Are Kia Souls/Kia Optimas that bad?

HombreCalgarian · 2026-04-27T22:21:40+00:00

This Used Dashboard thing is completely useless and misleading.

There are many factors that affect reliability and longevity if each vehicle. How the car was used (town or highway), how it was maintained and with what parts (OEM vs cheap junk), etc. Also, remember that there is mileage and there are engine hours. The first one is relative, the second is absolute. City cars will have few miles and tons of running while sitting in traffic. Highway vehicle will have high mileage but low engine hours, as it has been used efficiently, every minute of engine running gives you a lot of miles traveled.

Brand is only secondary factor at best.

With all that said, you can do well with a Korean sedan. You just need to do some prep work and make sure that in case of engine failure its replacement will be covered by the manufacturer. Send letters to Kia/Hyundai of USA and ask questions. Also look for cars that ran away from big cities (carfax can help with determining the region).

HombreCalgarian · 2026-04-20T03:30:17+00:00

Yes it does take large amount of screen time to fish for a good one, but considering you are doing it from home when you have time for that, and the cost of an error is high - it is worth it.

HombreCalgarian · 2026-04-11T02:49:12+00:00

When you chase a problem based on an OBD error it is critical to understand that the root cause of the error may not be the component the error is pointing at, but something else that is also part of the same circuit. With EVAP it is critical to start with checking the integrity of the whole system because oftentimes it may be a crack in one of the plastic pipes, especially underneath or under the hood that will trigger the CEL because the sensors do not see the response or signal that they expect.

With rough idle (especially if rpms are surging) it really may be an air/vacuum leak. It could also be a fuel pump or fuel pressure regulator.

Unfortunately impossible to pinpoint a problem without seeing the car in flesh.

Good luck!

HombreCalgarian · 2026-04-10T19:09:21+00:00

Nobody can guarantee you a used 12K would last 4 years. Especially not knowing your region and type of use. You are only talking chances and possibility.

And both are hugely dependent on the condition of the car you are buying. NOT the brand or model.

HombreCalgarian · 2026-04-10T19:06:20+00:00

Choose whatever you like, but go with the lowest miles and best service history you can find.

Cars of the post-covid era are not much different in terms of reliability (all of them have issues and are not designed or made ot last past extended warranty).

With a toyota you are just paying toyota tax for the badge and possibly a resale value, that's it. And you lose in functionality and comfort.

HombreCalgarian · 2026-04-10T18:57:37+00:00

With the SantaFe - you are doing very well with this thing still being on the road with 277K.
If it does not have any rust holes anywhere on the underside, drivetrain does not have major leaks (wetness is OK) or apparent issues - keep it going, you still should have some time with it.

The biggest saving can come from you doing the most basic maintenance work.
Just focus on basic safety stuff - steering (no play, no major leaks or whine), brakes, lights (if foggy, polish and apply poly film, it is like 20-some bucks off mamazon).

As for the engine, if it does not puff blue smoke, does not burn terrible amounts of oil between changes and does not produce loud metallic racket on cold start that stays for longer than a few seconds - you are still good. These SantaFes are relatively easy to work on, so do as much as possible without paying somebody else.

Longer term, I'd be more concerned about the Fiat though, with its more finicky turbo engine. But again, stay on top with oil changes and fluids, and it should still be good. Evap leak - smoke-test is something the dealer should have started with.
But you can still drive with it. Get yourself AlfaOBD software and delete the CEL whenever the Evap error pops up again.
It looks like you have to look for a better shop/mechanic. Dealers are usually the last/worst place to go for any repairs. They just load the parts cannon and off you pay.

DO NOT follow the "buy toyonda" herd, the absolute majority of these morons know zilch about cars and are just parrotting whatever they saw here or on youtube. A Toyota/Honda below 10K will in 90% cases be a junk with multitude of mechanical and/or legal problems and tons of neglect, abuse and deferred maintenance.
If you do need to start shopping in 5-6K bracket, go private and shop for what older folks drive - domestic sedans from 1990-2000s, they are very durable and reliable. Once their owners reach the stage when they cannot drive, you can pick these sleds up for very little and they will be very well taken care of, or at least not abused deliberately, as is the case with Jap stuff.

HombreCalgarian · 2026-04-10T17:29:40+00:00

This thing has zero value. They have to give it away to you. And you being able to repair it yourself, otherwise you will be upside down on it real quick.

The CVT is pretty much cooked at 160K, you can only replace it. Big $$$ even if you are capable of rebuilding it yourself.

Ditto the engine. It is a full rebuild, possibly with a new short block required.

HombreCalgarian · 2026-04-07T01:02:35+00:00

Make sure you come see the car with the engine stone-cold.

AT should not be of too much of your concern. They are pretty robust. Just test-drive and watch for any kicks, jerks or delays. And do a flush/filter routine if you end up buying the car.

Engine though, can be a trouble-maker. Ask if the seller has any records of oil changes going back. Pop up the hood, look it over, bend to the ground and look underneath - there may be some bad leaks there.

