Migrating from BMW to Stinger

[hereward]

I am a longtime BMW owner thinking of the Stinger. A recent relocation places me far from a BMW dealer but close to a Kia dealer. Apart from this geographic convenience, two factors make me look at a Stinger: 1) Long term (>70k miles) maintenance expenses; 2) 10 year, 100K mile powertrain warranty from Kia; 3) cost of Kia parts may be lower, 4) possible fewer problems down the road with
Kia; and 5) a Stinger may be at least 20% less expensive than a comparable BMW.

Two critical questions come to mind as I think of switching: will the Stinger handle like a BMW, and will the quality of the materials used be comparable.

If during the next few months sufficient information comes out about the Stinger being significantly comparable to a BMW (let us say the 430I Gran Coupe or a 440i Gran Coupe), I believe that there will be more people like me who'll think of switching.

Intentionally or not, Kia will have tapped into a large segment of people who are BMW drivers who are looking for an acceptable alternative. Let us hope that Kia plays this tune right.

 

[hereward]

Sorry, it's actually more than two factors -bad editing on my part.

 

[hej]

Two critical questions come to mind as I think of switching: will the Stinger handle like a BMW, and will the quality of the materials used be comparable.

As for the handling, all signs point to "yes". Check out Albert Biermanns involvement. As for the quality of materials, they too appear to be on par with the lower end BMWs, according to most reports we've seen thus far. I believe we've got a thread buried around here somewhere directing the interior quality.

 

[BMW2Stinger]

To answer your question, see my screen name...haha. I am currently in a 550i M sport but was looking for a slightly smaller sports sedan. The 4 gran coupe (440i) was on my radar, but the styling of the Kia just seems so much more sporty than the 4 series. As I posted previously I would have loved to see Kia implement some sort of idrive style rotary dial for the infotainment as the Stinger touchscreen seems too far up to be a comfortable reach. Since Kia is targeting the Germans, and the main German competitors (BMW, Audi, MBZ) all use a rotary controller, it would have been a good idea for Kia to implement one as well. And of course the handling/performance will have to be competitive to the Germans for me to truly migrate to Kia.

 

[Shieldzee]

I fit in this profile as well. I am driving a 2008 335i right now and LOVE it, but I wish it was a little big bigger, had a bit more tech, and was not so expensive to maintain. I imagine that there are a lot of guys like me, who are in their mid to late 40's, that loved the cache and fun that is BMW, but are ready to make a few concessions. A few of the reviews that I have read say that the Kia will not be as fun in the twists and turns as a sporty model of BMW, but still VERY good, and it will be really great on the highway as a "Grand Tourer."

 

[unintelligible]

I actually jumped off the BMW bandwagon after turning in my 2012 3 series (F30, latest generation) lease. Was very disappointed in that car. Poor steering feel and interior rattles and creaks that far exceeded any of my previous BMWs have become common to their latest gen cars. I ended up in a 2015 Mustang that is at least twice as solid on the inside as the BMW and has better steering feel as well.

The Stinger has me very intrigued though... the whole package is incredibly compelling. I would love the practicality of having 4 doors again and the liftback design is a huge plus in my book.

 

[hereward]

Sorry, BMW2Stinger, didn't mean to appropriate your name; just a coincidence.

The haptic (touch )screen may prove to be a problem in the long run, as extreme temperature fluctuations will weaken the integrity of the surface. I recall that BMW decided against haptic screens because of this, and chose to go with the rotary iDrive, which after some iterations, now works very well. Also, will it be a safe practice to have to poke at the screen while driving? Let us see if Kia has worked out the screen ergonomics to conform to safety. Yes, it'd have been better to simply execute a Kia version of the BMW iDrive.

 

[hereward]

https://www.carwow.co.uk/guides/glossary/what-is-bmw-idrive-0556

Here is a link to the BMW iDrive.

 

[hej]

A few of the reviews that I have read say that the Kia will not be as fun in the twists and turns as a sporty model of BMW, but still VERY good, and it will be really great on the highway as a "Grand Tourer."

Not that I'm skeptical, but I'd be curious to see these reviews you've seen that compare the Stinger to its BMW competition.

 

[app_master]

... sporty model of BMW, ...

If you (or they) mean the M versions of the BMWs, then that is totally different class comparison or target market for this KIA Stinger GT or lower. If it is close to M type performance then KIA is a clear winner on value alone. If it is close to or better than the other "normal" BMW in their targets, it is still a win win for sure.

 

[Shieldzee]

Not that I'm skeptical, but I'd be curious to see these reviews you've seen that compare the Stinger to its BMW competition.

Maybe I am dong too much reading between the lines, but here is a quote from BMW Blog:

"So the styling is elegant and not aggressive, there’s an upmarket cabin with the latest infotainment system and optional Harman Kardon sound system, the wheelbase is longer than its competitors for extra space and the dynamics are focused on spirited yet comfortable, long-distance driving rather than taking the corners at illegal speeds." - http://www.bmwblog.com/2017/01/09/five-things-know-bmw-4-series-competitor-kia-stinger/

I thought I had read quotes from Biermann that echoed that too...

 

[Shieldzee]

Not that I'm skeptical, but I'd be curious to see these reviews you've seen that compare the Stinger to its BMW competition.

