Don't do it! Be strong! We also drive our cars until they give up the ghost. You already know the reason - saving $. I LOVE not having a car payment for several years, go on nice vacations with that money. Maybe it's how you view cars in general - for me it's a mode of getting from here to there, as comfortable as possible at the best possible price and reliability. I don't view them as an extension of myself or a status thing. Maybe it's just a reflection of our own personalities - I'm not an impulsive person so excessive consumerism isn't important to me. Think of the kids' college education, that should keep the wallet in check!
With that list of things you don't like or would change, I guess you bought the Sedona because of price? Your list of things you like can be found on many minivans. Except for the table, every one of them are on my 2001 Voyager. I like the Sedona myself. I wanted to check them out but they came out a couple of months after buying the Voyager and I needed a van then. Also, for the warranty, 50,000 miles are transferable. I bet most cars are traded before 100,000 miles. I also bet that on most trucks and mini vans, 100,000 miles is just the beginning!
After 2,000 miles all is well. I'm still loving it and hoping that it continues to be the good buy that I'm gambling on.
However, if you have a perfectly good mini-van at this time that is not giving you trouble, has some creature comforts and is not costing you an arm and a leg...my personal opinion is to wait a while and see what happens with the Sedona. I promise that I will give you an honest evaluation along the way. It can't hurt to be patient and see what happens over this next year. The last thing I want is to encourage a whole bunch of people to buy one (against their better judgement) and then the next month start posting a whole bunch of problems. I had to buy a new van cause I am one of those rare people who put over 100,000 miles on a vehicle if it will let me. I intend to use every bit of my 10/100,000 warranty, unless I win the lottery that is!
I may be the mileage leader for Sedonas. A little over 7000 this week. Gas mileage for strictly around town seems to be as advertised --15 mpg. Highway mileage runs between 22 and 24, and that's when driving about 75. My one complaint has not been resolved; handling is poor. Now it seems to want to pull left a little; but the main problem is I feel like I am constantly correcting to stay in the middle of the lane. I do love everything else about the vehicle. I'll give the dealer one more chance then try to find a good alignnment shop if the dealer can't fix it. We shall see.....
I first looked at the Sedona back in June 2001. The price for the LX was about $18,500, the price for the EX was about $21,000. I have been considering purchasing a Sedona but wanted to wait and hear more info about it and also wait on crash test results. My wife visited a local dealership yesterday 12/17/01 (I live in Jacksonville Florida) and the LX is now priced at $24,000 and the EX is priced at $26,500. She was told the crash test results are out and the Sedona is rated at the top. The Sedona has jumped about $6000.00 in price over the past 6-7 months. I hope they still sell. For that price I can buy a 4.3 liter LARGE Chevy Astro!!!!!
Kia better be careful raising their prices too soon.
There are 2 EXs that have been on the lot at the Spfld. MO Kia dealer for 2 weeks. I know they are anxious to sell them just from my prior conversations with them. They were so anxious to finally get some and now I see that they are still setting there. If someone happens to live in the vicinity you could probably get a good deal right here at Christmas. I know the salesmen were looking forward to making some holiday money. One is White/Silver, other is Cranberry/Beige
In the Chicago area, as of last Friday prices were still at MSRP, but at one dealer in Oak Lawn, Illinois, their prices did reflect an increase of about $2,000 with "dealer maintence fees & market rate increase". Go figure.
Hyundai (parent company of Kia) seems to be doing this a lot lately. Santa Fes, Elantra GTs, and Sonatas (especially with V6 engines) seem to going at sticker these days--or at least they want them to. As the popularity rises on certain models, they are trying to take advantage of this sitation. They need to be careful about this!
The big price jumps are just dealers trying to make every $ they can. Please check carsdirect.com and they can get you an LX for $19,046 which includes the destination charge. This price has not changed much since introduction. If the car stays in high demand Kia will raise the price no doubt and this will be great for your resale (if you get it at carsdirect price before then). All this bodes well for your 100K warranty 'cuz I think Kia will still be here when your vans hit 100K.
I am seriously considering an EX for my family. The problem I'm running into is it's not designed to go on outings with more than 4 people. Unfortunately, Kia made a real booboo with the seating. It's impossible to move the rear seat into the middle position! The space behind the rear cargo space is so limited, that the only option left is to remove the rear seats. Problem is, you end up with a 4 seater. It's too bad Kia can't hear me, or can they? Maybe after thousands of lost sales, they'll hire a new interior design to fix this problem. Do the Odessey's share this problem with their magic seat? All I can say is, "what a major oversight"!
