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Kia Amanti 2006 and earlier

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Comments

  • billh6billh6 Member Posts: 123
    Nope, I've not experienced the peeling either. I've not noticed the tennis ball noise either, so going to hold off on the bushing/strut thing. I have been concerned after reading the gentleman's comments up there about slow sales of Amantis. I actually called Kia Motors of America and left a long voice message and, viola, someone just called me back. He assured me that Kia has invested a lot of money in the Amanti product and it's not going anywhere anytime soon. He admitted that sales are doing a lot better in other countries, such as Canada, but that Kia opted to introduce it in the U.S. as a soft introduction, very little advertising, but were surprised that sales in the U.S. as of May 1st are up 20% above their projected sales. Made me feel a little better. Even if it does leave the U.S. I will keep mine and continue to baby it like I do. I've never felt such attachment to a stupid vehicle as I have this one. Happy Amanti Motoring! Bill
  • magmaxmagmax Member Posts: 88
    I've had and expressed the same frustrations here in Canada and have also contacted the regional and head offices with suggestions for more publicity. And they're working on it. Sales of the Amanti in Canada are running well ahead of their expectations so they must be getting the word out somehow, or maybe, and more likely, it's owners like us who are doing their advertising for me. It's rare that a day goes by without someone stopping me in a parking lot or on a sidewalk after I've just parked my Amanti. They all want to know more about it and I always show them the interior. It's impressed everyone who's seen it.

    The May sales figures for cars sold in the USA have just been released and both Hyundai and Kia are showing great progress. In year to date, Kia is now ahead of VW and is already ahead of Mazda in the Year to Date sales, making it 9th in YTD sales in the US. I'd bet that they don't want to lose the Amanti off the top of this attractive model lineup.

    Magmax.

    I'll try to paste the list here for you:

    MAY AUTO SALES

    June 2, 2005

    The following table gives U.S. light-vehicle sales totals, individual automaker results and market share for May compared with May 2004.

    First line = Maker
    Second line = May 2005 volume
    Third line = Percent change from May 2004
    Fourth line - Percent market share for May
    Fifth line = Year-to-date volume
    Sixth line = Percent change from 2004
    Seventh line = Percent market share YTD

    GM
    386,688
    -12.6%
    25.8%
    1,769,767
    -6.7%
    25.7%

    Ford
    282,827
    -10.6
    18.9
    1,320,614
    -5.7
    19.1

    DaimlerChrysler
    232,421
    -2.5
    15.5
    1,048,420
    3.5
    15.2

    Toyota
    201,493
    -0.5
    13.4
    919,195
    10.2
    13.3

    Honda
    122,169
    -14.7
    8.1
    565,948
    -0.7
    8.2

    Nissan
    93,519
    6.6
    6.2
    449,940
    14.0
    6.5

    Hyundai
    40,416
    0.2
    2.7
    181,386
    10.8
    2.6

    BMW
    26,946
    -3.1
    1.8
    117,944
    1.8
    1.7

    Mazda
    26,657
    -3.2
    1.8
    112,925
    -0.6
    1.6

    Kia
    25,503
    0.2
    1.7
    115,991
    7.1
    1.7

    Volkswagen
    23,088
    -34.1
    1.5
    109,646
    -18.7
    1.6

    Subaru
    14,475
    1.4
    1.0
    75,357
    4.6
    1.1

    Mitsubishi
    11,380
    -30.5
    0.8
    55,132
    -38.4
    0.8

    Suzuki
    7,457
    -7.0
    0.5
    34,565
    6.9
    0.5

    Porsche
    3,291
    24.7
    0.2
    13,575
    5.2
    0.2

    Isuzu
    1,221
    -37.4
    0.1
    6,310
    -47.5
    0.1

    Maserati
    193
    144.3
    0.0
    708
    118.5
    0.0

    Ferrari
    124
    8.8
    0.0
    472
    -20.5
    0.0

    TOTAL
    1,499,868
    -8.0
    100
    6,897,895
    -1.0
    100

    GM includes Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Hummer, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Saab and Saturn.

    Ford includes Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin.

    DaimlerChrysler includes Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Mercedes-Benz and Maybach.

    Volkswagen includes Audi and Bentley.

    BMW includes Mini and Rolls-Royce.

    Toyota includes Lexus and Scion.

    Honda includes Acura.

