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Disappointed in my choice of Soul, not sure if I'm being critical?

5K views 22 replies 12 participants last post by  jfischer 
#1 · (Edited)
I decided to lease after careful consideration. But with even less careful consideration, I opted for the base model because I wanted my monthly payment to be as low as possible. I put 0 down and got 150 per month which includes ALL fees and taxes, which was after $1,000 off dealer special and only a few hundred for my car trade in. 39 months, 12k miles per year. I thought that was a good deal. Was it? They accepted my offer rather quickly...

I won't be picking up the vehicle until next week because I'm on a work trip right now. So I've had time to think. I feel disappointed in my choice, for example, I really hate those plastic hub caps. I'm not a "car person," (for lack of better term) and so I just didn't worry so much. But I do appreciate quality and design and I've been loving lurking a bit on this forum seeing all your great ideas and design choices.

I think I might be stuck with this base model, I mean, I just wonder I if could have paid even less? I know that if I attempt to pick a different model I can only go up from -this- price. And I may not be able to- not sure if I can switch at this stage(?)

Been trying to live more simply but I'll have this for over 3 years and now I'm realizing that I don't know if I will enjoy it as much as I could have!

Did you get bored of your base model?? I miss fog lights, also those wheels... I don't know if I'd even be under 200 a month if I chose the next model up, for example. And no arm rests in the base? How in the heck did I not notice that? I just don't know how I missed that. I don't know what anyone can really say to this but just thought I'd post and say I've enjoyed browsing the forum, and I really do think this is a fun car!
 
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#3 ·
Frankly, I can't possibly imagine how you could be unhappy at $150 bucks a month and driving a brand new car, even if it is a lease. You're not even paying $2 grand a year including your taxes. If you want nice wheels, buy them aftermarket or used, put them on, and take them back off when the lease is over. As for the plastic hub caps, look at the bright side - they literally take 10 seconds to clean. I *am* a car guy, and I've had fancy wheels all my life, and yeah they look nice but completely impractical for a car that you drive every day unless you really like cleaning brake dust off of wheels all the time.
 
#4 ·
I am a big leasing guy and can tell you pretty quick if you did good or not. Kia is running a special right now for $0 down and $199 per month on a Base A/T Soul but you have to put the taxes down. That is like $1000 right there that you save and you are $49 a month under the special so that right there is a great sign. The only place you could have gotten screwed was your trade. What did you trade in, how many miles did it have, and how much did they give you for it?
 
#5 ·
Did you ever pick a girl by the shoes she wears?

You really shouldn't pick a car by it's wheel covers, or any other cosmetic options.

My base Soul also had those cheap plastic, grey, wheelcovers, but it took me only a few minutes to take them off and replace them with something with a little more Pizzazz!


Some guys have spent over $200 for a center arm rest. Yikes! I just can't imagine that. I shudder to think how much beer and pizza that would buy!
But I still wanted something to rest my right elbow on while I'm driving. So as a guy that has worked as a Design Engineer, I went to work. And an hour later, using just scrap materials I had laying around in my shop, I had a workable center arm rest.


I've done what I can do, to add those little things to my car that it didn't come with, like a full size spare tire, tinted windows, an accent stripe, a trailer hitch and a plastic bug shield (nose guard).
All were fairly small things, but way cheaper than buying the Deluxe model Soul.

I'm also glad my car came with 15" wheels. The smaller the wheel, the more Torque you get to the road.

I do hope you enjoy your new car as much as I do mine.

TM :cool:
 
#10 · (Edited)
Thanks very much for the replies! It's my first time leasing and so I'm really just hoping I did good since it won't be mine in the end. Initially I hadn't considered some things or noticed things such as lack of arm rest, the hub caps - things that can be fixed but still money towards something I won't own. I suppose I could just sell on ebay afterwards, I kind of wish I could find a used arm rest that is in great condition for a little less, as an example.

Technomage I really love what you did with the hub caps, also your arm rest- that's neat that you made it yourself!
I am a gal that never has dabbled in changing anything with my car.
I've been continuing to browse here and perhaps this is for another post, but I noticed people put these sort of mesh looking pieces where their fog lights should be. I'm wondering if that would not easily be swapped back to the plain black piece upon turning the car in? I like how that looks. Again, I have no idea what I'm getting into.

Soulcollector, do you think the + model probably would have been a lot more per month, like hitting over 200? I wish I had at least tried with that one for this price. I really should have posted before going so I could have gotten advice. I'm glad to hear I didn't do bad though.
 
#17 · (Edited)
If I would of got the +, it was $1000 more. My payments would of been maybe $20 more a month? I didn't really ask because the + VS what I have, doesn't have that much more. I didn't need the better stereo ( lights around the speakers ), SOUL stitched in the seats, doors. 2.0L engine. I actually wanted the 1.6L and just those little other things I didn't care about so I saved $1000.

The base with optional stuff like the AT and 16' wheels I think is the most popular because it has exactly what most need. Mine came with floor mats, cargo nets. Only thing I added was console. $125 more wasn't a biggy for me.
 
#11 ·
My last car was a stripped down base model Nissan and I did get slightly lower monthly payments but I got none of the toys in the thing. I got an A/C and a bare bones CD/AM/FM Stereo and nothing else. This time around I paid $30 more per month over my previous vehicle and got a Soul + with a few options. For the little extra it'd cost and for a larger engine, key-less entry, alloy wheels, arm rest (minus the animal print lol), cruise, map lights, tinted rear windows etc... I'd consider upgrading to the + you'll be happier.
 