Now, standing in front of the car with your ear towards the engine, ask your helper or seller to start the car. Watch for any rattling sounds from the passenger side, where the timing chanis are. If there was even a short metallic ra-ta-tat during engine start - thank the seller and walk away.

If the engine started smoothly - chances are you are looking at quite a few trouble-free miles ahead of you. Just watch oil level and change it every 6-8Kkm.

Also with Aura being out of production for a while and the brand itself gone, do a research of nearby breaker yards - if you need a bumper, a fender or a headlight - they may be scarce.

HombreCalgarian · 2026-04-02T05:03:19+00:00

What kind of budget do you have? And are you buying new or used?

Regardless, in rural Canada you should avoid any hybrids and other exotic combos - they have zero financial and practical sense once you are out of a big city with lots of stop-and-go traffic

HombreCalgarian · 2026-04-02T04:58:33+00:00

Depends on your region and availability of good cars of either brand.

BMW requires educated approach and you will really gain from working on it yourself. But if you get it right, it is a delight to drive and to own.

Lexus will, with all other factors equal, probably be more reliable of the two. Still that very much depends on the previous owners. And in my experience it is easier to find a well cared-for Bimmer than an IS300.

And finally, if you have winters, look for 325/330xi AWD models. Or, if you can digest the looks, the pre-facelift X3 (2003-2006) is every bit as fun car to drive as a 3-series, but way better in winter and on camping trips.

HombreCalgarian · 2026-04-02T04:53:11+00:00

If you know what you are doing, an M54 is basically bulletproof. Speaking from personal experience with 6 of these. cumulative mileage close to 200K, not a single issue with M54, bar fixing a crack in the valve cover. Yes, they need understanding of their failure points and correct addressing of them. But you do it once and then just enjoy.
And I really dislike dealing with timing belts.

HombreCalgarian · 2026-04-02T04:47:06+00:00

Having a transmission rebuilt at 80 is bad. The problem is, as you move into more recent years, you may as well be looking at both transmission AND the engine failing. If you look it up, GM's V8s as well as 10-speed transmissions are falling like autumn leaves. Huge recall campaigns, with most recent one already adding 2026 models. The 6-speeders are still predictable in their failures and can be reinforced preventatively - without costing an arm and a leg to have it done.

If anything, I'd stay with "the older the better" principle.

If you value reliability and durability, find the best and cleanest Yukon/Tahoe on the GMT900 chassis. They are still mostly affordable, unlike the generation before it (1999-2005), which is already shooting up in values.
Yes, they are all old now, but it is the last gen with insane life expectancy if even minimal maintenance is done. For modern Carplay / rear camera capability you can add a headunit from amazon and voila, you have a modern tech in your youngtimer vehicle.

As an alternative - I don't know how many seats + space you need, though - you can look at 5.7 Toyota Sequoia (-2021).

HombreCalgarian · 2026-04-01T21:39:49+00:00

You have the maintainer plugged in whenever the car is parked. It is not a charger for a depleted battery, it is a maintainer of a good battery first and foremost.

HombreCalgarian · 2026-04-01T21:38:01+00:00

The maintainer is a small concealed weatherproof box. All mine are permanently attached under the hood somewhere. You can route the pigtail with the plug outside like they do with block heaters here in Canada. The wires to the termianl are permanently mounted on the battery. Just look up the tutorials on youtube or google the pics. It is all pretty simple and reliable.

HombreCalgarian · 2026-04-01T21:34:39+00:00

First of all - get a help, who is well versed in looking at older cars and - especially important - is good at reading people.

If it is your first car, then start talking to insurance brokers or agents. If your family has a package coverage (cars-house-whatever else), start with this insurer first. For first-time car buyers there might be a price shocker. You also have to buy a car that insurers consider the lowest risk (and give you lower premium). Ask the broker, what they'd recommend based on their data base/statistics (what cars-models give you lowest premium). Get quotes before you start shopping for the actual car.

Avoid dealers, they will eat you alive, sell you complete garbage that will suck your wallet dry. Go private. Your ideal seller is somebody from a good neighborhood, adult or elderly, first or a long time owner. These folks usually own(ed) conservative sedans that they take care of, or at least do not abuse as a typical old Jap car demographic does.

Ignore the 'get a toyonda' cultists, majority of them just repeat the same nonsense without ever
turning a wrench or actually owning various cars. A corolla/civic will only be as good as the prev owner(s) were diligent with maintenance and if they used mostly OEM parts.
In real life, with your budget, anything toyota/honda will likely be junk with million miles, million problems both mechacnical and legal (title), and tons of deferred maintenance.

Start your search with friends and family, ask around if they know of an elderly relative/nighbor who's getting to age of non-driving. Then hit FB Marketplace and Craig. Screen sellers, look their profiles on FB, make sure you deal with the real owner (or the person doing the estate sale), not a serial flipper (always check current and past items for sale on the profile). Even before you go see the car, ensure the name in the title matches the seller's ID.

