We're shopping for a new car and in so doing have test driven the Kia Amanti; both my husband and I were VERY impressed. However after research I have been disheartened to learn that PREMIUM FUEL is recommended. My question is are you current owners using Premium Fuel and if not, do you have any idea what the prolonged use of standard or regular fuel may do to the life and performance of the engine? Also can anyone tell me if this vehicle is chain or belt driven?
It is my understanding that "solar glass" is a tinted window that has the tinting incorporated into the glazing (not a applied film like aftermarket installation shops use). I had the "solar glass" description for the rear windows in a 2000 Dodge Caravan that I leased. The solar glass also has a low-e coating to reduce the amount of heat that is transmitted into the vehicle.
If the owner's manual says to use premium, then you must use premium. Your computer is programmed to the 91+ Octane of premium. If you have a fuel related problem, they will test your fuel. I'm sure if it tests below 91 octane then your warranty will be void.
Hi, my husband and i are in our early 50's. However, for some reason our brains are saying 25...We own the Amanti and are very happy with it. It gives a sense of being 5o-some years old and having come into own (special-but-good place.)
When i first began research of the car my husband and would buy, i clicked on an ad and just barely saw the back-end of the Amanti before the ad closed...i knew that i had to go back, as i'd never seen anything like it. We became owner in January, 2004. We are driving the one outfitted in all leather.
Some of the features that I enjoy, is the roominess with those adjustable seats. On the occasion when I find myself, a back-seat passenger, it appears as though one could set-up housekeeping,ie., stove, refrigerator, t.v. We always finding something new as to what she is capable of doing.
Sometimes, i think the car has a mind of its' own...anyway i've begin to talk to her that way. Our family usually enjoy nameing our cars, we haven't found on for this one yet...everyone seem to have settled on "The Kia".
This is a great looking car with great performance and the mileage is great,the comfort level is outstanding! I love my Kia!
Page 5-2 of the owners manual says the vehicle is designed to use unleaded fuel with a minimum octane rating of 87 ... I have 2500 miles on my Amanti, regular gas on every fill up... no pinging and it performs very well.. great car, I am very happy with it.
Using regular 87 octane will not harm the Amanti's engine. You just may loose a few hp when the computer changes the timing to compensate for the lower octane. Your warranty will not be voided by using 87 octane and you relaly won't be able to tell any difference. I currently own an 03 Diamante that also recommends premium fuel. I always use 89 octane and the engine runs just fine on it. i wouldn't let the premium recommendation deter you from this wonderful car.
As for your other question, the Amanti uses a timing belt that should be changed every 60k.
Well per the owners manual I have been using 87 octane and have been VERY pleased with the performance. Have about 3500 miles on it and with the trip to Florida and back, the 87 seemed just fine. As far as my age, seems strange to me that it really matters, but for what its worth I am 53, thank God not 87 like my octane !
I'm looking at an Amanti at a local dealer's showroom the other day and comment to the salesman how much more comfortable I thought the back seats were than the front seats. (Personally I think they're the most comfortable seats I've ever sat in.) He tells me the reason for this is because in Korea the Amanti is usually used as limo, so naturally the back seat would be more comfortable than the front. Gotta love it!
Thanks for telling us what the owner's manual says. The book says to use 87, so use 87. You'll never go wrong if you do what the book in your glove box says to do.
