2018 Kia Forte LX - An Oppo Adjuster's Review

"CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever" (carsoffortlangley) 09/12/2018 at 11:43 • Filed to: Best of COFL

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This is my Kia Forte LX. It has a 6 speed manual and not a whole lot else. It’s pretty comfortable, at least compared to the ST. Driving dynamics are for shit. Manual is in my opinion is terrible. I am glad I have this, I essentially drive in a 3rd world country (Surrey, sorry Haadoke) so wanted something that I didn’t care about.

It doesn’t feel like my car.. more of a permanent rental. The payments/insurance is mostly covered by my car allowance. The mileage and depreciation can be written off on my income tax. The gas is fully paid by my firm. So I don’t see any real financial impact from it, further reinforcing the permanent rental feel.

What it does have is Bluetooth, a trip computer, steel wheels and power locks/windows. No key-less entry, AC, backup camera or touchscreen.

I bought the car, brand new for $11720CDN or $9019.86USD plus taxes. Insurance cost me $2752.32 for a year.

The steering wheel has call controls and trip controls. I really like the trip controls because not only does it track my mileage, it tracks the elapsed time of the trip. This is great because all of my time and mileage is billable.

I cleaned the interior, but it could probably use another dust/vacuum. New cars are always disgusting.

Bonus RCMP vehicle, because Surrey

The car can only be locked/unlocked from the extiorior via the keyholes. No remote to be seen. I don’t really care about this, but a remote would have been nice.

The trunk is the biggest I have ever had (compared to the Fiesta ST and CX-3). It will eventually be filled with lots of equipment. That’s just my jacket, man purse and “claim bag”

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 11:52

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Your description of “Long term rental car” is perfect. No nonsense no emotion no connection.

Also ”No AC”? Damn I am sweating from simply reading that.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time 09/12/2018 at 11:53

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If I came out to find it on fire, I’d go back in to finish my coffee.  And yeah... but keep in mind I have 2 other cars (CX-3 and Fiesta ST) with AC.  I can swap it out if needed.

Future Heap Owner > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 11:56

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Welcome to appliance car ownership. It’s not so bad, especially if you’re not paying for it.

What’s so bad about the manual? Is it the shifter, clutch, gearing, or all of the above?

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Future Heap Owner 09/12/2018 at 11:57

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All of the above. Plus the car is very insistent on flashing what gear it thinks you should be in at you.  Both for upshift and downshift.  

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 11:58

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Wait.....No AC means no compressor or pipes or any of that malarky.

Manual base model means you have the Forte Superleggera model.

Wh en you’re done with it, I want it. I want to turn it into a beater touring car. Coax a few ponies out of the engine, install the proper suspension and brakes, strip it, cage it, and then go attacking apexes.

gmctavish needs more space > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 11:58

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It’s not ugly, it’ll blend in anywhere, and it shouldn’t give you any grief. Should be perfect for your purposes.

I think the only things that would eventually bother me is no AC, and maybe no keyless entry. I had no idea you could still get cars without keyless entry, but still with power locks.

fintail > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 11:59

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Interesting just because this car doesn’t exist in such a low spec in Murka. Welcome to 1991!

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > fintail 09/12/2018 at 12:02

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I could not find any other cars spec’d like this in Canada.  Seems like a one off POS sent to punish me.

fintail > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 12:04

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It is remarkable for its lack of niceties.  Too bad it doesn’t have manual windows.

facw > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 12:07

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No key-less entry, AC, backup camera or touchscreen.

The US has made backup cameras mandatory. I’m honestly a bit surprised that Kia bothers to ship a different configuration in Canada. The rule only went into full-effect this Spring though, so I guess even in the US, there are probably older new cars still filtering through.

Also, does it have cruise control? I had a Forte rental a few years ago that didn’t, and I was honestly surprised they still make cars without it (or did then) .

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > facw 09/12/2018 at 12:07

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We have the same regulation.  The car was built in October of 2017.  I don’t think that it was in effect at the time.

Wacko > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 12:08

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really 2500 a year in insurance...

not ready to leave Quebec any time soon.

over here that would be 500-600 a year max and full coverage too.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Wacko 09/12/2018 at 12:09

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Yeah, an insane percentage of the value of the car per year.

vicali > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 12:10

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Haha - you bought a car with hubcaps, to drive in Surrey? F oreshadowing.. lol...

Are you allowed to decal it up? I’m imagining a vinyl die-cut that says, “I’m a big deal on Oppo”..