    Nissan includes Infiniti.
  • topgeartopgear Member Posts: 111
    Hi everyone!

    Well, it's been kind of quiet here at the forum for awhile...

    This morning I went to start her up and just got clicking. I called the road service and waited over one and half hours for them to come :cry: . All I needed was a jump start which was cheerfully done and I drove right to the dealer. They immediatly took me and I waited a little over an hour as they replaced my faulty battery and I'm back up and running :D . My Amanti is one and a half years old.

    It's funny, as I had the same exact problem with my brand new but a little over year old Hyundai Santa Fe, which I had previous to my Amanti. I don't think I do anything unusual -except that I live in Florida and the A/C is always working, -but all Amanti's do that no matter where they're located. So...I wonder about Korean batteries -or is this just a coincidence?

    -Pete
  • tommy555tommy555 Member Posts: 13
    Hello Folks,

    I just signed up for Consumer Reports on the web (it costs $19 US if you already subscribe to the paper version). I decided to rate the Amanti (as did one other person) as well as write in the last part of the evaluation how wrong they are about the Amanti. Their rating, as you probably know, was poor. I rated the highest possible!

    Tom
    Central New Jersey
  • topgeartopgear Member Posts: 111
    Great! I don't feel like spending extra $ for Consumers Reports online -as I also don't agree with their harsh comments about the Amanti at all! At least you gave it a high rating! I hope they publish your comments! Thank you!

    -Pete
  • billh6billh6 Member Posts: 123
    I was hesitant to have it done, but after the regional Kia guy for Florida called me, I called and set up the appointment. I'm glad I did it now. It's so nice. Still luvin' my Amanti. I baby it. I have a '93 Pathfinder that I drive often just to keep mileage down on Amanti. Still hardly any advertising of '05s in Orlando area. I hope they start pushing the '06s soon. Arlene, go away! Bill H.
  • captainbobcaptainbob Member Posts: 17
    my first time on the message board.a most interesting web site and most informative.to TOM in NJ just as you did i aslo purchased consumer report and was shocked to read there analysis of the Kia Amanti.It is apparent by the very poor gas mileage on their tests that they must drive it as some sort of sports car instead of like a luxory car is normally driven .I researched this car for weeks ,test drove it for hours night and day .I also drove seven other cars for comparison.The Jag,Lexus,Chrysler ,Buick,Caddie and Hyundai XG series. Granted there is a great deal of money difference between some of them but based on what a street wise person that wishes to get the most for his dollar .the KIA AMANTI wins hands down.The fact it has been out for years in other parts of the world and well received speaks well of the car and its capabilities.If you or any of the other folks on this chat line read all the auto magazines you can see the test done by them.the fact stands out very clearly that the KIA Amanti is the quietiest car ever tested 40 db at idle and 63 dB at 70 m/h I have the data on just about every car tested.just by looking under your hood and beneath the car shows you the care in engineering they did in making it a VERY QUIET car.I also ran a highway test over hours at different speeds to evulate the fuel consumption.A/C on and off and under different road conditions.the KIia is a winner. thank you everyone for your comments captain bob
  • robw64robw64 Member Posts: 76
    I just returned from a business trip to Wilmington, Delaware and had an '05 Amanti with 4300 miles on it as a rental vehicle. I'm currently researching new vehicles (including sedans, wagons, and minivans), so I may be a bit more critical than an 'average' driver right now, but I'll share my impressions:

    - It's a very roomy vehicle. The front and rear seat leg room is very nice, and I didn't feel as though I was sitting "shoulder to shoulder" with my passengers (as I did in the narrower Passat).
    - The suspension is far too mushy. Driving through the twisty and hilly roads of Delaware caused the body to float and roll to a point that a rear seat passenger mentioned the swaying motion while driving. Even on the highway the undulation was really pronounced.
    - The interior fit & finish is good, but not great. The dash is made up of many pieces, and they didn't all fit together just right (not real bad, just not aligned across the entire dashboard). The sunroof cover rattled and the sunroof glass bounced noticeably, but I'm sure that could be fixed with a quick adjustment at a dealer. The plastic on the door at the window sill is very hard, which was uncomfortable for a tall driver (like me) to rest his arm on.
    - The acceleration was fine. It certainly wasn't a performance vehicle, but I doubt that anyone is considering this car instead of that Porsche 911.
    - The gas mileage was poor.
    - The manual shift mode was a lot of fun. Again, it's not a sports car but this feature is obviously for pure entertainment value only.
    - The styling on the vehicle gets noticed. Quite a few drivers were looking at the car while at a stop light, and another guy was looking at it when I exited a drugstore.
    - I could not find a compass in the driver's computer center. Although the controls were all easy to use and navigate, there either was no compass or I just missed it.