WE BOUGHT OUR NEW AMANTI IN FEB.IN ONTARIO,CANADA IT ONLY COMES ONE WAY.LOADED.EVERY THING BUT THE REAR SEAT HEATERS.WOODGRAIN,TILT MIRRORS,LEATHER,RAIN SENSING WIPERS,HEATED MIRRORS,HEATED WIPER STRIPS,ETC.ETC.ETC.IT SELLS FOR 36 K PLUS 15 TAXES.ONLY OPTION AVAILABLE IS PEARL WHITE PAINT 100 $ GO FIGURE.WE PUT THE CARS TOGETHER & THE BLACK ONE JUMPED RIGHT OUT AT YOU.SO RICH LOOKING.WE BOUGHT BLACK WITH BLACK LEATHER INTRIOR.WE LOVE THE CAR.I CALL IT MY WET DREAM ON WHEELS.COMFORT IS 2ND TO NONE,STYLING IS AWSOME,HANDLING IS VERY GOOD.200 HP IS ALL WE NEED.I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MANY HEADS TURNING TO LOOK OR PEOPLE ASKING OR GUESSING WHAT IT IS.THEY ALL SAY THE SAME THINGS.THATS A KIA? WHAT A NICE CAR.HAVING NO ORNAMENT ON THE FRONT HOOD LIKE MOST CARS HAS PEOPLE WONDERING & GUESSING MERCEDES,JAG,LINCOLN,BMW.I LIKE THAT FEATURE.WE TEST DROVE OTHER VEHICLES IN THE SAME PRICE RANGE .I COMPARED VEHICLES ONLINE.FOR THE MONEY NONE COMPARED WITH THE AMANTI. LOOKS,COMFORT,SAFETY & WARRANTY ALL WERE BETTER IN MY OPINION.AFTER 1 MONTH A GIRL OF 18 RAN A RED LIGHT.MY NIGHTMARE BEGAN.6 1/2 WEEKS LATER WE JUST GOT OUR CAR BACK.DREAMIN & ROLLIN AGAIN.
bought a new amanti on friday, 14th may. have driven about 200 miles since and had no problems.
we were looking for a car to replace our beloved bwm 733i with 300,000+ miles on it. after much searching, settled on amanti, hyundai xg350, or camry le - v6. a couple of days searching the internet, and haggling with dealers, did not make our choices any easier. my wife rode the car on a test drive and loved it. so, i was more or less determined to find an amanti.
saw some ads for a base car 19,995 and after quizzing the dealership lady [sheehy kia in VA] who said that if i reached the shop and cut them a cheque for that amount, plus taxes, tags, $ 240 processing fee, i could have the car. drove through really bad traffic on a hot day and reached the dealership. went on a test ride and then the sales man started adding up numbers and came up with $ 22,995 plus all other add ons for the same car. it was sad and not a good thing for the dealership to do. the manager's explanation was that the sales lady was misinformed! walked out and drove another 2 hrs in the hot sun to get home!
finally, went to a dealership near my office in hagerstown and they sold me a base model for 20,995. good buy i thought. covered my bases by buying some extra warranty [bumper to bumper] for about $ 800 covering the car till 100k miles or 7 years. as you can guess from our other car, we tend to keep cars till they are ready to die, so this might be a good investment.
will keep posting info about the reliability of the car as time goes by, as i would like to build a reliability data base for this car.
i told my colleague that if i went with logic as i normally tend to do, i would have bought the camry but decided to go with my heart this time. hope this car works out!
like the hyundai with its t-h-c.org user forum, does kia have one too? found the message about tyre pressure intriguing, will go and check out the pressure before going out tonight. was the pressure checked when the tyre was cool, possibly in the beginning of the day?
1. What is the "Position Light" all about? The odd looking little bulb just below the high-beam. (Owner's Manual page 7-44 points it out but it's never discussed.)
2. What's that little sensor-like device on the wood-grain strip just above the ignition switch? It's neither shown nor described in the Manual. Page 4-55 does show the cabin temp sensor in the center of the dash near the front windshield--and describes it as being "on the instrument panel."
3. Has anyone heard a crackling or creaking noise coming from what seems to be the middle of (or just behind) the steering wheel? I hear it VERY infrequently but when it starts up, it's extremely annoying. Apparently my enquiry was the only one in the world Kia's ever received on this.
hugo: Congratulations on your new Amanti. Yes, I checked the tires on my car when they were cold. I think the suggestion that the over-inflation was done to preclude flat spots during the long Pacific transit (and the dealership forgot to reset them) is plausible.
I found the position light in my shop manual. It is the parking light. A 5 watt bulb that comes on with the first position up from off on the head light switch.
The sensor on the woodgrain is called an "In car sensor", it senses temperature and provides a control voltage to the automatic temperature control module. It is described on page HA-27 of the Amanti service Manual.
Hi Hugo: Did you trade your BMW 733i on your new Amanti? If so, did the price of 20,995 include your trade. If you paid cash of 20,995 plus tag taxes, etc. you got a very good price on the car, as the list price would be a little over 25,000.