For my Mazda MPV, we bought a flat bed extension that cantilevered off the hitch receiver. I haven't bought one yet for the KIA (different size receiver). We'd put our extra stuff into water proof containers and enjoy the extra room. When we exceeded the capacity of that, we'd borrow my dad's wheeled trailer. Moreover, I believe U-haul et al. make some fairly nice containers designed to safely go on the roof rack. -dwh
It sounds like the Sedona is not for you. You don't want to buy a van that won't accomodate your needs. You can get a Town & Country LX or Grand Caravan Sport for about the price of a Sedona EX--but you'll have the room you need. Sure, you'll give up some bells and whistles, but what is the most important thing you need from your van?
OK, after almost two weeks of "any day now", my Sedona EX, ABS/Homelink/sunroof/leather was delivered on the 15th. Turns out Misty Blue is more like slate or gun-metal gray, and my wife approved the color (she was afraid it would be some cloying pastel-powdery blue). Paid about $24,500 out the door, including tax, destination, tags, etc. Salesman wouldn't budge from $200 off MSRP, but was pleasant, low-key, and even called today to make sure I'm happy with the vehicle. Interestingly, another dealer in Gaithersburg, MD, sent me an e-mail the 19th, offering a $500 "coupon" on the 35 (!) Sedonas he claimed to have in stock.
So far very much like the power train, shifting, braking, fit and finish, quiet, storage compartments for stuff like maps and sunglasses, sound system, and visibility (excellent, even for five foot tall spouse!) Haven't noticed any pulling to one side or drift. Heater and controls work fine.
Things that I would like to have include heated seats with power memory and a second remote key. And yes, when I was growing up, power windows were considered a foolish luxury; amazing how "necessities" evolve.
Things I dislike: unsecure gas cap, no under-seat storage for stuff like jumper cables and tool box, and the very peculiar jerry-rigged kind of system by which you secure the rear seats when they're in their fully-folded-forward position. You have to actually tie them (kinda) with a strap to the headrest of the middle seat! Very odd; it's as if the final fold feature was added at the last minute in the engineering process.
Still, I think I done good. As I said before, only time will tell as to whether we're geniuses with foresight or gullible idiots.
I'm about to donate my Aerostar to charity, and man does it feel like a clunker now, in comparison to Misty Blue. I found that I actually got better mileage in it, around town, with premium gas, though on the highway there was no difference. I'll post some similar comparisons on the Sedona once I gather the data.
They're out there, folks. Just keep calling around or net-surfing.
But I just don't know. They seem to have so many transmission issues and I'm not crazy about the looks. I may just have to stay with the '95 Safari for a while. Maybe Kia will makes some seating changes next year. THis will give them a chace to establish a track record. Besides, with the Korean stuff falls of in value like the bashers claim, I can find somebody trying to unload a used one later on. Besides all that, it appears to be an impressive minivan.
A good review. Good comments on the engine (good low end torque) and acceleration figures are as good as a Sienna! Positive driving impressions. Only criticism I have of their review is they keep quoting "poor mpg" but as we have already established on this forum the actual highway MPG is at least average. Also they bemoan the poor availability of ABS, but I guess this is a big issue in the great white north.
No complaints after 1500 miles, except that I don't get to drive it much. Usually I get to drive the new vehicles in our family for at least 6 months. For some reason it takes the wife at least that long to feel comfortable driving the new one. After having the Sedona 2 days she drove it to work to try it out, I haven't gotten it since except on weekends. Oh well.
PS - Ordered my Shrek video on 12/3, got it yesterday 12/20. Much faster than I expected. Happy Holidays to all.
I was wondering the same thing last night. I'll ask Karen to set one up for Sedona owners - stay tuned. Steve Host SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
I will take delivery on a new Sedona EX with every option soon. Price: $23,000. It did not come with a spoiler and that included them adding a matching spoiler which they oredered and will paint and install. I got a great deal, and now is the time to buy, end of month/year is optimum time. Fron reading the posts on this board, alot of people have wondered why the Sedona is heavier than others. I am an RV dealer in Wisconsin and I need to tow. The torque range is very impressive on the Sedona, peaks at 3500RPM, gets out of it's own way fast! My dealer told me that the weight comes in the full frame..that's right full frame. Sedona is the ONLY mini-van that has a full frame. For towing this is great, no unibody to flex. Also on the Sedona, it comes STANDARD with a transmission cooler. IT just doesn't get any better than this if you are towing. And you can get a Class II 2" reciever hitch ( not a 1.25" reciever) which is preferential for more applications in my case. I am a Toyota Previa owner and it took alot to convince me to look at Korean built product. Thank God I am open minded and willing to do my "do dilligence". I have owned alot of fine cars (Mercedes, Audi, BMW, Volvo) and I am very confident this vehicle is well thought out and put together. There may be a few things that could be added ( extra key remote, heated seat, more space behind rear seats) but all in all for the price this is a REAL VALUE! Fred Voll, Madison, WI