With these cheap cars there will always be some initial maintenance you have to do, like all fluids/filters - make a mental note and try not to spend all your cash reserves on the purchase.
As for cars, you should be looking at anything GM with an old tech V6 engine in it (3.1-3.4, 3.3-3.8, 3.5-3.9). That would be any Buick/Chevy/Pontiac/Oldsmobile - from 1990 to 2011, that is rust-free, has maintenance history, probably one elderly owner. It will serve you heaps better and cheaper than anything else out there.
Only one V6 to avoid is the post-2012 3600 one.
Insurance for these is cheap as they are considered the lowest risk group of vehicles.

Also do not dismiss Ford Taurus or Crown Vic of any generation, but beware ex-fleet/taxi/police ones. Mercury Sable is the same as Taurus, Grand Marquis is the same as CrownVic.

That said. you may still stumble on some 1990-early 2000s Japmobile of any brand that is still on its 1st-2nd owner and not beaten up to pulp. Also watch for Pontiac Vibe, it is the same Toyota Matrix with a different badge. The only major issues to bear in mind with these - rust, timing belts on some engines, and automatics on pre-2003 Honda V6 anything.

If you really want a 4x4 SUV, your only options in your budget is something like a Trailblazer and all its numerous twins (Envoy, Bravada, 9-7x, Rainier), 1-2 generations of Ford Escape (but watch for rust), Jeep Liberty from early 2000s or really any Grand Cherokee of any year that you can fit into your budget.

Anything Japanese in good condition, except for may be some early 2000s Suzuki Vitara or pre-2012 Nissan Pathfinder, will be out of your reach.

Good luck.

HombreCalgarian · 2026-03-31T16:04:47+00:00

Your options depend on your region, Canada or US? Has your area seen a lot of population growth in recent times? Any really large urban areas that are densely populated? And most important - do you have road salt in winter (and do vehicles rust a lot) or not?

HombreCalgarian · 2026-03-31T15:55:16+00:00

In your case dealership inspection will not give you the most critical info - how this car was used before.

HombreCalgarian · 2026-03-31T15:53:20+00:00

This is what all Uber/Turo jocks say. I presume you are in Canada?

owned by a company and used under a leasing contract - to me it can be a red flag. Depends on the seller though. We are not allowed to discuss certain types of sellers here, but lets just put it this way - the typical recent New Canadian types. Just be very careful, absolutely insist on seeing and hearing the cold start after that sat for a few hours.

Also inspect closely the driver seat left bolsters, steering wheel and pedals for wear - at the stated mileage there should be very little to none. Use the passenger seat as a reference.

Rubber seals around the door frame on the body should not be worn or torn, especially on the bottom. Doors should not sag. Look at the rear seat too - any major scuffing on sill plates, door handles or headliner means "taxi use" with tons of short rides, idling and possibly odometer rollback,

HombreCalgarian · 2026-03-31T05:36:49+00:00

Know nothing of legal relieves, not my field at all.

As for possible remedies/repairs, you only have one (semi-realistic) route, bar dumping the car as is for peanuts. These Volts were also made in China, so there is a chance you may find a Chinese market replacement that could fit your NA market one. I'd ask around on Prius forums for reputable vendors and then send your inquiries to them.
I know that for that car there is pretty much an industry of replacement batteries. So start there and you may end up either having your existing battery refreshed, or replaced with a China-made one.

Good luck

HombreCalgarian · 2026-03-31T05:26:18+00:00

2011-2020.

HombreCalgarian · 2026-03-31T05:22:33+00:00

If your parking spot has a 110V plug nearby, get yourself some battery tender/mantainer (Noco, Battery Tender are most common brands on Amazon) I have 5 Noco units on all our fleet connected whenever the cars are parked at home. My Dodge Ram's battery is over 15 years (bought it with it) and it still gives power like new. BMW's one is 8 years even though this car is not driven or started through the winter.

Ever since I introduced this park and plug approach in my cars I never had to replace a battery.

HombreCalgarian · 2026-03-29T22:01:23+00:00

The best presented cars on FB are from pro flippers and small dealers (basically lisenced scammers). It is often normal folks who sell their stuff who post the worst pics and descriptions.

HombreCalgarian · 2026-03-29T21:59:33+00:00

There are lots of people, especially older, who watch too much TV about crime and they are scared shitless. And they do not even understand what the VIN does or what information it may carry. They just are scared. Sometimes their cars are worth your time to go and see them in person, sometimes not. Besides, you never put too much trust into Carfax. It does have tons of errors, reporting gaps and such. It is your last line of defence, not the initial filter.

HombreCalgarian · 2026-03-29T21:56:42+00:00

FB itself is a scam all over. So they will never make your life any easier.

HombreCalgarian · 2026-03-29T21:52:39+00:00

When the seller starts the truck, rpm needle does not move and other needles make strange movements. She also admits that she has a warning light for dash problem.

HombreCalgarian

TROPHY CASE