I recently read in our local newspaper that a place in San Diego rated Kia very low on the quality list, thats opposite from what I have read in the past months. Though of you who own an Amanti can we get a report from you, have you had any problems yet, and if so what are they.
No James, did not trade in the BMW. It was a straight purchase. As indicated in my previous email, there were a couple of companies that advertised the car for 19,995 and started fooling around with the numbers when they got me in the shop. Hagerstown Kia from whom I bought the car, added on the Kia owner loyalty rebate that I was not qualified for and sold me the car for $ 20,995 plus tax and tags of course. Yes, it is a good bargain as it is below the TMV price quoted by Edmunds.com. However, it seems that at least one dealership in DC area will sell the base car for $ 319 / month for 72 months. At 4.9% interest, that seems to work out to a present value of about $ 18,000. So, maybe there are other deals to be had.
Have run 1,200 miles on the car mostly on highways. Made a 300 odd mile trip with 3 passengers and the car averaged 25 mph. The second tankfull of gas seems to have averaged 27 mph! Have to check that out. No problems yet. Some rattling from the back seat area when I go over speed bumps. Will investigate and keep you all informed.
My wife loves the car and so does my neighbour who took it for a ride. She has a lead foot and was thrilled with the response of the car when she merged onto the highway.
All systems work as advertised. Another neighbour bought the Hyundai XG350L. It is very similar to my car except that it has leather seats and moon roof. Interior looks very similar. It misses the sext MB patented seat adjusting mechanism though!
Radio is of good quality. Most people who looked at the car have been very impressed by it. Especially by the engine compartment where everything is covered up and perhaps because of it, the lack of noise in the cab.
I've had my Amanti for two weeks. I live in a large metropolitan area with numerous radio stations, and FM is wonderful, but AM radio comes in very weak and I have to turn the sound almost all the way up to hear the largest station in town. Anyone else?
Also, many other Amanti owners have put custom wheels on their Amanti, but I don't want to go to that expense. It bothers me to have "KIA" on the wheels and I would like to get rid of that just as I did the KIA emblem on the trunk. (It seems similar to having "Toyota" markings on a Lexus!) Has anyone else found a suitable replacement emblem for the center wheel cap? Any help appreciated.
First of all the wheels on the Amanti are very nice looking..Why do you want to get rid of the name Kia on the car? It sounds like you are embarased to have one. If so than why did you buy it? Why did't you buy something else? If someone ask you what kind of car it is, are you going to lie to them and my something up?
Embarrassed by the KIA name?-----well, maybe just a little. In my opinion KIA still hasn't earned it's place in the luxury market. Do you think buyers are lining up to plunk down 90 to 100K for a Phaeton with a VW emblem on the trunk? Similar here. Even the dealers have been stripping off the KIA emblem from the trunk and placing after-market wheels on cars on their lots. Don't get me wrong, I love the car, or I wouldn't have bought it. KIA has placed Amanti's name on the door sills, the floor mats, the trunk carpet and the trunk lid itself. Why not the wheel covers and the steering wheel.
It would look bad...It would leave the lugs exposed...I would just go and find a spray paing that matches the outside edge of the center cap and spray it over.
Found out the problem with my AM radio reception: when I bought the car, I paid the dealer extra to have the windows tinted. The tint has a metallic base and that interferes with the built-in antenna.
Well, the Amanti now has 2000 miles on the odometer. Gas consumption has settled down to about 25 miles for mostly highway miles and about 22 for a mix of light city driving and mostly highway. No problems with the car.
Some interesting things to note:
1. Check out the handles on the inside of the car near the seats. They help old guys like me get in and out of the car! They are damped and don't go "klang" when you let them go. They sort of sigh to a stop. A nice refinement found only in lots more expensive cars. 2. The stock FM radio is a little weak - no window tinting. Compared it with the Altima at the same spots on the highway with the same station and Kia is a little weaker. Maybe there is a tweak. Sound system is good though. La Traviata sounds great! 3. Don't know if anyone else has seen this, but there is a medium freq vibration on the steering wheel when the car is started. Just as well though, because it is hard to figure out if the engine is running except by looking at the tachometer. So, quiet it is. 4. When engaging the cruise control, either on the "set" mode or "res" mode, keep the foot on the gas pedal to obtain a jerk free engagement. Foot off the gas pedal will yield a jerky engagement. Also, like in all cars, it helps if the car is brought to the almost the original speed before invoking the "res" mode. 5. The fuel compartment door flips open and seems to work off a detent. The door can be opened further and it is secure in both positions. This is magic and great touch.
