Kia Sorento

lok888

Isuzu - I think they are going down to hill with the disappearance of the Trooper and lack of new product. You may want to check the Axiom with TOD. But that looks like an old Honda Odyssey with high ground clearance.

FX35 - It is relatively new and it is a crossover.

MDX and X5 - Check out the Problems forum. Someone has the transmission replaced twice. The gas mileage isn't very impress. And they (used one) cost you thousands more than a brand new Sorento with full 10 years/100000 miles powertrain warranty.

hciaffa

grant you that the salesman that you had was pleasent polite and courteous, but remember he is there to make a buck for himself and for the owner of the dealership. These guys are like sharks. If you think that you have negotiated a good price and you want the offers that are being thrown around I would go and talk to the sales manager and purchase the vehicle that you want and maybe you can discuus that the original salesman get some credit. Remember these guys work on credit and if one salesman walks away from a sale, another will jump in. Who knows maybe the emergency is bad that he may not come back and you lose all around. Go for it.

hciaffa

I am sitting here reading all the post that have been put up by nympho he/she and those of us that have responed and I think that this person has done a good job of irking and upsetting us. So lets just ignore 'it' and go on with our forum. I for one knew that it was a Kia and it may have faults but I was interested in the dollar value as well as the looks of the vehicle. As far as depreciation goes I usually hold on to my cars/trucks for 8 to 10 years unless they are Subaru Foresters and so the length of owning to me outways the value at the end of the ownership. Lets just go on and discuss our Sorento's and help out each other if there are problems or how to get the accessories we want.

Buy the way I picked up a set of chrome mirror accents and attached them this weekend. With the other chrome highlights that came on our EX with Luxury it does make it look snazzier and add a touch of Lexus to it.

tyresmoker

..easy on the salesman. If the guy does a good job, doesn't he have the rite to earn a buck? I would assume you would expect the same in whatever you do for a living.
If you are doin a deal, figure out the invoice (on Edmunds) back out any rebates, get a firm understanding on supply and demand for the model that you have chosen, and offer a reasonable amount over that number as a starting offer. You will find that you will get downtown a lot faster than trying to beat the system.
I buy more cars in a year (as a consultant) than most people buy in a 3 lifetimes and I use this system. It works. Also, don't act like a Knowitall, a little jam goes a long way.

lok888

hicaffa - I am not sure it will be too much on the Sorento. But I prefer the tail lamps accent. It divides the tail light, turn signal and stop light. BTW, how much did you pay for the mirror accents? I enjoy my beige (two tone) Sorento very much, even by just looking at it from outside. I look my Sorento from my door steps all the time. I still can't believe this is not a Lexus RX or Benz ML.

hciaffa

the regular price for the mirror accents were 48 dollars and change. I get a 10% discount on parts so it cost me about 45 and change with CT sales tax

looking4kia

hciaffa, you are right, I think Nymph just likes to get us all upset. He's on ignore!

Tyresmoker, thanks for the advice. I looked up the pricing like you said, I didn't see the dealer invoice but I did price the one I want with options and the MSRP and the TMV that Edmunds gives for my area are higher than the vehicle is priced. I'm looking at the EX 2wd w/lux, leather, anti-lock brakes, & two tone cladding and at the dealer the price is $25,400. According to Edmunds the TMV for those options is $25,247 (only $200 less than the price) and the MSRP is listed as $26,200 (yikes!) so either it's already priced low or Edmunds is a little off for my area. I don't know. I was going to ask for $1,000 off the price. I'm no good at negotiating, haven't bought alot of cars but with the advice I get here I don't think I'll do too bad.

about salesman....we hadn't gotten so far as to negotiate price yet because hubby and I were still test driving and making our decision. We had built a pretty good relationship with him, he's an older man and not pushy, just very nice and always helpful even knowing he may or may not get a sale out of us. We are going this weekend so I'll keep you updated on what happens, they don't have the colors I want at this dealership but they said they can get it from another dealer so i'm hoping I wont have trouble getting the one I want. They just don't have that many.

tyresmoker

Sorry...without mentioning any names, our friends "across town" (name rymes with "smelly") have the invoice pricing for the Sorento. Good luck!

