Who is considering purchasing a KIA for the first time because of the Stinger?

[mjsteelega]

I think its a little tooo glitzy. but the general design is good. if i had ro choose today between the two, i'd choose the stinger, just for looks -- but without the fake hood intakes.

Yeah, prototypes usually have lots of glitz to get people to look. If they do build it, quite a bit will change. That interior will look more like what is in the Stinger today. But as for the overall shape and style, I would buy one.


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[punchdrunkboost]

Like most on here I'm also a first time Kia owner.

 

[Mimi1]

My second, first was a 2006 Kia Sorento.

 

[Bosander]

Will be my first ever Kia

 

[phildeez]

Another first Kia first timer. In fact no one else in my family has ever owned a Kia before.

 

[brandon.mol]

Did. Love it...

 

[kwikia]

Joining y?all in the first timer club too.

 

[torbach]

This is my first Kia.

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[sinrule]

This is absolutely my first Kia. Most likely the only one I'll buy. It's been great and I like it. My goal car is to end up in an S5 Sportback.

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[phildeez]

This is absolutely my first Kia. Most likely the only one I'll buy. It's been great and I like it. My goal car is to end up in an S5 Sportback.

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I would love to get an RS5 Sportback someday too.

 

[DodgetoKia]

This is my first Kia. Traded in my 2015 Charger and loving it.

 

[avramd02]

I'm considering it, the only thing is the stigma of Killed In Action (I saw that in one of the other threads on this forum). I got my Subaru three years ago at 25000 miles and have never had to bring it to the shop except for a cosmetic issue. If I do go with the stinger I'm just hoping to get the same reliability.

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[MarkyMark]

I'm considering it, the only thing is the stigma of Killed In Action (I saw that in one of the other threads on this forum). I got my Subaru three years ago at 25000 miles and have never had to bring it to the shop except for a cosmetic issue. If I do go with the stinger I'm just hoping to get the same reliability.

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Kia has won JD Powers & Associates Initial Quality Award two-years running. That certainly speaks to Kia paying attention to the build quality and defects coming off the line. It does not speak to the component sourcing, tooling or engineering and the long-term reliability.

But if you are really thinking about reliability, unless you are going outside the mainstream and considering purchasing a one-off Bentley, I wouldn't worry so much. Most all car companies make amazingly reliable vehicles. FIAT = Fix It Again Tony. Ford = Found on Road Dead, it goes on an on.

Reality is, Kia has a 10-year/100k powertrain warranty and a 5-year/60k bumper to bumper. Nothing better in the industry.

Pricing out a few luxury cars, spec-ing them to get into this class, it's just not close. BMW and Audi, they are $13k - $20k more.

WARNING - SLIGHT RABBIT TRAIL AHEAD:

I performed an analysis on Kia vs BMW. Their labor costs at Kia in Korea, tariffs, BMW's labor costs in the US, USD to Euro, EBT margin for both companies on and on.

Bottom Line: If both Kia and BMW built the same exact vehicle, same component costs - everything identical, and the car for Kia cost $40,000, the BMW build vehicle would run you roughly another $13k! Same car.

Inside the numbers, BMW's labor rate is $39 an hour in SC, while Kia's is actually $45 USD! GM and Ford's is $49 and $48 respectively! BMW actually has a nice edge with this, due to no legacy union and pension plans, etc... in the south.

BMW's corporate profit is also right around 10%. Kia's was 1.8% Ouch.

Again, it goes on and on, USD to Euro conversion losses for BMW, taxes, etc... But the bottom line is BMW's structure, costs, everything, that company costs a lot to purchase a product from, regardless of engineering, materials, etc... They are just going to cost a heck of a lot more pound for pound.

Personally, I don't want to pay for margin and conversion and, and, and. I want the most bang for my buck, and a logo on a hood doesn't mean much to me at all. Rather, the quality, and design, and capabilities, the warranty (just in case) means much more to this guy.

Okay, thanks for the earful! Perhaps this starts a new thread?...

 

[avramd02]

Kia has won JD Powers & Associates Initial Quality Award two-years running. That certainly speaks to Kia paying attention to the build quality and defects coming off the line. It does not speak to the component sourcing, tooling or engineering and the long-term reliability.

But if you are really thinking about reliability, unless you are going outside the mainstream and considering purchasing a one-off Bentley, I wouldn't worry so much. Most all car companies make amazingly reliable vehicles. FIAT = Fix It Again Tony. Ford = Found on Road Dead, it goes on an on.

Reality is, Kia has a 10-year/100k powertrain warranty and a 5-year/60k bumper to bumper. Nothing better in the industry.

Pricing out a few luxury cars, spec-ing them to get into this class, it's just not close. BMW and Audi, they are $13k - $20k more.