Ride is good. People rave about the ride and the comfort of the rear seat. Some people who passed the car on the highway turn to look. The car looks great when looking head on. It seems to be a great buy. Will keep everyone posted regularly.
why would you be so goofy to buy a Kia motorcar then get all sensitive if people "discover" it's a Kia? Yello? In case you haven't been paying attention Kia is gaining converts all the time. They are doing quite well-making cash-their credit rating was recently upgraded to a 'B'. Sit back, enjoy the Pistons romp over the Lakers and also heartily enjoy Kia's ramp up the worldwide automotive manufacturing success ladder. It's a certainty my friends.
Black on black..beautiful......$27300 or so. I bet I could get it for $24K even plus ttl. This leads me to ask; what will a one or two year old Amanti be worth? It may be a good used value seeing that they have not caught on like a Honda or Toyota, yet. The only problem is you would not get the 100K warranty. That doesn't stop people from buying a Toyota, but Kia's public perception is not up to Toyota's to the general public at large. I know all about the recent JD Power findings, but, that was not 5 year. It was 90 day satisfaction. I must say though, the Amanti was looking terrific. Maybe Nav is coming next year?
Yes, gas mileage is a little better than expected. Also, it seems that I really should do an real average over a number of fills. The way the gas mileage is calculated is to fill up the car to the gills [no overfilling lest the little red light comes on on the dash!], and see how much gas has been used. However, noticed that each pump shuts off at slightly different levels. Perhaps it might have to do with the ambient temp? For instance, on a hot day, the gas pressure inside the tank may be enough to shut off the pump at a certain gas level whereas on a cold day, the tank level might have to be bit higher?
This is pure speculation as I do not even know how these gas pump shut off mechanisms work.
The bottom line is that in the last 2 fills, the car gave 25.8 and 26 mpg. Any gas pump gurus to explain this or is this just the luck of the draw?
I'm the fellow who commented about his carbon gray Amanti back at Post #188 of this form. Read it, then come back.
After 2500 plus miles and a recent road trip between Port land, Oregon and Vancouver, BC, the Amanti is still the best luxury car I have driven. The driver's seat is so comfortable that three hours behind the wheel passed quicker than watching a movie in your favorite easy-chair. The road noise at 70 mph was not loud enough to hamper conversation, or interfere with music coming through Amanti's Infinity sound system. The sun roof did not allow enough heat to penetrate the passenger interior to overwhelm the air conditioner. The automatic temperature control worked perfectly. The cruse control combined with the five speed automatic transmission made driving effortless, and provided great gas mileage (for a two ton sedan). According to the computer display in the Amanti's dash, my average miles per gallon with the AC running the whole time was just over 26. That computer is accurate as I did my own calculations, and I was within 2% of the computer's figures.
A few little things that I have noted.
1) If you use the computer display to show how many miles you have left before filling up at the next gas station be advised that it goes to all blanks when there is approximately 30 miles left on the display. I have calculated that there is about two gallons of gas left in the tank at this point. I have never run out of gas, and do not plan to.
2) It takes practice with the automatic window controls to make the windows remain open just a crack. One needs to do this in order to let hot air out of the vehicle when the car sits in the sun. I also crack the sunroof at the same time.
3) The sheet metal used to make the hood, and body door panels is THIN. I have a small ding on the side caused by soft contact with a shopping cart. So park your Amanti away from crowded parking areas if you are concerned about dings to the body.
4) I have put the key fob away as it is too bulky to carry in my pocket. This means that in order to open the back doors (and the trunk) you have to turn the key on the driver's door twice clockwise. Also, the only lock is on the driver's door.