    Overall, I thought the car was not bad at all. The biggest drawback for me was the ride ... I know for sure that I just could not buy this vehicle after the driving experience, even though the overall styling & interior amenities were darn good. The swaying and undulations made me feel a bit out of control, and I know I'd be disappointed after a while.
  • magmaxmagmax Member Posts: 88
    Hello Tom, I renewed my subscription to Consumer Reports just a week ago and at the same time filled in my annual members' questionnaire. Like you, I rated my Amanti very high in all respects so I'm hoping that there will be enough owners out there who will do the same so that next year's results will show up very positively. So, if you're an Amanti owner and a Consumer Reports subscriber, don't forget to evaluate your Amanti on their annual survey.

    Magmax
  • navigator89navigator89 Member Posts: 1,080
    Kia's Amanti just finished last in a six car comparison featuring the Buick Lacrosse, Chrysler 300, Ford Five Hundred, Nissan Maxima and Toyota Avalon. The reasons were attributed to a mushy ride, poor gas mileage, and a weak engine on a heavy car. Read more at the link. You can probably guess which car won...........

    http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=15&article_id=9639&page_number=1
  • billh6billh6 Member Posts: 123
    Rob: I am 6'1 and was thrilled that the trim around the inside door where you rest your arm is hard plastic, because I used to own an Infiniti J30 and noticed that not only mine but every single J30 I saw that over the their soft (so called leather) would break apart and crack due to the body chemicals. Not sure what it was made of, but the guy that repaired it said he thinks it's made from black plastic garbage bags. So this should hold up. I also just sat in my Amanti, and every piece of trim, dashboard, siding all fit together exactly. Glove fit. Maybe the one you drove was inferior, but mine couldn't be any better. Even the doors, trunk, hood. Now grant you I do wish I got better fuel mileage and less floating while glancing at the hood when driving, but so far, at this point I would, and will, buy another one. Bill H. :)
  • staceyazstaceyaz Member Posts: 26
    Hi folks,

    I haven't posted in a while, because I haven't had anything to say. I just thought I'd pop in and give an anniversary update.

    I passed one year with my Amanti at the end of May (Memorial Day weekend). I had estimated my driving at about 10,000 miles a year, and sure enough, I passed the 10,000-mile mark about two days after my anniversary. I know that's pretty low mileage compared to a lot of you out there. But what can I say - my family usually piles into the Kia Sedona minivan for all of our running around town. My Amanti just gets driven by me, mainly the 20-mile roundtrip to work every day.

    So far, so good. I've never experienced the Curse of the Thumping Tennis Balls, or any other problems worth mentioning. My Amanti continues to run well, though I wish it got better gas mileage in city driving.

    My one and only complaint with this car is the sheet metal. I am very, very careful with my car, but that doesn't always protect me from the other cars on the road. I've learned that the tiniest impact leaves a little ding in the door. I have at least two dings on each side. It is noticeably worse than my mid-90s Chrysler was, which in my mind is inexcusable. Certainly I don't expect the same dent-resistance as my old '77 Ford used to have, although as much as an Amanti weighs, perhaps I SHOULD expect that. But the sheet metal should be at least as durable as a 1995 mid-sized Chrysler, and it clearly is not.

    I'm still REALLY glad I bought the car. I intend to drive it until the 100,000-mile warranty runs out. Since I only drive 10,000 miles a year, that should tell you something about how well I like the car! I still can't believe how much car I got for my money.