WARNING - SLIGHT RABBIT TRAIL AHEAD:

I performed an analysis on Kia vs BMW. Their labor costs at Kia in Korea, tariffs, BMW's labor costs in the US, USD to Euro, EBT margin for both companies on and on.

Bottom Line: If both Kia and BMW built the same exact vehicle, same component costs - everything identical, and the car for Kia cost $40,000, the BMW build vehicle would run you roughly another $13k! Same car.

Inside the numbers, BMW's labor rate is $39 an hour in SC, while Kia's is actually $45 USD! GM and Ford's is $49 and $48 respectively! BMW actually has a nice edge with this, due to no legacy union and pension plans, etc... in the south.

BMW's corporate profit is also right around 10%. Kia's was 1.8% Ouch.

Again, it goes on and on, USD to Euro conversion losses for BMW, taxes, etc... But the bottom line is BMW's structure, costs, everything, that company costs a lot to purchase a product from, regardless of engineering, materials, etc... They are just going to cost a heck of a lot more pound for pound.

Personally, I don't want to pay for margin and conversion and, and, and. I want the most bang for my buck, and a logo on a hood doesn't mean much to me at all. Rather, the quality, and design, and capabilities, the warranty (just in case) means much more to this guy.

Okay, thanks for the earful! Perhaps this starts a new thread?...

So what you are saying with that analysis is in theory, you are getting the same quality, if not better if you take in to account the profit margins, car for less? But also if we do take into account components and engineering, can you still saying the same thing?

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[MarkyMark]

So what you are saying with that analysis is in theory, you are getting the same quality, if not better if you take in to account the profit margins, car for less? But also if we do take into account components and engineering, can you still saying the same thing?

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Materials-wise, one car to the next isn't massively different, especially when in the same size-range-class we are talking about. Steel is a world-wide commodity like oil. To build a massively quality interior vs a Camry, costs maybe $300 more. That's about it!

We can also measure R&D costs, and a lot of other areas in raw costs. But no, we cannot figure out in dollars the value of a long history of German engineering and knowhow. And handling is subjective as is design, along with brand label, etc... Anyone would be hard-pressed to say Hyundai/Kia has the same petegree of engineering prowess as the German car companies.

Then again, I believe Korea has the best math students in the world now? Or close too? That equates and flows into engineering talent over time. No doubt about it.

It was pointed out that the once laughed at Toyota for selling 4-banger, small, cheap, Toyota Camry's in the states now sell a Land Cruise for $85,000 and no one bats an eye. It took Toyota - Honda about 20 years to come in as laughing stock to kings of the mid-size reliable, well design and engineered hill...

Thinking about Hyundai and Kia's adventure into the US and world-wide markets. It was a different play. They did not come in with amazingly well quality driven vehicles. Yes, cheap as all get out, but not quality. That, vs their Japanese rivals, is what has taken them - IMO - another 10+ years to catch up. That reality of quality which has had to change. And it certainly has seen leaps and bounds in the past decade from both companies. Hyundai first, then Kia.

In basketball, one of my favorite locker room posts on the wall was "It's not what you were, it's what you are today."

I imagine any car company on the top of the hill - their marketing teams HATE - the philosophy. Toyota has made a killing marketing their quality heritage, even if they are no longer at the very top, and build IMHO boring, stale, plastic interior-laced vehicles. But legacy in vehicle marketing matters to the consumer in a massive way.

This is why the Stinger was made - at least in part. Perception. "Hey, it is us - KIA - that is #1 in the entire world by JD Power in initial quality! Not BMW, not Toyota, not Mercedes, it is US!" Now they have a car that brings in enthusiasts to the brand.

Match those two things with reliability and quality and continue that vein of vehicle over the next 5 years, and maintain top-5 in JD ratings, and Kia will be perceived totally differently.

The Japanese makers know this all too well, and Hyundai-Kia is the brand they fear the most in the entire industry.

Oh, and since I mentioned "It's what you are today..." This brings me to - Today Kia makes high, high, quality vehicles. Some are gimmick-like, and the dealers, some, are bottom feeders because of the companies market space legacy, but the vehicles themselves are well built and engineered products. Pound for Pound, I see BMW being $10k too much overall. I would pay a bit for their engineering and legacy, but not their repair costs and electrical legacy issues either... Remember, the Stinger was largely designed by Germans working at Audi and BMW, brining their massive triable knowledge to the table for Kia...

My $.02 worth! ; )

 

[avramd02]

Materials-wise, one car to the next isn't massively different, especially when in the same size-range-class we are talking about. Steel is a world-wide commodity like oil. To build a massively quality interior vs a Camry, costs maybe $300 more. That's about it!

We can also measure R&D costs, and a lot of other areas in raw costs. But no, we cannot figure out in dollars the value of a long history of German engineering and knowhow. And handling is subjective as is design, along with brand label, etc... Anyone would be hard-pressed to say Hyundai/Kia has the same petegree of engineering prowess as the German car companies.