5) The only body flaw I have discovered is the led directional signal light on the front driver's side of the vehicle is loose. I plan to have the dealership repair it during my first oil change.
I have one question for those of you out there who read this form. I have been thinking about using Mobil One instead of the oil suggested in the owner's guide. Has anyone heard negative feedback about using off spec oils in Kia automobiles?
I also have a carbon gray Amanti and enjoy it very much! I do agree with Carpetguru about the thin sheet metal. This is a shame since this is an otherwise really fine automobile. If you look at KIA's in general, in my opinion, they all pretty much have soft door panels and therefore a lot of bumps and dings. -Pete (FL)
I finally got my Amanti on Friday June 25. The car is A demo,Pearl White, Cloth Seats, with 7,428 miles on it. Got a good discount on the car. If you would like to save money on buying this car, buy a demo, with a few thousand miles on it. Car has never been titled, and a Kia Rep used it for abount 6 months. I love the car, and every thing about it. Will report later on miles per gallon etc. Have driven the car only 220 miles so far. It is hard to fine a demo Amanti with a few thousand miles on it, I looked for one for the last 2 months, and finally find what I was looking for.
A better oil than Mobile One is Amsoil which I will be using next time I change my oil. You should not have to change your oil until after 7,500 when using Mobile One or Amsoil. Will protect your engine better, and your engine will have a lot less wear when you use this sny. oils. The oil change will cost you around $50.00 Regards, Jim
In my opinion, based on Amsoil's own literature, you are wasting money on Amsoil unless you go for the full bypass filter system and 25,000 mile changes. Otherwise, any synthetic that meets GM 4718M specs and is a true synthetic (not hydro-cracked like Castrol and Quaker State)will be more than adequate for 7500 mile oil changes. That is, of course, unless you operate in very dusty conditions or race regularly.
I own a 2004 Amanti and will assure you that there is no need to run premium fuel in your vehicle. The engine is designed to run on regular fuel. There are only a few cars that need premium and those are high performance cars such as old muscle cars that ran on high octane. But to answer your question run regular fuel. I use BP regular and the engine will last a long time. The vehicle is belt driven. The belt is rubber and should be inspected as any other drive belt looking for cracks, glazing ant the edges should be sharp as if they have been cut with a knife. I suggest that you purchase a service manual from the dealership. Or use Alldata or mitchell. Good luck and get oily!
In all your wisdom why are Kia listed so low in the edmunds publications as having so many repairs per 100. Are these based on all kias? If so what repair percent of 100 cars are the Amantis rated?
In fairness those are for older Kias. The new models have improved a lot, but you'll only see those results in a couple of years, then they start measuring 2004 models.
Bought my Amanti in January--only have about 5K miles on it but I love it and have had no real problems. Awhile back someone asked if anyone had seen any/many of them on the road and I think in the past 6 months I’ve only seen one. Also, TV advertisements for the Amanti (at least in the mid-Atlantic region) are virtually non-existent---what Kia spots there are seem devoted almost exclusively to the Sedona or Sorento. Are Amantis selling like hotcakes and don’t need to be advertised or has Hyundai thrown in the towel? Yesterday, on an impulse, I stopped at a local Ford/Hyundai/Kia dealership (not where I bought mine) and talked to a salesman. He said that Amantis sell quickly when the dealership can get them but inventories of them are always low resulting in less available choices for customers--they only had three on the lot and two of them were, in my opinion, under equipped. He said Hyundai recognizes the problem and, over the longer term, are planning to open assembly plants in the US for their Hyundai line. Plants in Korea, formerly dedicated to the Hyundai line, would then be converted to increase Kia production. Don’t know if he knows what he’s talking about or if inventory issues are the same around the country. I do know that a lot of customers appear to be missing a super bargain and an absolutely great car if they bypass the Amanti .
