2013 and earlier Kia Optima Prices Paid and Buying Experience

sunnyfl1 · May 2011

Optima is a good looking car but.......... :mad:

After quoting with 3 dealers in my area (South FL) I have decided to detail my 2007 Camry (50k miles) for $120. My "old" car still looks good and runs with NO problems.

Don't fall for the hype

A KIA is just a KIA, is not an Infiniti is not an Acura.

Will consider it again when supply and demand conditions are right

circlew · May 2011

You are a Rock of Experience and that is exactly how it is done. :shades:

Dealers take advantage of any weakness and the buyer needs emotionless negotiation tactics that are firm.

I just got a price the dealer would not provide until I told him his price was too high and thanks anyway. He said it was the "Final Offer" and I told him "No Deal".

I waited 3 days until he called me back and went down $300 to the price he originally said he was "loosing money on". HA!

I got my price, trade value and I am happy. I will make the deposit tomorrow. (Went in and negotiated the trade value first before even discussing new car price. I told the manager without a good trade value, it was no use going any farther.)

Optima SX w/Premium Touring - $28,089 OTD including NJ Tax, Doc Fee and NJ Rej. for 5 years....and $7.50 tire tax.

Regards,
OW

backy · May 2011

It's amazing what a great antidote a detail job is for New Car Fever. Usually works for me. For awhile at least.

kyfdx · May 2011

It always makes me want to sell it... while it's still clean..

Kirstie_H · May 2011

A reporter would like to talk with someone who recently traded in a Honda or Toyota for a Hyundai, Kia, Ford or Chevy. Please email pr@edmunds.com by Friday, June 3, 2011 with your daytime contact information, the car models involved and a few words about your decision.

sunnyfl1 · June 2011

Indeed

biggbrother · June 2011

My experience at a local KIA dealer was equally disappointing. Went to test drive the car on a Sunday. It was a bit busy, but not mobbed. Seemed to be more interest in the Sorrento and Sportage. Waited around for about 15 minutes before anyone even asked us what we needed. Asked to drive the Optima SX, and I had the $25 debit card promo form to have completed, but I said I was still driving various models so I wouldn't be buying that day.. Salesman looked at me and asked if he could just sign it and I could come back when I was "ready to buy". I have told him I was ready to buy, just not a KIA.

He ended up getting me an SX to drive. I drove out of the dealership only to discover that the car had the Check Engine light on, had no gas in it, and had no power whatsoever. Drove back and told the salesman. He didn't apologize and said he could get me another one but it would be a while since he had other customers. Goodbye.

So this is what KIA is banking on to launch them into a serious contender? These dealers are used to dealing with the "EVERYONE'S APPROVED (at 35% APR)!!!!" and "ONLY $49 A MONTH (for the rest of your life)!!!!" crowd. Now they have a popular car and think they have a Tesla or limited production model, so their service is even WORSE.

Thanks but NO THANKS. It's still a KIA. IN 2-3-4 years when the reality of the low resale or trade-in value hits these buyers paying full MSRP, they will realize how upside down they are on their car loan because they paid waaaayyy too much.

dash5 · June 2011

Well I cant really blame the guy. You said you didnt want to buy one and he had other people who potentially did. Basically you showed up and said "I'm not buying a Kia but could I drive one and give me 25 bucks?"

In that situation I think it would be better to schedule a test drive when they are more unlikely to be busy.

0607m · June 2011

I just bought Snow White Pearl EX with no options.
MSRP was $23,565. it has cargo net and cargo mat.
My deal was $22,175+ttl - $500(competitive) - $500(KIA finance). I will probably payoff it within 2~3 months. There was also no fee for financing.
I am in SF bay area. tax rate is 9.25%. OTD price is about $23,650.
I think my deal was not the best deal. But I am satisfied with the deal. I have been waiting for SWP EX with no options for 5 months. Only the dealer had the car in my area.

biggbrother · June 2011

Yes I can blame him. When he saw the promo form he immediately lost interest, and started to dodge.

