Copied from lowyat forumn write by cybermaster98. How good he's on writing and facts.
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First of all, your parents are not old. Old would be in the 60 above bracket. U have to consider their lifestyle first. Are they gonna do alot of outstation driving or is it limited to just short dashes in the city? That would be your main consideration in getting a D segment. But if finance is not a problem for u, then by all means go ahead for a D segment. If not, then maybe best to go for something smaller.
For now, uve brought your choices down to between the Camry and the Optima K5. And when u say 'price almost the same' i assume ure comparing the K5 with the 2.0 Camry (not sure if its E or G spec).
Yes Kia has got many gadgets (most of it your parents wont use). But i note that ppl tend to focus more on gadgets which are merely add on's in my opinion. Before i bought the Optima, i checked out many D segment cars for many months. The following criteria helped in my decision making:
1) Value for money - you get much more for the same price
2) Very good specs (not just add on's)
3) Cheaper price among the other D segments
4) Safety - marginally stronger body, more safety features
5) Great design
6) Spacious interior
7) Good fuel consumption
8) Best in class warranty terms (5 yrs unlimited mileage manufacturer's warranty)
Safety features are not there to just compensate for your own mistakes. We may be great drivers but what happens when someone else makes a mistake (which is very common in Malaysia)? Therefore, the typical Malaysian mindset of 'no need extra airbags, no need VSC, no need ABS, etc' must change as even Paultan mentioned. We take our safety for granted too often.
I owned a Toyota Vios for 9 years before i changed to the Optima. And i had a great experience with excellent after sales service. But later i realised that, i was getting ripped off by Toyota driving an 'empty' car but paying through my nose. No doubt i enjoyed 9 trouble free years but i was told that the later models had alot of problems. Over the 9 years, i got to know many of of the people at Toyota and thus was able to get inside information. Now u have the Camry coming out of Malaysia. Would the quality be as good as previous models? We'll have to wait and see i guess.
Yes the Camry offers comfort which suits many people. Toyota's after sales service is good as well. But keep in mind that Kia is fast improving. Let me share an example. I found my Optima's rear suspension a bit soft when going over bumps at high speeds. I brought it up with Kia SC. They checked and found nothing wrong. But Kia Glenmarie (HQ) instructed them to just change the both rear shock absorbers FOC. I also complained about my driver's power window being a bit rough. And they changed the power window motor FOC. I would never have got this kind of service in Toyota. Toyota would have fought tooth & nail to defend themselves before making any change under warranty. But in saying this, Kia still has some way to go before they can truly say they are on par with the Japs. But i strongly believe they are on the right track. Their cars are now better and more technologically superior to many others. Their after sales are improving. Change takes time so dont expect anything overnight.
Their sales are improving by leaps and bounds. Just look at the Forte in Malaysia. Its now a common sight already. Resale values are also much improved. When there is demand, resale values will increase. But remember that resale values for D segment cars cannot be compared to B & C segment cars. You will not get those kind of values. And right now, many of those going for the Camry are opting for the 2.5V with its new engine and gearbox. So ull find that in about 5 yrs time, the resale value (%) will be better for the 2.5V compared to the 2.0L.
But since its for your parents, why bother about resale values anyway? Yes Toyota has made a name for itself building vehicles that are durable. But are the new models as durable? I have my reservations. But thats where warranty comes in. Kia has got among the best warranty terms in the market currently. 5 years unlimited mileage manufacturer's warranty. The 2nd best is VW and Peugeot with 3+2 years unlimited mileage. Even BMW only offers 4 years unlimited mileage. So if you have such good warranty terms from Kia, why not give the Optima a chance?
But i think most importantly, is for your parents to drive both cars and have a feel. You can tell them the pro's and con's of each but ultimately they have to enjoy driving a particular make. But do educate them on the various aspects of the car.
Personally, i am quite angry with Toyota for ripping off its customers here in Asia. The Camry was a real disappointment. Imagine still offering a 10 yr old gearbox and engine with a so called 'new generation' flagship car? If they can afford to fit out the American Camry with 10 airbags and VSC, why give us just 2 and remove the VSC as well? And still increase the price! Would they dare to do this in America? Surely not! That would have resulted in a nationwide boycott of the Camry. So why give them the chance to do it here? I truly believe that when the buying stops, only then will Toyota realise that they cant take Malaysians for granted anymore.
Just my 2 cents
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