Drive it like a rental.

Wacko > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 12:16

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E90M3 > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 12:16

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That moment when a Kia is more expensive to insure than an M3. 

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > E90M3 09/12/2018 at 12:21

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with a 40% discount too.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > vicali 09/12/2018 at 12:22

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I own it, I could put spinners on it if I wanted. My company gives me an allowance.

I ordered an Oppo sticker for it already

vicali > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 12:30

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donk donk donk..

punkgoose17 > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 13:04

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How are the seats for long drives?

I’d like to know what kind of mpg or l/100km you get.

Can you lock the car with the door open by hitting the lock button a couple times? (The key fob for my wife’s car died, now this is what I do. (‘04 Ion))

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > punkgoose17 09/12/2018 at 13:10

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So far, 6.7L per 100km, but that is mostly highway. I do lock/unlock the car with the button on the inside.

Seats are fine

Mid Engine > Wacko 09/12/2018 at 13:26

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ya gotta add in the cost of plates in Quebec..

Wacko > Mid Engine 09/12/2018 at 13:28

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any thing less than a 4.0 is 139 per year.

when i had my jeep with a 4.0 it was about 20-30$ more per year.

Mid Engine > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 13:30

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I pay $2400/year for THREE cars/full coverage . 2018 Tacoma, 2016 Focus Titanium, 2007 Cayman

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Mid Engine 09/12/2018 at 13:31

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I pay about $9-10K for insurance on my cars annually 

Mid Engine > Wacko 09/12/2018 at 13:57

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it’s got ten cheaper.. I lived in Montreal for 49 years, moved to the U.S. west coast (first Portland, then Seattle) 8 years ago.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 14:14

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Wow... a car from 2018 in Canada without AC... that’s fairly rare.

And no remote fob either!

But it it does come with heated side mirrors... which I find a little odd as a standard feature instead of offering the fob.

I just checked Kia’s website... getting the remote fob is a $651 option after installation.

Also they charge an extra $3000 for the automatic with AC.

And it seems you cannot get AC with the manual transmission... which is fucked up.   To get a manual with AC, you have to move up to the Kia Forte5.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 14:16

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But you chose to buy it... so aren’t you really punishing yourself?

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 09/12/2018 at 14:23

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I’d rather punish myself than my bank account

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 14:26

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Note that you probably could find a Honda Fit DX or Toyota Yaris in a no-AC spec not too far off:

https://www.honda.ca/FIT/specs

https://www.toyota.ca/toyota/en/vehicles/yaris-hatchback/models-specifications

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 09/12/2018 at 14:32

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For $12K canadian brand new?  You can build them, but finding them on the lot is different.

jasmits > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 15:07

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I have to say I’m jealous, an appliance car has always sounded nice. Just having something to rack up wear and miles on without any second thought. I even started to look for one, a bit more in beater territory than yours, I was imagining like a $2k-3k Civic or something. I got slightly distracted and bought a 30-year-old Range Rover instead. There’s a little logic there, 1: why put myself in a penalty box to start and finish every day when I have a nice vehicle to drive instead? 2: Less trail time realistically removes a lot more actual wear and tear than less time cruising on the highway to and from an office parking lot(even if the odo numbers will continue to climb at a shocking rate) and 3: I’ve always been enamored by old school Land Rovers but never been able to have a true ‘second car’

That thing looks really nice though, especially considering what it cost. A friend of mine in college had a Kia Rio he bought new in like 2011 for about that and it was an absolute shitbox. Horrible seats, horrible engine, horrible auto transmission, fewer amenities than the 1991 4Runner I was driving in college, and embarrassingly bad styling. This thing seems like a very reasonable transportation appliance that actually would make for a pleasant place to spend time. 

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > jasmits 09/12/2018 at 15:27

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I was going to go beater, but the tax advantages dictate a newer vehicle.

But yeah, it is kinda amazing. I still watch my ST on my Nest while I am at work, but my Kia? Couldn’t care less.

Is it weird I watch my car?

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 15:27

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Yeah... for only $12K, I think the only other option is the 3cyl Mitsubishi Mirage and maybe the Micra... both of which are probably worse and much smaller.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 09/12/2018 at 15:28

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Yeah, way smaller and way crappier.  At least I know my Forte shares a lot of the interior with higher trim models.

jasmits > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 15:56

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That makes sense, especially considering how cheap it is, also even if you take a big depreciation hit by percentage you’ll still lose very little by dollars. And you’re pretty much risk free on big-ticket maintenance . T hat was the other thing. If(alright, when) something breaks on the Rover it’s a fun project. If something major breaks on an old Civic I’m now spending significant time and/or money on a car I don’t care about that wasn’t even saving me that much money to begin with.

