Fun, have fun paying all that moniesOriginally Posted by HW-David
Caution: This is a long, meaningless post... thats just for me to let off some steam and express my anger for today. Don't read if you expect a laugh, or a fun time
Yes, yes yes.... I've heard it time and time again. "Kia's suck." Well, to be honest with you... I've had my 96 Kia for over a year now, 126k miles, and it runs very well. The problems that have came up are always a pain in the ---, but can always be blamed on the fact that its 12 years old.
So far, we've replaced the water pump, the radiator, and the distributor... totaling $2800 when you include the cost of the car.... So in theory, we could have actually saved a few bucks by just buying a more expensive car, but I wasn't expecting much out of my $1500 car.
So today, I went up to the local repair shop to get the car smogged, expecting a good result, since the car runs great. He said that he can't even test it, because the idle is too high. The idle was high because it was adjusted before we got the distributor replaced, since it was causing it to idle low. So I left the car with them, and walked home (nice hour long walk... great for my fat ---).
Then I get a call, saying they fixed the idle, but it failed the smog test. He wanted to do a diagnostic test to find the problem, and I said fine... $100 isn't bad to get whatever it is fixed, right?
The catalytic converter needs to be replaced apparently. We've replaced one on another vehicle of ours before, it was like $150 for it, plus labor...
Then he goes ahead and gives me the bad news. The only place he could find one was at the Kia dealership.... apparently they're manufactured in a way that no one else carries them. They're $1100. That's right, eleven hundred. I even called the dealership myself to double check, and he assured me that I wouldn't find one anywhere else.... and of course, I double checked on the internet, and it was pretty true (I found a couple, but they said they weren't for vehicles that required California Smog Certification).
So this little $1500 Kia that I bought because it was cheap... has already pissed me off because of the $300 radiator, the $400 water pump, and the $600 distributor (labor included on all those)...
But now, I get to pay AT LEAST another $1100 for the catalytic converter, plus labor, plus a smog test, plus an aborted smog test fee.
I guess its worth it...
Fun, have fun paying all that monies
Strip the car for parts!
Corazu
I can imagine the frustration.
96 Sephia. Looks like this but white...
and I don't trust the internet for parts... This is why: (Found these on the google search)
Fit Note: "All, 49 State Universal, Not To Be Used On California Registered Vehicles".
Fits: Federal Emissions, NOT CA Emissions Vehicle.
California has extremely high emissions standards, from what i've been told. That's why our gas costs too much too. $3.38 last night, probably higher today
Last edited by DavidsAwesome; February 28th, 2008 at 07:57.
hey, here is a tip.
go downtown, or wherever you get business licenses, get a retail license, and then go to the auto dealer. tell them you want parts at wholesale. if you have a retail license, you can get a wholesale account with them
or, go to your local junkyard and get one off a car there, much cheaper. i got a slightly used one on ebay for a couple hundred fro my sentra i used to have.
good luck man.
Full-service digital agency based in Scottsdale, Arizona - iBright Development
Pull-A-Part Yard ftw
"They're polyurethane sex toys, Joe. They aren't capable of judgment."
Yeah, but it's not like there's an abundance of 96 Sephias just kicking around in those yards.
Considering Kia also manufacture/mass-produce kettles, I think they're a very poor choice for a car
Well, that's a really helpful contribution considering he already has the car.
Hey, you never know. He might as well give it a check. Usually around $2 to get in the yard, then he could pull a catalytic converter for less than $100 ... A few months ago my dad and I pulled a fender for the 260Z for cheeeap. Can't remember how much exactly, though ...
"They're polyurethane sex toys, Joe. They aren't capable of judgment."
I'm not a very helpful person.
Well, I realize this now... I was impressed by how well the car was holding up when I bought it, and it was cheap... and I'm the second owner.
My next car will be a lot better, but... I kind of have an obsession for Fords, so I'll probably get a focus or a five hundred.... Or maybe a Lincoln... as long as its made by Ford Motor Company. I know Ford has a somewhat sketchy reputation too though, and the dealerships are insane... but they'll be easy to find parts for.
And the bus wasn't that bad today... I don't like public transportation, but I was a little surprised at how clean it was. Tomorrow may be a different story though, someone was telling me that that route is usually full of people.
HW-David, may I suggest a Yugo GV?
"They're polyurethane sex toys, Joe. They aren't capable of judgment."
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