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.
Camp Out Of Your Kia
With the advent of May, we’re getting dangerously close to summer, which for… well, I’d say about 99.9% of us means that it’s practically vacation time, and we’re here to tell you about a GREAT way to use your PTO and save money – camp out of your Kia! Here’s how to do it and have a fantastic experience while saving money by not having to buy a tent and saving time by not having to assemble said tent.
First of all, make sure that your vehicle is large enough to camp in comfortably (may we suggest the compact-yet-spacious Soul?). A great idea is to put the back seats down and assemble a sleeping spot where you can stretch out comfortably across both the back seat area and the trunk. How do you stay comfortable? Sleep one layer up from the floor of the car. Use an air mattress, make yourself a little platform, lay down some yoga mats… whatever you do, that layer is instrumental in making sure you’re comfortable and warm throughout the night. But no matter how snug you’re going to be, always crack a window or two to let some air out! If you have a sunroof, vent that bad boy and hunker down. The open windows will let enough of a breeze through and let your moist breath out of the car, preventing condensation and gross breath-related humidity. And hey, it’s healthier for you to sleep in cooler temperatures!
Need darkness? If you’re crafty, make yourself some curtains for the windows that you can hang up and use to block out the light, weird neighbors, wildlife… you get the idea. All you need to do is get some fabric, or some pre-made kitchen curtains, and attach them to your windows. We suggest Velcro, bungee cords, or whatever else works best for you.
Make sure you’ve got an easy and effective way to organize your stuff, bring toilet paper, and voilà! You’re done! Now all you’ve got to do is make sure you’ve got a place to go… and luckily, our beautiful country is full of amazing places to explore. Get going!
Emergency Kit DIY
This week, we’re sharing a list of emergency supplies that you should always have in your vehicle. It’s important to be prepared (why do you think it’s the Boy Scout motto?) and we’re all about that kind of life. So, take a look at our list and make sure you’ve got these items on hand, just in case you need them. Just when you think you don’t, well, that’s always when you do.
1. Charged cell phone. Although this item will probably be on your person, it may make the difference between getting help fast and maybe not getting help at all.
2. First-aid kit with an assortment of Band-Aids, adhesive tape, gauze pads, aspirin, antiseptic wipes, antiseptic cream or ointment, and anything particular to you or your family, like extra medication or other necessities, like Lactaid or similar.
3. Fire extinguisher, rated for Class B and Class C fires by the National Fire Protection Association or NFPA. The NFPA says Class B fires are those that involve flammable or combustible liquids, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, and kerosene. Class C fires involve energized electrical equipment such as switches, panel boxes, and batteries. These are both dangers in a vehicle!
4. Three reflective warning triangles. While many prepackaged emergency kits contain one warning triangle, you should have three that are placed 50 feet apart to warn oncoming traffic. In a pinch, though, one will do.
5. Tire gauge. You should use the tire gauge in their car emergency kit to periodically check the air pressure in their spare tire.
6. Foam tire sealant is a quick, inexpensive way to repair many flats without changing the tire.
7. Jumper cables that are at least 10 feet in length and coated with at least 8-gauge rubber.
8. Flashlight and extra batteries. The flashlight should be waterproof.
9. Gloves
10. Rags
11. Duct tape, the universal fix-it solution. You should carry at least 10 feet of it.
12. Tow strap or tow rope that is strong enough to tow 6,000 pounds.
13. Multipurpose utility tool, like a Leatherman or a Swiss Army knife.
14. Rain poncho. Even an inexpensive plastic poncho is better than nothing when changing a tire in the pouring rain.
15. Drinking water.
16. Non-perishable snacks. Protein bars are a good choice.
Behold, The Perfect Kias For Millennials
We all know about those people out in the world called “millennials.” In fact, you (yes you, reading this right now) might even be one yourself! That’s totally cool. Millennials are the future! But one thing that’s probably an eternal fact about any generation is that no matter who you are, you probably need a car. Everyone has a different set of needs when it comes to transportation, and though it’s unfair to group millennials together and make blanket statements, we’re a little more interested in some things (like tech) than in other things (the intricacies of a manual transmission). Well, we’ve put together some of our favorite Kia vehicles for people of a ~certain age~ in this week’s blog! Take a look!
First up, the Kia Soul. This is a perennial favorite for a lot of good reasons. Not only does it look cool and unique, it’s got a really great way of tackling the road. And remember those hamster commercials where they were always rocking out because the sound system in the Soul was so good? Well, that’s legit – the Soul is famous in the Kia lineup for being the perfect car to bump your music in. And now that it’s 2018, the Soul comes with Kia’s UVO technology and eServices. The free UVO eServices app integrates your iPhone® with your vehicle to connect with 24-hour roadside assistance, monitor vehicle maintenance requirements, and much more. Wherever you park, UVO eServices can record your vehicle’s location and, if necessary, help you find it by using your compatible smartphone. We are all about that. Oh, and you can get it with a turbocharger. There’s that, too.