looking4kia

I went to smelly and with my options and dealer invoice I think i'm right on track. I wonder when the 2004's are coming out. Does anyone know if they plan to change anything?

paisan

Just so you know Rodeos and the 3.2/3.5l engines in the Isuzus are one of the most reliable ones out there (just ask CR who hates Isuzu, but has to go by the #s and rate the Trooper #2 behind the 4-runner for long-term reliability)

As for Trooper v. Sorento:

Trooper: Larger, lots and lots of storage space it's boxy also so you can pack a lot of stuff in the boxy area. Offroad it's probably one of the most capable STOCK OUT OFF THE PRODUCTION LINE offroad vehicles out there, I'd give it a bit of an edge over the Sorento and Rodeo, more flex, more wheel travel. Fit and finish is higher than the rodeo and just a tick better than the Sorento due to it having been produced in Japan v. USA/Korea. Handling will be better on the Sorento due to lower center of gravity, and street tires from the factory. The Captain's chairs in the Trooper are great, and the view from the cabin can't be beat, it has significantly lower window sills than the Rodeo and Sorento and more headroom. Visibility in it is oustanding.

As for rollovers? Haaa, I've drifted mine a lot and routinely drive it to it's limits, if you drive any SUV like a sports car it will roll.

I'd also give the Rodeo and Sorento a nod for their roof racks being std from the factory. Due to CR Isuzu ditched the roof racks.

Let me know if you want more info on the Sorento v. Rodeo v. Trooper.

I'd put the Axiom more in a comparable class with the Sorento. If I were to have to choose between the Sorento and the Axiom it would be a very very close fight. I'd probably lean toward the Sorento slightly just to try something different and give Kia a shot.

-mike

nymphetamine

^ Forget the trooper, its hideous.

I didn't mention the Rodeo before because it's not something I am seriously considering, but pricewise its a better deal than Sorento. Especially the Rodeo Sport, 5k less.

Also I never claimed to prefer a "car-like" ride, just turned off by CR rating the Sorento 13th out of 15, which was not based solely on the ride.

5th out of 15, ok thats a rough ride.
13th out of 15? Thats Aztec country.

The FX35 is nice but I don't know if its high enough, the seating position.

I don't see much competition for Sorento in its price range, but Rodeo isn't in its price range.

Next year though with the Saturn Red Line, Chevy Equinox, Sorento will have serious competition.

paisan

Rodeo Sport...

Rodeo Sport is a 2-door, and significantly more spartan than the Sorento. It's more in the Wrangler class than the Sorento class!!!!!

-mike

looking4kia

I Don't see how anyone can compare MOST SUV's to the Sorento, in my research there just aren't many that provide the safety features that Sorento does, and I didn't find any in it's price range. Sitting pretty and luxurious is nice, but at the end of the day safety is what matters most to me. Short of buying the new Volvo SUV, i'm satisfied that Sorento is one of the safest SUV's on the road.

lok888

I don't see much competition when compare the Sorento (EX with luxury package) with any mid-size SUVs in similar price range. (A) Homelink universal transmitter, (B) In-dash 6 CD changer, (C) Auto dimming rearview mirror, (D) Side-curtain airbags (E) Best warranty coverage.

paisan

We started a topic that comparing several vehicles in the 23-28K range with AWD and a frame/truck based:

Montero Sport
Isuzu Axiom
Jeep Liberty
Kia Sorento

I forget what other ones there were but it wasn't a big party.

-mike

tyresmoker

Check your stats on the design of the Liberty.....

paisan

I know it's unibody. But it's not unibody/car based it's all truck. (hence the designation frame/truck based, not just frame based)

-mike

tyresmoker

Might as well add the Grand Cherokee then, transaction prices are right in your range.

paisan

Is well over $30K MSRP. We are talkin MSRPs in the mid-high 20K range.