Actually, we were there to see the Kia Sportage for my fiance, which we also wanted to test drive, but since KIA had the promo on the Optima I told him I would drive that as well, although I wasn't buying for a couple months. But because of the hassle and lack of interest, there is now a 2011 Nissan Rogue sitting in our driveway.

And I doubt there will be a KIA.

nvhawki1 · June 2011

I couldn't refuse. I have been shopping for two months looking at everything from a Mazda3 to a used Acura TL. I never imagined myself in a Kia until I drove one. Then the manager threw the invoice on the table and offered me invoice price and I keep any rebates on a spicy red SX. Without negotiating, just gave it to me. Of course they still made money, (they wouldn't stay in business if they didn't) but I sure feel like I got great value. I 35+ mpg vehicle with 274 hp for less than $25,000 plus ttl. This was the best car buying experience I have had in 30 years of buying vehicles.

biggbrother · June 2011

Yeah that's the model I'm interested in as well.. base SX.

otis12 · June 2011

Ditto. I need xenon headlights and the SX is the only Optima model with xenons.

dmac428 · June 2011

Was your bad dealer experience in Bradley? Mine was so now I'm going up to Mattson where the dealer I've been talking to is a lot more professional and knowledgeable about the car I want.

freak000 · June 2011

We did buy a Kia Optima SX Turbo snowflake white with all options priced a little over $30k. I shopped around and found no dealer wanted to deal more than $500 for the financing and $500 from dealer. I did get them down another $350 when the Sales Manager started to tug at my wife's honesty by telling us he'll take this amount from the salesman. It was a joke how he continued about servicing and blah blah blah. He had no idea he was giving me the BEST and only deal. The car was what my wife finally settled on after 10 test drives over two months.

I can only say its the best luxury vehicle for the money and we looked at vehicles $30-40k. This vehicle is optioned out and so far we are avg. 27.9 mpg combined. I am over six feet and have no problem with driver position. Steering so far is excellent both in city and turnpike driving.

Take a test drive and you will be hooked and make sure its the SX Turbo model. In addition the bumper to bumper extended warranty is only $1400 extra and that includes the lite bulbs. We are installing a 3m clear bra and tinted windows. Let ROLL.....

chicagojoe · June 2011

I bought the Snow White Pearl SX - loaded with tech and premium package. I used the pricing obtained on true car dot com and printed those offers out. I got the dealers that were identified to commit to the pricing in an e-mail. ($125 over dealer invoice in the Chicago area). Worked out the deal over phone / e-mail and then had a buyers order (with VIN) sent to me. I bought at Rockford KIA and they were great! No games. No gimmicks. I ended up getting the $500 competitive and $500 finance rebates.

3 months with the car - and wow! I love driving it - when my wife lets me. I think Honda and Toyota should be shaking in their shoes. Honda has been left behind in the technology game. The Accord can not compete with the Optima. Toyota looks old, dated and over priced. This is the first KIA I have owned - and it won't be the last. Not only value in the pricing - but the looks and design can't be beat.

The ONLY thing I wish I had is the LED daytime running lights. They offer them in non-US markets. I bet they show up on the 2012.

Go get a KIA - you won't be disappointed!

iluvmysephia1 · June 2011

thatta boy. I have known of the pleasures of Kia for about 12 years now. And they only get better. Toyota looks like child's play compared to Kia.

helenz · July 2011

Our new Optima SX Turbo is da bomb! We've had it for about 4 hours now, and I want to marry it.

We first looked at Kias several months ago, with Omar Pinto from Don Beyer Kia in Falls Church, VA (and I can't say enough good things about him! He is THE BEST). Tried to get an EX for a bit less $, but they are getting so popular, they're hard to come by. We fell in love with the SX anyway.

Amy in Financing was awesome. We had financing from our credit union and she just helped the deal go through as smoothly as possible.