#12 ·
I still am away for work and so I haven't actually gotten my car, but I do wonder if I could get more for just $30 more for example as you say.
I did have to put a deposit down for getting it in a color I wanted. I'd have to wonder if I'd lose that deposit.. Though, during my test drive the guy said I could swap it for something else for nothing if I didn't like it. (Like no penalty). I'll have to see, now that I've had time to think about it I'd like to at least try.
 
#14 ·
I didn't lease I bought this car and the previous one which made my monthly payments about double yours. However that isn't to say you couldn't talk the dealer into putting your into a + and seeing if they can do it for $30 extra per month. If I were you I'd set a maximum your prepared to pay then haggle with them to get it. You've nothing to lose and you've not actually taken possession of the vehicle yet. Just keep in mind you've got something they want more than they have something you want.

I do like my vehicle with the options. A friend got a base and they hated their car lol then again they "downgraded" from a huge gas guzzler and I upgraded from a wee Nissan. I suppose it's all relative. You could well be perfectly happy with the base as is but the + is a nice upgrade.
 
#13 ·
The trick on a lease vehicle is to only install accessories that will be quickly and easily removable at turn in time, and don't install anything that requires any alteration to the car for installation as they WILL look the car over carefully in an attempt to charge you for any damage or alterations. Anything for the Soul that is removed down the line can be posted and sold here on the forum so you can recoup some of your original investment.
 
#15 ·
Most Kia product owners that are fortunate enough to have gone with the base trim, regardless of the model.

I drive the upper trim (Soul). Of course I'm happy with my choice, but I'm sometimes a bit jealous knowing that some people only had to pay a fraction of what I'm paying, but yet are still getting tons of important features. Here in Canada, the only major downside of the Base model is that it doesn't ship with AC. And that to me, would be such a show stopper that I could not have chosen this model. I work on the road sometimes, wearing suits, and I don't miss the days where I had to wait at the door when arriving at a customer site to allow all the sweat to dry before the meeting LOL
 
#18 ·
Don't think of it as missing the armrest, but rather another method to providing some storage.

Nice arm rest TM, that's pretty damn clever, choice of fabric withstanding.
Well, like I said, I made my arm rest in less than an hour, using scrap materials that I had laying around my shop. The fabric was a left-over from another project. But it Works!

I had one similar, in my Suzuki SX4, but it was just a piece that sat on top of the little wimpy OEM arm rests.



From what I've seen of the so called Kia OEM arm rest, it's too small, too low and too far back, to be comfortable to use while the right hand is on the steering wheel. If I had one, I'd still have to put a larger pad on top of it, to make it really useful. And, forget the driver and passenger both using it at the same time. I absolutely refuse to pay good money for things that don't work. Call it a Quirk!

Cheers Mates!
TM :cool:
 
#19 ·
Lease?
Leasing for big companies, where their need will remain the same for a long period of time, seems to work out OK, but for individuals, where needs and wants can change over night...it can become a real disaster.

Most leases are closed ended....that is you must keep the car till the end of the lease. I got stuck in a four year lease on my '87 Dodge Caravan. The leasing Co. absolutely would NOT let me out of the lease till it expired and I had to make every month's payment even though the van sat in my back yard for the last year of the lease. Making those $400 per mo. payments, plus the car insurance and lic renewals, almost broke me, while I drove my little Chevy Sprint Turbo, that I was also paying for.

I've known other people, like my neighbor's mother, that got caught in a lease that they couldn't get out of.
It can be a very painful experience and a costly one too.
Just buy the car you want and be done with it. Then when you want to get something else, you can.

Just sayin' ......

TM :cool:
 
#23 ·
Most leases are closed ended....that is you must keep the car till the end of the lease. I got stuck in a four year lease on my '87 Dodge Caravan.
Closed ended means the value of the asset being leased is pre-determined up front so you know what the buyout amount is at the end, not that you can't get out of it.

I have ended many car leases early, it's very easy to do (although not always financially the best choice). Basically the formula works out to the buyout (lease-end value of the car), plus all the remaining payments and any lease-end costs is your payoff amount. If you're upside down, you'll have to pay that off or roll it into your next loan/lease. Not a lot different than trading or selling out of a car that you financed and haven't paid off yet.
 
#20 ·
Thanks all, I ended up sticking with the base and it at least had floor mats, but they told me my payments would have been a lot more per month with the + (they said $70 more)... I just wonder about that. They are reputable and were willing to go whatever way with it, but if that's what it would cost then I had to just stick with the base at this time... But I am happy with the car nevertheless! I think I'm alright without the arm rest, I do miss it though, and Technomage I still really love your custom arm rest.

Thanks again all for sharing your opinions etc on this because I had spent the days before picking it up feeling really undecided.
 
#21 ·
dude you should be very pleased with your choice.
Im 19, got a 2013 base @$262.71/month. mt trans. yea its not super fancy or fast but thats alright.
What your given is a blank canvas. Do with it what you feel is necessary.
I understand its a lease, so do things that can go on and come off. But for the next 3 years, it is yours and you should be very happy with it. You wanted simple, now you have it. Be happy with your 1st choice.
Just like your taking a test, if you circled in B, dont change it to C because you second guess yourself. There is a major reason you went with a base model and low payments. remember that.
 
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