Author Topic: Korean Junk (Read 7248 times)

rasimmo · « **on:** December 28, 2015, 11:54:57 PM »

At this point I am ashamed to admit that I own one of Don's favorite vehicles, a Kia Optima. I bought it new in March of 2012 after totaling the wife's other ride. I was in a bit of a rush and did not research it much. It was a little over $20k for a nicely equipped car (leather, power seat, push button start and a few other do-dads that I still ain't figured out what they are for). Up until last Wednesday it had gone 49,321 absolutely trouble free miles. When I started driving 370 miles for my week long trips to work we decided it would be best to drive the car that got double the fuel mileage (35 highway) and cost half as much to replace and leave the dually for my wife to run around in locally. I was about 20 miles from my destination when the trouble started. I was accelerating to merge onto the highway. The thing started making all kind of racket. The mechanic side of my brain said "boy that ain't good". The employee side said "you just gotta make it there in time to get on that helicopter". The freeway ended shortly and I pulled into a parts store. I got out and checked the oil because it sounded like it would if it had all run out. Oil level was fine and really clean on the dipstick. I made it to my destination and did some more checking and got a coworker to look at it too. We saw nothing loose or jumping around other than the entire engine. I looked up and called the nearest dealer. I was informed that I was still under the road hazard warranty so they would tow it to the nearest dealer at no cost to me. I informed the service writer that I would be back on dry land in 7 days and would not need transportation until then. Fast forward to today when they got it in the shop. With Christmas being Friday I expected that. I got a voicemail that there was trouble in the bottom end of the engine and it would need to be replaced. After a few hours of phone tag I finally spoke to them. I was told that during the inspection they noted the inside of the top end was absolutely spotless, no gunk buildup at all. When they drained the oil it was clean. When they dropped the oil pan the bottom end was really clean as well except for some metal shavings. The #1 and #2 rod bearings had spun. I change the oil around every 5000 miles and have run Mobil 1 filter and synthetic oil since new. He said they could tell it was maintained because of how clean it was internally. A claim has been made that has to go up the line for approval. He informed me that this had happened to several of these 4 cylinder engines in Kias and Hyundais. Apparently they think they got a bad batch of bearings at the engine assembly plant at some point. Not sure yet about availability of a replacement. Some of them are on 4 to 5 week back order, but not sure if this is one of them. I will say that even though this is frustrating and disappointing, the customer service from the dealership has been great. He made several attempts to call me back during our game of phone tag. They are providing a rental car for me to get home that I will turn in locally. Kia covers 3 days of rental but I really just need to get home. 370 miles is a long way to walk and my rear fenders would probably not make it here with the rest of my truck if the wife had to come get me. All this is covered under warranty, but it don't give me a warm and fuzzy feeling about this car. They cover power train to 100k. I don't see me keeping it past that for sure.

stlaser · « **Reply #1 on:** December 29, 2015, 12:25:27 AM »

We have a 2011 Hyundai Sonata, we were made aware of the potential issue a couple months back. Luckily ours has not yet been affected at 90,000 miles. When I talked to our local service techs they were basically stating everything you said & Hyundai has increased the drivetrain warranty on ours as a just in case you need it. With all of that said I will buy another Hyundai myself. It has been a good vehicle & the service has been top notch. I've dealt with Gm service & wasn't half as happy.

Edit: & for the record I also own a 2008 jk with 65k on odometer which has a mini van motor that is very noisy & uses a quart of oil every 1k that dealer says is ok....... ::)

rasimmo · « **Reply #2 on:** December 29, 2015, 07:58:47 AM »

I have to agree about GM service at most places I have been. Apparently front diff seals are supposed to leak on new trucks, and trucks are designed and built to pull really hard to the right. I finally got them to cover both of those, but only after elevated blood pressure and a couple high volume conversations.

So far I could not have gotten better service on the Kia. It aint over so we will see how it turns out.

TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #3 on:** December 29, 2015, 08:49:55 AM »

Every business makes mistakes. It's how they step up and deal with them that makes the difference. I'm glad Kia is running a good business.