I can't wait to drive & drive & drive this car. Price before taxes, tags, etc. was $26116. It's gorgeous. Platinum graphite + dark interior. SWOON! Tag charges, etc. were $1427. Looking forward to driving it for 10 years or so (our current car is a 2000 Passat wagon).

seaurchin · July 2011

Most dealers do not give real prices over the phone or even when you there unless you are buying. Once you say yes i came here to buy, here's my check book..............he'll give you 2K off.

rav4man · July 2011

Ya but isn't it a little bit embarrassing looking at that KIA sticker on the steering wheel all day ? Kinda like you sold out. I buy American Ford products myself. For about 35 years now.

fushigi · July 2011

What's embarrassing about driving a Kia?

iluvmysephia1 · July 2011

I bought a 1999 Kia Sephia new. I don't care about Toyota snobbishness, that's why I overlooked the Corolla and Civic and went South Korean. I have never regretted it, either.

backy · July 2011

According to some of your other recent posts, you own a made-in-Mexico Mercury Milan and a ... Sorento?!? Uh... isn't that a Kia? :confuse:

Not a lot of American Ford products there....

steven39 · July 2011

you got a great deal considering that i just looked at a 2011 optima LX with auto tranny today.msrp was $21,545.00 and dealer said that the best he could do on price was $20,312.00 plus TTT....not the deal i had in mind so i left the dealership.

steven39 · July 2011

you are 100% correct.i recently went through a similar situation when i went to test drive a 2011 optima LX..msrp was $21,545.00 and the dealer said that due to demand and popularity of the car they can't move to much from msrp.he said he could maybe save me a few hundred dollars off of the price.i said that's not good enough for a car that will be almost worthless as soon as i drive it off the lot..he gave me the song and dance that kia's are holding their value much better.i told him to have a nice day and i left..i had to go through the same thing when i went to look at a 2012 hyundai elantra gls..they can only sell the car at msrp due to the demand and popularity.people are being drawn in by these cars looks,and gas mileage.but the reality of it is that in a few years they will realize what a mistake they made because of the poor resale value..example...my girlfriend recently went to check out the new 2011 chevy cruze that she liked..she has a 2010 elantra gls fully loaded with sunroof and navigation with 22,000 miles on it and in mint condition.this car as they say has the highest resale value in it's class.however when she was trying to make a deal on the cruze they only offered her $9000.00 on a trade-in.she mentioned to them about the elantra's supposed to have the highest resale value in it's class.dealer said that they don't know where she got that information but that it's a kia and this price was the best they can do..salesman told her that used kia's don't sell very well on there lot and that's why she got that trade-in offer....

m6user · July 2011

And you're taking one low ball offer from a shyster dealer as proof? Just what do you expect a dealer to say. They're trying to buy your girlfriends car for as little as possible. I've seen dealers give $6000 for a trade and turn around and sell if for $12000. They can get away with that sometimes because people believe them when they shouldn't and you shouldn't either. I'm sure the person that got $6k for their trade when it was worth at least $9k as a trade was complaining about the resale value of their car too. Do some real research.....not just take some salesman's word for it.

However, whenever a car does a complete changeover like the Elantra did and the new model is very popular it always drives down the value of the older looking model. Doesn't matter if it's a Hyundai, Kia, Honda or Lexus. The older models are sold at big discounts which helps drive down the trade in values. Just a sad fact of car sales.

circlew · July 2011

Let me negotiate for you!

1) research Edmunds. 2) Go to KBB.com and get resale/trade value 3) Go to Truecar.com for best price data to date on the 'net. 4) Shop ONLY by internet for best price at at least 5 dealers and negotiate until you get the truecar price 6) DEMAND the trade price from KBB at the lowest dealer 6) Stick to your price targets. 7) Test drive at HIGHEST Dealer price (the one who gave you the lowest trade on the Elantra) and walk out the second time after leaving your bottom line purchase price and trade-in price!

Eye of the Tiger!

