[yiannos18]

After seeing the seemingly huge amount of SLS Rios on here, I couldn't help but post my Rio. However, the difference here is that it's a Rio SLi. So basically the same as SLS with 4 doors, no leather (the cloth seats are infinitely better than the leather ones!) and no auto climate control.

Despite what seems to be the belief on here, I think the 5 door is indeed the better looker. The window/bodywork ratio is more harmonious with less boring metal.
I do quite a lot of mountain biking so I find it easier to open the rear doors to make everything fit nicely (it has swallowed 2 bikes and gear for a whole days worth of remote riding and had some space to spare!) but then again, that's just me!

The 'latte' colour looks fairly average on the Kia website, however in real life, it looks more like an 'aluminium silver'. And to pre-empt questions, it is auto. Great for the commute into uni where I average 5km/h on Church/Chapel Street...
I do get 8.1L/100km when I'm commuting in heavy traffic, but on the open road I have had 4.8L/100km at 75kmh!

 

[Metragnome]

Awesome the latte looks much better that I thought it would...

I'm still waiting on my SLi...... possibly a graphite one on it's way soon.... stay tuned.

 

[Mysticality]

Impressive!!

I'll never get over the Victerrian p-plates. :S

 

[OzSLS]

looks good mate, i don't mind latte in person

the SLi also misses out on push button start and keyless entry

i'd have to disagree about the seats though, the leather is fantastic. I've had 7 cars with leather seats and the Rio has the softest most comfortable leather of them all. Also comparing it directly with the SLi we test drove, i found them the more comfortable ride. Not taking anything away from your SLi, we originally wanted one, but curious how you came to the conclusion that the cloth is 'infinitely better'.

Enjoy it, they're fantastic little cars.

Impressive!!

I'll never get over the Victerrian p-plates. :S

hey?

 

[Mysticality]

Well, the p-plates from Victoria are odd. At least to me.

Esp. when compared to the NSW ones.

 

[yiannos18]

the SLi also misses out on push button start and keyless entry

i'd have to disagree about the seats though, the leather is fantastic. I've had 7 cars with leather seats and the Rio has the softest most comfortable leather of them all. Also comparing it directly with the SLi we test drove, i found them the more comfortable ride. Not taking anything away from your SLi, we originally wanted one, but curious how you came to the conclusion that the cloth is 'infinitely better'.

that too, I was reading the manual and it gave me a lovely insight as to what the SLi misses out on!

ok maybe I was over exaggerating about the leather seats but the conclusion I came to that cloth is better than leather is that on hot days when you leave the car out in the sun, the seats get very hot and burn you one you sit down, as well as that you sweat really easily on the hot leather seats and you end up sitting in a pool of your own sweat... that's just my observation of sitting in various cars with leather seats on a hot day...

I'll never get over the Victerrian p-plates. :S

they're more distinctive and easily recognisable from a distance, but that can be a bad thing if you tend to drive around in an illegal, high powered car...

 

[OzSLS]

you sound like you sweat a lot lol - in my experience the hyper-sweating problem and 'freezing' in winter is just a myth

either way it doesn't matter, enjoy the car as they really are a good thing. I'm noticing that more than ever now as ours is in getting the complimentary inspection and a few other things done at the moment and we have a 2007 Swift as the loan car lol.

 

[yiannos18]

you sound like you sweat a lot lol - in my experience the hyper-sweating problem and 'freezing' in winter is just a myth

either way it doesn't matter, enjoy the car as they really are a good thing. I'm noticing that more than ever now as ours is in getting the complimentary inspection and a few other things done at the moment and we have a 2007 Swift as the loan car lol.

I find it strange that I do hahaha

yours is complimentary?! I had to pay for mine!
yes I absolutely love my car! I don't have it today as I needed dad's car (4wd) but I certainly do miss all the little comforts it has in it.. as well as its road holding ability. Like a cat on curtains.

 

[OzSLS]

cat on curtains hah i like that one

yeah the 1000KM inspection if offered, should be free - but i believe only my dealer does it in vic. It's getting reverse sensors fitted too as the rear visibility in car park situations is about as good as the room from Dating in the Dark.

 

[TJ85]

My dealer offered first service is free too. Never bothered. They called me up few weeks ago to give me free 1year touch up service for the car.

The P plate thing; if you drive like an idiot police will be your new best friend. Drive like everyone else and they will not bother you. While on my P's my other car fits your description (about as illegal as you could get; more CF than you can poke a stick at) and not once ever got any police attention.

I hate being in 4WD. The parents have one and when been in it Ive always managed to fall out of it from it being high off the ground.

 

[yiannos18]

cat on curtains hah i like that one

yeah the 1000KM inspection if offered, should be free - but i believe only my dealer does it in vic. It's getting reverse sensors fitted too as the rear visibility in car park situations is about as good as the room from Dating in the Dark.

that's annoying... because apparently the hinge bolt on the driver's side door worked its way loose and surely a fix for that should've been free, given its a new car...
and yes, the rear vision is totally shaizan! I usually just hang my head out the window to see where I am, thank god for short overhangs.

