Hi guys just wondering what you guys would do in my shoes.
I'm pretty much set on a kia sportage. I will be buying in cash, intending to keep it for 3-4 years(most likely shorter) looking at the base model with AWD but probably a reverse camera is ideal.
Looking at the prices,
2015 : 28-29k
2016 : 29-33k
2017 : 32-37k (some demo[MY18] some used some new[MY17])
2018 : Cheapest I could find was 35k
From what I can see, factoring in the 7 year warranty, it seems like the value between the 2015 and 2016s are not very different except that the 2016s are quite hard to come by.
Now that we've had a overview of the market. Here are the individual ads that I'm tossing up against (cheapest representatives for their conditions and from the looks of it, all have reverse cameras)
28k used 2015[MY15] about 33,000 km traveled (I've ruled this out, but i'm putting this here to set a base)
29k used 2016[MY16] about 26,000 km traveled with reverse camera
32K demo 2017[MY17] says 20km traveled
34k new 2017[MY17]
35k demo 2018[MY18] I'm not so likely to go for this one but at 15km traveled, it doesn't seem like such a bad deal
The ozbargainer in me is looking at the used 2016, but in the grand scheme of things is 3k more worth it for 1 a car 1 year younger (2017 demo) with much less kilometres traveled. Again, leading on from that, if i'm willing to pay 3k more for that, would another 3k be okay to pay for a demo 2018 model (but we're facing diminishing returns here).
Thank you all for your response!
Word of warning. If you're relying on the balance of the 7 year warranty, make sure that either:
it was serviced on time at the required intervals at a Kia Dealership and you have the documentation to prove it. Call their service teams and they should be able to confirm if you have doubt.
if it was serviced elsewhere, you have the invoice detailing what grade oils, exact parts, etc used on it are, or can obtain it. You need to be 100% on this.. grade/brand of oil, brand of filters, etc. Being vague and odds are they'll knock you down. Thankfully I had access to its non-kia dealer service history (mechanic at work who tracked all oils/parts/filters used throughout its life), and it all got sorted out under warranty. This was just inside 5 years of a 5 year warranty (literally - 4 years, 10 months).
If you cant have either of these, consider the warranty by in large, useless.
I'm 90% of the way through a warranty claim on a 2013 Kia Sportage… 90% because I am yet to get my car back after the engine seized in November 2017… should be later this month. A short engine is being replaced under warranty, but not before its service history got put under some pretty heavy scrutiny. There havent been big reports of this being widespread with the Sportage from what my mechanic and Kia have told me - so its something out of the ordinary on mine… The Kia Optima's apparently have a widespread problem, which is completely different. Based on my experience so far, I'd buy another Kia - this doesnt seem like a chronic fault, and their handling of the warranty has been good, given the service history was available. Edit: I'm also getting around in a free loan car from the dealership (despite not having ever serviced it there) until I get my car back… so whilst its a pain going from a sportage to a cerato - I'm not completely stuffed.
The alternate if it wasnt accepted as a warranty job looked pretty grim - the same time that mine went, a subaru suffered major engine failure… only it was 12months out of warranty. Repair cost circa $12k, rendering the car useless and at a practical scrap value ($4k).