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Comments
PS Why is the maintenance cheaper?
BTW I own a new Optima and think its a pretty nice car,but not as nice as a Sonata.I would rate it higher than JD Powers does.Keep looking,maybe you'll find it.
http://www.jdpower.com/autos/kia/new-optima/2007
:lemon:
I find the four slightly smoother and quieter than the v6 on my loaner EX, but it should be it's a far newer engine.
Malibu=
1. 30+ mpg on the highway, 24 mixed. Pretty good for 200 hp.
2. No timing belt.
3. 7000 mile oil changes. Nothing is easier on oil than a GM OHV V-6.
4. Many more Chevy dealers. Engine and power train are a far more known quantity to average mechanic meaning I'd probably go outside for many repairs. On the other hand I'd probably take back to dealer for steering problems or front end work.
I do remember the last gen. Sonata being softer riding than the Kia. This brought criticism from road tests complaining about soft suspension. I think Hyundai and Kia were trying to become more Japanese because that's where the competition is.
I remember thinking that my Elantra was almost French in suspension. Koreans liked soft suspension.
I think the Malibus are softer riding despite the Opel/Saab heritage but this might be the difference in steering and tires.
Again, I would never deal a Kia off after a year in order to move to a slightly better car (and after a week of ownership, I'd certainly not call the Kia inferior overall to a Malibu). They're better in the depreciation department than five years ago but you'd still take it in the neck.
csandste-keep those comments coming on the '06.5 and '07 Kia Optima and the 'Bu, they are not falling on deaf ears and we're all learning from them. I think that Hyundai and Kia have risen of late in JD Power ratings. Keep checking for the latest and greatest JD Power results and information.
Question: if I were to buy a 2007 Kia Optima LX 2.4L 4 cyl in 5-speeds and Ruby Red(or whatever color I wanted, I just love their Ruby Red color)would I automatically get the 50 series tires that cssandste is talking about on here? The ones that give better handling? Everyone gets the hydraulic steering, I would think.
So far nothing I've heard about this new world order Kia Optima would turn me away from it. One thing that is also really nice about the 4 cyl '07 Kia Optima: the timing chain and not timing belt. I just had my '01 Kia Sportage 4x4's timing belt replaced and the water pump at the same time and an oil change IIRC and the bill was just a tad over $500. Yikes. You don't have the option of skipping it, though! Gotta have it done. The Sportage 4x4 is running like a champ with 124,900 miles on it. Soon we'll be without a car payment(around June '07 the Sportsman will be all paid off)so it will take a great rig to get me to trade in the Sportage 4x4. Not having a payment is gonna be too nice to give up, me thinks! :P
My two favorites to replace the Sportage 4x4 are the 2007 Kia Optima LX, 2.4L 4 cyl with 5-speeds and Ruby Red color, no other options and the 2007 Suzuki SX4 sport crossover, with 5-speeds, Bright Red color, and optional armrest as the only option. The Suzuki retails for only $14,999 plus the armrest($125.00),plus T&L. A great deal just like that IMO. The Optima looks to be around $16,400 or right in that range. Is that close on the Optima pricing for the model of Optima I'm describing, csandste?
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Edmunds hosts, if this is wrong and there's a chain you might want to change your maintenance schedule. Isn't 105K the California mandated warranty for timing belts?
Part Description Part Cost
Emissions hoses & tubes $ 10.00
Engine oil $ 11.00
Oil filter $ 8.80
Timing belt $ 103.40
Total Estimated Parts Cost $ 133.20
"BorgWarner Morse TEC supplies the complete set of timing system that uses the company's proprietary silent timing chains. CVVT(Continuously-variable valve timing) works on the intake side."
I assume the Edmunds schedule is false and there's no possibility that the timing chain has to be changed at 105,000 miles-- right?
My car has a 5 speed automatic, a $250 spoiler, a $1000+ add on leather kit and a $1000 appearance package with the 50 series tires. I paid $16,100 and that's with more than three thousand in add ons on the base car. (I got $6000 off on my 'Bu in 05 but that was when Chevy was into BIG rebates).
However it did include a $1500 competitive rebate=Malibu, but I think there's a lesser Kia loyalty rebate.
I think you should be able to get somewhere in the fourteens easily with the base car.
I assume there's a Seattle auto-show coming up. I got quite a large rebate on my Malibu during the St. Louis auto show, you might want to check on that one as well.
This is completely off subject,but when you mentioned Opel,
it really brought back memories of my childhood.In the 40s,I remember German Wermacht cars that were Opels.Mostly Cadets and Capitans.There was an Opel Admiral,but that was for the [non-permissible content removed] big wigs.I can stil see a shiny Opel Admiral with the swastika flag in the rear window.Just a bit of history.
The Opel Kadett (Mk3) according to Wikipedia was on my short list for cars back in the early seventies (along with the late 60's Saab 3 cylinder 2 stroke). You may remember that Buick substituted an Isuzu for the real German Opel (calling it the Buick Opel if I remember right)-- probably mid- late 70's. Car and Driver called it the Japel and bemoaned the loss of real German iron.