Regards,
OW

steven39 · July 2011

appreciate the info!!!!!!!!!!!!!

uga91 · August 2011

First of all, let me state I am not anti-Kia. I bought a Sephia in 1995 and drove it for 6.5 years with only one $250 repair performed on the car the whole time. My mother-in-law has a new Sorento and she really likes it. My daughter turns 16 next year and the Forte is on our radar screen. That said, what's up with people paying $25,000 and up for an Optima? I'll admit I have not driven one; but, I paid $26k for my 2011 Maxima S in January and I could not imagine paying more for an Optima. Oh well, I guess it works out for many and I wish you well. It's just not for me.

pawlybauls · August 2011

I was looking at a baseline, 2011 EX Turbo yesterday, and noticed a handwritten card protruding from the window sticker with "$5995.00 Market Adjustment" on it. This brought the total MSRP to $31,995!
After making 3 trips back to the manager, the sales rep informed me that this was a markup due to what competitors are selling them for.
After mentioning an Internet price via ZAG he brought the price back down to actual MSRP, and tacked on $1K worth of incentives.
I walked away from the deal, I think I can get closer to invoice somewhere else. I feel sorry for the poor sap that falls for the price markup though.

steven39 · August 2011

you are correct to walk away.31 grand for a korean made car that is basically going to loose about half it's value regardless of what your told as soon as you drive off the lot..my limit for a korean made car would be about 18-19 grand due to the great warranty which is a good selling point..i would rather spend 31 grand on a car such as maybe a bmw 3 series,lexus,ect that is going to hold it's value and perform alot better than a korean car.used korean cars don't sell very well on used car lots.hyundai-kia just to name a few and their resale values reflect that.

backy · August 2011

31 grand for a korean made car that is basically going to loose about half it's value regardless of what your told as soon as you drive off the lot..

That is utterly ridiculous. NO new car today loses half its value as soon as you drive off the lot. Have you checked used car prices lately? As an example, my 7-1/2 year old Elantra has a KBB private party value that is 56% of purchase price. And the new Optima is a much more desirable car than that old Elantra.

Another example... KBB private party value for a 2010 Optima LX 5AT (not as nice a car as the 2011) with 15k miles in excellent condition is $15,580... maybe a thousand or so less than what such a car sold for new. Not anywhere close to losing half its value, even in the first year or two. And that's where depreciation is the steepest.

BTW, the Optima is made in the USA now.

circlew · August 2011

They can't make Optimas fast enough, but any dealer that charges $3-5K "MAP" should be picketed by all customers.

My local ~~Pontiac~~,Buick,GMC Dealer did it with the GTO and G8 when they first came onto the market. The thieves at this dealer will never get my business again.

As for Kia, 3 dealers couldn't match the TrueCar price (Excellent) and trade price I got a my local Kia dealer....so The SX I bought in July was close to home. The car is awesome and there is nothing out there that can touch it in it's class.

$28,100 OTD. SX with Premium pkg. (No Tech.)

Regards,
OW

uga91 · August 2011

steven39, FWIW, the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe are made in West Point, GA and the Kia Optima, Hyundai Sonata and Elantra are made in Montgomery, AL.

arizona_willie · August 2011

I just leased a 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid two days ago and the VIN sticker in the door says it was made in Korea.

arizona_willie · August 2011

I've been scanning through some of the back messages in the forum and am surprised at the way they say some dealers treated them.

I leased a Kia Optima Hybrid at Horne Kia in Gilbert, AZ two days ago and was ASTOUNDED at the service. I sold cars years ago ( or tried to ) and have bought many many cars through the years up to a Jag E type back in 67.

I've never had a dealer treat me as well as we were treated at Horne Kia. Their tail lighting was the best I've ever experienced. I felt we got a pretty fair deal on this car that is loaded with just about every option. According to a lease evaluator I have it was rated an excellent lease deal. First new car I ever got that came with a full tank

. If you're considering leasing get the Lease Kit for your computer.

But they took about an hour and explained how to work the toys to my owner and me both. Other car dealers just shake your hand and hand you the keys and say " good luck send us some customers ".

I've only driven it maybe 60 miles so far but it seems to be really really nice. I've always bought domestic cars and would never consider foreign ... but since most of the so-called domestics are made in Mexico or Canada and so many parts are made in Japan or someplace it's hard to consider them domestic anymore. So although I liked the Lincoln MKZ and was thinking about the Ford Fusion after reading reviews that rated the Kia just a slight bit better than the Fusion I decided to look at them and wound up getting one.

This is an unsolicited testimonial for Horne Kia

in Gilbert, AZ.

iluvmysephia1 · August 2011

exactly.