-mike

jrdowney

I took a hard look at the Sorento but ended up with a used RX300. Much higher quality, resale value, fit and finish, etc. A two year old RX sells for about the same as the Sorento EX if you look hard enough. Three years from now the RX will be worth a great deal more. However, if you want true 4WD then get the Sorento. It isn't just dumb luck that it looks so much like the RX!

dalancroft

That's the same path I think I'm on, prodded hard by the wife. Before our little girl came along, we used to go get muddy (Anza Borrego often, Sedona, Zion 2x, Bryce, Grand Canyon north rim 2x, Canyon de Shelly, etc.). But with children, we're more limited to car camping on either dirt roads or packed sand, which I'm sure the Lexus can handle fine even without true 4WD.

I was set on a Toyota Highlander until my research uncovered that the RX 300 suspension was firmed up in '01, which was why I initally preferred the HL. Absent a little tighter ride, and despite a little extra cargo room, I think we'll end up with an '01 RX 300.

ivan4741

I am just wondering what all the great information about the RX300 is doing in the Kia Sorento forum?

nymphetamine

If you read the last 30 posts, the subject is comparisions and alternatives to the Sorento, which by virtue of its value and styling seems to have been anointed the standard.

I'd choose a pre-owned X5 before a pre-owned RX300, even though they are polar opposites in terms of quality.

Sorento falls in the middle, as usual; Midway in price + quality + design between the rodeo vs. fx35,and between the X5 vs. RX300.

lok888

I think they just want to say good bye to us. Enjoy your purchase!

saber86

How about a used toyota sequoia or new/used 4 runner? Aren't they better suited for type of off roading you have done in the past and in the future? Do you really want to take your luxury lexus suv in to the mountains and stuff?

tyresmoker

Let's not muddy the waters with all of these used vehicles. For crying out loud, you can pick up an HSE (RR) if you are willing to settle for a '97 or '98 model. Continue to compare apples to apples, new to new. Of course someone elses lease turn in might seem like a great value if you want to try something used, but that is not the topic here.

ivygrnsorento

Has anybody here done any research on service interval pricing? I'm taking my Sorento in Monday for the 15,000 mile service...and have recieved 3 different pricings from the 3 Kia dealerships I have called. The closest, but also the worst, Kia dealership near me has quoted me $102.00 total...including taxes. The other two quotes have been $249.00 and $279.00!!!! A huge jump when compared to the other dealership. I asked all 3 what that price includes...and all of them are for the same exact inspections, oil change, greasing, etc.. I realize that the dealerships don't all have to charge the same amount. But has anybody else recieved any pricing on this service?

Thanks.

sedanman2

hello all , was wondering if this dealer in staten islands price on a kia sorento lx 4x4 with alloys and abs was fair. msrp was 23465 - selling for 20988- this price includes 1000 factory and 1000 previous or present kia loyalty discount. seems that the dealer is only taking 500 off the actual price. shouldnt price be lower? dealers dont lose anything on rebates - right? truck was black very cool, thanks

dbgindy

Models in other countries differ from the US. It's an 03.:-)

rjs814

Please Somebody help me find the grill & sidestepbars on nymphetamines post #2633 they are great looking. My sorento is 1 month old and loving it No problems to report.I don't read japanese

lok888

ivan4741 - That is not a new model of Sorento. It is an ordinal Sorento (02 or 03) in Korea with aftermarket accessories, body kits, aprons, etc. It looks like a BMW X5. I have been noticed the folks in Korea are enthusiasts about the Sorento. See www.sorentolove.com (in Korean) I don't know Korean but I was able to check out the photo album section and saw some pictures.

rjs814 - I think you can order these parts (Cobra Tubular Products) from www.truckaccessories4less.net And they are original came from Germany. They come in black finish or stainless steel.

dbgingdy - All Sorentos are the same (exterior)worldwide except we are missing the side fender marker, headlamp washers, remote release fuel door, rear bumper reflector.