Here's the Wikipedia link to the Buick Opel (Isuzu Gemini)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isuzu_Gemini
Enough of this reminiscing, not worth opening up another Isuzu or Opel thread... back to Optima business.
It's on my list of about 4 cars that I want next.
Keep the Kia Optima information coming!
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
This engine currently in my KIA has no timing belt.It has a timing chain.There is nothing about replacing a timing chain.Clearly in the owners manual the recommended timing belt change is for the 2.7(V6) engine.There are no other changes recommended,but logically if you have to change it at 60K you would need to do it again at 120K and at 180K.
Happy driving.
Tried to figure out how to alert the maintenance moguls at Edmunds about their timing belt error but couldn't figure it out. My car is still getting leather (hopefully today) and the EX loaner doesn't have an owner's manual.
Glad to know about the chain because belt changes on the Elantra were expensive. Think my 60 thou. service (only one I did at the dealer) ran about $800. For comparison, my 30 thou. at an indee. shop ran about $35.
BTW-- Does Kia have any requirements for specific transmission fluids or coolant. Remember Butterfield (when he was Kia president) warning radio call-ins to use only Kia parts to protect warranty. E-mailed the radio program warning that he was clearly in violation of Magnusson-Moss.
I used Super Tech oil and filters exclusively in my Elantra for the 80K that I owned it. Ran a used oil analysis at about 40 thou. (should be able to find it in bobistheoilguy if you search Elantra and Super Tech). Despite the oil's less than impressive additive count (about equal to Valvoline, less than Phillips or Pennzoil) I had almost no wear at 4000 mile change intervals.
I use ST filters and Pennzoil in my Maxx which is good for 7K oil change intervals. ST and most GM filters are now Champion Labs.
The little South Korean SUV is humming like a top and doing great at just short of 125,000 miles. I should go over 125,00 miles next outing.
Yeah, the Rondo looks good. I will give it a close look whilst perusing Kia's.
csandste-the new 2008 Chevy Malibu looks great. I must learn more about it. For instance, it has the 2.4L Ecotec 4 cyl motor but do they offer a 5-speed manual tranny or just automatic. Anyone know about that? The car looks good, real nice.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
New 'Bu looks good but like others, I think the rear looks too Diamante-ish. Wish they'd stuck with round lights.
While you're looking at replacements for the Sportage, keep an eye on the Kia Soul. It was shown at last year's Detroit show and is supposed to be a definite go.
Back to the Optima. We're still driving the EX loaner. Leather was supposed to take a day but it's going on seven. I took the Kia over the Hyundai because I didn't like the local Hyundai dealer. The Kia dealer is a Dodge subsidiary but they're not too fast on this one. Oh well, we're driving a more expensive car with power seats and automatic climate control. Shouldn't complain I guess. For some reason we never got a remote key fob and keying a car with no passenger-side lock is a pain.
At the bottom (the VERY bottom) of this page on the right is the Help link. Click on that and then click the dark gray Contact Us tab at the top. It's self-explanatory from there.
I think the error is in the individual dealers and service managers.The manual clearly states the replacement of the belt is for the 2.7 engine.Unfortunately there is no mention whatsoever of the timing chain in the 2.4 engine.If my salesman hadn't made such a big issue telling me to be sure to replace that timing belt(nonexistent)I would :sick: have simply read the maintenance schedule,seen the note about the 2.7 engine and forgot about it.The problem is that the KIA employees at the local level are not as well informed as they should be.
The list of cars I'd be interested in is 4 right now...the '08 Chev 'Bu(if 5-speed manual tranny is available, that is), '07 Kia Optima, '07 Suzuki SX4 crossover or sedan(if I like the sedan as much as the hatch-wagon) and the 'XX Dodge Hornet. Supposedly China's Chery Motors is going to build the Hornet for Dodge, I just don't know which model year will be it's first. I have to say that the '07 Kia Optima is now leading the short list but if Chevy prices the base model 'Bu competitively with the Optima I may be able to start a bidding war and drive down a decent price on a '08 Malibu for us. I've only seen that 2008 Malibu bodystyle for a day or two and I love it right off the bat. I think it's stronger looking in the front but I do like the rear end of it as well. I really like how they designed it. Looks like Chevy will offer a 5 year, 100,000 mile Warranty on the Malibu's powertrain, which is not too shabby, either.
To get back to the Optima, though, do you dislike the Optima's cloth interior material or did you get a great deal on a leather option, csandste?
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
The add-on leather kit was from Roadwire:
http://www.roadwire.com/
After a couple of hours with the interior my first impression is that it looks as good as the original leather. Asked for perforated-- didn't get it, but after waiting for six days when they told me it would take one, I'm leaving that one alone. I could have had heated seats for an extra $50. Dealer assured $500 was less than his cost (???).
