Old model kia rio's

[Matt11]

What are peoples opinions, on the old model kia rios, like a 51/ 52 plate one. Is there a reason there so cheap for a decent sized car?

[sparkyhx]

I believe they are pretty CRAP, but they are cheap, stop and go and hold a lot - if thats what you want they are fine.

[Matt11]

Not cheap down to poor reliability then?

[tbc]

Think they are cheap for a reason.

They were about £5k new if i remember rightly

I remember seeing on at a motor show about 10 years ago

They had a weird smell inside, not new car smell. A bit like a gravy half and half from my local takeaway

[Matt11]

Cheap because they have no real features and don't look great? which wouldn't bother me. Or due to poor reliability?

[oilslick]

I've read several of your other threads about wanting a small car because of insurance. Have you tried running a few bigger cars through the meerkats to see what difference it would make? You might be surprised!

[Ozzie Osmond]

sparkyhx said:

they are cheap, stop and go and hold a lot

That's just about the full story.

[Toaster Pilot]

Had a 10 plate one. Met a tree related death.

It was falling apart inside at 27k miles and had the gearbox rebuilt under warranty at 11k. I guess the previous owner was harsh on it mechanically to cause that failure mind.

Saved my life in a nasty accident but I'm not sure that was down to the car but more down to where the impact was - it folded in like a tin can and the side airbag failed to deploy (but then any comparable car I'd imagine would be similar apart from the airbag thing)

Apart from that, it wasn't that bad - no idea what the older ones are like. Parts prices can be eye watering.

Edited by Toaster Pilot on Sunday 3rd August 22:04

[Jonny_]

I once spent a day with a 10-plate 1.4 version. It was pretty bad to drive: noisy, slow, very vague controls. Like the 1.4 Astra of similar vintage, it was surprisingly thirsty, a result of being quite underpowered.

Can only imagine a 2002 version is even worse!

If I was after basic, cheap, reliable transport I think I'd buy an old Nissan or Toyota instead. Almeras, Corollas, that sort of thing.

[Mound Dawg]

My Missus got one as a hire car for a business trip back in about 2003.

It was utterly ghastly.

[poing]

I like Kia but this car was not their finest hour, it's properly awful. I had one for a few days as a courtesy car and it had zero power, made a lot of noise but didn't seem to actually accelerate. Grip was hysterically bad, following an old woman in a Clio around a damp roundabout (so I wasn't exactly doing silly speeds) the car understeered like it had developed a serious mechanical fault.

Just for reference the car I owned at the time was a 1.0 Nissan Micra so it's not like I was comparing it to hot hatch.

[ecsrobin]

oilslick said:

I've read several of your other threads about wanting a small car because of insurance. Have you tried running a few bigger cars through the meerkats to see what difference it would make? You might be surprised!

This. There's a lot of factors that effect car insurance.

Looking at your previous threads it looks like you struggled driving a swift? How come you haven't looked at a K11 micro yet as everyone has suggested? That would be my next step before moving onto the next car.

Is there other factors working against you like bad postcode, age, points?

[Matt11]

I liked the swift but when I test drive it I couldn't put my legs/knees under the steering wheel, even with the chair fully back. I guess it isn't a great idea to buy a car if you have to drive like that?

[briang9]

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/showthread.ph...

[vtecyo]

Wasn't it the Kia Rio they ran the ad campaign boasting about how you could go out with a pound coin and come back with a new car?

[oilslick]

Matt11 said:

I liked the swift but when I test drive it I couldn't put my legs/knees under the steering wheel, even with the chair fully back. I guess it isn't a great idea to buy a car if you have to drive like that?

Not unless you want to end every journey trying to work the cramp out of your legs.

[JimbobVFR]

I drove one once, utterly horrible car, bear in mind I once owned a J reg Skoda Favorit which I much preferred that might indicate how horrible it was.

[valiant]

vtecyo said:

Wasn't it the Kia Rio they ran the ad campaign boasting about how you could go out with a pound coin and come back with a new car?

Difference now is that you can go into a dealership with an old Kia Rio and you'll come out with a pound!

[morgrp]

The ones i've seen have all rotted in the bulkhead

[Mound Dawg]

Only if it's got a decent amount of petrol in it.