2 days in my garage at around 4700kms. It sounds like a Dodge Ram diesel engine (Cummins) I`m quite sure the lifters where making the noise. By the time I got to the dealer, the noise was gone and as the van was due for an oil change the technician said it might have been the lifters not lubricating properly. The technician also noticed there was a leak on one valve cover`s seal; I`m going to have the seal change next week and I want the technician to have a look at the lifters to see if there any damages. Should I call Kia Canada to find outif this is an isolated problem?
My fuel economy is still very poor, 19.5 mpg average and the best on highway was 22,5 mpg imp.
The service representative told me I should not expected any signifiant improvement, that`s a different story from what I`ve been told before buying the van; a salesman told me that a Sedona`s owner average almost 30 mpg on a trip to Florida which is around 3000 miles. I don`t have a heavy foot and the transmission shifted gears at around 2600 rpm sometimes when I push a little it goes to 3000 rpm.

minivanfrank

thanks for the comments. The reason that I said "WOW" is because Edmunds doesn't speak of the additional dealer costs - $592 dealer holdback and $416 marketing allowance that was on the invoice that I saw (similar to alexbeths' invoice info). I still think that it is a good deal - it just erases out the rebate basically.
My point is that if these charges are legitimate then the TMV should speak of them. GREAT FORUM !

mcperr

Scousi advises that the 2003 EX Lux will have heated seats (at least in Canada). That's good news and a welcome addition to the leather that can be so cold and hard in the winter.

Erikklein & Andrd;
Technically, overhead cam engines do not have lifters. They have followers that are similarly pumped up by the engine's oil pressure. Neither should make discernable noise on a new engine. Ones that knock like a Cummins diesel may be damaging the camshafts. Perhaps Kia received a bad batch of followers from their supplier. Insist on some action by your dealers.

Andrd:
You should certainly be getting more than 22.5 miles per Cdn gallon in highway driving. Several of our friends on this board are doing better than that on a little ol' US gallon. Make loud noises at your dealership.

hoyahenry

Now I see:

$592 dealer holdback and $416 marketing allowance

It looks like presto-changeo. Those are sums that the dealer ultimately receives from the manufacturer, not the other way around. That is, those aren't costs to the dealer (once the sale is made)? I think they're reimburseable items after the sale.

So, yes, if you pay 23, the rebate is forfeited.

Andersen lives.

superman5

does kia offer free loaner car when in service?

alxndrs

My dealer offers a loaner. They have a rental car place right on their lot. Sent us over to pick a car up. We are 100 miles from the dealer, so we wanted to go do some shopping while the car was in the shop. Felt a little bad because by the time we were called back to the service department we had eaten lunch and shopped at one store. Total miles driven: 3.9. Oh well. We will drop our van off this week and they are offering us the free rental for the week.

alxndrs

We are taking the van in on Monday to address the musty smell that was not resolved Labor Day weekend. Smell hasn't been as bad, but there are other things that need addressing also. They will have the van for a week, so hopefully they'll do a little more problem solving than the last time we were in. I have a copy of the TSB numbers for the A/C and the hesitation. (Don't know if it is a hesitation or a lead foot.) Tires spin when I take off. I try to be gentle on the pedal. It only happens when I first start the van. Stops after about 10 minutes. I'm also taking a copy of the info about the A/C evaporator dryer that was posted on the Ford problem discussion. I'm sure the tech will be thrilled to be the recipient of my research.

Also have to have the rear hatch aligned. It was crooked and the body shop lined it up so it wouldn't keep scraping the bumper, but now the latch and the catch are not aligned. They'll touch up the paint that was scratched off also.

