I want to buy a car and I am trying to save money, so I am looking for a used one. I think I want an early Optima from around 2010 to 2014. I’ll go through a dealership since I don’t know much about the paperwork involved in buying a car, plus having some sort of warranty would be nice.
This will be my first car and I am eager to know what I need to be aware of. Many of these cars have between 100,000 and 200,000 miles on them and I’m wondering if it’s even a good idea to get a car with that many miles. I would like to keep my car for at least ten years and I want to take care of whatever I end up buying, but I’m not sure what issues might arise with a car that has been used that much.
What kinds of red flags should I keep an eye out for when buying a used car? Also, I’d appreciate any general advice for all cars.
A car with over 100,000 miles, especially a Hyundai or Kia, is a hard pass. I wouldn’t buy one with that many miles. Also, there’s a lot of talk about Kia boys so I would avoid any models before 2020 that use key starts.
@Denny
That’s a pretty extreme statement. If a vehicle is properly maintained, there are many that go past 100,000 miles and still run fine. Not everyone can afford a new car, you know.
Avoid buying a 2014 Kia Optima. Seriously, just steer clear. If you do get one, just know that I might laugh at your bad choice in private. It was a rough year for that model.
Check to see if the engine is still under warranty and make sure all recalls have been addressed. When you test drive, take it on the highway and see if the steering locks up. If that happens, fixing it can cost over a thousand bucks if the warranty is expired. I had to deal with that.
Honestly, just the name Kia or Hyundai raises a lot of alarms for me. They intentionally made engines that have had issues for years, and those of us who own them know the trouble all too well. Every Optima model you’re considering is part of a lawsuit for engine failures. It’s likely the engine will fail, it’s just a matter of when. These vehicles have been known to suddenly catch fire and they have huge oil consumption problems, leading to a lot of costly repairs. The 2010 to 2014 Optimas have faced 28 recalls, 53 investigations, and thousands of complaints. You can find all this information at NHTSA.gov. Just enter the vehicle info and see what’s going on. Another issue is the whole TikTok Kia Boys trend. They exposed a flaw in Kias from 2011 to 2021 that makes them easy to steal, which has led many insurance companies to either refuse to insure them or increase insurance rates significantly. You’ll likely get a steering wheel lock as a sort of consolation prize instead of real solutions. My best advice is to avoid KIA and HYUNDAI completely. They can lead to huge headaches and money lost.
Helpful tip: Many different models from KIA and HYUNDAI are affected by fire and engine failure. This is due to them knowingly putting faulty engines in cars even after they discovered the issues. Do your research, stay informed, and good luck!
@Arun
Reading this as a new KIA owner is both heartbreaking and pretty scary.
I live in the Middle East and everyone I ask about KIA speaks positively. It’s just this forum that makes me nervous. Other websites like JD Power gave good reliability ratings for my KIA Sorento before I bought it.
When the Reddit blackout happened, I couldn’t join this forum as I was waiting for approval, and now I’m left wondering if I should regret joining this forum or even purchasing the car.
I went with a 2023 Kia Sorento, it’s the EX trim with a V6 3.5L engine and AWD, plus an 8-speed DCT.
I don’t have much info on the newer models. The Kias and Hyundais I’m talking about were produced from 2011 to 2021. During those years, they were knowingly using engines that had flaws, but still put them in cars. That’s why so many from those years are part of the engine failure and fire lawsuits. It’s really about the engines they used rather than the make or model. There have been similar class actions in Australia and Canada for the same reasons, since it was the same faulty engine design everywhere. But it looks like your car is too new to have one of those troublesome engines.
