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While driving to CT, I noticed a lot of high rear windows on SUVs, vans and crossovers. I have no idea how people back up in those vehicles without worrying about hitting something. They must be using the force or something.
Right after I brought home my spankin' new Rondo, I gave the car a once-over to check out all the features. I was interested in seeing how much storage room there would be after folding down the second row seats, so I lifted up a seat cushion--revealing a razor blade that was lying flat on the surface where the seat cushion was resting. It's a type of razor blade that you would find in a scraper or a utility knife. I'm guessing that one of the guys doing the prep work must have dropped it. It looked exactly like this:
I never notified anyone about this because it was a non-incident. In retrospect, however, I could have easily been cut since I was forcing my hand between the cushions and checking out the seat belt buckles and the LATCH attachment points. I can only imagine what might have happened if someone with kids had bought this vehicle (although I do have nephews and nieces, which is why I was checking out the LATCH stuff).
Hmm, I think I will fire off an email to the outfit that I bought the Rondo from.
Speaking of oil changes. The Rondo calls for (under normal conditions) oil and filter change at 7,500 miles. I have 1,000 miles after 2 months of ownership. Got a card in the mail yesterday about coming in for my first oil change. Called them to see what's up and they are recommending an oil change every 3,000 miles or 3 months. That's the SEVERE condition oil change which, according to their own service manual, our driving doesn't fall under the list of conditions. Guess I'll ignore their recommendations and just keep good records of when I have it done. Their iol change is $29.95 so I guess their trying to make some money since the warranty cover so much. I'm sure they'll recommend the tires be rotated and any other thing they can tack on the bill. I've always done my own maintenance but on a brand new vehicle, I'll let them change the oil when I think it needs changing.
Crewzin, you may want to check in your area??
I've also included British reviews of the Carens. Note that the Carens is also available with a diesel engine. The Brits seem somewhat less impressed with the Carens/Rondo compared to the American and Canadian reviewers. I think that has a lot to do with the greater choice that the Europeans have of mini people movers compared to what we have over here (basically, it comes down to the Rondo or the Mazda5). Also, the review from Car Magazine (see link below) is the first mostly negative review of the Carens/Rondo that I've seen.
Rondo - American Reviews
Active Lifestyle Vehicles
Associated Press (Ann M. Job)
Automobile.com
AutoWeb
Boston Globe
Car & Driver (Feb. 2007)
Car & Driver (May 2007)
Car Connection
Chicago Sun-Times
Edmunds.com
Family Car
LA Times
Motor Trend
New Car Test Drive
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
San Francisco Chronicle
San Jose Mercury News
Truth About Cars
WardsAuto.com
Washington Times
Rondo - Canadian Reviews
Auto123.com
Canadian Driver
Globe & Mail
Motoring Television (video)
National Post
Toronto Star
Toronto Sun
Victoria Times Colonist
Winnipeg Free Press
Carens - British Reviews
Auto Express - New Reviews
Auto Express - First Drives
Car Keys
Car Magazine
Honest John
Parker's
What Car?
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Washington Times
BTW, it appears that we have up to 90 minutes to edit our posts before it becomes permanent.
I just came from the car wash and I asked a lady with a Kia how she liked it. She just went on and on about the great car and warranty. But, she mentioned that Kia requires her to change all fluids (trans, cooling, power steering, etc.) every 30 miles to keep the warranty in effect. Is this true?
Regards,
Bubba
If it was true, nobody would ever buy one. Now, if you fall under the SEVERE restrictions (see owners manual) then it does call for an oil and filter change every 3000 miles. Even under the SEVERE conditions, the trans fluid is good for 30,000 miles and it says nothing under the power steering or cooling fluids.
If you don't fall under the Severe conditions, 7,500 miles for the oil and filter.
In Canada according to the owners manual recommended replacements are:
oil and filter every 8,000km or 4 months
engine coolant, fuel tank air filter, air cleaner element - 48,000km/24mo
fuel filter - 56,000km/28 months
brake fluid - 64,000km/32 months
Engine timing belt - 96,000km/48 mo (2.7L engine only)
auto trans fluid - 32,000km/16 months
the rest are just lubricate and inspect and replace if necessary, nothing that abnormal to me - just the way you should look after any vehicle.
Those intervals should be more like 3,000 miles for oil changes, 15,000 for air and fuel filters, tune-ups at 30,000 with a tire rotation at 7,500 miles, etc. Extend that out to every so many thousand miles, not 30!
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Sorry to send you all into a tizzy. The car wash women said 30K miles.
Regards,
Bubba
Okay, I admit I'm not the world's best at parallel parking and this could all be just me, so keep that in mind. This has nothing to do with the length of the Rondo, obviously, since it's relatively compact already. What I've noticed is that when backing into a parking spot, I can't see the front end or the hood of the vehicle parked behind me because the Rondo's rear window is up so high. I've already lightly bumped a vehicle because of this "blind spot."