I may have to retract my statement regarding the full frame. I just read an road test review by Motorweek and they mentioned uni-body construction . My dealer (general manager) told me the reason it was heavier was because of the full frame. I will be addressing this with him. Before I take delivery ( 2 hours away) I will have his service manager road test it and check for 1) steering pull 2) residual heat from rear heater. These seem to be the only real issues that are consistent on this board. That's is not much to be concerned about. I also read one post regarding "lots of transmission challenges" I think this person should have offered some proof of this. I have not seen any other concern regarding this. If anyone has had tranny problems please post experiences. I will continue to monitor this very informative board, and report my own experiences. I want to ad one more thing. I bought a new 2001 Windstar for my wife last year. I didn't want to but it but was really forced to. We had a '95 Ford Taurus Lx Wagon that had a 3.8 engine that blew the head gasket, which was a huge problem for Ford. They literaly could not build replacement engines fast enough, so they offered to buy ours for $6100 and offer a $3000 coupon towards a new Ford product. We couldn't sell our car the way it was, and they had already replaced the head gasket once before! We were stuck. The Windstar fit my long legged Amazon wife perfect and it is a solid riding "full sized" mini-van. At the time they offered a 0.9% interest for % years. Hard to beat. We wanted a White van. Every one we looked at had defects, little pin prick, concave impressions in the clearcoat. Could not be buffed out. We looked at several...same thing. Dissappointing to say the least. We order a Plum color, and when it arrived, upon inspection I foound several pieces of dust, small hairlike objects, and one large chunk of dirt which was sprayed over in the right rear quarter panel. I was livid. Ford was trying to "win me back" with this poor quality control. The GM, who lives in my neighborhood said " We can repaint if for you" GEEEEEZ, I said, I buy a $26000 vehicle and I have to repaint it???!!! I ended up taking delivery for $500 less (I figured they would make it look worse, and my wife wanted it over with, we were fed up with the whole process) Since then it has been in for 2 recalls, horn doesn't sound at times. I have had it with FORD. I pray that my service is better with my Sedona. My GM at the Kia dealership already has offered me a loaner car anytime I need service because I purchased it in a town where my daughter goes to college, I schedule the service, visit my daughter, and we have a car to use. He has been exceptional to deal with in taking care of all the little details because he has handled them all himself! This is a stand alone KIA dealership in La Crosse, WI, I understand there are very few of these. Small town service to the max. The paint work on the Sedonas is above average and the first thing I am going to do is use a product I have been using for the last ten years, AMWAYS Silicone Glaze. It is the best product I have ever used. It seals the paint and dirt runs off of it. Sorry for the lengthy post. This is a great board and very informative!
I think the only transmission issues have been in reference to Dodge/Plymouth Vans, unless I've missed one or two posts.
A Little Humor: Like everyone else who owns a Sedona, I've been listening very carefully to every sound that it makes, anticipating the dreaded creeks, groans, or whirls that would signal that it may be getting ready to fall apart. Sure enough just as I was afraid last week it finally happened, everytime I turned left or right there was a strange vibration ending with a dull clunk (similar to dropping a tennis ball down a tube)Every turn I made(no matter left or right) I felt/heard this vibration under my left foot. "Oh this is just great!" I thought.
Can anyone guess what it was?
A sterofoam Christmas ball ornament had rolled under my drivers seat and wouldn't move except when I turned a corner. HA! Fortunately, I figured this out without the help of a repairman. No telling what that would have cost!
I'm waiting for the Sedona crash tests. I'm a Toyota/Honda believer. Course, weighing in at about 4700 pounds, there will be few vehicles out there that will get the better of this heavy van. I venture to guess, it probably will do fine except for the cost. The passengers will fair far better than most, but with plastic in abundance, the repair costs could amount to quite a bit. That's my prediction, what's yours?
I will soon take delivery of a new Sedona. I have survived not one but two head on car accidents at highway speeds. In both cases I was driving very refined, highly engineered cars ( 1969 Mercedes, 1985 Jetta) These crash tests do not tell the whole story. Each accident in the "real world" will have varying factors. However useful you find these tests, it is no way the same conditions you may be in. I have been told by a reliable source that within the steel uni-body design of the Sedona is a full rigid frame (including cross members), similiar to the framed vehicles of pre unibody construction manufacturing days. If this is so, I would tend to believe this vehicle will do just fine. Do you believe/trust everything you hear that Consumer Reports put out ? The manufacturers certainly have a right to contest the methology of how these "tests" are conducted. In closing I can assure you that there are always varying circumstances "in the real world", that will differ, compared to a controlled test.
Does anyone know what the slot above the coin holder to the left of the steering wheel is for? My wife was going to drop some coins into this slot (which is below the vent hole), but I didn't think that was a good idea. She thought dropping coins into the slot would allow them to appear in the coin holder below.
Has anyone read the Sedona manual? It must have been originally written in another language because there are spelling and grammatical errors.
Another thing...has anyone experienced problems with their wireless remote for the EX? Sometimes the remote does not work to lock or unlock the doors when I am right next to the driver side door. This happens about 50% of the time.
