I bought a new 2002 KIA Sportage 2 door, I thought I was getting a great deal b/c MSRP was 17,000 and I got it for 14,500. Some how my loan value at the end was around 16,500 b/c i got the detailed stuff and life and life insurance which was supposed to cost around 400, but cost 1600.
At 29 days it went into the shop for paint peeling off the front bumper (i washed it at the car wash) and they were supposed to fix a little scratch on the hood that was there when i purchased it.
At under 2 months it went back in (i lived over 2 hrs away 1 way) b/c the paint was peeling off the front bumper again, and also the back bumper. And the scratch they supposedly fixed had turned into a large brown spot on the hood. The staff told me that i needed to stop using the power washer on it, the consumer help line seconded that. The consumer help line also told me that paint peeling was a common problem with all new cars of all makes, not just kia.
At around 4 months, the coldest week of the winter the fan for the heater broke and only worked on hi. Also the driver side run colum (weather stripping on the window) folded up.
At 7 months the passenger side run collum folded up to the point that rain came in when the window rolled up. I drove 2 hrs to have it looked at and they didn't have the part, so i have to drive back.
Now at 19,000 miles, it clunks almost every time i shift (manual) the air conditioner whines, both run collums are folded up, the paint chips very easy, the brakes are going bad, and leak a lot onto the rims, the soft top has faded and doesn't really match anymore, the car is black. Lemon law here states it has to be in the shop 4 times for the same major thing or 40 days in the first year.
Book value is 8,700 and i owe 15,500. So there is no way i can even get out of the car.
STAY AWAY FROM KIA!!! My friend has a new kia spectra that has even more problems.
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