I've only driven it maybe 60 miles so far but it seems to be really really nice. I've always bought domestic cars and would never consider foreign ... but since most of the so-called domestics are made in Mexico or Canada and so many parts are made in Japan or someplace it's hard to consider them domestic anymore. So although I liked the Lincoln MKZ and was thinking about the Ford Fusion after reading reviews that rated the Kia just a slight bit better than the Fusion I decided to look at them and wound up getting one.

Your reason is exactly what I used for reasoning to support my decision to trade in our 1997 Ford Escort sedan on a 1999 Kia Sephia sedan. Why fight the shuffle? Just buy what makes sense for you and yours and don't worry about the "buy domestic only" deal at all. It worked out great and it started a streak of 3 "foreign cars" in a row, the latest being a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS. Love it and I loved the '99 Sephia and the 2001 Sportage 4X4, too!

Enjoy your new Kia Optima Hybrid and please come back on here and talk about how you're loving it, OK?

uga91 · August 2011

You're right. The 2012 model will be made in the USA. The 2011 was not.

mixingbuddha1 · September 2011

Since I have used these forums quite a bit to research prices. We recently purchased a 2011 Kia Optima LX with a Convenience Package for $21,400 OTD using MD Tax.

I contact all the dealer i could from Georgia to New Jersey, and about the lowest I was quoted was $21877 if i came in on 8/31. We ended up getting it from another dealer in Maryland who made a mistake and quoted us a lower value and split the difference. Hope this helps.

mikezak1 · October 2011

Just purchased a 2011 Optima Ex with the Premium Package, and Cargo Mat at Luther Kia in St. Paul (InverGrove Heights) for $22,268, which included the $1000 Customer Appreciation rebate. After my trade of a 2007 Nissan Altima with over 100K miles, I came away with a very appreciative $14,000 + Tax and Registration price. Very friendly experience.

Very honest and upfront people.

Did it all in under 3 hours to!

mazda6dude · October 2011

I would like to know what the lowest price anyone has seen or paid on a new 2011 or 2012 Base EX or SX before TTL? Feedback/Opinions would be appreciated.

idiom · October 2011

Anyone got hybrid? If so what is the range for those?
Is 25,300 OTD sounds good?

m6user · October 2011

If your state sales tax is 9.5% like it is in some places that would be a great price. If you live in New Hampshire it would suck because they have no sales tax. See how "OTD" means nothing.

Just deal in the price of the car and dealer doc fee before tax, title and plates.

idiom · October 2011

Price efore tax and fees was around 23,200...It was hybrid model with no nav and options.

Sandman6472 · November 2011

We've been over this many times before...just give all the information and let people take out what they want...I personally like to know all the figures just in case some of the purchases are from my or similar states. No need to fix what ain't broke. And like I said earlier, this happens every few years, someone comes on & decides that only certain information is relevant...at least to him or her. But us old timers want to hear all the costs...period just as we've been doing for years. Those folks can just skip the parts they don't find relevant! I am,

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

m6user · November 2011

That would be great if people did give all the info. However, when all they give is an "OTD" amount it means nothing. It's easier just to leave the sales tax off....who cares since it is the same for anybody buying a car in that locale. Of course they should also automatically mention the dealer and town. Don't know why so many people post their great deals but fail to let everyone else know where they got it. :confuse:

kneehowma · November 2011

In Houston area, there are quite a few 2011 Optima LX model left (about 2 dozen). Negotiated over email and $20800 OTD the best offer so far. Tax is 6.25% in Texas.

mazda6dude · November 2011

Definitely a good deal. I would go for it.

soapdish616 · November 2011

Can someone help me figure out INVOICE price on:

2012 Kia Optima, EX Turbo
Premium Package
White/Beige Leather

Thanks.... also a recommendation on the price I should be aiming for?

magicwine · November 2011

Hi Mike,

Just want to relate your price to a 2012 Optima Ex - yours was the 2011, so it was 1 year old?

As that would provide an additional discount to you.

Thanks
Bob

2013 and earlier Kia Optima Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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