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Flyin6 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 29, 2015, 11:35:50 AM »

One of my daughters apparently was temporarily insane once...purchased a Kia Optima...
I know I beat them up, but a part of that comes from living in Korea for two years. I flew past the Hyundai plant a lot and saw how they were just killing the environment. I thought it would be fitting to drop a few blivets of jet gas on a parking lot at the sea port where maybe ten thousand of those cars would be lined up. No one started any wars, so I couldn't "Accidentally" drop any ordinance on that place...
But I guess this is just an international good ole one world place these days. I guess that is getting to be OK and the problem is I just don't fit in it well.
Glad that these cars are working for you folks

stlaser · « **Reply #5 on:** December 29, 2015, 12:25:06 PM »

My Sonata was assembled in GA

rpar86 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 29, 2015, 12:39:26 PM »

Well, I guess I fit in here... We had a 2011 Sorento, built at the new plant in GA, for 3 years. Had to sell it when we sold/bought the old/new house (debt/income ratio and all - had just purchased my truck a year previous, didn't want to give that up!).

Ended up losing $40 on the deal... Sold it for what I owed (minus the $40) to a nice little family who had been driving a Saturn with about 200-300k miles on it. Things have TERRIBLE resale value regardless of what KBB says. Was a great little car, only issue we had was the backup camera going out. We only put 28K miles on it in the time we had it though. 4cyl engine in a mid-size SUV was gutless though.

Now we have a... wait for it... 2012 Prius.

Don's going to fire all of us past/present Korean car owners... :-X

stlaser · « **Reply #7 on:** December 29, 2015, 01:20:34 PM »

Copy on resale value, we'll drive this thing until it dies. Well, or one of my daughters will.....

KensAuto · « **Reply #8 on:** December 29, 2015, 02:26:08 PM »

...which will be shortly. They don't like hippy, pot smokin' drivers. :)

stlaser · « **Reply #9 on:** December 29, 2015, 02:39:11 PM »

Copy, there are a lot of hippy pot smokin drivers in Colorado. Luckily non in the family & hopefully we don't run into any or have them run into us.....

KensAuto · « **Reply #10 on:** December 29, 2015, 02:48:39 PM »

How dare you reply nicely!! you at least got the colorado reference...haha

..that was for the hillary comments, for those that question my rudeness towards this seemingly innocent man.

rasimmo · « **Reply #11 on:** December 29, 2015, 03:18:01 PM »

I don't think anyone is questioning your rudeness. By now we expect nothing less than the full D.O.T. treatment from you. ;D

KensAuto · « **Reply #12 on:** December 29, 2015, 04:20:23 PM »

stlaser · « **Reply #13 on:** December 29, 2015, 04:35:14 PM »

Quote from: KensAuto on December 29, 2015, 02:48:39 PM

How dare you reply nicely!! you at least got the colorado reference...haha

..that was for the hillary comments, for those that question my rudeness towards this seemingly innocent man.

I thought you were referencing Hillary with those comments! Lol

Flyin6 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 30, 2015, 09:02:16 AM »

They're feedin' on each other!

I love it!

stlaser · « **Reply #15 on:** December 30, 2015, 11:54:50 AM »

Hey, I don't care if Ken is a 1911 shooting, Hippy Hillary loving mechanic we will still accept him here on this forum & keep prayin for him daily! ???

KensAuto · « **Reply #16 on:** December 30, 2015, 01:42:36 PM »

Yeah, 1911 and thoroughly cooked beef. Oh what will I do next...lol

...at least you haven't accused me of liking the phsyco in command.

stlaser · « **Reply #17 on:** December 30, 2015, 01:45:13 PM »

I don't think the majority of hard core dems even like him........ :-\

rasimmo · « **Reply #18 on:** December 30, 2015, 09:24:58 PM »

Sorry to interrupt this highly intelligent exchange, but I have an update.

