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Kia Optima 2006.5-2008

905 messages,  Last post on Aug 30, 2012 at 7:54 PM

You are in the Kia Optima Forum.

What is this discussion about? Kia Optima, Sedan

Messages Page 85 of 92

#834 of 905 Re: 2008 KIA Optima [mikemartin] by backy

Jun 22, 2009 (3:06 pm)

Replying to: mikemartin (Jun 21, 2009 11:16 am)
There's not that many options here:
 
1) You are buying the car from a Kia dealer. You get them to state, in writing, that the car is covered by the remainder of the 5/60k factory warranty. After that, it's up to you to maintain the car according to the manufacturer's recommended service schedule.
 
2) The owner had the car serviced at a Kia or other service center that maintains computer records. You get a printout of those records and verify the car was maintained properly.
 
3) The owner has hardcopy records of all servicing, showing the car was maintained properly.
 
4) The owner makes a written, sworn (before a notary public) statement that he/she performed all service according to the manufacturer's service schedule (not sure that will satisfy Kia if there's a dispute, but it's better than nothing).
 
5) Carfax shows all servicing was done (not real likely, as I've found Carfax unreliable in showing ALL servicing records).
 
Or,
 
6) You can't verify that the car was serviced according to the manufacturer's schedule, hence buying the car is a crapshoot, in multiple ways.

#835 of 905 Re: 2008 KIA Optima [backy] by mikemartin

Jun 22, 2009 (5:10 pm)

Replying to: backy (Jun 22, 2009 3:06 pm)
Thanks Backy.
 
I'm finding out that warranty issues are an often overlooked technicality by a lot of used car buyers, not just Kia buyers, and if one is not careful, lack of due diligence will come back to bite one in the rear with an expensive and uncovered repair.

#836 of 905 2007 Owner Reviews-- valid or driveby shooting? by csandste

Aug 25, 2009 (4:10 pm)

Was surprised to see the overall evaluation of the 07 Optima to be under eight, especially since it was quite high the last time I checked. Note the large block of extremely low rated comments, things I never see on the forum
 
http://www.edmunds.com/kia/optima/2007/consumerreview.html
 
--- is there some kind of Toyota salesman out there getting even or does the 07 really suck (earlier and later models don't seem to reflect this), and last time I checked
 
http://www.truedelta.com
 
had owners experience with the Optima at the top end.

#837 of 905 Re: 2007 Owner Reviews-- valid or driveby shooting? [csandste] by backy

Aug 25, 2009 (5:41 pm)

Replying to: csandste (Aug 25, 2009 4:10 pm)
All the really negative comments are puzzling. Seems to be many cars with multiple transmission failures, head gasket failures, starter failures, etc. But some comments are really strange. Like the one about the owner who had lots of problems starting at 42k miles, so he sold it, and "a month later" the new owner said he'd had lots of "insanely expensive problems" with the car. Which means either that new owner drove over 18k miles on the car in very short time period (so the warranty was used up), or Kia didn't honor the warranty for these problems. Then there's the one where "Hyundai" refused to honor the warranty because they said service was not performed at a dealership. Uh, isn't this a KIA??
 
Also consider CR's reliability data has the '07 Optima rated "Much above average" (red dot) as of April 2009, which is about the timeframe of many of the negative comments (that issue was published around March 1, 2009). All of the engine and transmission categories are "much above average" also. The timing is... interesting.
 
I particularly like "Bev"''s multiple reviews. First she writes a balanced review, some negative but some positive marks. Then someone else posts a review with all 1's. Bev comes back and posts another review a few days after her first, this time with all 1's.
 
It's also interesting how some engine and transmission problems can affect a car's comfort, and interior and exterior design--those are 1's too.

#838 of 905 Re: 2007 Owner Reviews-- valid or driveby shooting? [csandste] by mickeyrom

Aug 25, 2009 (5:58 pm)

Replying to: csandste (Aug 25, 2009 4:10 pm)
Either I have been incredibly lucky,or those are posts created by the NRC. I love my KIA and it now has over 30K miles on it.You might remember my problems with the passenger seat air bags,but once that annoying problem was solved,the Optima has been nothing short of perfection.I'll let you know if that ever changes,but all I've done so far is change the oil,rotate tires and one time change the tranny fluid.

#839 of 905 Re: 2007 Owner Reviews-- valid or driveby shooting? [backy] by mickeyrom

Aug 25, 2009 (6:09 pm)

Replying to: backy (Aug 25, 2009 5:41 pm)
Hi Backy.Sure hope those posts are hoaxes.I love my KIA,but I have to admit reading that crap does have some effect,in a negative way.I hope I don't get paranoid.

#840 of 905 Re: 2007 Owner Reviews-- valid or driveby shooting? [mickeyrom] by csandste

Aug 26, 2009 (1:21 pm)

Replying to: mickeyrom (Aug 25, 2009 6:09 pm)
"It's also interesting how some engine and transmission problems can affect a car's comfort, and interior and exterior design--those are 1's too."
 
If you hated everything about it, why were you so stupid as to buy it?

#841 of 905 Re: 2007 Owner Reviews-- valid or driveby shooting? [csandste] by mickeyrom

Aug 26, 2009 (1:43 pm)

Replying to: csandste (Aug 26, 2009 1:21 pm)
Absolutely right CS.

#842 of 905 A question about the serpentine belt by mickeyrom

Sep 12, 2009 (9:36 am)

Somebody posted that they had to replace that belt at 30,000 miles.I asked what the symptom was which made them check it.There was no reply to my question,so here I am asking other Optma owners again.Is there something I should be watching for which will give me a hint that my sepentine needs attention?

#843 of 905 To change or not to change,that is the question. by mickeyrom

Sep 12, 2009 (9:41 am)

I am referring to the ridiculously hard to get to fuel filter.I had one service supervisor tell me not to bother unless it starts causing problems.I heard the same thing from a certified Chrysler mechanic who I know personally.Anybody have any thoughts on that issue?

Messages Page 85 of 92

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