Kia Picanto [Merged]

[ET1]

I think the dealers are trying to take advantage of the strong demand for Picanto. I hope Kia would be able to increase their production para matanggal itong pang-gigipit ng mga dealers. I think it will take some time before the supply would catch up with demand as I read from other countries that they too have been suffering from long delivery times!

[bon]

I waited 1.5 months for mine - got it a couple of weeks back at Kia Pasay (M/T, P325K + P6.4K for central locking/alarm). They didn't hassle me with prioritization of those who would get financing & insurance from them (since I had no intention of doing so). They're the most reasonable Kia dealers I've dealt with; I went to two other Kia dealers (incl. Signet Las Piñas) before finding out that Kia Pasay did not practice this unscrupulous practice of putting ahead of the line those whom the dealer would earn more from.

[rebel]

The currency exchange had improve compared to the 1st batch of Picanto that was brought in but still they want to capitalized on the demand.

Dapat bigyan ng kalaban yan para maging patas

[tarugs24]

Yeah, sana maglabas ang ibang car company para may competition...

[323f]

my wife is dreaming of picanto so we suppose to get one but from what we heard from other people and from our personal experience we decided not to get it and wait for other brand to launch. or we might consider to get second hand na lang.

[ET1]

I hope someone from Columbian Motors have read this thread so they would realize the possible consequences for their unscrupulous actions!

[Mannyx]

My agent in Kia Paco where i made a reservation just called me up this morning and told me that units will be available on the first week of January. However, the price has increased to P335k for manual and P385k for matic. Nakakainis na to ah! I'm having second thoughts na.

[ET1]

May sinabi naman ba siya kung makakapili ka na ng prefer mong color?

Thanks

[Mannyx]

Yes. Available daw yung silver color na pinareserve ko. Orange is available din also which is my next choice.

[rebel]

This guys are just crazy and stupid.

I got turn off when I found out that every dealer has a different pricing.

Dami nila magiging lost opportunity if they keep on doing this.

[CtrlAltDel]

Nakakalungkot yung practice ng ibang Kia dealers, exploiting the demand of the Picanto to increase their sales. No fixed pricing, favoritism, and the general dissapointment on the delivery time. As I have said before, in the end sila din ang mawawalan ng customers.

By the way, for Picanto owners, in case you haven't yet read your manual about aircon filter cleaning, I want to share my experience with it. The aircon filter can be removed for cleaning or replacement- all by yourself! I had done so and now my aircon is just like it was when brand new! Although my car has only logged 7100 kms, when I removed the aircon filter, I was surprised to see lumps of cloth fibers, grass leaves and dead insects trapped between the ribbing of the filter which impeded the air flow- especially the cloth fibers. The aircon filter is designed like the engine air filter- like a hard paper with densely packed "saw-tooth" corrugations. The cloth fibers were found on EVERY single space between the tooth. I vaccumed the filter to remove the obstructions, washed it in soap and water then dried it under the sun.

The result: stronger air flow (fan speed 1 now feels like fan speed 2 before), very quick cooling, and much quiter aircon operation. Tanggal din yung plastic-rubber smell that you normally observe when you first turn on the fan.

The trick in removing the aircon filter is the cover. It took me a while to figure out how to remove it. Notice that the manual did not specifically say how to remove the cover. Here's how: loosen up the glove compartment first as the manual says. The manual says to use a screw driver. I used it at first but when I saw how the stoppers fit, I put aside the srew driver and used my fingers instead. When the glove compartment is loose you will see the fan blower box. Locate the aircon filter cover. Now, that cover is just a strip of plastic that "wraps" the front from the left corner to the right corner and can be removed by gently pulling on the right corner's end. Feel around the right corner until you locate the end of that cover (from the corner, it extends about half an inch towards the direction of the car hood.) Gently pull it towards the right then towards you. The left corner will come loose by itself.

You will see an "empty room." The roof of that room is the air filter. Gently remove the filter by pulling it towards you and downwards. Take note of the orientation of the filter because you must return it to that position in the exact direction! Once removed you can now replace or clean the filter.

At this point I have to say that I am sharing this experience as a matter of interest to fellow Picanto owners. I shall not be held liable to any damages you might suffer as a result of this suggestion. The procedure here is the same as that suggested by the owners manual with my suggestion on how to remove the cover of the filter box and the glove compartment.

Return the filter in reverse order in the correct orientation. Make sure you get it back snuggled to the roof of that empty room where you took it from. Now that cover. Align it on the hole, secure the left corner first then push-lock the right corner. Your done!

How to loosen the glove compartment for aircon filter removal.
1. locate the black stoppers. they are designed with a slot that dovetails with the glove compartment.
2. the trick is to pull the stoppers gently towards you to loosen it from the slot.
3. when it is loose, you can now lower the glove compartment.
4. no need to remove the stoppers completely from the glove compartment.
5. return in reverse order.

