- #84 of 103
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Re: changing headlight bulbs. [redptc]
by magmax
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Mar 09, 2008 (10:03 pm)
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Replying to: redptc (Dec 21, 2007 12:10 pm)
I don't know where you live but if you're anywhere near the Canadian border, just drive across, find a Kia dealer and ask about installing the HID Xenon lights that are standard on the Canadian models. They just plug right in but they won't be cheap. Why we get those but don't get a 6-CD changer even as an option is beyond me.
MagMax
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- #85 of 103
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Sold the Amanti
by magmax
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Mar 09, 2008 (10:14 pm)
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A year ago in January I traded my 05 Amanti for an 07 and after I'd done it I enjoyed the more powerful engine, the better handling, and the new grille and taillights. I really missed the rain sensing wipers, 6-CD changer, heated rear seats, and the chrome eyes for a trunk net to fasten to, all items that had been removed from the car for the 2007 year in Canada. The Canadian market cars also don't offer the adjustable pedals and their prices are at least $5000 out of whack with the US prices. I wrote the company but received no reply. So I decided to quit Kia. If they can't make a car for me I won't buy a car from them. I traded my Amanti in on a Mercedes E class, took a hit on depreciation, but now have a car that is amazing in every way and one whose manufacturer didn't remove all sorts of little items from its standard features list. Too bad, Kia. But they sold only about 15 cars per month in Canada so they probably didn't care. Consumer Reports says that the reliability has dropped to below average so it's probably a good time to get out now before things start to go wrong. That's the end of the story of Kia and me.
MagMax
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- #86 of 103
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Re: Sold the Amanti [magmax]
by chuck1
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Mar 15, 2008 (8:29 pm)
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Replying to: magmax (Mar 09, 2008 10:14 pm)
So - if I understand correctly, you purchased a car that didn't have all the features your previous car had. (I assume you knew this). And then to "get back" at Kia you took what had to be a "massive hit" on depreciation?
I don't think it's really fair to compare a Mercedes to any Korean car. As a matter of fact, I will go as far to say that people generally are not going to "cross shop" a Kia to a Mercedes.
Enjoy your car.
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- #87 of 103
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Re: Sold the Amanti [chuck1]
by billh6
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Mar 22, 2008 (6:08 am)
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Replying to: chuck1 (Mar 15, 2008 8:29 pm)
Amanti is Kia's flapship car. Can't compare it to Mecedes, although I believe their customer satisifaction is/or was way down there. This is my second one, going from '04 to '07. I hope the rumors are true that the '09 will be more sportier, then I might consider trading. I the meantime, I've only had one problem, the chrome coat on right front wheel was peeling off (probably some abrasive cleaner I used) and they gave me a new wheel, no questions asked. I'm still enjoying my ride!
Bill
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- #88 of 103
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Re: Sold the Amanti [billh6]
by oneij
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Apr 06, 2008 (7:50 am)
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Replying to: billh6 (Mar 22, 2008 6:08 am)
Hello to anyone who reads this. I am a new fan of the Amanti. I am 66 yrs old and live near Albany NY. We have 2 dealers within 10 miles of my house. Only one of them has one Amanti on the lot. I drove it yesterday and really loved it. I have a 97 Lincoln town car with 69800 miles on it. Its a really nice car and I'm on the fence of whether to trade it in or not. I've driven the Avalon and the Ultima and also the Ezera. I think the Amanti wins hands down. They only want to give me $3500 for my car. The sticker on the new 08 Amanti $31,000. They are asking me to pay $27,891 and my car. The Amanti they have has all the extra's on it, including the black leather package with the aluminum trim on the inside and the polished,or chromed wheels. The exterior id a dark gray. Not exactly the color combination I want. When I saw the 2 tone models that someone has posted on this site I fell in love with this car. From what I can tell these models will not be available to anyone outside of Korea. Am I correct in this? I would love to see those 2 tone cars come to the northern hemisphere.
I've been looking for a car for most of this year and haven't been as excited about anything out there till I saw the 2 tone models of the Amanti. If anyone can help with any kind of info I'd be very grateful. Thanks for reading this.