    Sure, if I win the lottery, I might have to add a blue 2005 Mustang to my garage, but even then, the Amanti would stay, too.
  • billh6billh6 Member Posts: 123
    Stacy: Yes, I agree that it does ding more than any other automobile I have owned. I too have a couple of unsightly scars on my doors and always drive as far from other cars when at the mall as I can. I normally go for the one next to the end, the landscaped island so I can pull as far to the curb as possible. I hope they improve on this. I baby mine also. I have a '93 Pathfinder that I drive when I'm in the mood to keep Amanti in the garage. I purchased mine near the end of Nov. 04 and have 3400 miles. Oh, I finally saw an Amanti commercial last night while watching "Play that again 1 more time" or whatever it was on NBC. We all just stopped talking and watched it. It was cool. Bill
  • captainbobcaptainbob Member Posts: 17
    hello navigator from the captain.thanks so much for the inclusion of the data about the car test.Car and Driver is among the car magazines i read because they include so much dat.one in particular .the turning radius of cars and the Db noise level of all cars.The Kia Amanti is still the quietest car tested and that beats all the expensive models.I have never had so many people come up to me in a car lot and ask questions about our Amanti.also all those that have ridden in our car are astounded by its amenities ,quietness and room especialy in the back.Magazines and their test people shold pay attention to what the real owners of cars have to say.Of all the cars we have owned this is the most enjoyable car .We have 17 thousand miles on the car with no repairs get very good trip mileage 26.5 to 28 m/g and about 18.8 in town. We to take consumer report and are astounded how they are so biased.When they seldom give the Amanti credit for being the quietest and roomeness attributes. once you test drive this car against any others you will buy one as we did.people feer the name just as years back the did the packards,Nash ,Hudsons and Studabekers.they were all good cars as you look back but people are swayed by publicity.kia president should interview the real owners of the Amanti .
  • kmqkmq Member Posts: 19
    Just spotted a new Amanti commercial on Discovery channel, during the American Chopper show. This commercial is the one they should have played last year instead of the skidding sideways in the desert. It is a nice car for those who have won the lottery and those who haven't. $24,000 after a 2,000 dollar rebate is what the commercial says.
  • billh6billh6 Member Posts: 123
    Yes, the lottery commercial one on the Amanti is the one I saw also. It's a good ad. Did any of you see the crash test of larger vehicles? I will try to put the Dateline link to the video from Sun. night June 17th below (after it plays a commercial). It got a "good" rating instead of "best pick." But that's better than a lot of other vehicles on the roads.

    http://video.msn.com/video/p.htm?t=1&m=News%20-%20Weather&mi=NBC%20News&i=7c199213-aa4a-4d- 7f-a72a-2696815a6d35,7c199213-aa4a-4d7f-a72a-2696815a6d35,238010cf-95f0-48ea-8804-c6acb10d- b276,03a5e028-23d9-4ca4-b51c-09ce07bda1c8,b387e525-0419-4dd5-9e14-2210e6a17c2a,&rf=
  • tommy555tommy555 Member Posts: 13
    Hi: Just saw the Insurance Institute crash test on Sunday night: of the 6-8 large cars tested the Amanti did get a "good" (that's good enough for me). I also have seen the new Amanti commercial a number of times this past week. I believe it was on the SCI-FI Channel or one similar to that. Although KIA is not advertising it on the "broadcast" channels (CBS, NBC & ABC); it is a relief, so to speak, that it is being advertised on any channels at all!

    Tom
    Central New Jersey
  • kronogoosekronogoose Member Posts: 116
    Hi all,

    I'm not an owner, although I had a very positive experience with a rented Amanti.

    I'm wondering if there's any talk of changes to the Amanti, specifically of a more powerful and/or economical engine.

    Thanks!
  • captainbobcaptainbob Member Posts: 17
    we have owned our Amanti for 13 months and have 17,000 miles on it It is a tremendous car.
    We have never gotten a question sheet or any company fliers or anything.All our other purchases of cars we received monthly news letters and other bits of info about the car company and its products.
    have any of you gotten information from the company?
  • billh6billh6 Member Posts: 123
    Bob: I've not gotten a survey or question sheet from Kia about my Amanti either. I find that very strange. I've gotten it from universities and such as to what type of buyer I and my family are, blah, blah stuff.

    To the gentleman up about 2 boxes, I saw the new Kia Amanti commerical on NBC last week while watching "Hit Me Again 1 More Time Baby" or some such reality show, so it is being aired on other stations.