I got in this morning and picked up the rental car on their dime. When I got to the dealer I got more good news. Replacement long block has been approved. They didn't ask for any service records or anything else. Then it got better. The dealer has the engine in stock and will start on it tomorrow. I told him it wasn't really too much rush. I'm not driving all the way down there just to pick up the car. I go back out next Wednesday and will pick it up on my way in 2 weeks from today. I will pick up the rental here and drop it back off in Galveston. I'm really happy with the service. Hopefully all goes well on the exchange. He asked about them driving it and I told him to let the mechanic bring it home all week and make sure everything was good.

Now that that's done you two can carry on.

KensAuto · « **Reply #19 on:** December 30, 2015, 09:51:02 PM »

How dare you interrupt! jk

I gotta admit, that's pretty good service. Hope it turns out well for you.

Sammconn · « **Reply #20 on:** December 31, 2015, 12:13:06 AM »

Well if they all could treat their customers that well.
Sorry for the interruption of your life over this, but happy to hear how well it seems to be going.

TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #21 on:** December 31, 2015, 08:14:29 AM »

Ras, which dealer are you dealing with? Sounds like they are worth a plug.

This is the kind of service you get when people are building a brand. Let's hope they never get "too big to fail"
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Flyin6 · « **Reply #22 on:** December 31, 2015, 09:05:27 AM »

Korean car companies like that will win over buyers

That's what US car manufacturers and some dealerships used to do

Not as common today

rasimmo · « **Reply #23 on:** December 31, 2015, 10:23:48 AM »

Quote from: TexasRedNeck on December 31, 2015, 08:14:29 AM

Ras, which dealer are you dealing with? Sounds like they are worth a plug.

This is the kind of service you get when people are building a brand. Let's hope they never get "too big to fail"
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Gay Family Kia, on 45 service road just north of Galveston. As I'm sure you know they have several brands in that location. I read a few bad things from people complaining about some sales tactics, but the service I have received is 1st class. They dealt with me like they had known me forever. I even met and briefly talked to the mechanic that would be performing the work.

Spacecase544 · « **Reply #24 on:** January 03, 2016, 11:44:57 AM »

So I am in the minority here? I have a GMC truck, wife has a chevrolet, I have a US Cargo trailer...the only major foreign purchases are the TVs!

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Sammconn · « **Reply #25 on:** January 03, 2016, 12:36:14 PM »

No you're not alone.
All my family is Chevy. Dad is chevy, Ford. I think a couple foreign made cars in the family but not at my house. Lol. Now in 2006 if Toyota had a diesel 3/4 or heavy 1/2, I'd be in it.

stlaser · « **Reply #26 on:** January 03, 2016, 02:05:37 PM »

& that phone you just posted with...... ;)

Edit: for the record the Hyundai was our first purchase "of a foreign vehicle" assembled by Americans in Ga. From what i read a lot of your original big three are manufactured outside of the US so what's the point again? We try hard to buy & spend local with our dollars but when you're talking big ticket items like vehicles the lines are very blurry at this point. It's not the manufacturers our parents & grandparents bought from....

Dawg25385 · « **Reply #27 on:** January 03, 2016, 03:37:31 PM »

Quote from: Sammconn on January 03, 2016, 12:36:14 PM

Now in 2006 if Toyota had a diesel 3/4 or heavy 1/2, I'd be in it.

10-4 to that...

Toyota trucks are just as American as the big three nowadays.

One of my favorite rigs to this day was my 04 Tacoma... Loved that little pickup. V6 TRD, rear locker, 4wd, makes me sad all over again when I think back to sellin it lol

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TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #28 on:** January 03, 2016, 07:12:20 PM »

Quote from: Dawg25385 on January 03, 2016, 03:37:31 PM

Quote from: Sammconn on January 03, 2016, 12:36:14 PM
Now in 2006 if Toyota had a diesel 3/4 or heavy 1/2, I'd be in it.

10-4 to that...

Toyota trucks are just as American as the big three nowadays.

One of my favorite rigs to this day was my 04 Tacoma... Loved that little pickup. V6 TRD, rear locker, 4wd, makes me sad all over again when I think back to sellin it lol

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True except that the profits go back overseas.

I will say that the unions made the labor costs so uncompetitive that the big three can't compete in a global economy. The only choice twas to move some production to mexico and canada or to right to work states.

