[helent]

I have had an Excel - my first car in Australia and I needed something CHEAP. It was OK, and got me from A to B but so completely uninspiring! I had previously owned a little red 1.3L Nissan Micra and I used to love zipping up and down the UK motorways in that - for a 1.3L it went really well. But the 1.6L Excel just seemed to lack any zip at all. But it was reliable I suppose.

Then I had a new Toyota Corolla Conquest sedan, 1.8L in white with rear spoiler as a company car. It was great. I absolutely loved it. Couldn't fault it whatsoever. But I decided I needed a 4WD for work - it was just ridiculous trying to do fieldwork using the Corolla. So I got a Kia Sorento in black. It looked ace and I almost loved it, but it had a really bad steering problem. I was in WA at the time, and the country roads have quite a steep camber. The Sorento wanted to drive off the road to the left into the ditch all the time. It was a struggle to try and maintain a straight line and I got sore wrists from hanging onto the steering wheel constantly trying to keep it on the road. The Kia people checked it and told me there was nothing wrong with it - they tried to tell it was because it was a 4WD, because the road camber was steep etc - but I had also been driving an old Pajero and never had this problem in that car. They checked the wheel alignment - that was OK. They then refused to do anything else to help me. Then I noticed the really bad asymmetric wear on the left hand side tyres - and this was at a really low mileage - about 10,000kms, it was really bad. But they still didn't want to know. So much for a new car warranty! I just had to live with it.

So I am hoping that my next Korean car will be a more pleasurable experience - fingers crossed.

[Lakes]

Hey Helent, good luck, i did not think you talked like a Northern territory native 
my mate up there drives a Ford F250 Powerstroke V8 turbo Diesel, said need grunt to overtake a road train. i think with your line up of car's you would eat dust  cheers
if i'm lucky i'll be in Alice Springs in June to drag race at Australian inland dragway, looking forward to it.
cheers

[eye30]

I used to love zipping up and down the UK motorways 

Where did you hail from?

[helent]

Well, Northamptonshire originally (of Scottish parents though) and then lived in Leeds for 10 years (not too far from you Eye) - so I have been all the over place. Don't really know where to call home anymore! I travelled all over the UK for work (and leisure) but never made it to Liverpool or that neck of the woods.

[eye30]

but never made it to Liverpool or that neck of the woods.

Liverpool is a vibrant, 24 hour, city but public transport finishes at midnight. Taxis hard to get unless pre booked.  They want people to come into the City to enjoy themselves, plently of good watering holes - I prefer the real ale pubs- most head home by 11.30 pm.  By 12.30 am the place is deserted!!!

[Lakes]

I have had an Excel - my first car in Australia and I needed something CHEAP. It was OK, and got me from A to B but so completely uninspiring! I had previously owned a little red 1.3L Nissan Micra and I used to love zipping up and down the UK motorways in that - for a 1.3L it went really well. But the 1.6L Excel just seemed to lack any zip at all. But it was reliable I suppose.

Then I had a new Toyota Corolla Conquest sedan, 1.8L in white with rear spoiler as a company car. It was great. I absolutely loved it. Couldn't fault it whatsoever. But I decided I needed a 4WD for work - it was just ridiculous trying to do fieldwork using the Corolla. So I got a Kia Sorento in black. It looked ace and I almost loved it, but it had a really bad steering problem. I was in WA at the time, and the country roads have quite a steep camber. The Sorento wanted to drive off the road to the left into the ditch all the time. It was a struggle to try and maintain a straight line and I got sore wrists from hanging onto the steering wheel constantly trying to keep it on the road. The Kia people checked it and told me there was nothing wrong with it - they tried to tell it was because it was a 4WD, because the road camber was steep etc - but I had also been driving an old Pajero and never had this problem in that car. They checked the wheel alignment - that was OK. They then refused to do anything else to help me. Then I noticed the really bad asymmetric wear on the left hand side tyres - and this was at a really low mileage - about 10,000kms, it was really bad. But they still didn't want to know. So much for a new car warranty! I just had to live with it.

So I am hoping that my next Korean car will be a more pleasurable experience - fingers crossed.

Mr Happy, i was just rereading your post on your bad experience with the KIA 4WD, i'm thinking the old Padjero had steering damper built into steering and you were used to that, KIA never had one, with steering dampers they stop a lot of shock transmission through steering.
i've never liked 4WD's  been able to get by with utes and detroit locker diff's and a winch
cheers