looking4kia

We bought our Sorento on Saturday! and I absolutely LOVE it!!!!! The buying experience wasn't fun, I remember now why I don't buy new cars very often. We went to 2 dealerships, one we just walked out of because of the way we were treated.(the salesman we liked before turned out to be a shark after all) and the other we ended up buying from, but not without hours of arguing. The salesman kept lying to us and then they didn't have the color we wanted, but said they couldn't get them within a 500mile radius and they only had 2 EX models (we wanted EX leather/lux/abs) One of the EX's they had had DVD players in the headrests (I dont have kids yet so I don't need that). So we ended up with a blue EX leather/lux/abs but it also had tow package and some other things we didn't want or need. Not to mention it was more expensive because of those things. So after much negotiating we left with a purchase price of $25,000 flat. Not bad huh? (I hope) I still have a bad taste in my mouth because of the experience, but I love the Sorento!!!!!

dekester

You must be talking about Manfredi KIA....
The family owns most of the dealerships on the Island and they sometimes play games.

When we went in to check out the Sorento in January, there were only two on the lot and they weren't allowing test drives because they didn't have one to spare! Add to it the fact that they didn't know when a truck would stop and drop off any more, and it was just too confusing.

All I can say is to do your homework - use Edmunds' excellent pricing feature - and go in knowing what it cost them anbd what you want to pay.

Been seeing more and more Sorentos on the roads in SI, so there's no longer the "exclusivity" of just a couple of months ago!

Deke

nymphetamine

~ "Models in other countries differ from the US. It's an 03"

lol. wrong again dbgingdy, thats a body kit.

~ "after much negotiating we left with a purchase price of $25,000 flat. Not bad huh?"

Huh? What an embarrasment, you should have left those crooks with nothing but a pending complaint to KIA and the DCA.

~ "they weren't allowing test drives"

Interesting...

ivygrnsorento

About that price you paid? Was that after or before the incentives were applied? Did that include Taxes? I guess what we need to know are all the details of the purchase price you paid...what was included in that price etc. Without the specifics, its kinda hard to tell if you got a good price or not.

BUT....CONGRATULATIONS!!! I think you will be very happy with your new Sorento.

looking4kia

Sorry! I should have explained better. The $25,000 flat purchase price is BEFORE the rebate and the dealer also had them reduced $1,000 so we got $2,000 off the $25,000 price. The options on the car are: EX 2x2 Leather/Lux/abs/tow pkg/spoiler/keyless entry and some special floor mat in the back???? Please tell me we got a good deal, I think we did but i'm still so stressed out from our experience that it's hard to be very happy right now.

I think I will write a letter to both Kia and the dealer so they are aware of what both their salesperson did and the finance dept. But Nymph, as far as embarrassment? I feel no embarrassment, I left with the car I love and after not giving in during negotiation so I think I got a good price to boot. Bad experience, yes, sorry? NO.

dekester

The dealer only had two Sorentos, and they were both in the showroom, THAT'S why they weren't offering test drives. Needless to day, they didn't sell a one until they received another shipment.

My wife loved the Indigo Blue one, but we were told that if we bought it, we couldn;t get it until a new one came in to replace it. We had heard the same thing when looking at a PT Cruiser two years ago. The demo was sold, but the buyer had to wait TWO MONTHS until they got another to replace it.

No way would I put up with that crap from any salesman! I want it and I want it NOW!

looking4kia

I was willing to wait for the color I wanted in the EX and the options (which I got, plus some I didn't want) but the salesmen at both places said there is a serious shortage of the EX model and they didn't know when they would be able to get that color w/options in, if at all. He said they are really pushing the LX's because they didn't sell as well as the EX's and they didn't know when they would get more in.

lok888

looking4kia - Congrats on your new Sorento! What color did you get? I guess they are pushing the LXs because they don't want to lose the holdback. These LXs must be in the lot for long time.

stever

I test drove a van that was on the showroom floor. Open two doors, shuffle two or three other cars around, and 10 minutes later I'm cruising. Bought it too.

If the dealer isn't willing to do that (or find one on the lot to test), then you did good to walk, Dekester.

