Buying A New Kia? What You’ll Want To Know
Buying a new vehicle can be a long, hassled process and in some cases, you may just want to avoid it altogether. From choices to make and long hours waiting around at the dealership, we want to make sure the process is quick, easy, and hassle-free from start to finish. This week, we’ve dedicated our blog on what you’ll want to know when it comes buying a new Kia. Take a look below and stop in to see us for a test drive!
Get Pre-approved: getting a pre-approved auto loan can speed up the buying process. If you’re already pre-approved, you won’t have to worry about the back and forth while inside the showroom. Also, if you are pre-approved before starting your vehicle search, you will have an idea of how much you can afford for a down payment and monthly payments.
Know Your Trade Value: if you plan to trade in your old vehicle, do some research before stopping in. It is beneficial for you if you know what your vehicle is worth. Knowing your vehicle’s trade value can help you negotiate the deal and in some situations, can get you a lower payment. There are many tools available to you to use for research and find your vehicle’s trade value.
Personal Identification: if you’re ready to start the paperwork process, you will need a few items in order to ensure a quick, pain-free process. Be sure to bring in your driver’s license, a proof of insurance, current registration and the title to your trade (if you are trading in a vehicle.) These items are all necessary in order to get you out the door with your new car. If you forget any, the process can be held up.
Review the Deal: before you sign on the dotted line, know what you are paying for, how much, and for how long. If you are going to be shelling out cash, you should know exactly what you are paying for. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t understand something – it is your salesman’s job to explain all of those nitty-gritty details.
Take a Test Drive: it is important for you to test drive your vehicle before buying. This is a big investment and if you are not 100 percent happy, it’ll be a waste of time and money on your end! Even if you have to test drive the vehicle a few times and ask a million questions, it is better that you get everything you want that just agreeing to something.
The Kia Niro Is Designed To Impress
In this world of sameness, one thing Kia does great at is standing out from the crowd. From unique exterior designs to comfortable seating and cabin space that is designed with you in mind – Kia works diligently to provide their customers with the best of the best for an affordable price. Recently, I’ve been paying close attention to the Kia Niro and I am impressed with what I have been seeing. And here is why.
One of the most impressive features that the Niro offers is its drivetrain. It offers a Full Parallel Hybrid System which combines the pure power of the hybrid-optimized engine with an extremely efficient, lightweight electric motor paired with a powerful lithium-ion polymer battery. So, what does that mean? That means the Niro will provide you with a smooth ride along with reliable performance that delivers outstanding efficiency. So powerful and efficient. Yup – you got that right!
The Niro is also one smart cookie – I mean, crossover. Loaded with advanced technology innovations, you will NEVER go a day without being connected to this glorious world we live in. We ain’t jokin’ man! With UVO, you’ll be able to control all your media, calls, apps, and more right from the built-in touchscreen display. Boom, how about that?
Let’s talk about a little safety, shall we? With Kia Drive Wise, you’ll be surrounded by a suite of driver-assisted technologies to give you the confidence through the ever-changing road conditions. Front to back, side to side, these features will protect any angle, side, and passenger.
Don’t you want to see what it looks like? Well, I guess you’ll have to stop by our page to take a sneak peek. Or just stop by King Kia today and since you’re already here, let’s take one for a spin!
Fireworks From Your Kia? Yes!
The Fourth of July is almost here and we know you’ll be out and about, trying to catch the best fireworks show after your backyard BBQ. Well, we’ve got an idea for you: why not watch the fireworks from your Kia? It’ll make this year’s fireworks show the most comfortable one you’ve been to… ever! Check out our tips for watching the show from your car, and then have a fun, safe time on the 4th!
So, the first thing you’ll want to do is find the perfect viewing spot for the show. You want somewhere you can park the car and still have a great view of the pyrotechnics. A good idea is to go scouting earlier in the day (or even the night before) and pick out a Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C for where you’ll set up “camp.”