One last item...the DTE (Distance To Empty) computer seems to be off. Our Sedona has 600 miles on it and the DTE figures seem unusually high. Anyone else have this problem?
Hi there mikeymike01. There seems to be a lot to learn about the Sedona! I took a while to become conversational with the van! First of all, the coin holder SLOT. I found you can fold up bills and slide then i the slot so they are ready if you run out coins; also, sometimes the coins run out of the holder when you accelerate so you need the bills. The remote control seems to have a delayed action; you need to hold the button dwn for a second before it works. The DTE indicator has always proven accurate at fill up time. Sometime it is a lttle confusing on the run-- the milage goes up in an improving milage situation, but it seems to be doing the job accurately. I like to add the odometer and the DTE numbers to get an idea of the current mileage rate. When it adds up to 400, I know I'm getting about 20 MPG. Happy Holidays to you too.
A close examination with a flash light leads me to conclude the slot is definitely not connected to the coin holder. It does appear, however, that the slot has a spring clip that may work as a money clip as suggested in the previous article. -dwh
Has anyone replaced their tires prematurely? I get the impression the Hunkooks are more desireable vs Kumho. From some of the reviews I have read the Kumhos are not great on wet surfaces. I have never been impressed with the tires manufacturers put on new vehicles...usually they are cheap! If anyone has put Michelins X, Cooper, etc on their Sedona let me know if they noticed improvement.
Following up on a decision to abandon an Ody purchase, I drove a Sedona EX/ABS/leather van today and I have to say that I was impressed overall. There is a comment that juniors only need sit in row 3. On low pressure days I am almost 5'8", and my head hit the roof when I sat in the 3rd row seats - just a point of information for those with tall folks to consider.
More importantly, I wanted to address the ABS issue. I have had two incidents (not accidents) where ABS have allowed me the opportunity to avoid accidents - one on a snow covered road late at night involving a deer and oncoming traffic, the other during a downpour where a stop sign was obscured. In both cases, in two different cars, the ABS allowed me to do what cannot be done if the tires stop turning - steer. Other points on ABS in this forum are valid, but nevertheless I will always insist on ABS because being able to steer during an emergency maneuver can be all the difference.
I am cautiously optimistic that the Sedona may be our next vehicle. I'll keep you posted.
I read the consumer reviews regarding the Sedona on Carpoint last night. This board and the Carpoint consumer reviews very much verified my decision to buy a Sedona, the majority seem to be happy with their purchase.. Mention was made in one of the posts of the Korean Crash Tests performed recently. I cannot substantiate/support these tests with any substantive info. I can tell you this post stated that the side impact crash scored a 4 and the frontal impact scored a 5. Possibly someone with more detective like ability can dig up some concrete information to support the post mentioned on Carpoint.
On my Leganza. I just changed them out this fall with Yokohama YK420's. I bought the car with almost 15,000 mi and drove the Hancooks up to about 51,000 mi. I could have squeezed another 6,000, but with winter coming I replaced. I can't say the Hancooks are much different than my Yoko's. The Yoko's beat out the Michelin in all categories. The Yoko's may be a tad quieter in some situations, but the thing the wear was happening slower on the Hankooks. The Hancooks require very little air maintenance, and held up to the end and I consider in the same quality class as Michelin or Yokohama, and beter than BF Goodrich and the others. From the reading on the Daewoo forums, the Kumos are not as good, most likely comparible with the BF lineup. I'm not sure what rating of Hancooks are on the Sedona, but my Leganza had "H" rated tires. Most likely a little higher rating than used on mini vans.
>>I am cautiously optimistic that the Sedona may be our next vehicle. I'll keep you posted.
Brought the red EX/ABS/Leather/Sunroof home for $1200 under MSRP, or more importantly $5000 less than the Honda with cloth, and a 2.9 APR, and a better warranty, and a sunroof, and fog lights! and...
More importantly, the Kia dealership acted in a manner consistent with valuing me as a customer. In lieu of ranting more about the Honda experience, I'll simply say that they did me a favor. I am so much more satisfied with the feature set and buying experience.
Now, is there any way that Edmunds will review its "could use more power" comment? As per other comments on this board, the van is bolting off the line with no coaxing whatsoever, and it's a small disservice to those researching their next purchase, imho.
Of course, this is one reason for the lower expectations on the MPG around town.
(I have updated my profile to accept offlist inquiries for any information that I might be able to offer to those interested.)
Bluffhouse- Thanks for your feedback on the tires. I went to the local dealership today and checked out the tires which were on the Sedonas. All EX versions had Hankook RA 07's on them. All LX's had the Kumho tires on them.