    As far as Amanti coming out with a more powerful engine, I've not heard anything so far. Bill H (Orlando)
  • captainbobcaptainbob Member Posts: 17
    thanks bill for the quick reply.interesting item.saw an amanti pass down the street and went after it.turns out the fellow rented the car out of Miami and commutes each week across state .they gave him a step up and he questioned the car.he took it anyway and all he can do is rave about it as we all do.he said the car astounded him.he said when he settles down on this coast and ready to buy it will be the Amanti.we hear this from so many people ,once you have tried the car out it sells itself.
  • amanticrazyamanticrazy Member Posts: 4
    We purchased our 2004 Amanti in April 2005. Got a leftover b/c the deal was too good to pass up and we tend to keep our vehicles for 7-8 years. My husband fell in love with the looks and the value. I ignored the brochure on the counter for as long as I could before he talked me into going to test drive one. I was driving a 97 Gran Prix which I loved. Talk about night and day. Going from the stiff suspension to the Amanti. I'm really disappointed in the reviews b/c the ride is one of the reasons we bought the car. It's smooth, it's quiet and on long trips it's an extremely comfortable ride. No, I wouldn't corner like I did in the Gran Prix - but I probably shouldn't have been doing that anyway ;)

    Gas mileage - not as bad as expected after doing our research. We get 21.5 around town and 25.6 on road trips. Not great, but then our other vehicle is a pick up truck so ..... would the car be as quiet if they lightened it up to give better gas mileage?

    No "tennis balls" rumbles as of yet and we have 4500 miles on it.

    Have seen several commercials on the major networks so at least they are finally pushing the car in our area (Northeast).

    Would highly recommend "my husband's" new car. We couldn't be more pleased with it with the one exception - like many others have noted - a poor design in the cup holder. Not bad if it's our only complaint !!!!
  • billh6billh6 Member Posts: 123
    Amanticrazy: I really enjoyed your posting. In fact, I read it twice. I'm not certain the complaints about the cupholder. This is the only car I've owned where I can actually put one of Sam's Club water bottles in it. Their spring water bottles are fatter than regular ones. I even put in my coffee mug with handle; no problem. I would like to see a compass on the mirror. No biggie, though. My only gripe is the metal, the sensitivity to scuffs, dents; seems more so than other vehicles I've owned.
  • captainbobcaptainbob Member Posts: 17
    if you want the very latest crash reports on the amanti or any other car comparison go to this web site. international institute for highway safety iihs.org or enter dateline@msnbc.com
    the amanti did amazingly great against the more costly cars.these tests realy convince you that you bought a safe car.there are also the videos of the crash tests.
  • magmaxmagmax Member Posts: 88
    Hi kronogoose, I've been keeping a pretty close watch on what's coming up from Kia and the parent company, Hyundai, and am pretty sure there will be some changes in the works in the near future. The new Hyundai Sonata's available now and what a great car it is! There is bound to be a Kia equivalent (Magentis in the US and Optima in Canada -- Lord knows why two different names) before too long. The top of the line V6 has 235 hp, which is more than the larger Amanti engine has. This fall there's going to be a new Hyndai Azera replacing the GX350 and if you have a look at the US website you'll be amazed at what they're offering in this new top of the line Hyundai. That one has a larger version of the new V6 with even more power and I'm sure the company will want to put that engine into the Amanti before too long. It weighs less than the old engine, has much more power, and also is much more fuel efficient. I can't imagine that Kia would continue to offer the older engine when the better newer one is available, especially at a time when fuel economy is seen as being so important.

    I'm still very happy with my Amanti but admit that its city driving fuel economy is disappointing. Luckily I don't drive it all that much compared to a long commute but I can see where this would be a disadvantage in the current market. A new engine with better economy and more power and better rebound control on the front suspension would improve an already excellent car.

    MagMax
  • magmaxmagmax Member Posts: 88
    Hi Captain, I bought my 2005 Amanti in the middle of December and about a month after I'd taken delivery I received a detailed survey form asking for my opinion on the car, the dealer, the salesperson, the deal I'd made, any problems, suggestions for improvements, and so on. I thought it was a great idea and made sure to fill it in with lots of detail. The survey stated that the company was interested in feedback from owhers of their top of the line vehicle and wanted to ensure that we'd be happy and continue to be happy with the purchase. Maybe this survey was unique to Canada but it seems that if we can do it here, it should be possible to do the same thing in the US which is, after all, a much larger market.

    Did any of the other Canadian Amanti owners in this forum get the same survey to fill in?