I just signed up for the message boards, so sorry for replying to a long ago message. I noticed the question on the tire pressure, and that commonly happens to us as well. (I'm a salesperson for a Kia dealership) Our vehicles get shipped to a compound via train, then get trucked out to us. The air pressure is higher because the vehicle is usually strapped down a ratchet type of locking rope or chaing system that puts strain on the tires. The extra air keeps the vehicle with constant pressure against the restraints so that it will not bounce around on the truck and cause problems for the driver. (This was explained to me like this by a transport driver)
I just bought a 2004 with all the options and the price was dealer invoice plus $120 and marketing allowance, three thousand less than MSRP. I've enjoyed it to date. My question is has anyone used 85 octane fuel? I'm told it would run fine but as yet not tried regular gas.
I used regular gas for a week.(It was a rental) I was disappointed with the mileage, but the performance was good. I liked the car a lot, and am checking out the purchase prices. Your purchase sounds like the best I've heard so far.In what town did you purchase your Amanti? Thanks.
Bought the car in Denver. Price was impacted by the rebate that just ended in June. My understanding is that dealers get the ability to negotiate by having the rebate given to the dealership in lieu of the purchaser at times. So this month, July, does not have a specific rebate I would assume that someone interested could sill negotiate a good price. I also belong to Costco where they have purchasing relationships with most car dealers and the price they get is around $300 over invoice.
Am I the only one to run my battery dead because there is no chime to remind me to turn off the headlights? Or is there actually a chime (like all cars have) and mine just doesn't work....Anybody else?
I don't see how you are leaving your lights on when your car has auto-off headlights, unless the auto-off feature isn't working. Try this: Leave your lights on, turn your car off and open the driver's door. The lights should turn off, but there won't be any warning chime. There will be a warning chime if you turn the lights back on after opening the door because they won't automatically turn off a second time. If your car does both of these things, then it is working normally and your battery drain is coming from something else, like an interior light not shutting off because the door wasn't fully closed.
Thanks for the input. I'll have that checked when I take the car in for my first oil change. I have a couple other issues that need looking at too: the computer screen on the dash has a glitch--the indicator that tells how far you can drive until you need gas stopped working. Two fill ups ago, it wouldn't reset completely and this morning as an example, it started flashing blank lines when I still had over a quarter of a tank and had only driven 195 miles. Also, my Amanti only came with one master key and one sub key. It is supposed to have two master keys. My dealer ordered the extra master key, but after three trips back to the dealer, they haven't figured out how to program the key. Once they had the new key programmed, but then the other keys wouldn't work. Anyone else have this problem? The problems I've had so far are just little bugs that need working out. Overall, my Amanti is my favorite car, having driven Cadillacs for over 25 years. Dollar for dollar, you can't beat it.
If you look on the windows of the Amanti there is a security system warning. Is the system only the electonic key that shut down the ignition if it detects a problem?
Comments
Some of the features that I enjoy, is the roominess with those adjustable seats. On the occasion when I find myself, a back-seat passenger, it appears as though one could set-up housekeeping,ie., stove, refrigerator, t.v. We always finding something new as to what she is capable of doing.
Sometimes, i think the car has a mind of its' own...anyway i've begin to talk to her that way. Our family usually enjoy nameing our cars, we haven't found on for this one yet...everyone seem to have settled on "The Kia".
This is a great looking car with great performance and the mileage is great,the comfort level is outstanding! I love my Kia!
Thanks!
As for your other question, the Amanti uses a timing belt that should be changed every 60k.
we were looking for a car to replace our beloved bwm 733i with 300,000+ miles on it. after much searching, settled on amanti, hyundai xg350, or camry le - v6. a couple of days searching the internet, and haggling with dealers, did not make our choices any easier. my wife rode the car on a test drive and loved it. so, i was more or less determined to find an amanti.
saw some ads for a base car 19,995 and after quizzing the dealership lady [sheehy kia in VA] who said that if i reached the shop and cut them a cheque for that amount, plus taxes, tags, $ 240 processing fee, i could have the car. drove through really bad traffic on a hot day and reached the dealership. went on a test ride and then the sales man started adding up numbers and came up with $ 22,995 plus all other add ons for the same car. it was sad and not a good thing for the dealership to do. the manager's explanation was that the sales lady was misinformed! walked out and drove another 2 hrs in the hot sun to get home!
finally, went to a dealership near my office in hagerstown and they sold me a base model for 20,995. good buy i thought. covered my bases by buying some extra warranty [bumper to bumper] for about $ 800 covering the car till 100k miles or 7 years. as you can guess from our other car, we tend to keep cars till they are ready to die, so this might be a good investment.