I am looking forward to taking delivery of my EX on Thursday! So far I have been treated exceptionally well by the folks at Kia-Direct in La Crosse, Wi. They are one of the few stand alone Kia stores in the country, meaning they sell only Kia. This is the first totally loaded vehicle I have purchased new in years, mainly because the price was so appealing. I am hoping the Sedona is a winner for all Sedona owners and for Kia, and it shows every indication it will be. I don't think I am going out on the limb stating I believe the price wil increase on the Sedona, because of the demand for them. This would make the "charter" Sedona owners purchase that much sweeter, even a greater value! The reports on this board would offer good insight as to any problematic tendancies and so far I have seen none. I can't wait to smell leather again! I feel like a little kid again getting my first Schwinn Speedster! By the way, for those of you that have leather I highly recommend Lexoil, available at most tack or leather shops. Its not expensive, and lasts forever because a little goes a long way. I have used this for over 25 years on my imports, and it is top shelf. I use it on my leather Lazy Boy which is ten years old and it looks and feels like new. It feeds the leather and keeps it soft and supple. From looking at the seats I believe the leather is only on the seat and backrest portion of the seat. I believe the rest of the seat is a matching naugahide. I would use a Armor All type product on that portion. Happy 2002 New Year to ALL!
I would let your voice be heard on the Sedona owners Edmonds customer reviews board and the E-Opinions customer reviews board. I am sure most of us Sedona owners feel 3.5 is quite spartan. I personally feel this van wants to really get out there and snort! I think it ZOOM,ZOOM,ZOOMz way better than the 2.5 Mazda.......!
Hoyahenry. Re: $1200 under MSRP. This is the first I have heard of any signficant discount. Was that under invoice or under what the dealer was asking? Mind if I ask what you paid for it and where you got it? This is by far the best deal I have heard of.
I will take delivery Thursday of a Sedona EX, with every option. If you ad the destination charge of $595 plus their "marketing fee" of $545 it totals $24645. I have seen this marketing fee on every invoice when I shopped. I got them to throw in the rear mud flaps also. Price: $23,000. I believe this is a great deal considering the availablilty of Sapphire Blue which seems to be the most in demand color around here.
Could anyone please fill me in on what the owners manual states regarding the break in. I will be picking up my Sedona Thursday and have to drive about 150 miles back. I am particularly interested in information regarding when to make the first oil change and what oil to use. Contrary to other schools of thought (many believe you should change the oil and trany fluid after 1000 miles which gets rid of residual engine shavings and particulate) I plan on changing the oil as the manufacturer Kia specifies. Does anyone know if Kia uses a "break in oil? I will eventually use a synthetic blend, but not until the engine is thoroughly broken in, probalbly after 20K.
Even thought I'm an MPV owner, I'm somewhat qualified to comment on oil and breakin 8^)
What I don't know are Kia specifics, so you'll need to check the owners manual for that.
First, I don't believe there is such a thing as break in oil. I've never been able to purchase it at a dealers parts counter. And I've never read engine rebuild directions that call for breakin oil.
I do suspect that some manufacturers use a "friction modifier" that helps to seat parts. That may be as close as you get to a breakin oil.
Instead of changing the oil at 1K, we simply changed the filter and topped up with enough oil to reach the full mark. If any metal bits fall out, I would hope the filter is where they are caught. If they sink to the bottom of the oil pan, they probably won't go anywhere until you drain the oil.
I would change oil at the intervals you plan to with the vehicle. I personally go with 6months or 5K on our MPV with Mobil 1, starting at the first change at 5K. Many cars come with a factory fill of Mobil1 or other synthetics.
I let my 87 LeSabre go 10K between changes now of Mobil 1 with a filter change every 5K. That's still three oil changes and six filter changes/year.
Best bet on the break in is to avoid the freeway on the way back.
Enjoy your van, take the scenic route back that will cause some stop and go driving. As your manual probably will say, avoid full throttle starts, panic stops and cruising at constant speed for extended periods of time.
I doubt the tranny fluid needs to be changed so soon. It is so hard to get all fluid out of automatic transmissions because probably half or more is held in the torque converter. Just change it at the specified interval or sooner, and you will probably be fine.
TB (It's not what you drive, but how you drive it that counts!)
Thanks for the input. I find it interesting you use Synthetic in a new vehicle. I know there are varying schools of thought on that too! You are on the money as far as the "friction" modifiers. I am already taking the "scenic route" by taking HWY 14 to La Crosse from Madison instead of I-90. I'll have to take some county roads on the way back to vary speed. Thanks for your substantive input, I have read your informative posts on the MPV board.
Am I hearing right when I hear that the Leather package is part Vinal?? Those of you who are supposed to have leather--is it?? I would hate to pay for leather and end up with plastic.
I just did the TMV on this car, which is currently $23912 in my zip. Using those same components, I paid $22.6K, then tax, title and doc fee. The sticker was almost 23.8. The dealer invoice they showed me was $22.1, but I just realized that Edmunds says it should have been 21.1 - so I can only surmise where that $1K went? On the whole, though, given the delta between TMV and what I paid, it works out.
