Kia Stinger: nine months in. 

"Spanfeller is a twat" (theaspiringengineer) 11/10/2018 at 01:27 • Filed to: None

8

18

“It” just doesn’t go away.

Notes and complaints:

It’s been nine months with the car and it’s been a fantastic machine all around except for fuel economy. Mexico City’s thin atmosphere, aggressive traffic, and my own mods have made this car pretty inefficient, getting around 16.5L/100km in the last year. It’s still way less than my jeep, which used to average 27L/100km. This car is very noisy in the highway, even with the special glass it’s a heavy cabin. But this could probably be fixed with some better rubber.

The paint has predominantly survived but it’s still really thin, and it gets scratched up on everything. However, the interior is pretty much perfect except for one noise when the speakers are at a high pitch. Though this probably comes from the modifications; not Kia. I did spot a manufacturing mistake however; the headliner did not snap correctly with the pins on the roof, so the car did make some odd vibrations in the very first days since delivery, but this was fixed later on.

Another weird thing is that the cover for the physical key on the driver’s door broke out of nowhere... just some cheap piece of plastic....

When it comes to maintenance, my car has had it’s first inspection done at a cost of 150 dollars, and an oil change. Despite some fire-y recalls on other Kias, the Stinger models have been pretty much exempted from this malady. On the other hand, the car loses alignment quickly and loves tracking ruts on the road, but that’s a common thing here in Mexico City, plus, the added weight can’t be helping at all.

One complaint is that if you have auto hold and the stop-start system working, at times the ignition is jerky, but the solution to that problem is to be more patient with the car.

The rest

This car is still unreal to behold. While I spend most of my days on Eco mode, the few off days when I get to play on Sport are a true reminder of what this car is capable of. Yes, it’s a pig of a chasis, and yes, the engine is boosted to death, but it’s still a car no one sees coming. It’s almost like a muscle car that doesn’t feel the need to prove anything about itself. Perhaps it’s shown some battle scars by now but I still park it as far away as possible, and I still give it a double glance; it hasn’t lost the special thing about it. It’s still abnormal to me.

In the end, it’s a hard car to understand. People still think it’s bad or good depending of which corner of the internet they read on the day they first saw it, and I’m yet to see them in double digits around the city. But this is a double edged sword.

When I see someone looking at my car, I know they’re true car-people, and not someone looking for a big-badge, and when people don’t know what it is; it makes it better. It’s a quiet car because of the badge; no one gives it a second glance, and that has benefits for safety and, erm, legality.

I mean, one day some person at a condominium thought I was an uber driver. I didn’t take offense to it, of course, but it does show that people still have lower expectations for Kias in general.

Do I still recommend it?

Well. Not the V6. The Stinger is best enjoyed with the smaller engine because it’s a compromise of a car. It’s not meant to be excessive; it’s meant to be just enough to bother BMW owners. The fuel economy is bad and it’s an expensive car to run. With hindsight, I think it wasn’t the right car for what I use it, but it’s so flexible and capable that in 9 out of 10 situations it doesn’t matter.

Would I change anything about it?

Well, I do ponder whether getting the Borla exhausts someday, but the thing I want the most for now is the alcantara steering wheel from the Korean version. As for something more serious, it’s a shame Kia didn’t release a hybrid version of the Stinger because it would’ve been transformative for the urban fuel economy; the car is so large that fitting a battery pack and a small motor can’t be a big issue, so why not? I mean, FCA is putting electric motors on trucks!

I also have to do something about my front license plate solution, I need to find a way to cover those hideous holes that came from factory  and maybe get a tow-hook holder:

Future Heap Owner > Spanfeller is a twat 11/10/2018 at 01:42

1

This is pretty much the best you can ask for in a new car: 9 months in and it still feels special. Even better that most people can’t see how it is.

For context on your fuel usage rates: how much does a liter of whatever petrol it takes cost in USD?

Spanfeller is a twat > Future Heap Owner 11/10/2018 at 01:51

0

On the last fill up I paid 3.98 per gallon, it was premium though. 

Chuckles > Spanfeller is a twat 11/10/2018 at 01:59

0

You mentioned mods. What have you done  to it so far?

Spanfeller is a twat > Chuckles 11/10/2018 at 02:07

1

Only the shatterproof glass, but it adds between 100-150 kilos.
With the glass came a ride height increase of 1/2 an inch and a rear cross brace.

Chuckles > Spanfeller is a twat 11/10/2018 at 02:09

0

Is that a pretty common mod in your part of the world? 

Spanfeller is a twat > Chuckles 11/10/2018 at 02:10

1

I think that around 0.5% of cars in Mexico have some sort of shatterproof or (in more expensive and extreme cases) bulletproof glass. It’s all heavily regulated by the government.

Chuckles > Spanfeller is a twat 11/10/2018 at 02:11

0

So why does your car have this mod?

Spanfeller is a twat > Chuckles 11/10/2018 at 02:17

2

Well, my entire family uses it, they think it’s pertinent given crime in this city.
I went into detail on the post about it

Chuckles > Spanfeller is a twat 11/10/2018 at 02:19

0

Thanks. Didn't mean to be judgemental, just trying to understand.

Spanfeller is a twat > Chuckles 11/10/2018 at 02:19

1

No, it’s fine :)....

Future Heap Owner > Spanfeller is a twat 11/10/2018 at 03:18

1

So then it costs $16.84 to go 100 km? Yeah, not great. Of course, I’ m used to a car where it costs less than half that.

The Dummy Gummy > Spanfeller is a twat 11/10/2018 at 07:41

0

Glad you’re still enjoying it. It is d isappointing to hear that such cheap materials are used on such an expensive car that is built to impress and win over new customers.

Spanfeller is a twat > The Dummy Gummy 11/10/2018 at 11:59

0

The only complaint really is that wierd plastic thing

Spasoje > Spanfeller is a twat 11/10/2018 at 14:26

0

H o w c o m e t h e f u e l c o n s u m p t i o n i s T H A T h i g h ? A 6 . 2 L F - 1 5 0 R a p t o r g e t s 1 9 L c i t y . . .

Spanfeller is a twat > Spasoje 11/10/2018 at 14:49

1

2800m above sea level, bad petrol (even if its the premium gas) and stop-and-go traffic.

On the highway I get 7l/100km @100km. Its mostly the city driving that really hinders the Kia. 

Spanfeller is a twat > Future Heap Owner 11/10/2018 at 15:35

1

Well, I live in the most congested city of this continent.... so it’s to be expected. Once you let it stretch it’s legs the consumption falls significantly, highway fuel economy is easily 7-9l/100km. 

Longtime Lurker > Spanfeller is a twat 11/11/2018 at 03:52

1

Cover up the holes in the bumper with a LED lightbar.

wafflesnfalafel > Spanfeller is a twat 11/11/2018 at 09:35

1

saw one of those in a bright blue on Friday - its a really nice looking car.  It does seem to be currently fetching more $$ than I would expect, but once that settles down it ought to be a decent buy.