Kia Optima 2019 - Should I Buy?

Hey everyone,

I’m a 19-year-old college student trying to buy my first car. I don’t know much about cars, and after getting absolutely roasted for considering a Stinger with 73k miles for $19k, I found another Kia that seems decent. It’s listed at $15.7k before fees with 43k miles.

My main question—does this seem like a good purchase? Is this a reliable car that will last me at least five years without major repairs? I’d really appreciate any opinions!

Side note: How badly will depreciation hit this car? It’s had two previous owners, was previously certified pre-owned, and had an original MSRP of $26k. Now it’s listed at $16k. If I drive it up to 80k miles over the next five years, will it still have any resale value?

2.4L 4 cylinder? I’d probably pass. I believe those engines tend to fail prematurely.

Dar said:
2.4L 4 cylinder? I’d probably pass. I believe those engines tend to fail prematurely.

Not all of them have issues; it’s mainly the ones made in the US. My 2.4L has 133k miles on it with zero problems, and it’s manufactured in Korea.

@Brier
The Sonata? You mentioned it was totaled. What happened?

Dar said:
@Brier
The Sonata? You mentioned it was totaled. What happened?

Someone ran a red light and it got totaled.

Brier said:

Dar said:
@Brier
The Sonata? You mentioned it was totaled. What happened?

Someone ran a red light and it got totaled.

If the engine got hit, that could count as premature failure.

Brier said:

Dar said:
@Brier
The Sonata? You mentioned it was totaled. What happened?

Someone ran a red light and it got totaled.

Sorry to hear that, man. That sucks.

@Dar
It happens! Insurance covered a Tucson, so it’s all good in my book lol.

Brier said:
@Dar
It happens! Insurance covered a Tucson, so it’s all good in my book lol.

That’s great! I’m glad they came through for you.

Dar said:
@Brier
The Sonata? You mentioned it was totaled. What happened?

The Sonata was a 2.0T, while my Optima is a 2.4L.

Brier said:

Dar said:
@Brier
The Sonata? You mentioned it was totaled. What happened?

The Sonata was a 2.0T, while my Optima is a 2.4L.

Got it.

Dar said:
2.4L 4 cylinder? I’d probably pass. I believe those engines tend to fail prematurely.

It’s not only that engine; every 4-cylinder engine has risks, but the 2.4L is notorious for premature rod failure.

I recommend checking if you can get insurance on it before making your decision. Some insurers won’t cover certain models/years due to high theft rates. Make sure to quote a couple of carriers online.

Dezi said:
I recommend checking if you can get insurance on it before making your decision. Some insurers won’t cover certain models/years due to high theft rates. Make sure to quote a couple of carriers online.

1000% agree. I was about to say the same thing.

Dezi said:
I recommend checking if you can get insurance on it before making your decision. Some insurers won’t cover certain models/years due to high theft rates. Make sure to quote a couple of carriers online.

Living in a smaller metro area makes it easy to insure, but if I ever move back to Chicago, I’ll likely have to sell it.

I know someone who had to get rid of one after Kia replaced the engine when it blew. I wouldn’t recommend it.

I recently traded in my 2019 Optima. It started burning oil at 50k miles, then lost all coolant at 90k, stranding me. It burned a quart of oil every 500 miles by then.

Even so, I was surprised by how much I got for it. I paid around $18k for it new and thought the dealership wouldn’t want it with all the issues, but they offered me $8500.

@Briar
How did you get it for $18k new? That’s impressive. Would you say this car is bad then? :frowning:

Aza said:
@Briar
How did you get it for $18k new? That’s impressive. Would you say this car is bad then? :frowning:

Look for market adjustments; you really need to check your local dealers.

In my area, they’re marking up Forte GT-lines by $3500. I managed to get one for $17.5k out the door with just $5k down.

New isn’t always the optimal choice, though; it really depends on your budget.

Aza said:
@Briar
How did you get it for $18k new? That’s impressive. Would you say this car is bad then? :frowning:

This was before the pandemic when car buying was totally different. They had a sale and gave me a bit more off since it was the month’s end and they were keen to hit sales targets. It was also one trim level below this one.

I loved my Optima initially, but the engine is problematic. Plus, you don’t get the same warranty if you’re not the original owner. I wouldn’t recommend buying this car.