Then again, I believe Korea has the best math students in the world now? Or close too? That equates and flows into engineering talent over time. No doubt about it.

It was pointed out that the once laughed at Toyota for selling 4-banger, small, cheap, Toyota Camry's in the states now sell a Land Cruise for $85,000 and no one bats an eye. It took Toyota - Honda about 20 years to come in as laughing stock to kings of the mid-size reliable, well design and engineered hill...

Thinking about Hyundai and Kia's adventure into the US and world-wide markets. It was a different play. They did not come in with amazingly well quality driven vehicles. Yes, cheap as all get out, but not quality. That, vs their Japanese rivals, is what has taken them - IMO - another 10+ years to catch up. That reality of quality which has had to change. And it certainly has seen leaps and bounds in the past decade from both companies. Hyundai first, then Kia.

In basketball, one of my favorite locker room posts on the wall was "It's not what you were, it's what you are today."

I imagine any car company on the top of the hill - their marketing teams HATE - the philosophy. Toyota has made a killing marketing their quality heritage, even if they are no longer at the very top, and build IMHO boring, stale, plastic interior-laced vehicles. But legacy in vehicle marketing matters to the consumer in a massive way.

This is why the Stinger was made - at least in part. Perception. "Hey, it is us - KIA - that is #1 in the entire world by JD Power in initial quality! Not BMW, not Toyota, not Mercedes, it is US!" Now they have a car that brings in enthusiasts to the brand.

Match those two things with reliability and quality and continue that vein of vehicle over the next 5 years, and maintain top-5 in JD ratings, and Kia will be perceived totally differently.

The Japanese makers know this all too well, and Hyundai-Kia is the brand they fear the most in the entire industry.

Oh, and since I mentioned "It's what you are today..." This brings me to - Today Kia makes high, high, quality vehicles. Some are gimmick-like, and the dealers, some, are bottom feeders because of the companies market space legacy, but the vehicles themselves are well built and engineered products. Pound for Pound, I see BMW being $10k too much overall. I would pay a bit for their engineering and legacy, but not their repair costs and electrical legacy issues either... Remember, the Stinger was largely designed by Germans working at Audi and BMW, brining their massive triable knowledge to the table for Kia...

My $.02 worth! ; )

I believe this does bring me one step closer to being sold. But the thing about the repair cost, from what I've experienced, is true with most European cars. My dad has the Volvo sc90 and he can't bring it in to the local mechanic if he runs into trouble. True he hasn't run into any yet, but the mechanic told him not to bother bringing it to him because he hasn't bothered buying the right systems diagnostic tools for most European cars because the companies just make them too expensive for the local shops to buy.

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[MarkyMark]

I believe this does bring me one step closer to being sold. But the thing about the repair cost, from what I've experienced, is true with most European cars. My dad has the Volvo sc90 and he can't bring it in to the local mechanic if he runs into trouble. True he hasn't run into any yet, but the mechanic told him not to bother bringing it to him because he hasn't bothered buying the right systems diagnostic tools for most European cars because the companies just make them too expensive for the local shops to buy.

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Technology in these cars has sure put a pinch on the aftermarket repair guys that's for sure. The dealers have big advantages now-a-days in the repair business. Which begs an obvious question: Which is more expensive to replace, a BMW water pump or a Kia's?...

 

[MarkyMark]

I'll be a first-time Kia buyer due to the Stinger for sure.

That said, saw a Ceramic Grey GT2 at a Lowe's over the weekend. A gal and her boyfriend/husband were walking towards the Stinger and sure enough it was theirs. She just purchased it. We talked and discovered it was the exact GT2 I test drove! LOL! However, I test drove it back early January! No, I didn't tell her it's been on the lot since December being ripped around, but it doesn't seem they are flying off the shelves?...

Secondly, she was German or Swiss - something, couldn't quite tell, but certainly from the region. She said she went in to buy a Kia Sportage and walked out with the Stinger!?

What?! Who does this?

No problem with her doing so, I just don't get how in 30 minutes or so you can go from buying thinking about buying a cheap Sportage to laying down bank for a $52k sports car?!

She was very proud about it beating a Porsche Panamera and 3-series and A5 series... and how this is at least $20k less for that type of performance!

I can only surmise she went into the dealership and saw the Stinger on the floor and was wow'd. Then the sales folks noticed her accent and started talking Albert Biermann, development in Germany, the N?rburgring track and so on, she test drove it, and it had the practical hatch, and that was that.

 

[Genesis]

I have a Kia Sedona, Cayman S and a R8, and yes it won't be my first or my last KIA.

 

[threeunderpar]

Yeah I would have never considered a Kia until I on a whim test drove the Stinger. Traded in my BMW and bought one three days later. Love this car.