    MagMax
  • captainbobcaptainbob Member Posts: 17
    thank you for the info about your survey letter. Today i just posted a letter to Peter Butterfield CEO of Kia America.I have informed him how upset i and many other Amanti owners are about the Consumer Reports slam of the Amanti as the WORST CAR they ever tested.I research all the car magazines and monitor the safety reports and etc.As far as i can see the car does not deserve such sever critisism .I also called Consumer Report and ask, just how they did their tests .You would be amazed the answer i got.
    Anyway it looks like we as owners shall be the true benafactors of this very well put together car.We now have 17000 miles and look forward to long distance trips.No more back or neck aches as in other cars.the fact the car is the quietest car made at 63dB at 70 miles per hour means you arrive very rested.From here to Ottawa is truly a test for comfort.
  • stockchaserstockchaser Member Posts: 56
    Regarding the Consumer Report review, I'm sure any Amanti owner would disagree, but once the magazine hit the stands, the damage was done. I'm adding a link here to a review that I actually like. It's not all about singing the praises of the Amanti, but a decent appraisal of its pros and cons. It's a rather lengthy review, (comparing the Amanti to vehicles much more expensive) but among the many comments I liked was this one: "
    Years ago Buick used to advertise, "When better cars are built, Buick will build them." Sadly, this didn't happen. What has now happened, though, is that Kia has built an even better Buick than Toyota."
    Here's the link:
    http://www.epinions.com/content_138143174276
  • magmaxmagmax Member Posts: 88
    Thanks for the link, Captain Bob. There's something else that might be good for all of us to do. At the end of the review that Cap'n Bob directed us to there's a further link which leads to a website that's collecting repair and service records for cars. So I signed up for my Kia Amanti. In reply I received an e-mail saying that as soon as there were enough owners signed up for a valid sample I'd be asked for my feedback. So I suggest that all Kia owners sign up for this so we can provide the positive feedback that we all share about our cars. The more of us who are heard from, the better the reputation of the Amanti will be and the better our resale value will be as well. Here's the link: www.truedelta.com

    MagMax
  • kribe123kribe123 Member Posts: 13
    Hi, Guys,

    I am very happy, now I can see Amantis around as regular car :)
    I hope parts companies start to build more accesories, like a Wing, Body-Kits, etc...

    Regards
  • charjcharj Member Posts: 4
    Pete, Bill, &/or other informed owners,
    After researching, driving, & reading anything I could find on the Amanti I still want one! (I am currently looking for a 2004. My banks auto advisor has joined the pursuit. Possibly finding one at an auto auction here in FL for somewhat less than the dealers would allow) This forum has been most informative. In my search, I too noticed the peeling and rippling chrome on trim and door handles of several 04 Amantis ( #780) Of course the salesman said they would fix it but I wonder if it would continue to happen? Would the TSB, struts, bushings or rumbling problems be less apt to occur if I got a car manufactured after April 04? Are these things covered if I am not the original owner? Most of the vehicles I have seen were rentals from up north. Anything else I should know? A gracious THANK YOU to all opinions and advice before I make a purchase. - Char
  • shadow99688shadow99688 Member Posts: 209
    you don't want the wood grain on the steering wheel, if the engine stalls the wood grain doesn't give you a good grip to turn the wheel without the power steering
  • shadow99688shadow99688 Member Posts: 209
    only way to stiffen the ride is to replace the shocks with stronger ones
  • shadow99688shadow99688 Member Posts: 209
    dealers ship new damaged cars back and get them stamped with new VIN numbers then sell them at other dealers , check old NBC dateline shows.
  • shadow99688shadow99688 Member Posts: 209
    service specs I downloaded said 8,000 km that is about 5,000 miles.
    Also don't switch to synthetic right away, do it at the 15,000 mile mark so the rings have had time to properly seat, it isn't good to put synthetic in right away as it can prevent proper breakin of the engine.
  • shadow99688shadow99688 Member Posts: 209
    sounds like a good place for hot chocolate
  • shadow99688shadow99688 Member Posts: 209
    the final factors for me where the amanti had more ground clearance than the others (5.9inches) and a 2,000 pound towing capacity.
    May wait for the 2006 to come to the dealers here in Alaska.
    only 3 2005 left (recieved in shipment of cars June 29) and no 2004 cars at all.
  • shadow99688shadow99688 Member Posts: 209
    made an error, ground clearance is 6.9 inches.
    Dealer says 2006 Amanti should be here in December
  • shadow99688shadow99688 Member Posts: 209
    go for an 05 contact several dealers, right now I have a dealer down to $25,637 for an 05 with all optoions (leather, stability, and sunroof) also going to have a dealer installed hitch (towing package) with a extra transmission cooler and replace tires with bf goodrich or goodyear tires, the factory tires have realy soft rubber that doesn't last very long.
    that price is my cost to drive it off the lot. going to get it end of this month or next.
    or if the 06 info comes in first and looks good I may wait and get an 06 but then I have to re hagle the price down.
  • charjcharj Member Posts: 4
    Thanks so much for the response. That price with add ons and tire replacement???
    Having trouble locating an 04 but its more in my price range since I also need to purchase a "reliable" vehicle for my daughter before August. The Amanti is so classy looking & feeling -I just have some mechanical concerns due to the newness of the model. Present Amanti owners seem quite positive. Anyone else have comments re:my earlier post?
  • shadow99688shadow99688 Member Posts: 209
    Yea the price was total with all options and extras installed.
    you should be able to get a base model for around $21,000.00.
    You just need to find the right dealer in your area.
    as for the 04 cars they had a front end suspension problem and got bad gas mileage, friend with a late 05 car gets 32mpg highway, someone with an early 05 gets 24mpg highway.
  • shadow99688shadow99688 Member Posts: 209
    forgot to mention that my insurance takes $250.00 per year off insurance if you get the stability package ($500) on the car, it is payed for in insurance savings in the first 2 years.
  • shadow99688shadow99688 Member Posts: 209
    how far can you go to get the car you want?
    I'm flying from Alaska to Seattle to get car then driving back.
    I can buy car in Seattle for about $5,000.00 less than I can buy it for here in Alaska
  • staceyazstaceyaz Member Posts: 26
    32mpg highway? I apologize for being skeptical, but I find that EXTREMELY hard to believe, since they have the exact same engine as the 2004. Having worked in the automotive industry designing engine control hardware and software, I know it's possible to get slight improvements from year to year with tweaks here and there, but 32mpg? That's something like a 30% increase from the 2004s.