(The only thing I didn't list in my previous post was the HomeLink, which to me is an otherwise extremely expensive garage door opener - and I have the X10 system. I did get it to work with the rolling code on my genie opener this morning, though.)
Basically, all of the marketing incentives are drying up this week (my guess is until President's Day in February), so this could be a good month to deal for something off any lot for any make. If you've missed some incentive, might be wise to wait to see what comes up for Washington's birthday in a couple of weeks.
The breakin described in the manual is for the first 600 miles as described in post 396. The key appears to be avoiding constant engine speeds for too long.
I stated in my post #390 that I believe the sides and backs of the seats are probably a naugahide. What you are actually sitting on (seats and seat backs) are leather. I'll bet the head rests aren't leather either. This is how the manufacturers save money. My afore mentioned leather Lazy Boy ($1100!) is no different.
Comments
However, if you have a perfectly good mini-van at this time that is not giving you trouble, has some creature comforts and is not costing you an arm and a leg...my personal opinion is to wait a while and see what happens with the Sedona. I promise that I will give you an honest evaluation along the way. It can't hurt to be patient and see what happens over this next year. The last thing I want is to encourage a whole bunch of people to buy one (against their better judgement) and then the next month start posting a whole bunch of problems. I had to buy a new van cause I am one of those rare people who put over 100,000 miles on a vehicle if it will let me. I intend to use every bit of my 10/100,000 warranty, unless I win the lottery that is!
Merry Christmas.....Be Safe......God Bless!
--15 mpg. Highway mileage runs between 22 and 24, and that's when driving about 75. My one complaint has not been resolved; handling is poor. Now it seems to want to pull left a little; but the main problem is I feel like I am constantly correcting to stay in the middle of the lane. I do love everything else about the vehicle. I'll give the dealer one more chance then try to find a good alignnment shop if the dealer can't fix it. We shall see.....
There are 2 EXs that have been on the lot at the Spfld. MO Kia dealer for 2 weeks. I know they are anxious to sell them just from my prior conversations with them. They were so anxious to finally get some and now I see that they are still setting there. If someone happens to live in the vicinity you could probably get a good deal right here at Christmas. I know the salesmen were looking forward to making some holiday money. One is White/Silver, other is Cranberry/Beige
This price has not changed much since introduction. If the car stays in high demand Kia will raise the price no doubt and this will be great for your resale (if you get it at carsdirect price before then). All this bodes well for your 100K warranty 'cuz I think Kia will still be here when your vans hit 100K.
Unfortunately, Kia made a real booboo with the seating. It's impossible to move the rear seat into the middle position! The space behind the rear cargo space is so limited, that the only option left is to remove the rear seats. Problem is, you end up with a 4 seater.
It's too bad Kia can't hear me, or can they? Maybe after thousands of lost sales, they'll hire a new interior design to fix this problem.
Do the Odessey's share this problem with their magic seat?
All I can say is, "what a major oversight"!
http://www.nhtsa.com
So far very much like the power train, shifting, braking, fit and finish, quiet, storage compartments for stuff like maps and sunglasses, sound system, and visibility (excellent, even for five foot tall spouse!) Haven't noticed any pulling to one side or drift. Heater and controls work fine.
Things that I would like to have include heated seats with power memory and a second remote key. And yes, when I was growing up, power windows were considered a foolish luxury; amazing how "necessities" evolve.
Things I dislike: unsecure gas cap, no under-seat storage for stuff like jumper cables and tool box, and the very peculiar jerry-rigged kind of system by which you secure the rear seats when they're in their fully-folded-forward position. You have to actually tie them (kinda) with a strap to the headrest of the middle seat! Very odd; it's as if the final fold feature was added at the last minute in the engineering process.
Still, I think I done good. As I said before, only time will tell as to whether we're geniuses with foresight or gullible idiots.
I'm about to donate my Aerostar to charity, and man does it feel like a clunker now, in comparison to Misty Blue. I found that I actually got better mileage in it, around town, with premium gas, though on the highway there was no difference. I'll post some similar comparisons on the Sedona once I gather the data.
They're out there, folks. Just keep calling around or net-surfing.
Mark
I noticed tonight that the TMV price listed on Edmunds site for a Sedona EX w/o options is $21,590 the same as the MSRP. Just FYI.
Besides all that, it appears to be an impressive minivan.
A good review. Good comments on the engine (good low end torque) and acceleration figures are as good as a Sienna! Positive driving impressions. Only criticism I have of their review is they keep quoting "poor mpg" but as we have already established on this forum the actual highway MPG is at least average. Also they bemoan the poor availability of ABS, but I guess this is a big issue in the great white north.
PS - Ordered my Shrek video on 12/3, got it yesterday 12/20. Much faster than I expected. Happy Holidays to all.
Driver's side : 5 stars
Passenger's side : 4 stars.
There is no passenger's Airbag for Korean version Sedona.
Bluewinds.
