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Sedans Kia Amanti 2007 Kia Amanti
103 messages, Last post on Jun 19, 2008 at 6:17 PM
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To follow up on my comments about obtaining the Opirus grille for the 2007 Amanti, I have, on July 3rd, purchased a pewter beige Amanti with leather package (tan interior), ESC/safety package, 17 in. wheels and sunroof. When I started out shopping for a replacement vehicel for my wrecked 2001 XG300, I had not expected to seriously consider the Amanti due to the styling issues I had with the pre-2007 car as well as the reviewers dissing its "floaty" ride and underwhelming engine power. Test driving an Amanti after seeing an article online about the redesign for 2007 was a relevation. I seriously shopped the Amanti vs. the Azera and a couple of other nice sedans, and the Amanti won. I told my wife about the pewter beige Amanti, and when she saw it and rode in it, she was convinced that I had made the right choice. How often does that happen? I paid $26,700.00 after incentives. This car is an amazing value at that price. I am continually being amazed by the quality and features. The power and smoothness of the ride are truly a delight. I'd say this car, for 2007, is the biggest hidden secret on the U.S. market, since Kia is not doing any advertising that I can see. They took a pretty good sedan and turned it into a real quality luxury cruiser. I'd love to see this car in a "sporting" trim with handling improvements and some performance tweaks. It's really that good! But, of course, I'm preaching to the choir in this forum. To get to my point, I want to totally re-badge this car to the Korean-market Opirus trim. The one objection my wife had to the car was the KIA logos on the car. Kia, regrettably, has had a reputation in the U.S. for selling cheap cars. Strange that, in Korea, the Amanti is sold as the Opirus, with no Kia nomenclature on the car at all, but here Kia wants to badge it the same as it less expensive cars. Remember that Toyota felt that its image in the U.S. required that they give a totally independent name and dealership system for their top-of-the-line sedans, and came up with the Lexus badge. Well, I want my new car to have that kind of separate identity from the Kia brand. Luckily, the folks at KoreanAutoImports.com can supply all of the exterior trim and badges to make the transformation, including the deluxe Opirus grille, and tell me that they sell a whole re-badging kit to folks like me who want a new, mysterious identity for their Amanti's. They don't, at this time, have the all the pieces necessary to completely rebadge the interior, but I'm hoping to find a solution to the steering wheel cover badge and the door sill plates. I'll be photographing the changes and will report on my progress. 
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Replying to: mikewellsesq (Jul 04, 2007 4:09 pm) http://www.carspace.com/mikewellsesq/Albums/mikewellsesq%27s%20Album/Amanti_Opirus.JPG/page/photo.html#pic Look in my CarSpace photo album under MikeWellsEsq for more photos as the project progresses.
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Replying to: mikewellsesq (Jul 14, 2007 1:05 pm) Gary
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Replying to: gary12 (Jul 14, 2007 11:50 pm) The steering wheel emblem required a little extra 3M double-side sticky tape to adhere properly. I'm now waiting for the rest of the items to arrive from Korea. I may have a professional mechanic replace the license plate surround. The wheels will have to be taken off the vehicle to pop out the center caps, as far as I an tell. From what I am told, using a hot air gun or hairdryer on the "Amanti" lettering will soften the double-sided adhesive holding them on enough to lift off the letters. I'll then stick on the "GH380" chrome letters on the right-hand side of the trunk lid. The Opirus has really cool looking sill plates with blue illumination, but I don't know of anyone who has them available yet.
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Replying to: mikewellsesq (Jul 15, 2007 8:44 am)
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Replying to: billh6 (Jul 17, 2007 11:41 am) Bottom line: I think it is a great value in that your car suddenly looks like it cost $10,000.00 more than you paid for it!
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Replying to: mikewellsesq (Jul 17, 2007 3:13 pm)
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Replying to: mikewellsesq (Jul 15, 2007 8:44 am) 
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Replying to: redptc (Aug 16, 2007 1:54 pm)
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Replying to: redptc (Aug 16, 2007 1:54 pm)  |
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