We still love our van!! Hoping for a Kia dealer closer to home. Warranty pays for the Sedona work, but we have to pay for the shopping that just has to be had while we are in the big city!

japjap

We are shopping for a van! The Sedona price is good...compared to all other vans.. looking to lease..we found one ...4 years ($410 /a month taxes in for a 2002.) The canadianDriver.com..indicates high mpg.that is one of our concerns... it seems to vary...any info on this..

superman5

bluedevils

That's at Keller Kia? I wonder why the salesman didn't mention that to me and my dad the other day when my dad was shopping for a Sedona. If you're 100 miles away from Keller, you must really be in the boonies! Somewhere north?

alxndrs

Northeast. I specifically asked about the loaner when we were negotiating. I said that I didn't want to sit around the dealership when I came in for service. When we get to GR, we have a lot to get done. Boonies? Probably, compared to where you come from. How's this? Takes me 5 minutes to get to work in the "city" and we live in the "country."

superman5

what about socal dealers? free loaners? LA area?

excelent3

AS part of my purchase I was offered a free loaner car while mine is being serviced. I live 150 miles from my dealer, my daughter attends college in La Crosse, Wi. I drop off my van, and they give me a Kia to go about my business, FREE OF CHARGE, no hassles. If you can, buy a Kia from a stand alone Kia dealer, this is the type of service I get, but I realize there are only a handful of these nationwide, hopefully one coming to your neighborhood as Kia corporate is pushing hard to have there own "stores", rather than sell them from a Dodge, Chevy or Ford store. EX3

jrush1948

I just purchased a 2002 LX a month ago and could not get the Dealer to budge an inch on holdback & marketing fee. I showed the sales manager my information regarding the Manufacturer refunding dealer holdback and that "ad fees" were negotiable to no avail. He insisted that the deal was based on "dealer invoice" which consisted of factory invoice plus holdback & ad fee less the rebate. I still got my LX "out the door" including tax, tag & title for just under $19,000.00

erikklein

I bought an LX about the same time as you with the only options being CD, Roof Rack, Mud Guards, and Bug Deflector. It sounds like you did quite a bit better than me ... I paid $19,282 + tax + tag + title - $1000 rebate = $19,600 (approx).

There were no dealers within 100 miles of me with any sort of selection of LX's (most only had one fully loaded EX and were quoting ridiculous numbers like $23-24k), so I didn't feel I had much leverage (and wasn't too keen on "negotiating" ... I got an internet price from them).

I'm just interested in your breakdown like mine above if you would oblige. Thanks.

riders

It's been mentioned many times before; somebody wondering if the mpg is calculated in Cdn or US gallons. For my info. (if not for anyone else's), what is the difference between the two? If memory serves me correctly, I think I've calculated my Sedona's mileage at approx. 22 mpg, but am not sure what "kind" of gallon this is.

My 2002 Sedona LX seems to be getting approx. 500km in the city and 600km on the highway per tank of fuel (75 litres?).

A conversion factor from litres to Cdn mpg would be most helpful.

grandtotal

To convert litres/100km to Canadian MPG divide 282.48 by the number of litres/100km figure. For example 10 litres/100km is equivalent to 282.48/10 = 28.248 Canadian MPG. The precise factor is 282.480936332 but 282.48 is close enough.

stever

Yeah, but what about the Imperial gallon?

:-)

Steve
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grandtotal

The Imperial gallon and the Canadian gallon are almost (but not quite) the same. Use a factor of 282.481060606 instead. Maybe you meant what about the US gallon? In that case the conversion factor is 235.214112904, say 235.21.

bored

you could always try http://www.onlineconversion.com

jrush1948

Invoice $17,300
Destination $595
Hold back $519
Ad Fee $381
Dealer Invoice $18,795
Tax $940
Tag/Title $180
Rebate -$1,000
Out The Door $18,915
These numbers are not exact but pretty close to what I paid at Criswell Kia in Montgomery County Maryland.

jmatero

I have a question... why is it minivans are supposedly only appealing to parents with kids? I'm 34, single and love minivans... the ride height is great, they drive like cars, they have great interior room and are comfortable. Also, I love the idea of throwing my bike or camping equipment in the back easily. As for the Sedona, I'm going to check one out today because it is one of the least expensive yet most attractive vans out there today. I go ga-ga for the red/tan and White/tan ones. Just wanted to mention this. When I mention buying a minivan at work, my co-workers just screech!

stever

I'm married, no kids. Got my first van (not counting a VW Bus back in early '70's) when I was 37. Still driving a van and I'm 50 now. There are a few of us who think that vans offer the most bang for the buck.