The Soul EV gets its own little paragraph because it’s like your standard Soul but with the added bonus of being extra-eco friendly on account of how it doesn’t use gas. It’s the same Soul style standard with a DC Fast Charge port, an estimated driving range of 0-111 miles, and 210 lb.-ft. of instant torque. You’ve got the same advanced in-car technology, but now fully charged with energy-smart innovations, like bio-based cabin materials and the UVO eco connectivity system. Unlike many EVs, all Soul EVs come standard with the quickest available charge port, the DC Fast Charge, which supplies an 80% charge to an empty battery in about 30 minutes. That’s in addition to two more convenient ways to charge. Whether you’re starting your day, leaving the office, or enjoying your road trip, you can always find a full charge. And if you want to save a little coin, every time you recharge your battery instead of gas up at the pump, you are saving money. Because an EV is propelled by only an electric motor (or motors), the system is cleaner and more streamlined than that of a gasoline vehicle, so maintenance costs are lower. Electric companies often times offer reduced electricity rates for EV owners, lowering the cost of charging your Soul EV at home. For example, several major car insurance companies also offer significant discounts to EV owners. More potential perks include rebates for home charger installation, free or preferred public parking, free charging at certain businesses, and reduced toll fees. Remember, every 60 gallons of gas used to power a car produces over half a ton of carbon dioxide. When you drive an EV, you produce zero CO2 tailpipe emissions. Go EV!
Next up is the Kia Niro, first the standard hybrid version and then the plug-in version! Yes, you read that right, the hybrid is the standard version of the Niro, which means whichever you choose you’re going to be saving some gas money. The Niro is the no-compromise vehicle. Thoughtfully designed to combine the benefits of the crossover and hybrid worlds. Like the forward-looking engineering and optimized fuel economy of a hybrid. And the versatile design and practicality of a crossover. It’s the high-style, high-MPG adventure vehicle made for the no-compromise driver. It also connects to your Google Home or Amazon Alexa, and with the same UVO system and bangin’ Harman/Kardon sound system, you’ve got the best hookup in town. From the Parallel Hybrid System and regenerative braking system, to the impressively efficient and fun-to-drive dual-clutch automatic transmission with Sport Mode, the Niro is the perfect pairing of optimized fuel economy and dynamic driving performance. And with a 10-year/100,00-mile warranty that covers the hybrid system, including the electric traction motor, you can drive the open road with confidence.
The Niro Plug-In is pretty much the same, but is totally electric! When it comes to saving dollars, is the next step in the electric evolution. Hit the open road with a hybrid system capable of going fully electric (EV mode) with the push of a button for trips around town. It’s also eligible for a High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) decal in select states, and Federal and tax rebates in select states can help make it more affordable than you think. How does it work? The Niro Plug-In Hybrid delivers versatility right down to its power source. With the push of a button, you can go all-electric using a high-density, lithium-ion polymer battery with an estimated EPA rated All Electric Range (AER) up to 26 miles. And you can be confident knowing you’ll never be stranded with its hybrid gas-electric HEV mode.
Take a look at these awesome vehicles and let us know when you want to take your test drive!
Take My Word – Don’t Try To Fix These Yourself
We all have our own specific skill sets, that’s for certain. My girlfriend can do all kinds of math in her head but can’t spell to save her life. I’m handy with the car, but I know I’m no good at things like plumbing. My girlfriend would also like to note that I seem to have a problem with washing the dishes and operating a vacuum cleaner. This is false and I just take care of those things when she’s not around.
Anyway, I wanted to share with y’all some of the things I’ve learned about at-home car repair over the years. As handy as you may be, and as in tune with your engine bay as you might think you are, there are some repairs that you really should just leave to the pros. I’ve found the shop techs at King Kia to really know their stuff, especially on my girl’s Sorento, and so I advise you to trust them when it comes to maintaining and repairing your car. These are the five things that above all I don’t think you should touch when you’re messing around under the hood. Let the pros handle these and you’ll have made a good choice.
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Don’t touch the transmission. Don’t even change the fluid. If you make a mistake with the transmission you’re in for a much more expensive repair than you had on your hands before you decided to try and repair it.
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Your windshield is another thing that you need to bring to glass professionals. Even those store bought kits that say they fix cracks, well. A professional will get the job done seamlessly, and the kit won’t provide satisfactory results. Just get a pro in there and you’ll be set.
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Anything to do with wiring should be off-limits; trying to tinker with anything in the car that has a lot of delicate electronics is a bad idea. So no putting in a new sound system on your own! Do you know how bad electrical fires are? Stay away!
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Don’t think about touching the fuel pump, either. This is not only a very precise part, but it requires precise installation and even the smallest mixup can total your engine from the inside out.
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Don’t try your hand at engine diagnostics. This should be a no-brainer. The little code reader you can get that turns off the check engine light doesn’t actually fix anything, so why waste money that you could spend on getting what’s making the light come on repaired?
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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.