will keep posting info about the reliability of the car as time goes by, as i would like to build a reliability data base for this car.
i told my colleague that if i went with logic as i normally tend to do, i would have bought the camry but decided to go with my heart this time. hope this car works out!
like the hyundai with its t-h-c.org user forum, does kia have one too? found the message about tyre pressure intriguing, will go and check out the pressure before going out tonight. was the pressure checked when the tyre was cool, possibly in the beginning of the day?
cheers
2. What's that little sensor-like device on the wood-grain strip just above the ignition switch? It's neither shown nor described in the Manual. Page 4-55 does show the cabin temp sensor in the center of the dash near the front windshield--and describes it as being "on the instrument panel."
3. Has anyone heard a crackling or creaking noise coming from what seems to be the middle of (or just behind) the steering wheel? I hear it VERY infrequently but when it starts up, it's extremely annoying. Apparently my enquiry was the only one in the world Kia's ever received on this.
hugo: Congratulations on your new Amanti. Yes, I checked the tires on my car when they were cold. I think the suggestion that the over-inflation was done to preclude flat spots during the long Pacific transit (and the dealership forgot to reset them) is plausible.
The sensor on the woodgrain is called an "In car sensor", it senses temperature and provides a control voltage to the automatic temperature control module. It is described on page HA-27 of the Amanti service Manual.
No crackling with my Amanti.
My tires were checked cold as well.
Have run 1,200 miles on the car mostly on highways. Made a 300 odd mile trip with 3 passengers and the car averaged 25 mph. The second tankfull of gas seems to have averaged 27 mph! Have to check that out. No problems yet. Some rattling from the back seat area when I go over speed bumps. Will investigate and keep you all informed.
My wife loves the car and so does my neighbour who took it for a ride. She has a lead foot and was thrilled with the response of the car when she merged onto the highway.
All systems work as advertised. Another neighbour bought the Hyundai XG350L. It is very similar to my car except that it has leather seats and moon roof. Interior looks very similar. It misses the sext MB patented seat adjusting mechanism though!
Radio is of good quality. Most people who looked at the car have been very impressed by it. Especially by the engine compartment where everything is covered up and perhaps because of it, the lack of noise in the cab.
cheers
hugo
Also, many other Amanti owners have put custom wheels on their Amanti, but I don't want to go to that expense. It bothers me to have "KIA" on the wheels and I would like to get rid of that just as I did the KIA emblem on the trunk. (It seems similar to having "Toyota" markings on a Lexus!) Has anyone else found a suitable replacement emblem for the center wheel cap? Any help appreciated.
De-badging is very common nowadays, even when it is a nice brand.
-juice
-juice
Some interesting things to note:
1. Check out the handles on the inside of the car near the seats. They help old guys like me get in and out of the car! They are damped and don't go "klang" when you let them go. They sort of sigh to a stop. A nice refinement found only in lots more expensive cars.
2. The stock FM radio is a little weak - no window tinting. Compared it with the Altima at the same spots on the highway with the same station and Kia is a little weaker. Maybe there is a tweak. Sound system is good though. La Traviata sounds great!
3. Don't know if anyone else has seen this, but there is a medium freq vibration on the steering wheel when the car is started. Just as well though, because it is hard to figure out if the engine is running except by looking at the tachometer. So, quiet it is.
4. When engaging the cruise control, either on the "set" mode or "res" mode, keep the foot on the gas pedal to obtain a jerk free engagement. Foot off the gas pedal will yield a jerky engagement. Also, like in all cars, it helps if the car is brought to the almost the original speed before invoking the "res" mode.
5. The fuel compartment door flips open and seems to work off a detent. The door can be opened further and it is secure in both positions. This is magic and great touch.
Ride is good. People rave about the ride and the comfort of the rear seat. Some people who passed the car on the highway turn to look. The car looks great when looking head on. It seems to be a great buy. Will keep everyone posted regularly.
cheers
Hugo
My wife keeps eyeing these, even when she's in the Caddy. Gas mileage seems better than expected, eh?