Getting ready to head out is important – make sure you have all the things you need in the car. If you’ve got a vehicle like the Soul, Sportage, Sorento, Sedona, or even your Forte5, you might even point the trunk end towards the fireworks and set up a little picnic spot in the back. For that, you’ll need a blanket, maybe some pillows, and of course the food! If you’re driving, don’t indulge in alcohol, and make sure that if you are planning to imbibe that you have a designated driver who will not be partaking. Set up the blanket, relax, and enjoy the show! If you’re more of a front-seater, then recline those seats back and throw on your favorite soundtrack to make the show more personalized.
Don’t want to get bit by bugs? When you watch the fireworks from your car, you won’t have that problem if the windows are closed. Another bonus is that you’ll be able to beat the traffic because you’ll already be in your car!
Have a safe and happy Fourth, and enjoy the show!
Check Your Coolant With These Tips
Summer is here and that means you’ll be using the A/C in your vehicle a lot more. It also means that your coolant is going to be doing double time keeping your engine from overheating. Thankfully, modern vehicles have amazing internal regulators that ensure your engine won’t overheat. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check on your coolant every so often – and you might even need to top it off. Usually if you do need to top off, that is an indication of a larger problem that you should bring in to the shop. Take a look at our tips for checking your coolant and making sure that you’ve got it all good under the hood!
Before you reach for the radiator cap, check the coolant reservoir to make sure that the liquid reaches the “Full” line on the side of the reservoir. If it doesn’t reach that far, then open up that lid and pour in a 50/50 mix of water and the coolant your vehicle takes until the level reaches the full line. Some coolants do come premixed, so make sure you read the bottle thoroughly.
DO NOT add coolant to a hot engine! You can burn yourself badly or crack your engine block. You can also spray yourself with hot coolant if you open the radiator or coolant cap when your engine is hot due to the pressure and heat buildup.
Coolant is usually red, green, blue, or yellow. If you see something weird, like things floating in the coolant or a rustiness or even a sludgy, oily surface, then you should take your vehicle to the shop to check for issues such as internal head gasket leakage.
When you’re under the hood, feel your radiator hoses as well. Make sure they are not cracked, squishy, bulging, or leaking. If they are any of these things, replace them ASAP.
Buy Or Lease – The Ultimate Guide
Getting a new car is a difficult and important decision. We’ve all been there – and the question everyone asks themselves is whether they want to buy or lease that new vehicle. There are pros and cons to both, but it really comes down to your lifestyle, what you want, and what your goals are for your vehicle. Both are great options and, of course, get you behind the wheel of the car you want, but make sure that before you sign on the line you’ve made the right decision. Here’s our comparison of buying vs. leasing – check it out and see which one sounds more like you!
When you make the decision to lease a vehicle, the things you’re signing up for are:
- Lower monthly payments
- A brand new vehicle every few years
- Warranty for the length of your lease
- Service and maintenance free for duration of lease
- No worries about trading in or selling vehicle after lease ends
If these sound like things you’d like, then you should talk to us about leasing a vehicle!
On the other hand, buying or financing a vehicle is also a great option. It’s a big, important purchase, but this is what it entails:
- Complete ownership over your vehicle
- Ability to customize/modify your vehicle after purchase
- No mileage/time limit on ownership
- No lease-end charges
- Opportunity to improve credit
And finally, you can always talk with our finance professionals and learn more about either option, and we’ll help you figure out which is the best option for you and your family. Give us a call today!
So, You Can Change A Battery, Right?
Quick question – how much do you know about your car’s battery? Do you know how to change it? Do you know how long it should last? If you don’t, well… keep reading. We’ve got a guide for changing your battery that might just change your LIFE! Not really, but, hey. It’s a great skill to have that will ensure your car is in great shape for years to come. Nobody likes getting stranded with a dead battery, and being able to change your battery and having the knowledge about how old your battery is can be super valuable. Read on for more!
First of all, the location of your battery is going to be in your owner’s manual. If you drive anything other than a regular old gasoline vehicle (i.e. a hybrid) you should 100% be checking your owner’s manual for instructions on how to change the battery.