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
owner and it took alot to convince me to look at Korean built product. Thank God I am open minded and willing to do my "do dilligence". I have owned alot of fine cars (Mercedes, Audi, BMW, Volvo) and I am very confident this vehicle is well thought out and put together. There may be a few things that could be added ( extra key remote, heated seat, more space behind rear seats) but all in all for the price this is a REAL VALUE! Fred Voll, Madison, WI
residual heat from rear heater. These seem to be the only real issues that are consistent on this board. That's is not much to be concerned about. I also read one post regarding "lots of transmission challenges" I think this person should have offered some proof of this. I have not seen any other concern regarding this. If anyone has had tranny problems please post experiences. I will continue to monitor this very informative board, and report my own experiences. I want to ad one more thing. I bought a new 2001 Windstar for my wife last year. I didn't want to but it but was really forced to. We had a '95 Ford Taurus Lx Wagon that had a 3.8 engine that blew the head gasket, which was a huge problem for Ford. They literaly could not build replacement engines fast enough, so they offered to buy ours for $6100 and offer a $3000 coupon towards a new Ford product. We couldn't sell our car the way it was, and they had already replaced the head gasket once before! We were stuck. The Windstar fit my long legged Amazon wife perfect and it is a solid riding "full sized" mini-van. At the time they offered a 0.9% interest for % years. Hard to beat. We wanted a White van. Every one we looked at had defects, little pin prick, concave impressions in the clearcoat. Could not be buffed out. We looked at several...same thing. Dissappointing to say the least. We order a Plum color, and when it arrived, upon inspection I foound several pieces of dust, small hairlike objects, and one large chunk of dirt which was sprayed over in the right rear quarter panel. I was livid. Ford was trying to "win me back" with this poor quality control. The GM, who lives in my neighborhood said " We can repaint if for you" GEEEEEZ, I said, I buy a $26000 vehicle and I have to repaint it???!!! I ended up taking delivery for $500 less (I figured they would make it look worse, and my wife wanted it over with, we were fed up with the whole process) Since then it has been in for 2 recalls, horn doesn't sound at times. I have had it with FORD. I pray that my service is better with my Sedona. My GM at the Kia dealership already has offered me a loaner car anytime I need service because I purchased it in a town where my daughter goes to college, I schedule the service, visit my daughter, and we have a car to use. He has been exceptional to deal with in taking care of all the little details because he has handled them all himself! This is a stand alone KIA dealership in La Crosse, WI, I understand there are very few of these. Small town service to the max. The paint work on the Sedonas is above average and the first thing I am going to do is use a product I have been using for the last ten years, AMWAYS Silicone Glaze. It is the best product I have ever used. It seals the paint and dirt runs off of it. Sorry for the lengthy post. This is a great board and very informative!
A Little Humor: Like everyone else who owns a Sedona, I've been listening very carefully to every sound that it makes, anticipating the dreaded creeks, groans, or whirls that would signal that it may be getting ready to fall apart. Sure enough just as I was afraid last week it finally happened, everytime I turned left or right there was a strange vibration ending with a dull clunk (similar to dropping a tennis ball down a tube)Every turn I made(no matter left or right) I felt/heard this vibration under my left foot. "Oh this is just great!" I thought.
Can anyone guess what it was?
A sterofoam Christmas ball ornament had rolled under my drivers seat and wouldn't move except when I turned a corner. HA! Fortunately, I figured this out without the help of a repairman. No telling what that would have cost!
vehicle will do just fine. Do you believe/trust everything you hear that
Consumer Reports put out ? The manufacturers certainly have a right to contest the methology of how these "tests" are conducted. In closing I can assure you that there are always varying circumstances "in the real world", that will differ, compared to a controlled test.
Does anyone know what the slot above the coin holder to the left of the steering wheel is for? My wife was going to drop some coins into this slot (which is below the vent hole), but I didn't think that was a good idea. She thought dropping coins into the slot would allow them to appear in the coin holder below.
Has anyone read the Sedona manual? It must have been originally written in another language because there are spelling and grammatical errors.
Another thing...has anyone experienced problems with their wireless remote for the EX? Sometimes the remote does not work to lock or unlock the doors when I am right next to the driver side door. This happens about 50% of the time.
One last item...the DTE (Distance To Empty) computer seems to be off. Our Sedona has 600 miles on it and the DTE figures seem unusually high. Anyone else have this problem?
The remote control seems to have a delayed action; you need to hold the button dwn for a second before it works. The DTE indicator has always proven accurate at fill up time. Sometime it is a lttle confusing on the run-- the milage goes up in an improving milage situation, but it seems to be doing the job accurately. I like to add the odometer and the DTE numbers to get an idea of the current mileage rate. When it adds up to 400, I know I'm getting about 20 MPG. Happy Holidays to you too.