The kicker on the heated seats is that they told me the passenger seat couldn't be heated because of conflicts with the air bag seat sensor. On second thought it might have been worth the extra fifty to get the driver's seat wired, but this was my first brush with leather. Wife really wanted it.
I've done numerous comparisons with my Maxx and the Optima so won't repeat here. I'm personally sold on the old-tech OHV engine, even with the four speed automatic. I guess Chevy finally got tired of hearing laughs and snickers about this power train so good-bye it goes (although Saturn base car keeps the ohv design-- maybe only for this year).
If I was buying the Malibu I'd probably go with the four cylinder engine on the new one. Too me it looks really sizable, especially with the same wheel base as my Maxx and a lot more overhang in the rear, so I hope it wouldn't be underpowered. I'm not sure if that engine requires (or prefers) premium, computers will compensate, but buying premium would be a turn off.
As far as getting my four cylinder back after a week with the 2.7 V-6, frankly I think I made the right decision with the four. Can't tell much difference, although I'm taking it easy with the four. Sweet engine to this point.
Personally I think Chevy has a stronger dealer network than Kia (my dealer is OK, combined with Dodge) but most of the other GM divisions have learned a thing or two from their Saturn experience. I've stated that my local Hyundai dealership was a bit too old-timey car dealer and that my experience wasn't the best with my Elantra-- although no real horror stories.
My experience with many Japanese dealerships is that they're arrogant. Looked at a Civic when we bought the Optima-- similar price, much less car. Real smarmy salesman. Toyota always seemed too busy to be bothered, and I'm troubled by the recent recalls, lawsuits, etc. I think it's a company ready for a stumble, even though my daughter drives a 91 Camry with 200 thou on it.
Drove the Suzuki but was not impressed. I guess it's OK if you're looking for four wheel drive. Frankly preferred the Aerio-- sorry it was replaced (not talking 4 door sedans here). I'm sure Chinese cars will be taking market share in five years, people shouldn't laugh at them. They already did that with Japanese cars in the seventies and Korean in the nineties.
To me, cars is cars, but I try to get the best deal I can. I'm a free trader and it means little to me if a car's Korean or American. When I bought my Maxx it was because it was the best car I could find that had a hatch and at 16K it was a screaming deal.
I'm delighted with both my Malibu and (so far) my Optima. After another week or so I'll give an evaluation of the car on Edmunds, but it's too early to score yet. That artificially low score (seven something) is quite a bit too low IMHO. At this point, I'm very impressed.
A feature that I really do like,is that like my Chrysler T@C,it plays cassettes in addition to CDs.Thats a nice feature if you have ton of old cassettes.While Im at it,I find that the sound of the stereo does not live up to it's advertised power and rarely do I notice the sub woofer.Having said all of that,my wife,the one who really matters...loves this car,or will if they ever solve the problem with the air bag.After all shes the one usually in the "death seat"
There should be an ATF listing in the back of your owner's manual in the "Specifications" section and, perhaps, in the Do-it-Yourself Maintenance" section elsewhere. Presuming you have an automatic, ALL current Hyundai-built automatic transaxles require "SP III", a highly friction-modified synthetic blend ATF that's the only approved fluid for top-up and service fill. It's only available through Hyundai, KIA, and Mitsubishi dealerships and there are NO aftermarket equivalents. Use of any other ATF will void your factory warranty on the transaxle. The specific brand is irrelevant - just be sure it's one of the three automaker brands I listed and that "SP III" appears on the label. And, yes, it's pricey. There's no user serviceable or replaceable transmission fluid filter on Hyundai automatics. There's a cleanable screen internally, but since Hyundai automatics have no pan (They're a split case design.), you'd literally have to remove the transaxle from the car and disassemble it - hardly a Saturday afternoon shadetree mechanic procedure. There IS a transaxle drainplug screwed into the aluminum case which takes a 24mm or 15/16" 1/2" drive socket - and a 6 pt. socket is preferred to avoid damaging it. A breaker bar would probably be advisable.
csandste...you test drove a 2007 Suzuki SX4 crossover/wagon? And you didn't like it? I can't wait to see the sedan come out and play.
As for Consumer Guide or Consumer Reports or whoever dissed the 2007 Kia Optima: don't read too much in to that review.They are pert-near eternally biased against Kia and maybe Hyundai as well. These two makers are getting so good it's starting to scare me. I flirted with getting a Scion xA or Toyota Yaris for a while and now believe that favorite Kia is a better expenditure of both my time and my money and it's very likely my next new car will be Kia for the 3rd time in a row.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Im happy to hear someone who loves their KIA Because I have read several posts from KIA owners :surprise: who had many problems with theirs.
Found the Suzuki to be a totally different class of vehicle and frankly less satisfying than its predecessor. If you like it, buy it but there's been some bad comments about its lack of power. On the other hand it's probably the cheapest all wheel drive vehicle you can buy.