And I say this as the son of a 40 year union iron worker..

One only has to look at Hostess. Unions refused to negotiate and the entire company went under and took 15,000 jobs with it...

I read somewhere that $1500 of every car GM produced went to pay for retiree medical benefits alone.... and that was several years ago. Best thing we could have hoped for was that GM and Chrysler actually went bankrupt. That would have allowed them to restructure their debt, but more importantly it would have given them the ability to radically renegotiate their labor contracts....

So now you know Romney was right and Obama bailed them out to keep the unions backing him....

Dawg25385 · « **Reply #29 on:** January 03, 2016, 07:29:22 PM »

But I'd rather be earning my wages from a stable Toyota, and having some profit go to Japan, rather than work for an unprofitable GM/Ford, where my job isn't as secure.

Yep... Romney was right. The union retirement benefits are a huge expense, with no productivity (now) to show for it. Add to that higher wages now, relative to competitors, and it's nearly impossible to manufacture autos here.

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Flyin6 · « **Reply #30 on:** January 03, 2016, 07:55:27 PM »

Support your representatives who are slowly sponsoring bills to make paying dues to unions optional.
I was in a closed shop job...Comair. The pilots were 100% ALPA (Airline Pilots Association). I had to pay 3% of my meager salary to that communist and unsafe organization. I hated every stinkin' minute of it...not the flying, but being a part of the union. We went out on strike and I wanted to cross the picket lines to fly. But, and this shows who is really the good guys, the company management told me not to do it! They said they appreciate the loyalty, but if I came to work, then every time I went to the parking lot my car would have sliced tires or be painted up or something. The company protected me while the Union used scare strong arm tactics to keep all its little comrades in check.
I will do everything I can to help dismantle unions with any chance I get!

Dawg25385 · « **Reply #31 on:** January 03, 2016, 08:20:10 PM »

Unions definitely had their place back when workers were abused and exploited (coal mines, steel mills, etc etc), but this day in age, with information flowing freely, and more mobility in the labor force, I think that unions are largely obsolete. There probably are some exceptions in some fields. Nurses unions for example provide liability coverage for the nurses, whereas doctors have to carry malpractice.

But some of the unions seem to cause more harm than good, or maybe it's that the unions don't always act on behalf of their members, but rather Union brass... I don't know.

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rasimmo · « **Reply #32 on:** January 03, 2016, 08:24:45 PM »

I guess I can help throw this further off track. :D

I believe unions were a good thing and did some good in the beginning of their existence. Just like most other organizations they went like government programs do and got abused. I have worked as a scab in places with union contractors on the same site. The junk we put up with finally boiled over when tools started falling around us that they were throwing. That all ended with a confrontation in the parking lot. They worked 30 minutes longer than we did because of their lunch break. They also could not walk across the street to the parking lot and had to be bussed over there. Put 3 or 4 angry rednecks at each exit of that yellow thing and y'all can imagine how that turned out. To say the least my experience with unions have not been pleasant. That was almost 20 years ago. I like to think that my reaction would be different now, but I ain't real sure.

Dawg25385 · « **Reply #33 on:** January 03, 2016, 08:31:48 PM »

I hope my family never reads this...

My family has history in IBEW, especially back in the 70s-80s, and I've heard stories that were supposed to be funny, but it just further solidified my opinion on unions. The "union breaks", intentionally slowing progress on a job as to not get done too quickly, and "storing tools" indefinitely to name a few...

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stlaser · « **Reply #34 on:** January 03, 2016, 08:39:14 PM »

Quote from: Dawg25385 on January 03, 2016, 08:20:10 PM

Unions definitely had their place back when workers were abused and exploited (coal mines, steel mills, etc etc), but this day in age, with information flowing freely, and more mobility in the labor force, I think that unions are largely obsolete. There probably are some exceptions in some fields. Nurses unions for example provide liability coverage for the nurses, whereas doctors have to carry malpractice.

But some of the unions seem to cause more harm than good, or maybe it's that the unions don't always act on behalf of their members, but rather Union brass... I don't know.