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- #89 of 103
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Albany Amanti Fan
by mikewellsesq
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Apr 06, 2008 (9:23 am)
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Replying to: oneij (Apr 06, 2008 7:50 am)
Yes, the two-tone look is not available in North America, regrettably. I suppose that a competent paint shop could customize an Amanti for you with the two-tone look.
The price you were quoted by the dealer sounds high; if you use Edmund's "TMV Pricing Report" for the Albany area you get a TMV of $29,514 before a deduction of a cash-to-customer rebate of $1,000.00, for a final TMV of $28,514. Deduct your trade-in from that and the final bill is $25,041.
I strongly urge you to use the tools that Edmunds provides to find a fair asking price for the new car, the fair value of your used car, and also get price quotes from other dealers. I used these tools when I purchased my 2007 Amanti, and paid $26,800 for my car, which did not have the premium black interior but did have all the other bells & whistles. That was the price before any trade-in. With quotes from dealer in a 60 mile radius from my home, I was able to find a car with the color I wanted at a competitive price.
I still love my Amanti at over 11,000 miles, and continue get many admiring remarks from other folks. Many mistake it for a Lincoln or a Jaguar! It is an excellent long-distance drive car. Mileage is about 27 MPG on highway trips, 19.5 in mixed city driving. Interior room and comfort are top-notch. I'm sure you'll be very happy with one if you end up getting a good price.
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- #90 of 103
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Re: Albany Amanti Fan [mikewellsesq]
by oneij
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Apr 07, 2008 (6:25 am)
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Replying to: mikewellsesq (Apr 06, 2008 9:23 am)
Hello Mike, Thank you for answering my message. After I drove the Amanti I was more interested in it than when I walked into the show room. I hagled with them for quite a while and they never changed their asking price. Because the car was not the color I wanted I didn't push too much. I went on Edmunds and did a 100 mile radius search, and the only one that came up was the one that I drove.I live in Schenectady NY, about 16 miles from Albany. There is a dealer in Queensbury NY that I will call to see if and what they may have. It is really suprising to me that there are so few in my area. Thanks again for replying to my message. Have a great day. Bill B.
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- #91 of 103
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Re: Albany Amanti Fan [oneij]
by chuck1
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Apr 07, 2008 (7:29 am)
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Replying to: oneij (Apr 07, 2008 6:25 am)
Bill,
This car is not in high demand at all. As a mater of fact, this car depreciates big time once you drive it off the lot. That's not to say if this is the car you like, don't buy it. Go right ahead but you need to get the best price possible. Don't be afraid to walk away.....
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- #92 of 103
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Re: Albany Amanti Fan [chuck1]
by mikewellsesq
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Apr 07, 2008 (3:29 pm)
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Replying to: chuck1 (Apr 07, 2008 7:29 am)
Agreed. Amanti sales numbers are quite small. No wonder, since Kia has not advertised the car for a couple of years, at least. I don't really understand why they aren't trying a little harder to sell this car. It has received mostly very favorable reviews, and has rated very highly in recent safety testing. The depreciation is an ssue, but if you, like me, buy a car for long-term use, it is not so great a concern. I like getting a luxury sedan for much less than the competing brands and then enjoying the car for several years. My last car was a Hyundai XG-300, bought new in May 2001, and drove it for 106,000 miles until it was rear-ended last July. With the long warranty from Hyundai-Kia, owning the car for several years past the loan pay-off is quite reasonable.
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- #93 of 103
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Re: Albany Amanti Fan [chuck1]
by oneij
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May 05, 2008 (8:29 am)
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Replying to: chuck1 (Apr 07, 2008 7:29 am)
I've had my Amanti for about 2 weeks now and Loving it. I finally got to a dealer who wanted to sell me a car. I'm still reading the owners manual and finding out things I didn't know about the car.Since my last car was 12 years old, they have changed the way they do things. Who ever thought the rearview exterior mirror's would slant down when you put the car in reverse. You can see the ground when backing up. The seats are really comfortable and the ride is excellent. There's nothing on this car that bothers me even a little bit. Its as peppy as anyone could want. So far I'm getting 18 MPG with all city driving. I'm really impressed with this car. Now I'm looking at the Opirus grille. Just wondering if its worth the $295 they want. Have a great day everyone.
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