    My 2004 Amanti wouldn't get 32mpg going downhill on a steep, icy slope with the engine off. Maybe 22-25, but nowhere near 32.

    Can anybody else out there corroborate this? 32mpg, or close to it?

    Charj, I applaud your friend if he/she is really getting 32mpg, but my first inclination is to question his/her math.
  • billh6billh6 Member Posts: 123
    Hey, I just went on a nice trip through Florida (best location was Anna Marie Island). The best mine came up to was 21.5 mpg. I had cruise on at 79mph (oops) with AC. I am using 87 octane in mine, no pinging or sluggishness, but possibly I could do better with high-test. I didn't know the factory tires do not wear well. That's not nice. Mine are the kumho. But still enjoying my Amanti and eating up all the accolades I am getting from family/friends/strangers.
    Bill/Orlando
  • shadow99688shadow99688 Member Posts: 209
    He has a 2005 manufactured April 2005, he drives over 280+ miles every day and last week of june he got 32 mpg he had just switched to synthetic, I think he is swithching to synthetic too soon but it is his car.
    Computer tweaks can really change mileage and power, hell on my old 1978 Subaru I got a 5 mpg boost just by changing the carb adjustments set fuel mix a bit leaner than tuneup shop had set it and another 3 mpg by redoing the exhaust, larger diameter and high flow muffler, then got another 3 mpg by changing tires and rims. whan all was done I was getting 41 miles per gallon, sold the car at 300k miles when I could see the ground through the floorboards
  • shadow99688shadow99688 Member Posts: 209
    Umm forgot to post link to late 2005 specs
    http://www.kia.ca/specs.asp?lang=en&plate=amanti
  • shadow99688shadow99688 Member Posts: 209
    Found an 04 for $11,000. but has salvage title, had roof replaced, think the car was rolled.
  • chuck1chuck1 Member Posts: 1,405
    It say 20 city/32 Highway. However, who gets the EPA posted numbers in REAL WORLD driving? :confuse:
  • shadow99688shadow99688 Member Posts: 209
    person I know with a new one gets 31.8 close enough to call 32mpg on the highway at about 75mph, he is going to be getting alot of speeding tickets he has already gotten 2 in the last 2 weeks.
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