Here is another quote from this Forbes review:

"The comments from Kia’s chief designer support my seat-of-the-pants impressions ― despite a specification sheet and chassis tuning that supports racing circuit prowess; the Stinger GT is a premium sport-tuned gran turismo for an everyday driving enthusiast, not a hardened competitor to the Audi S4, BMW M3, or any other challenger in that racy segment. Rather than fit ridiculously sticky tires, expensive carbon-ceramic brakes or a slew of nonsensical go-fast upgrades to chase numbers on a stopwatch, the engineering team focused its efforts on something that most automakers have long forgotten ― evoking driving emotion. The Stinger has character, and it's fun to drive. BMW used to build vehicles like this ― is it possible that Kia has engineered a more emotional vehicle than the Bavarians?" - https://www.forbes.com/sites/michae...-the-all-new-korean-sport-sedan/#1377ecd64531

Please don't take that comment about not being as good in the twists and turns as a sporty BMW as a criticism. My 335i is lovely to drive, but I would happily give up a little bit of driving dynamics (emphasis on a little bit) for some more room, that sexy hatchback, some better tech and cheaper repair and maintenance costs in such a great looking package.

 

[Kia Stinger]

I had a 335i once. I believe the same year as yours - 2007. I loved that N54 twin turbo 3.0 liter straight six and had some Burger Tuning parts installed. It was a great car but I eventually started running into that high pressure fuel pump issue. In any event, my 335i handled well with the sport package - but not like an M3. I'm under the impression that we won't be giving up much, if anything, to the 335i in the handling department. The M3 is another story and if the Stinger makes a good enough impression, I'd be willing to bet on a high performance version in the next generation or two...

 

[Bamm1]

Here is another quote from this Forbes review:

"The comments from Kia’s chief designer support my seat-of-the-pants impressions ― despite a specification sheet and chassis tuning that supports racing circuit prowess; the Stinger GT is a premium sport-tuned gran turismo for an everyday driving enthusiast, not a hardened competitor to the Audi S4, BMW M3, or any other challenger in that racy segment. Rather than fit ridiculously sticky tires, expensive carbon-ceramic brakes or a slew of nonsensical go-fast upgrades to chase numbers on a stopwatch, the engineering team focused its efforts on something that most automakers have long forgotten ― evoking driving emotion. The Stinger has character, and it's fun to drive. BMW used to build vehicles like this ― is it possible that Kia has engineered a more emotional vehicle than the Bavarians?" - https://www.forbes.com/sites/michae...-the-all-new-korean-sport-sedan/#1377ecd64531

Please don't take that comment about not being as good in the twists and turns as a sporty BMW as a criticism. My 335i is lovely to drive, but I would happily give up a little bit of driving dynamics (emphasis on a little bit) for some more room, that sexy hatchback, some better tech and cheaper repair and maintenance costs in such a great looking package.

I do expect it to "compete" in the S4's segment. I think they meant RS5 (no RS4 in the US currently) as the S4 does not compete with the M3 "in the racy segment" (it is a 340i competitor). I am expecting the performance results to be "close" to your BMW 340i, Audi S4, Mecedes C43, Jaguar XE S, etc. Some max performance may be given up in favor of the long distance GT driving dynamics, increased interior space, etc. I can give up a few tenths to 60, in the 1/4 mile, around a race track, et al for a $20+ grand discount and a usable back seat.

 

[Shieldzee]

I do expect it to "compete" in the S4's segment. I think they meant RS5 (no RS4 in the US currently) as the S4 does not compete with the M3 "in the racy segment" (it is a 340i competitor). I am expecting the performance results to be "close" to your BMW 340i, Audi S4, Mecedes C43, Jaguar XE S, etc. Some max performance may be given up in favor of the long distance GT driving dynamics, increased interior space, etc. I can give up few tenths to 60, in the 1/4 mile, around a race track, et al for a $20+ grand discount and a usable back seat.

"I can give up few tenths to 60, in the 1/4 mile, around a race track, et al for a $20+ grand discount and a usable back seat."

AMEN!!

 

[lostnspace]

I am also considering the swap from BMW. I currently drive a 2015 BMW M235i xDrive. My lease is up in August and though I love having a 2 door coupe, I know prefer a 4 door sedan. If can get 80% of what upscale vehicle offers at 30% of the price, I am all for it! I have driven Lexus (07 IS, 12 GS), Audi (12 A6) , and BMW (mentioned above)...I am at the point where labels don't mean anything and saving money means everything.

 

[hej]

I am also considering the swap from BMW. I currently drive a 2015 BMW M235i xDrive. My lease is up in August and though I love having a 2 door coupe, I know prefer a 4 door sedan. If can get 80% of what upscale vehicle offers at 30% of the price, I am all for it! I have driven Lexus (07 IS, 12 GS), Audi (12 A6) , and BMW (mentioned above)...I am at the point where labels don't mean anything and saving money means everything.

Fair warning, the Stinger is huge compared to the 2 series. It's not going to be at all similar to yours in terms of driving dynamics.

 

[lostnspace]

Fair warning, the Stinger is huge compared to the 2 series. It's not going to be at all similar to yours in terms of driving dynamics.

Thanks for the heads up! I actually welcome the extra space. Though I've loved the smallness of my bimmer for the past 3 years....there's been more times often than not, I needed that extra space. The fact that's I'll not be able to whip in and out of traffic and parallel park in tight places is a disheartening lol.

 

[Brian Keenan]

Good for you on the labels not being so important! They really aren't in the big picture. Yes, you'll be losing some of that tossability you have with the M235i but you'll be able to appreciate the extra space and luxuries that the Stinger bring you more often.