(I could be talked into, say, a Miata for a second car).

Steve
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cookie22

We have driven Cadillacs since 1974 . This last time we traded for the Villager Estate. we love it. It acually has more bells and whistles than the the luxury car did. I'm 78 and to-day is our 56th anniversary. so age or statice has nothing to do with owning a MINI VAN.

excelent3

I'm 49, been driving vans since the custom van revolution in the early 70's while I was in my 20's. I customized many a Dodge, Ford and Chevy. We partied hearty (and MORE)in our freedom machines and could not have had more fun, lot's of fond memories. I remember my great retractable Panasonic 8 Track..... tHE DoObIEs wErE GrEaT!!!!!YYEEAAAHHH....RIGHT ON MAN!!!! dON'T bOGART tHAT jOInt my FrIeNd, pASS IT OVER TO ME.

bluedevils

Minivans DO offer the best bang for the buck. The combination of comfort, room, and cargo carrying ability really can't be beat for the price. The Sedona is an even better value than most other minivans.

jlngwr

Mr and Mrs Cookie22 !! Here's to the next 56 years (hoisting my coffee cup). Keep on truckin' (or mini vannin').

jpohlman

Anyone have any good suggestions for a good luggage carrier for the Sedona. Looking for something not too big and that is weather proof.

newvan2

I am 40 year old male driving my first minivan and use the kids as an excuse to have it. I will never go back.

newvan2

How fast can do you think the Sedona EX can take a turn without rolling. Like in Chicago on the on and off ramps or the "spur". I am curious because it does not feel very stable at the 40 to 60 mph range. Any ideas out there?

excelent3

The Sedona does over steer somewhat and rolls in the turns, but I don't believe it was ever designed to handle like a go kart, after all it is a people hauler. I can tell you Ihave had my van up to 110 mph with power left over and not a shudder, shimmy or shake. Very impressive engineering. when your Hankooks or Kumhos wear out, go for some performance or H rated tires, might help. Ex3

deno1

Ok I've read my entire owners manual cover to cover. Searched the contents and spoken with the other Sedona owner in my area. Can anyone tell me what is the function of the slide switch located in the overhead control area? On my loaded late model 2002 EX this slide switch is located between the sunroof controls. It is labled door - off. I thought it controlled the homelink system but the homelink functions the same with the slide switch in either position. I usually consider myself quite adept at figuring these things out, so come on, someone out there embarass me with an obvious explanation. Thanks

erikklein

From your description, it sounds like the switch that determines if the interior lights go on/off based on when the door is opened ("door") or not (on/off, where "on" is on regardless of door open/close and "off" is always off). Or maybe I'm the one about to be embarrassed?

bluedevils

erikklein is basically correct. But digging a little deeper...If I remember correctly, there's no way to get the dome light controlled by the switch to stay on 100% of the time. In other words, if the door is closed, the light won't come on. Can anybody confirm this?

vanphan

This slider switch doesn't control the two dome lights this way; just the little gray (or tan) buttons inside the clear lenses of the dome lights. Push them in and they will stay on no matter where your door is.

A few more problems have cropped up:

Not only is our keyless remote still working only intermitently but it's leather loop broke off, too. Its connected to the remote on a little metal bracket which came off and cannot be reattached. Maybe we'll have better luck with a new remote.

The power driver's seat is loose and getting worse. It rocks frontward and backward; more noticable when stopping and starting out, and sometimes squeaks.

We have an intermittent squeak near the right rear swing-out window. 'Sounds like it's coming from inside the vinyl side.

And the acuracy of the thermometer can be off as much as 7 degrees. It seems like the hotter it gets, the worse it gets.