Well thursday night but I took friday off so I guess that was technically the weekend for me I got into an accident on Aug 6th and my beloved Corolla which was given to me as a grad gift from my parents was deemed a total loss. It was a 2000 model and clearly had its best days behind it. I was already saving up to get a new car next year but this obviously expedited the process. I got more than I had anticipated from my insurance company - and far more than I would have probably gotten even if I sold it to a private party in 2012 let alone on a trade in. I ended up buying a 2011 Kia Optima (the car Blake Griffin jumped over) and I am quite pleased with it. I know there is a bad rap on Kia but they have made a dramatic leap in the last few years since being purchased by Hyundai. My only draw back on having to buy a car now was that I am sure if I waited till november or so I may have gotten a better deal on a 2011 or the same deal on a 2012, but sometimes those are the breaks. But with the recent tsunamis and the quakes in Japan stocks for these cars have been limited, even in the one of the, if not the largest car market in the country there were several dealerships that had 5 or less total stock of the Optima - and there are 3 trims and different options for this car so finding the right trim and option package for me and my wallet was even harder. Spoiler I ended up paying 23295 for it after rebates before TTL -- the MSRP was 25965 after taxes and all it was 25700. It was a really good price for the car and all. I went in already had negotiated for the car at 23795 (before a 500 rebate which I didnt mention I qualified for since it was a factory rebate) but that particular car they had just sold - (the couple who bought it were doing the finance work when I got there I saw them drive off the lot with it but they paid 25470 for it before TTL when I asked them) so I ended up getting the one above at the same price even though this one had a few extra accessories on it. One of the things I really like about the car besides its look is that at least in the part of LA where I live I dont see these cars on the road at all. Part of it could be the limited stock or the 'stigma' of a kia but the only one of these I've seen on the road was right near the dealership I bought it from and that was on Thursday itself. I've already had my parents neighbors, my neighbors and a few random people in my work building today already ask me a bunch of questions about it and they were shocked when I told them it was a Kia they thought it was a lexus or something else they were really impressed with it. I have about 6-700 dollars worth of modifications I plan to do to the car in the next year (led lights above the fog lights, led fender signals where the molding currently is, chrome molding around the lights and on the trunk, new emblems (not a big fan of the kia logo itself there is nice single K logo they sell in korea) and a rear lip spoiler -- if anyone wants to donate to this fund please let me know as I all of my "leisure money" is now my monthly payment money. ok end shameless thread (man the offseason sucks)
It's a nice looking car, despite the Kia brand - but if I were you, I'd be on a seek and destroy mission. Seek news rims. Destroy the current ones.
thats def on the list but rims are pricey so probably not something I could do right away would need to save up at least 1400 for that if not more the dealer show room had one on 20s that looks awesome but they were marking the price up an additional 5k for it.
Congrats on your new car purchase! I'm still not sure about Kia's quality yet but I definitely like they're styling. I wish Honda would have gone the same route as Kia did as far as styling.
I don't think paying for rims is worth it. Remember what happened in Menace to Society to that dude's mustang.
Congrats on the new car purchase. That's a big deal. I can't really speak on the topic of whether or not Kia makes a solid vehicle, but that's a nice looking car.
not giving up any organs -- i mean i'll eventually get them in the next 18 months just going to save up for them so i can just pay for it in cash since i probably would have to get new tires as well - i figure if i am going to buy rims i may as well get larger ones those are 17's on them may as well go 19 or 20.
I really don't know what the knock on Kia's "quality" is all about. Purely anecdotal, I know, but I haven't heard serious complaints about the quality or longevity of their cars in almost a decade. And the 10-year, 100,000 mile power-train warranty seems to indicate they stand behild their work.
congrats on the new car.... suck in that new car smell but not too much since its supposedly poisonous and carcinogenic but damn i love the new car smell So does this mean you are going to drive down to San Diego and give us SD folks a ride to the next Rockets Laker's game? I'm just starting to get over the whole Kia, Hyundai stigma of cheap crappy cars myself. I still might have to think it over and over before buying one but I must admit their cars are looking great, getting great views, and the best bang for your buck for what you get.
Congrats... But, are you aware of the caliber of car you can get used for $23,000. Would have been virtually brand new, still under warranty, and slightly better than a Kia.
i think it will take the current generation of 20-40 year olds to die off completely before Kia/Hyundai finally shed their image as cheap crappy copy cat korean cars. First impressions do matter and cheap and crappy is our generations first impression of korean cars even though they have come such a long way.
but it wouldn't be new and someones sweaty butt would have been sitting your nice clean seat. Also who knows what other stains might be in the back seat or other seats
first congrats on the new car and second I was in the same boat 5 years ago and i decided to buy the 06 optima Version 2 and have not had any major problem with it. PS back then at the dealership they inform me that kia and hyundai is a sister brand and optima and sonata is pretty much the same car