When you’ve located the battery, make sure you know which post is the positive one and which is the negative, and which color the cables are that are attached to them. The positive post will probably have a red plastic cover, a red cable, and a plus sign (+) stamped on the battery next to the positive post. If the cables are not color coded, put some tape on them and label the cables.
With a wrench, loosen the nut or bolt that keeps the negative terminal and cable attached to the battery. Remove them from the battery, and then move on to the positive terminal. ALWAYS DO NEGATIVE FIRST!
Check your battery to see if it is being held down by clamps or tiedowns or similar and remove them if they are there. Set all of your loose parts aside where they will not be misplaced while you switch out the battery.
Now, lift out the battery without jostling it or tipping it. It is heavy, so be careful!
Next, it’s time to install the new battery! Place it into the same spot the old battery was in and make sure it is oriented the same exact way the old one was. Take the plastic caps off of the battery posts, and if there are anti-corrosion washers included then slide those on. A good idea is to smear a thin layer of Vaseline onto the posts before attaching the terminals to the battery to prevent corrosion and make sure your vehicle is always getting as much power as it needs.
Attach the terminals back on, positive first, and fasten it back down with the clamps/tiedowns that you removed before.
Give the battery a little wiggle and make sure it doesn’t move. If it does, tighten the clamps holding it down. And… you’re done! Great job! Make sure you recycle your old battery – a quick Google search will let you know the best place to do that.
Car Seat Mistakes And Solutions
Do you have kids? If the answer is yes, then congratulations! Kids are great! Next question: do you have a car? If that answer is also yes, then you may want to keep reading this blog. There are a lot of car seat mistakes that parents make, and wouldn’t it be great to know that you’re not making them? Keep your precious cargo safer than ever by following these simple tips. The best part is that they’re all free!
Your car seat might not be installed tightly enough. The seat shouldn’t move more than one inch in any direction when you try to jiggle it. If it moves more than that, tighten it up!
On that note, your child’s harness straps might also be too loose. We don’t want to hurt our kids, but an accident hurts more than the car seat. The harness straps should be tight enough that you cannot pinch any slack between your thumb and pointer finger.
How old was your child when you switched them to a forward facing seat? Or, how old will they have to be for you to make the change? A lot of parents make the switch too early – children should face the rear until they’re at least 1 year old and weigh 20 pounds, but the longer they can fit comfortably in the rear-facing seat, the better.
When it comes to the car seat, make sure that the angle is correct. It should be reclined enough that your kid doesn’t fall forward out of the seat when they are sitting up, but it can’t be more reclined than 45º from vertical.
While you’re inspecting the seat itself, make sure that the harness straps are in the correct position. In a rear-facing seat, the straps should come out of slots that are at the same level as, or just below, your child’s shoulders. When they are in a forward-facing seat, the straps should come out of the uppermost slots, unless the directions on the car seat say something different. The harness retainer clip could also be in the wrong place. It should be at armpit level on your child. The locking clip should also be positioned no more than one inch from the safety belt latch.
On the subject of the safety belt, make sure it’s in locked mode. How do you get it into locked mode? Check your owner’s manual! It will tell you what type of seatbelts you have, and how to use them with your child safety restraint.
It’s not hard to make sure that your child is safe and sound in the car, and the best part is that you don’t need a crazy fancy, high-tech car seat that more closely resembles a rocket ship or a kid-sized computer. All you need is to make sure that the seat is in the right spot, totally secured, and that your child is also secured safely and comfortably. Good luck!
Your Road Trip Tunes
When you’re cruising along the road, no matter how far away you roam you’re going to want some tunes to jam out to. Luckily for you, the music scientists at King Kia (yeah, we have those… totally…) have been hard at work making the perfect driving playlist that lets you enjoy the music without even touching your phone. The best part is that it’s a fantastic mix of pop songs, classics, and some greats to sing along to that are perfect for passengers of any age! Check it out and let us know what you think!