I mean... I can see the parking lot from my desk and I catch myself staring at my vehicles very often, not that it’s any guarantee on if it’s weird or not. Hm, although maybe one of those would be a good investment so I can make sure the Rover hasn’t caught itself on fire or something in the garage while I’m not home.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > jasmits 09/12/2018 at 16:10

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It’s totally worth it.  Also, you catch some weird stuff

jasmits > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 17:08

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I should hope it doesn’t catch anything weird if it’s for looking at my cars, I have a garage not a carport.

Honestly it would probably be a really good idea for the outside of my place, Bellingham has a pretty big homeless problem and I don’t live in one of the nicer areas(my search criteria was pretty much ‘has garage, sort by price from low to high’ ). I’ve definitely seen signs of people hanging out/camping around my building. They’re mostly completely harmless but it only takes one bad apple, and a camera can help keep honest people honest.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > jasmits 09/12/2018 at 17:11

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I wish I could afford a garage.  The smallest garage in a crappy townhome in my immediate neighbourhood is $650K CDN

jasmits > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 17:42

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Holy shit that’s a lot, I rent but it’s $1100/month(and the rent floor in BHam for like a crappy studio is like ~$ 700). I considered buying a place with a basically identical good-sized one bedroom on top of a two car garage layout to what I ended up renting  that was both in a nicer area and a much nicer/newer townhouse and that was something like $230k.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > facw 09/12/2018 at 17:54

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I still don’t get why all new cars need backup cameras....whatever happened to you know......turning around...?

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Future Heap Owner 09/12/2018 at 17:55

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I paid for my completely base spec Accent. It’s an appliance car, but for as basic and as terrible as it is, I still love it because it’s my car. :)

Future Heap Owner > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 09/12/2018 at 18:11

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I have a Corolla appliance car that I bought used from a friend of th e family. Buying used meant I could buy it straight up. I like it because it’s my trusty road trip vehicle, but I don’t know if I’d feel as warmly towards it if I had a monthly payment on it.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Future Heap Owner 09/12/2018 at 18:24

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I bought mine used with 54,000kms on it with cash, so no payments.

facw > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 09/12/2018 at 19:17

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Have you seen the rear visibility in new cars?

Anyway, the main push is that you can see kids behind the car (full disclosure: I nearly backed over a child leaving Trader Joe’s last week, they were too short to see out the back of my car, but luckily I hea rd the kid’s mom make some panicked cry). Studies have show that it’s not a particularly cost effect effective way to save lives (I think around twice as expensive per life saved as some other safety features), but it’s a feature that many buyers would want as a convenience anyway, so it’s not quite as much of a burden as it first appears.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 21:22

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Wait.... $2700/yr for insurance ? For something that isn’t an exotic worth more than my house and driven 20,000 miles/yr? Is that in monopoly money ? Does it include sexual favors? Just kidding on the last question...

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 09/12/2018 at 23:37

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I would do anything for cheaper insurance. Other than sexual favors.... But I’d kill!

Call me ICBC!

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2018 at 23:42

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That number just blows my mind. How can that be? Can we get an actuary in the house?  I pay $744/yr for full coverage on a brand new F-150.  Even if I added in the premium for the 2016 Mustang in the household, the boat insurance and the homeowner’s policy, that still doesn’t get to $2700 a year.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 09/12/2018 at 23:55

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Mandatory government insurance from a government monopoly insurer. Also, poor financial management by said government insurer.

My CX-3 and Fiesta cost more.

I have the max discount (40%) as well

pip bip - choose Corrour > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/13/2018 at 07:06

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your insurance is insane!

mine is AUD $150-ish

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/13/2018 at 09:20

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O bservations:

1. Oh my god your insurance is expensive. It’s not even thay bad where I live for something that’s still on a loan.

2. What line of work are you in where your company basically buys you a car and you get to keep it? That’s a sweethear deal.

3. My god that trunk. Hyundai/Kia probably has the best trunks in terms of usable space in the small car market. 

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker 09/13/2018 at 10:54

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1) Full post to come on that

2) I’m an insurance adjuster (independent )

3) yeah, it is pretty awesome .