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My wife is/was a nurse and we carry additional insurance on our home owners to cover her. Unions are not needed for nurses and now being administration she will not work for a facility that is union. There is a reason they have state licenses (main claim for nurse unions is being understaffed and putting their license in jeopardy) however they can refuse to work in these environments. Thus all the nurse unions do is protect the weak nurses (yeah I'm being nice with that last comment)........

TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #35 on:** January 03, 2016, 10:10:02 PM »

Everything (nearly) is a pendulum. The pendulum has swung far too far for the unions. I know ironworkers very, very well. All chapters are not the same either. The pendulum needs to swing back to the middle. Unions do still have their place when working correctly.

But when unions are able to provide a skilled trained workforce with a better safety and productivity records, they command a premium. I've seen it happen. However, the union leadership has to be business minded and help the GC and the workers both understand the realities. Only when both sides negotiate in good faith, does an optimal outcome occur.

In construction, the union has at times proven to complete work faster, with higher quality and with fewer injuries...which saves money. When it's just monitized extortion for the same quality work then it's doomed to fail.

cruizng · « **Reply #36 on:** January 04, 2016, 02:08:38 PM »

Unions... I could fill a book based on my experience with many of them.

Bottom line. If you cannot fire someone for terrible work you have a major problem. I.E. Union

When I was very young and building water towers I was a member of the Boilermakers "Transient" division. When we would show up within a local area we had to hire a certain percentage of people out of the local hall. They knew we had to hire them so they refused to do any of the high work which was the bulk. They would only work on the ground. So we would harass them until no one would show up on site except the union rep. I got paid extremely well and didn't have any issues paying dues. Just having to pay the locals cut into all of the "doers" bonus and extended the time to complete the project.

My practice wife worked for UPS at night and was trying to work up to a route driver. She was a go getter. Worked her tail off. Then she started filling in for route drivers when they were off. She did her normal hustle on the route and would find herself down around 2pm each day. So not knowing any better she would go back to the terminal. Once the "normal" route drivers found out she was showing up early they all cornered her and told her that if she wanted to sub for any route driver she better not show up before 5pm. She was messing up their timing that was expected to deliver the route. Frustrated her to no end.

I worked with Teamster on docks. Terrible. If you didn't pay their cousin that just so happened to run the "Lumper Service" at the dock the union forklift drivers wouldn't remove your freight out of the way so you could unload. If you moved it yourself you would get kicked off the dock. I have driven trucks into a grocer during a strike and have had rocks, bricks, spit, gunshots, etc... pointed your direction... thanks to Teamsters.

Have you ever dealt with a dock at a water port of entry. Don't get me started!!

One of the lamest was I worked for a non union arm of the Burlington Northern rail. The clerks were Union BN. If you needed something and walked over and asked them a quick question that could be answered in 10 seconds and they were on "break" at their desk they would refuse to answer and if you persisted they would file a complaint which would then create all kinds of angst.

As far as pensions and now 401K's. There were far too many robber barons that pilfered the old pension system and so it was all but dissolved and moved to the Vegas style 401K we have now. That is a whole other topic.

I could go on.. but frankly... from my personal experiences with Unions.. they are not positive nor useful in this day and age. Rant off... :o

EL TATE · « **Reply #37 on:** January 04, 2016, 06:02:29 PM »

We are all GM now, (kinda). As Ken pointed out my son's Aveo is really Daewoo, but it carries a bow-tie. I'm impressed with the warranty coverage and attitude which is great. They are definitely going to win over consumers with this approach, and again, good for them. My only concern is really where DO we go to "pay a little more now rather than a lot more later"? Big 3 farming out manufacturing, everyone is on the lowest cost, I mean really if the whole industry is going the way of planned obsolescence, then cost and customer service is really the only factors to choose from since reliability is no longer an option.

I'm really happy to hear they are taking care of you, as that is rare in these times. It would be nice to have those kind of assurances with my 04 Yukon and 03 LB7, but for now I've got to stick with what I can repair myself, regardless of who made it.