More importantly, I wanted to address the ABS issue. I have had two incidents (not accidents) where ABS have allowed me the opportunity to avoid accidents - one on a snow covered road late at night involving a deer and oncoming traffic, the other during a downpour where a stop sign was obscured. In both cases, in two different cars, the ABS allowed me to do what cannot be done if the tires stop turning - steer. Other points on ABS in this forum are valid, but nevertheless I will always insist on ABS because being able to steer during an emergency maneuver can be all the difference.
I am cautiously optimistic that the Sedona may be our next vehicle. I'll keep you posted.
From the reading on the Daewoo forums, the Kumos are not as good, most likely comparible with the BF lineup.
I'm not sure what rating of Hancooks are on the Sedona, but my Leganza had "H" rated tires. Most likely a little higher rating than used on mini vans.
Brought the red EX/ABS/Leather/Sunroof home for $1200 under MSRP, or more importantly $5000 less than the Honda with cloth, and a 2.9 APR, and a better warranty, and a sunroof, and fog lights! and...
More importantly, the Kia dealership acted in a manner consistent with valuing me as a customer. In lieu of ranting more about the Honda experience, I'll simply say that they did me a favor. I am so much more satisfied with the feature set and buying experience.
Now, is there any way that Edmunds will review its "could use more power" comment? As per other comments on this board, the van is bolting off the line with no coaxing whatsoever, and it's a small disservice to those researching their next purchase, imho.
Of course, this is one reason for the lower expectations on the MPG around town.
(I have updated my profile to accept offlist inquiries for any information that I might be able to offer to those interested.)
Thanks for your feedback on the tires. I went to the local dealership today and checked out the tires which were on the Sedonas. All EX versions had Hankook RA 07's on them. All LX's had the Kumho tires on them.
I am looking forward to taking delivery of my EX on Thursday! So far I have been treated exceptionally well by the folks at Kia-Direct in La Crosse, Wi. They are one of the few stand alone Kia stores in the country, meaning they sell only Kia. This is the first totally loaded vehicle I have purchased new in years, mainly because the price was so appealing. I am hoping the Sedona is a winner for all Sedona owners and for Kia, and it shows every indication it will be. I don't think I am going out on the limb stating I believe the price wil increase on the Sedona, because of the demand for them. This would make the "charter" Sedona owners purchase that much sweeter, even a greater value! The reports on this board would offer good insight as to any problematic tendancies and so far I have seen none. I can't wait to smell leather again! I feel like a little kid again getting my first Schwinn Speedster! By the way, for those of you that have leather I highly recommend Lexoil, available at most tack or leather shops. Its not expensive, and lasts forever because a little goes a long way. I have used this for over 25 years on my imports, and it is top shelf. I use it on my leather Lazy Boy which is ten years old and it looks and feels like new. It feeds the leather and keeps it soft and supple. From looking at the seats I believe the leather is only on the seat and backrest portion of the seat. I believe the rest of the seat is a matching naugahide. I would use a Armor All type product on that portion. Happy 2002 New Year to ALL!
P.S. phone # too.
What I don't know are Kia specifics, so you'll need to check the owners manual for that.
First, I don't believe there is such a thing as break in oil. I've never been able to purchase it at a dealers parts counter. And I've never read engine rebuild directions that call for breakin oil.
I do suspect that some manufacturers use a "friction modifier" that helps to seat parts. That may be as close as you get to a breakin oil.
Instead of changing the oil at 1K, we simply changed the filter and topped up with enough oil to reach the full mark. If any metal bits fall out, I would hope the filter is where they are caught. If they sink to the bottom of the oil pan, they probably won't go anywhere until you drain the oil.
I would change oil at the intervals you plan to with the vehicle. I personally go with 6months or 5K on our MPV with Mobil 1, starting at the first change at 5K. Many cars come with a factory fill of Mobil1 or other synthetics.
I let my 87 LeSabre go 10K between changes now of Mobil 1 with a filter change every 5K. That's still three oil changes and six filter changes/year.
Best bet on the break in is to avoid the freeway on the way back.
Enjoy your van, take the scenic route back that will cause some stop and go driving. As your manual probably will say, avoid full throttle starts, panic stops and cruising at constant speed for extended periods of time.
I doubt the tranny fluid needs to be changed so soon. It is so hard to get all fluid out of automatic transmissions because probably half or more is held in the torque converter. Just change it at the specified interval or sooner, and you will probably be fine.
TB
(It's not what you drive, but how you drive it that counts!)
(The only thing I didn't list in my previous post was the HomeLink, which to me is an otherwise extremely expensive garage door opener - and I have the X10 system. I did get it to work with the rolling code on my genie opener this morning, though.)
Basically, all of the marketing incentives are drying up this week (my guess is until President's Day in February), so this could be a good month to deal for something off any lot for any make. If you've missed some incentive, might be wise to wait to see what comes up for Washington's birthday in a couple of weeks.
The breakin described in the manual is for the first 600 miles as described in post 396. The key appears to be avoiding constant engine speeds for too long.