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
This is pure speculation as I do not even know how these gas pump shut off mechanisms work.
The bottom line is that in the last 2 fills, the car gave 25.8 and 26 mpg. Any gas pump gurus to explain this or is this just the luck of the draw?
cheers
hugo
After 2500 plus miles and a recent road trip between Port land, Oregon and Vancouver, BC, the Amanti is still the best luxury car I have driven. The driver's seat is so comfortable that three hours behind the wheel passed quicker than watching a movie in your favorite easy-chair. The road noise at 70 mph was not loud enough to hamper conversation, or interfere with music coming through Amanti's Infinity sound system. The sun roof did not allow enough heat to penetrate the passenger interior to overwhelm the air conditioner. The automatic temperature control worked perfectly. The cruse control combined with the five speed automatic transmission made driving effortless, and provided great gas mileage (for a two ton sedan). According to the computer display in the Amanti's dash, my average miles per gallon with the AC running the whole time was just over 26. That computer is accurate as I did my own calculations, and I was within 2% of the computer's figures.
A few little things that I have noted.
1) If you use the computer display to show how many miles you have left before filling up at the next gas station be advised that it goes to all blanks when there is approximately 30 miles left on the display. I have calculated that there is about two gallons of gas left in the tank at this point. I have never run out of gas, and do not plan to.
2) It takes practice with the automatic window controls to make the windows remain open just a crack. One needs to do this in order to let hot air out of the vehicle when the car sits in the sun. I also crack the sunroof at the same time.
3) The sheet metal used to make the hood, and body door panels is THIN. I have a small ding on the side caused by soft contact with a shopping cart. So park your Amanti away from crowded parking areas if you are concerned about dings to the body.
4) I have put the key fob away as it is too bulky to carry in my pocket. This means that in order to open the back doors (and the trunk) you have to turn the key on the driver's door twice clockwise.
Also, the only lock is on the driver's door.
5) The only body flaw I have discovered is the led directional signal light on the front driver's side of the vehicle is loose. I plan to have the dealership repair it during my first oil change.
I have one question for those of you out there who read this form. I have been thinking about using Mobil One instead of the oil suggested in the owner's guide. Has anyone heard negative feedback about using off spec oils in Kia automobiles?
More after the 5K checkup.
Carpetguru
What's the best deal I can get right now ? thanks.
Is there a website for me to look for inventories ? deals ?
Looking for either black or white, all options. Thanks.
Good luck and get oily!
-juice
Awhile back someone asked if anyone had seen any/many of them on the road and I think in the past 6 months I’ve only seen one. Also, TV advertisements for the Amanti (at least in the mid-Atlantic region) are virtually non-existent---what Kia spots there are seem devoted almost exclusively to the Sedona or Sorento. Are Amantis selling like hotcakes and don’t need to be advertised or has Hyundai thrown in the towel? Yesterday, on an impulse, I stopped at a local Ford/Hyundai/Kia dealership (not where I bought mine) and talked to a salesman. He said that Amantis sell quickly when the dealership can get them but inventories of them are always low resulting in less available choices for customers--they only had three on the lot and two of them were, in my opinion, under equipped. He said Hyundai recognizes the problem and, over the longer term, are planning to open assembly plants in the US for their Hyundai line. Plants in Korea, formerly dedicated to the Hyundai line, would then be converted to increase Kia production. Don’t know if he knows what he’s talking about or if inventory issues are the same around the country. I do know that a lot of customers appear to be missing a super bargain and an absolutely great car if they bypass the Amanti .
indicator that tells how far you can drive until you need gas stopped working. Two fill ups ago, it wouldn't reset completely and this morning as an example, it started flashing blank lines when I still had over a quarter of a tank and had only driven 195 miles. Also, my Amanti only came with one master key and one sub key. It is supposed to have two master keys. My dealer ordered the extra master key, but after three trips back to the dealer, they haven't figured out how to program the key. Once they had the new key programmed, but then the other keys wouldn't work. Anyone else have this problem?
The problems I've had so far are just little bugs that need working out. Overall, my Amanti is my favorite car, having driven Cadillacs for over 25 years. Dollar for dollar, you can't beat it.