2004 Kia Amanti 3.5 V6 from North America
Summary:
T R A S H
Faults:
Car problems started to appear around 40,000 miles.
1. First off, the car's engine started to make a clicking noise when I started the car... After a month or so, the clicking noise got louder and louder. Had it fixed with the car warranty, but the problem came back, and by the time it started to do again, the car warranty was done. Still clicks till this day, and it's really loud.
2. Front suspension rattle or clicking noise around 50.000 miles. And still doing it till this day...
3. The car audio and CD player works, but the tape player shows an error message when attempted to play. The tape player does not work, but it still seems to be spinning inside, regardless of if the car is still on or off.
4. The car battery drains if the car is not driven for 2 or more days. I think it is due to the car tape player still spinning, even though the car is turned off.
5. The transmission is really rough. When I step on the gas, the rpm will rev up, and all of a sudden, with a really hard and rough shift, the car will engage in gear and go. (if you have ever driven a manual car, the Amanti feels as if you step on the clutch and put it in gear, and step on the pedal, and while the car engine is above 4000 rpm, you would just drop the clutch to make the car jerk forward. And that's what exactly feels like right now). It's getting worse and it does it in every gear.
6. The car is a gas guzzler. The car has an mpg and many other measurements screen that shows mpg, but when actually calculated on my own, it does not even get close to what the car mpg shows on the screen. I barely get 25mpg, and I'm lucky if I get that; usually it's 17 mpg average..
7. The car design looks like it was copied from many cars. The rear end looks exactly like an Oldsmobile, the front is a mix with a Jag and Mercedes. The interior started to fall apart within 3 years of driving..
8. I feel just totally embarrassed to drive this piece of $#@t. Now the car is not even worth 4000 dollars resale, and to fix all the problems it will cost me over 2000 dollars, and I totally think it's not worth the money to fix a Kia.. I would rather dump the car at a junk yard and buy a new car. (would never buy another Kia, and I'd tell my sons and my son's sons not to buy it ever..)
Overall review of the car.. F**k KIA. After reading good comments about this car compared to Nissans and Toyotas.. I don't see how anyone could even write such a good review for a car not worth spending money for..
General Comments:
J U N K!!!
That's all you need to know..
Any comments or questions about my review.
Email me at dkstylezz@gmail.com
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 7th April, 2010
15th Mar 2017, 04:36
The Amanti had the most shamelessly derivative styling of any car produced outside of China! How can you honestly call it "unique"?
10th Aug 2015, 22:31
We own a 2004 Amanti, that we purchased new. It is a fully loaded model. This is the third Kia that we have owned, and the only one we still have.
We were a bit surprised over the color being listed as red, when it clearly looks black. In the sunlight, you can see definitely see red glitter in the paint, so it is technically red.
Everyone who has ever driven the car thinks that it is fantastic. That includes people aged 24 to 64. Especially the speed pickup, curve hugging on turns, comfort, dash design and speaker system. It's extremely comfortable, although once you drive in the 8-way adjustable driver's seat, you'll never want to go back to the passenger's seat.
A police officer pulled up next to one of us while getting ready to turn, not to give a ticket, but to find out what kind of car could go from 0-60 that quickly (and said to slow down from now on).
The car looks unique. Almost like it could be the offspring of a Jaguar and a Mercedes. We receive compliments on it all of the time.
We feel that the outside noise could be reduced with more insulation, although Kia claims the quietness as one of its good points.
The only fault with the 2004 Amanti is that there is definitely an issue with the electrical system. This is easy to get around by remembering to turn off EVERYTHING before turning off the engine. Even though the lights go off, the radio doesn't play and the wipers don't wipe, etc., if anything is left in an on position, it will drain the battery beyond being able to recharge it. A salesman at the dealership admitted that this was an issue with many Amantis, but not enough to be a recall.
There was an issue with the 6-CD player overheating, but that was resolved by the radio being replaced and a small dash vent being installed.
We were going to trade this car in, for a new model Amanti four years after we purchased it. Unfortunately, Kia discontinued the Amanti production after 2004.
If you are the original owner, and the car has been well maintained, this car is a luxury workhorse that we plan to keep for many years to come.