Steve, Host

looking4kia

thanks! (Oh, and thanks to ivygrn too)
I don't know what the color is called specifically, it's not blue, it's kind of a teal color but not so bright as teal? it's a soft blue-ish color lol (for lack of a better word). It's a pretty color but I really wanted black. My husband will be the one driving it most of the time and he likes the color. The hard part now is that he has it and I want to drive it all the time! but if that's my only complaint then I really have no worries.

lilac0422

If it makes you feel any better, I have a black EX and it is dirty all the time. I could wash it every other day and I don't think it would make a difference especially with the pollen every where and the fact that I live on a dirt road. Don't get me wrong, I knew exactly what I was signing on for with a black car. I liked all of the colors except a couple so it was a difficult decision to make. Congrats and now you will share the enjoyment we all have. I find places to go just to drive mine. I love it more and more everyday.

dbgindy

You are correct. I meant to say same model different accessories. As you said it seems some countries ( mainly Korea & Germany) have different after market items.

looking4Kia- CONGRATS!!! Sorry for the bad buying experience but I'm sure you'll love the Sorento as much as we do.

lilac- totally agree with your last 2 sentences.

nymph- Glad I amused you. I didn't think you did anything but gripe so the fact that you can laugh is a good sign.

lok888

looking4kia - I think this is what they called. I don't remember seeing this color on the road or in the dealer in my area. I hope you will enjoy your new Kia and feel free to ask any question. I guess you properly to change your username as well.

looking4kia

Aqua/pewter
THAT'S IT! that's my Sorento. The color is really growing on me, I liked it but didn't love it and now i'm really liking it more. I think i'll keep my user name because I have to re-register to change it (I think?). Anyway...I want to order step bars, do any of you have those? I'm not exactly tall and it would help me out. One thing we noticed yesterday is the rubber around the rear fender is coming loose on one side, it could be the heat here or something like that and I think the alignment needs an adjustment because it pulls just a little to the left. I guess we'll take it in on saturday and let them do all that but other than that it's perfect!

lok888

looking4kia - I am not sure Kia have the side step bars yet. I checked with few local dealers a while ago and had no info. And I haven't checked it lately. But I looked at www.truckaccessories4less.com and found these Cobra Tubular products (front guard, side steps and rear bumper guard). They first came out in Germany for their Sorentos. I am sure they are all match the U.S. specs. And just wondering the problems that you have at this early stage of ownership.

For the side fender, do you mean the body cladding? Mine is a kind of coming loose on the right rear quarter panal. It leaves a gap which good enough to slide a business card it. I think the adhesive tape is coming loose. I haven't brought this up to my dealer yet.

looking4kia

thanks for the info!
No, it's not the cladding itself, it's the rubber piece that is at the bottom of the cladding on the rear fender (does that make sense? having trouble putting into words) it looks like you said, as if the adhesive is coming loose, that's why I think the heat here might have something to do with it. It's not a big deal but I don't want it coming off or anything. and as far as the alignment, i'm not really positive that's what it is, it could be tire related? I dont know. The car has 1,000 miles on it (general manager had been driving it)so I dont know what it's been through in that time. I'm sure they will fix it since we just bought it a few days ago and can't really be considered wear and tear this early in the game. Are you going to order the side steps? I like the front guard also. I'll check those out.

lok888

Maybe I missed some of your early messages. I thought you were buying a new Sorento. And this looks like a manager's car or demo. Isn't it cost you $25K minus the rebates for EX (2WD) with all the goodies?

I am not that crazy about the side step bars. I am looking for the WeatherTech rain visor or maybe the Kia chrome tail light accents and bumper guards. I am sure Kia has the bumper guards for U.S. Sorento.

lok888

looking4Kia - I looked back and learned that you want to buy it in July but wondering if the incentive will be over. I was curious how you end up buying this car. I am not saying this is bad or putting a cold shower on you. But I have an impression that you are not buying a manager's car.

I did a quick research on new car from Edmunds for the same car (EX, 2WD with lux pk, ABS, tow pk) in my area. The MSRP is about $257??. And the TMV is about $247?? minus $1K = $23K.

lok888

I agree car shopping could be frustrated or it could be fun when you can beat the dealer. So are you saying they give you some time to think if you are not happy with it? How bad is it to get your desired Sorento in Dallas area? I am not suggesting you what you should do. But it will be a good deal of $23K for fewer mileages on it. If you are happy with it, keep it. Just buy what you like and should have no regret to buy one.