Road Trip Playlist
- Shut Up And Dance – Walk The Moon
- All Right Now – Free
- Sharp Dressed Man – ZZ Top
- Slow Ride – Foghat
- Roadhouse Blues – The Doors
- China Grove – The Doobie Brothers
- Runnin’ Down A Dream – Tom Petty
- I’ve Been Everywhere – Johnny Cash
- All Day And All Of The Night – The Kinks
- Ramblin’ Man – The Allman Brothers Band
- Born To Run – Bruce Springsteen
- Fortunate Son – Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Shiny Happy People – R.E.M.
- Wouldn’t It Be Nice – The Beach Boys
- Send Me On My Way – Rusted Root
- Summer Of ‘69 – Bryan Adams
- Take Me Home, Country Roads – John Denver
- Africa – Toto
- Purple Rain – Prince
- Take On Me – a-ha
- Beer For My Horses – Toby Keith and Willie Nelson
- Hot Blooded – Foreigner
- My Sharona – The Knack
- Bennie And The Jets – Elton John
- You Make My Dreams – Daryl Hall & John Oates
- Please Mr. Postman – The Marvelettes
- Down Under – Men At Work
- All Along The Watchtower – Jimi Hendrix
- Are You Gonna Be My Girl – Jet
Make Your Car Safe… From Allergens!
It’s spring! Do you know how we know that? Besides looking at the calendar, we know because our eyes are itchy, our noses are running, and the air is, frankly, trying to kill us slowly by way of sneezing to death. Thank goodness for allergy meds… and tissues! Anyway, we believe that your vehicle should absolutely be a bastion of safety from allergens, which unfortunately includes a little more than every-so-often cleaning. Check out our tips for making your car as allergen-free as possible and rest assured that there will only be a few more months (well, more than a few, but we’re optimistic) of sneezy weather before we’re back to the season of no outdoor allergies!
The first tip is to vacuum your vehicle frequently. This is the best way to get allergens out of the air! Get all the soft surfaces and air vents really good, and then just go over everything else thoroughly while you’re at it.
Wipe down all the hard surfaces in your vehicle with a damp microfiber cloth or automotive dusting wipes to get any accumulated dust and pollen outta there.
A good idea is to keep a bottle of allergen-reducing spray in the car. Not only will it keep any particles from floating around as much, but it’ll also make your vehicle smell nice and fresh!
Finally, you should take a look at your cabin air filter. Your owner’s manual will have instructions on how to access this, and at any rate, we can do it for you! This is important for filtering out dust and pollen that come into your vehicle, and if it hasn’t been changed in a while then it’s probably not doing its best work.
Of course, some allergens will always slip through the cracks so keep some tissues handy and some Benadryl in the glove box!
This Month’s Service Specials From King Kia
No matter how much care and love you put into your Kia, you’re still going to need to bring it in for some routine maintenance. Thankfully, we offer great specials on services and parts that mean you’ll be able to get the maintenance you need at a price that fits your budget! Check out what we’ve got for you this month, and then give us a call today!
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Essential services (oil & filter change, tire rotation, multi-point inspection) $49.95 – Please print the coupon. Most vehicles. Tax & disposal fees extra. Coupon valid at KING KIA only. Must present coupon at time of write up. May not be combined with other offers, discounts or coupons. Limit one coupon per visit. Coupon does not apply to prior purchases. Other Restrictions may apply. See dealer for details. Void where prohibited. Expires 05/31/2018
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$100 off a set of 4 tires
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All-wheel drive service (transfer case and differential fluid change) $20 off
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Battery replacement special – $10 off battery replacement purchase
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Spend & save –
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spend $50-$149.99, save $10
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$150-$249.99, save $15
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$250-$349.99, save $25
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$350-$499.99, save $50
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$1k – $1,499, save $100
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$1500-$1999, save $150
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$2k – $2499, save $200
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Transmission fluid service $25 off
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Timing belt special $100 off your timing belt replacement service
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Coolant system flush $129.95 (inc. checking for leaks, inspecting hoses, fittings, and radiator)
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Pothole special (4 wheel alignment, 4 wheel tire rotation and balance) $149.95
*Specials expire 5/31/18. Please see service specials page for details.
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Warranties include 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain and 5-year/60,000-mile basic. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited. See retailer for warranty details.