-----------
Okay, I've installed the Fresnel "wide angle" lens on the rear window, although I've yet to really test it out because I haven't parallel parked since then.
I had to stick it on off-center, because if it's dead center, you get a nice partial view of the rear wiper (so the lens is towards the driver's side away from the wiper). I also didn't place it right at the bottom of the rear window, because I wanted the lens to be above the top of the third row seats. I might adjust it towards the bottom, anyway, since I will rarely use the third row seats. I also cut it in half horizontally so it wouldn't take up so much real estate, discarding the top portion and using the bottom portion--I'm only concerned about the blind spot towards the ground, anyway.
The view, naturally, is a little distorted and things appear farther away than they really are. The closest that I can see an object on the ground is about 1 meter (slightly more than a yard) behind the rear of the vehicle, which should be the right amount of distance to leave between you and a parked car. I haven't looked through it during the night yet, so that will be the next test (besides actually parallel parking).
thanks,
rwm
I'm running 34 PSI in the 17" tires.
I traded off a Suzuki Areo 4 months after purchasing it due to the stiff ride. Rondo is not as bad as that was.
What the ??!!? :confuse:
He suggests we get it rechecked in 3000-5000 miles, at which point the suspension will "settle (this really happens???) and they should have the alignment specs by then.
I dunno, seems like Kia is dropping the ball on this one.
Any thoughts?
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/ly/07rondo.htm
And a comparison to the Mazda5:
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/driving/story.html?id=fa1e4465-f7b5-47f4- -8c2e-4e68d95fd6f9
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070514/FREE/70514002/1005/V- EHICLEREVIEWS
http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/4215399.html
Bubba
Bubba
Not sure about all the models, but my EX V6 has vents for the second row of passengers built into the rear of the floor console. There are two vents, a storage drawer and two cup holders built right into the back of the center console between the seats. Although I haven't sat in the back, I have reached back and felt the cold air coming out of the vents (which are multi-directional) and it seams like there's enough force of air to reach the passengers and cool them off.
Some caveats to share:
1) Have 3 rows = Donut spare mounted under vehicle = Non-intuitive process for getting it out. Caveat: Figure it out before you need to.
2) Donut is really really only temporary and for low speed use. Caveat: A damaged rim on a long trip is a total pain.
3) Caveat: Drive carefully - those lovely rims are pricey!
Lowest price I could find on EX 17" rim = US$290 from the factory
Lowest price I could find for Michelin tire = $200
Mounting and balancing = $15
And then I was advised that the TPMS sensor was bad as well - another $95 for a new one and 1/2 hour of labor to install.
Total = over $600!
I forked over the extra bux on TPMS thingy just to avoid any hassle and get back on the road - the old one might have worked, but I didn't want to deal with it. After recounting the tale to my original dealer, they said they would have fixed it under warranty.
My biggest learning - remember to swerve!
Although you didn't post anything in your posting (#138), by the title of it you have found out that dealer prices on certain items are well above the average. The chrome wheel package on my PT Cruiser was $1200 for 4 wheels when buying the car, but to replace just one wheel, the dealer wants $600. How they can charge that much is beyond me. I take it your trying to replace one of the Rondo's wheels and found out what the dealer wants for it.
In any case, don't worry about it at all!
Here's a pic of the unit behind the front seats.
Her only complaint is that the front passenger seat back should fold down for a longer cargo area. I agree, that would offer a lot more versatility. The PT Cruiser, among others, has that feature.
http://www.wheels.ca/reviews/article/27658
With the front passenger headrest removed, pull the seat forward, recline the back level with the base of the back seat (you can do this with both front seats, its shown in the owners manual), drop the rear seat back forward and you have space right to the dash. We checked with a measuring tape and it was around 8 1/2' to the rear door - plenty of length for those 8' boards you often want to pick up.
With the front passenger headrest removed, pull the seat forward, recline the back level with the base of the back seat (you can do this with both front seats, its shown in the owners manual), drop the rear seat back forward and you have space right to the dash. We checked with a measuring tape and it was around 8 1/2' to the rear door - plenty of length for those 8' boards you often want to pick up.
This picture will help others see how the front row seats can be fully reclined:
It's not possible, however, to get a continuous level cargo area from front to back. I know this is true for my 7-seater (can't say for sure if this also applies to the 5-seater).
Here's a picture of a fully reclined second row seat:
As you can see, to fully recline the second row seatback, the seat cushion must be lifted out and stored vertically (the yellow arrows show where to store the headrest, which is on top of the stored seat cushion).
Notice that the second row seat cushion is stored in the same area as the front row seatback when it's fully reclined. Thus, you can fully recline the front row seatback or fully recline the second row seatback, but not both. If one is fully reclined, the other can be reclined to about 30-45 degrees from horizontal, which is just enough to make the area useable (although hardly ideal). Any long items stored there won't be lying flat, of course, so you'll need to tie it down.