My dealer offered first service is free too. Never bothered. They called me up few weeks ago to give me free 1year touch up service for the car.

The P plate thing; if you drive like an idiot police will be your new best friend. Drive like everyone else and they will not bother you. While on my P's my other car fits your description (about as illegal as you could get; more CF than you can poke a stick at) and not once ever got any police attention.

I hate being in 4WD. The parents have one and when been in it Ive always managed to fall out of it from it being high off the ground.

that's definitely true but a few of my mates do get more attention for the cars they drive (one had an R34, just the basic GT model and he was basically followed everywhere by a police car)

I love the all round visibility of seeing which idiot is causing the traffic jam up ahead but definitely dislike the feeling where the car will fall over itself

 

[yiannos18]

best I could do just using the rear vision mirror!
space between gate and the car was approx. 1.5cm. That's about as close as I could go without feeling like I was going to hit the bumper!

 

[OzSLS]

hang on a sec, you were charged to fix a structural issue in a new car?? dude please elaborate..

 

[yiannos18]

hang on a sec, you were charged to fix a structural issue in a new car?? dude please elaborate..

yep.
if only I can find the service receipt you'll be able to see but from memory, they charged me for the labour of tightening the bolt and then assessing all other hinges around the car. I was still horrified either way to learn that the door could've fallen off!

 

[OzSLS]

i can't comment accurately, but i'll say some dealers charge you for a 1000KM inspection, however if what they fix is a warranty item, ie a problem with the car, there should be no charge at all. In saying that, if you'd agreed to pay for the inspection, the labour side of it may simply be the labour charge you were going to pay either way.

 

[yiannos18]

i can't comment accurately, but i'll say some dealers charge you for a 1000KM inspection, however if what they fix is a warranty item, ie a problem with the car, there should be no charge at all. In saying that, if you'd agreed to pay for the inspection, the labour side of it may simply be the labour charge you were going to pay either way.

logically, regardless of whether paying for the service or not, a warranty fix is a warranty fix with no cost to the owner. After all, why would I PURPOSELY want the door to come off? :\
oh well, it's happened now. I'm just going to make sure they fix that damn racket coming from the dashboard!

 

[TJ85]

When was your car built?

Otherwise, you can check here if there are any recalls on Kia in Australia:

Kia

 

[OzSLS]

how many km did the car have when you took it in for the service?

also the racket in the dash you speak of, was it a vibration-type annoying rattle, that could be heard at all speeds? Ours had that and i had it fixed while it was getting the reverse sensors fitted today. They put some insulation in the base of the steering column as after pulling off the shroud they found a metal bracket that rattles against the plastic.

 

[yiannos18]

When was your car built?

Otherwise, you can check here if there are any recalls on Kia in Australia:

Kia

thanks for the link TJ! no recalls on the car though so I'm guessing they haven't yet identified it as a fault... although judging by what everyone is saying here, it must almost be a worldwide issue...

how many km did the car have when you took it in for the service?

also the racket in the dash you speak of, was it a vibration-type annoying rattle, that could be heard at all speeds? Ours had that and i had it fixed while it was getting the reverse sensors fitted today. They put some insulation in the base of the steering column as after pulling off the shroud they found a metal bracket that rattles against the plastic.

Oz, I took it in when it had about 1700kms on it I believe..
yes, most loudly heard when driving over a bumpy surface and sounds like the dash will fall off. Next service I'll have to get that done then!

 

[yiannos18]

Potential Mods

ok, so here's my list of mods that I will eventually get around to doing. Mechanical mods will have to wait as I have to talk to my insurance company first (being a P-Plater does not really help me one little bit) and see what they will allow. Anything crazy like turbo/supercharging is definitely off the list! But will definitely think about lowering.. not much though since some steep driveways already give me troubles and I have to do the 'wog crawl'...

All the mods I'm thinking about will be to give the car some difference to the other 5 door Rios that all the 'other' drivers have. The latte colour certainly does give a point of difference but here goes:

- LED driving lights
- LED interior lights (including boot and vanity.. which I didn't know I had til last week)
- LED turn signals w/ load resistors
- LED reverse lamps
- LED licence plate lights
- Shark Fin antenna
- Light black 'tint' on lights for a more sinister look
- Black roof

and maybe I will get an auto electrician to modify the DRLs so that when the headlights go on, the DRLs don't dim automatically.
I know that's a LOT of LED going on, but they lower power consumption dramatically, especially for the lights that get used a lot so there is less load on the motor when it's running and less drain on the battery when it isn't. Also gives the car a unique look

but of course, the almighty mod that every European male has in his car: fluffy dice xD
ok, maybe not...