Changed Again, Now Trying for a Saturn VUE (Sorry Kia & Ford)

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Suzuki's are awful. Awful, awful, awful.

Check out the Hyundai's. The tucson and santa fe are MUCH better cars than the suzuki or the kias. You'd even have half a chance of reselling it for a decent price some day.

I've never really needed ABS. I can count on one hand the number of times I've had to stomp on the brake and I know how to steer out of a skid after 25 years of driving in snow and ice...

As far as the # of people willing to just buy what they have, I think its a lot. Although most dealers will be quite willing to bring a car from a nearby dealer. You might get a list of dealers within a 2-3 hour drive and call them up for inventory if you REALLY want a kia...

[ShokWaveRider]

Originally Posted by (Cute Fuzzy Bunny)

As far as the # of people willing to just buy what they have, I think its a lot. Although most dealers will be quite willing to bring a car from a nearby dealer. You might get a list of dealers within a 2-3 hour drive and call them up for inventory if you REALLY want a kia...

We have tried the whole country! Not One available.

SWR

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I found that to be the case with the rav4 I bought my wife. She wanted one with an automatic, leather and a sunroof. Apparently a tough combination because I only found one in california to buy and the dealer knew he had the only one.

That was a tough negotiation.

The Santa Fe was her second choice, with the CRV third. After driving and checking the repair and resale on the escape and grand vitara, we dropped them completely from contention.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Originally Posted by Jarhead*

I've got a 1987 P/Up with 110 K miles on it, a 1993 Pvt. Passenger car with 156,000 miles on it, and a 1991 car with 165,000 miles on it.

Go buy your wife a new lexus man, she deserves it!

[ShokWaveRider]

The Lexus LX300 is a KIA SORENTO!!!! With Honda Innerds.

SWR

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I presume you're being facetious.

[justin]

Originally Posted by ShokWaveRider

The Lexus LX300 is a KIA SORENTO!!!! With Honda Innerds.

SWR

That would make it a Frankenlexus.

Hey, I'm trademarking that name, so no one steal it.

[ShokWaveRider]

Originally Posted by (Cute Fuzzy Bunny)

I presume you're being facetious.

NOPE! The complete body assemby is made by Kia. Lexus puts their drive train and trim on it. take a look at it next time.

SWR

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Got a source for that? I've looked at both cars, not really seeing the similarity.

I'm a little doubtful that toyota/lexus would buy a chassis from a korean company and put a prime competitors drive train in it and sell it under their premium brand name. That'd go down as a bigger PR screw up than the cadillac putting chevy motors in the cars back about 20 years ago.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

One thing I see...the sorrento uses a ladder chassis (typical for a truck), whereas the small and midsized lexus SUV's dont. So I think maybe thats a myth?

I also see that the sorrento and the lx 300 take a very different aftermarket trailer hitch...usually an indicator that the frame is a bit different.

Come on...you're yanking my chain, right?

[ShokWaveRider]

Originally Posted by (Cute Fuzzy Bunny)

One thing I see...the sorrento uses a ladder chassis (typical for a truck), whereas the small and midsized lexus SUV's dont. So I think maybe thats a myth?

I also see that the sorrento and the lx 300 take a very different aftermarket trailer hitch...usually an indicator that the frame is a bit different.

Come on...you're yanking my chain, right?

NOPE! Look at the body and compare it, they are identical. Remember the Lexus 300 not the 330 they are different.

SWR

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Oh come on now, you cant tell whats in a car by looking at it.

Give me any credible source, because if this is true, its a big deal.

[ShokWaveRider]

Originally Posted by (Cute Fuzzy Bunny)

Oh come on now, you cant tell whats in a car by looking at it.

Give me any credible source, because if this is true, its a big deal.

well I do not know how credible the source is. I went to 5 Kia Dealers and All of them used it in their sales pitch. I would understand 1 cretin but not 5. Also Kia is also owned by Hyundae. Think about it Lexus would probably do a deal with Kia (If it is true) that would forbid any formal writing of the fact.

The Jax sames manager was so adamant about this in that the Front Lot was a GX300 (I think it is GX) and a Sorento Side by side in the same Body trim and I have to tell you they were identical. Right down to the corny spoiler on the rear hatch.

It is either true or one hell of a marketing ploy.

SWR

[lets-retire]

Good luck with the KIA. *I typically find that the buyign experience is indicative of the ownership experience. *If they don't treat you well before they have your money they sure as heck won't treat you any better after they have your money.

As far as ABS I hate it. *It extends your stop distance. *When I have to slam on the brakes I go to ABS activation then back of a little. *I don't know how many times I slamed on the brakes started to slow down then felt the brakes back off when the ABS kicked in. *I do slam the bakes often, it's called pursuit driving. *Basically I use them just like the old fashioned brakes. *Hit them hard when I feel the ABS start (or the old style the tires lock) I back off slightly. *ABS, like most of the recent improvments, are great for the people who have mediocre driving skills.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Originally Posted by ShokWaveRider

I went to 5 Kia Dealers and All of them used it in their sales pitch.

That is what we in sales call "a lie". Someone came up with it and told all his buddies. The problem with sales people is that one comes up with a lie and the others glom onto it fairly easily, with rapid spreading power. Somebody who does sales training methinks.

I'll look later on because i'm intrigued. I'm also betting that if the spread continues the first confirmation of whether its true or not is going to come in the way of a 'cease and desist' lawsuit from lexus...

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I talked to a guy named Kim Custer (yeah, I'd have slapped my parents too...at least they didnt name him George) in the Kia press group. He assured me that while the company was shooting for the RX 300 with the styling of the Sorento, that there is no relationship with Lexus and that no component of any Kia vehicle is made or supplied by Lexus. The 'innerds', if by which you mean engine/transmission and so forth, are made by Hyundai.

He said he planned on dropping an email to the head of US sales to suggest he waterfall something to tell the sales people to cut it out before "something bad happens"...

[ShokWaveRider]

I got it from them the other way round. Kia made the body for the 300 not visa versa. There is nothing of the Lexus in the Kia. They never implied that. What they did say was the The 300 used the Kia's body.

SWR

[justin]

CFB,

Of course the Kia press group would tell you that. They're part of the conspiracy! Part of the cover-up! Don't believe a word they say.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Originally Posted by ShokWaveRider

I got it from them the other way round. Kia made the body for the 300 not visa versa. There is nothing of the Lexus in the Kia. They never implied that. What they did say was the The 300 used the Kia's body.

SWR

I looked at photos of both, and while I see some strong similarities, the sheet metal isnt even close to identical. Theres also the matter of the 300 being around for several years before the Kia.

By the way, on the whole I couldnt care less, but I can all but assure you that there arent any shared parts between the 300 and the kia. What piqued my interst is if the Sorento had toyota/lexus/honda mechanicals and/or was made by or resold by lexus, I'd be down there this afternoon trading my expedition in on a 20,000 'lexus' suv...

Justinnnnnn.....I almost agreed with you, but I think you're being sarcastic again!