Hi all!
I have been creeping these forums for a few months, ever since I started looking into the Kia Forte.
I currently drive a 2001 Saturn SC1, and I have had it for 6 years. Its been a good car but its almost time to replace it
.
About 4 months ago I started compiling a list of cars I would like to buy new/ could live with for a few years and not hate myself for getting one. Of course, being a substitute teacher, guaranteed work is a luxury, so I was looking at keeping my monthly payments as low as possible.
My list basically went :
Chevrolet Sonic RS
Hyundai Accent
Kia Rio
Ford Fiesta
Jeep Wrangler
Fast forward two months and I convinced my father to come test drive vehicles with me. No one carries Sonic RS's because, I guess the dealers don't believe that cool people buy chevs
(kidding, 24k for a small car isn't exactly going to sell quickly) so we ended up with an LS model..... I hated the Sonic from that day forward. Underpowered and felt like I was sitting in a church pew.
The accent was, well, like my saturn. Something to go from A to B. Not wild about it
I grew up in a GM family, so the ford was a hard one to drive. But, it was enjoyable. An ST would be the best, but it wasnt too bad.
And the wrangler... GOD LOVE the wrangler. I drove two, one was stock (2dr) and one was MODIFIED (3" lift, 35" tires, KC lights, EVERYTHING, 2dr) and I was just in love. What I wasn't in love with was the bi-weekly payments... and GAS... 20MPG IF YOU'RE LUCKY, and 350$ bi-weekly.... Doable on a sub budget if I didn't have to do anything else with my money!
So lastly, we go to Kia. I have always scoffed at Kia, just because their design were so gross and bleh. Well, I walked in to test a rio, and the salesman said, "You don't want that, you want a Forte." At first I was like, yeah sure, walk in for the cheap car, get talked into a more expensive car, but BOY was I wrong. His intentions might have been to make me spend more, but I am in LOVE with the Kia Forte.
I have test drive the Sedan, and the Hatchback, and plan on going to test drive a SX Koup Monday. I am pretty sure I am sold on the 5 door though.
Well, that was my car journey! I plan to buy between February and June 2016... The dealer said that I could go in, in February and order the car that I want, and by the time I turn 25 (lower insurance FTW!) in June, it will be here from Korea. That seems like the best plan IMO right now.
I guess I should also say what I teach... Majored in history, minored in French. I have taught from primary to 12 all around central NS. Its been a good time but hard to get a job!!
Thanks! And I look forward to talking to everyone!! AND OWNING A KIA!
PS. I already have a mod list ready