If you did this right you will be very pleased with the result. Enjoy your new, cooler, fresher, quiter air conditioning, eheheheh!

Merry Christmas!

[Bandido]

IS the kia vistoque the same as the kia picanto?

[rebel]

Dapat I baba ng Chevy yun mini nila para labanan ang Kia

[rodski]

Hello Picanto fellow owners,

Happy New year!!!! Does anyone know where we can get accessories for our picanto? I was planning to put in the FF:

- Fog lights
- Third Brake light
- Rear spoiler
- 15" mags

tnx

Rodski

[CtrlAltDel]

Pre, search mo nalang previous posts dito sa thread na 'to. A while back a picture of a dressed up Picanto was posted by jrjason. Di ko lang alam kung saang dealer but the price mentioned for the accessories was P43,000. In my opinion it's not worth it. Besides I like the way a stock, batch-1 Picanto looks. But it's your money, hehehe.

[rbortega1981]

Mga bro nagtanong ako ng accessories ng Picanto kc gsto ko din papormahin yung akin eto ung price nung tinanong ko sa Kia Quezon Ave. ung dating nissan katabi ng Rapide

- Side Skirt original Kia left/right 16,800 w/paint
- Spoiler 10,700 w/paint
- Fog light 7,800
- Hub Cap 1,300/4pcs. na sa Banawe 600.00 lang 4pcs. na din
- Alarm 6,800 sa banawe 3,500 complete kasama kabit
- Pioneer Stereo around 6,500 w/ CD and Remote pag my MP3 nasa 8,000++
- Speaker Pioneer 3way around 2,800++

ung rim around 15,000- 20,000 size 14" kasama na ung gulong dun meron din ung front grill for Picanto ung bagong logo ng Kia kaya lang di ko na tinanong pati yong Window Visor meron na din.

[rain88ph]

Hi guys! I'm a newbie. I'm one of the unfortunate people na gusto kumuha ng picanto pero na-trauma sa mga kwento about dealers. My hubby plans to get me one. He doesn't mind the long wait basta sigurado meron at hindi gago yung dealer. Reading from the thread, so far ang comments Kia Pasay ang pinaka-ok kausap. We went there nung christmas break kaya lang sarado. Dun sa mga picanto owners, kamusta mga dealer nyo? Where do you recommend I get my picanto? Yung mga bagong batch ba iba na yung emblem? Please post naman the best dealer's name and contact number, and also what dealerships to avoid. Thanks guys!

[CtrlAltDel]

Rain,

I believe people tend to exaggerate both bad or good experience when telling it to others for "effect," 'ika nga, hehe. Regarding the issue on dealers' behavior, try to take what you read on both ends of the argument with a grain of salt, so to speak. Back when the Picanto was just launched (September 2004) I bet all dealers were sooooo accommodating, like mine in Signet Mandaluyong. Last I checked (Nov 2004) they changed tack. Cash purchases go to the back of the line, financing, move up front. I don't think that's fair! Then again, maybe Signet Mandaluyong felt the pinch of customer resentment and changed their ways. You can always call and check. Many dealers also changed the car's price from P325th M/T to P335th M/T.

If I were you, I'll visit or call Picanto dealerships and write down the dealer's priorities. Kung saan IKAW ang priority, (or at least happy and comfortable ka) dun ka na.

Good luck!

[rain88ph]

CtrlAltDel,

Thanks for the advice. Good suggestion yung mag-inquire ako sa different dealers rather than sticking to one. It's my first time to buy a car so I'm medyo paranoid. Tsikot forums however has been a great help to people like me who are clueless .. hehe. I'm going to four dealers this weekend <kung kaya pa ng powers ko hehe> to inquire. Any pointers on what questions to ask in case I forget to ask the real important ones? Thanks again!

[mazdamazda]

CtrlAltDel,

Thanks for the advice. Good suggestion yung mag-inquire ako sa different dealers rather than sticking to one. It's my first time to buy a car so I'm medyo paranoid. Tsikot forums however has been a great help to people like me who are clueless .. hehe. I'm going to four dealers this weekend <kung kaya pa ng powers ko hehe> to inquire. Any pointers on what questions to ask in case I forget to ask the real important ones? Thanks again!

ask for the following:

- test drive
- freebies that will come (usually LTO, floor mats, tint)
- complete financing scheme table (compute how much is the TOTAL interest)
- location of kia service centers (a lot of kia dealers have already closed down) and the availability of spare parts (since the Picanto is CBU, expect a "waiting time" for some parts when it breaks down).
- earliest vehicle availability date
- swatches of the car's color scheme (if your preferred color isn't in display)