Likely trading my Soul for a Seltos today...

483 Views 25 Replies 9 Participants Last post by GeoSoul, 3 d ago

dailygrind

Discussion Starter · 5 d ago (Edited)

Well, it looks like I'll be trading my 2020 Soul X-Line on a 2023 Seltos; my X-Line does not have the immobilizer and some insurance companies are no longer offering full coverage due to this. I hate it because I love my X-Line, but between the immobilizer and theft issues, plus the questionable oil burning that I've experienced since I've had it (over a quart in 5000 miles), I feel like I am forced into this decision. Seriously love the undercover green and the car really fits me and what I want out of a car, but when the insurance companies are starting to no longer cover the car, what am I supposed to do?

I called a few other insurance companies and they told me they would not be able to cover the car other than liability, which is not acceptable for me (obviously). My current insurance tells me Texas is still okay, but that some other states will not take new business for my car and only liability is the option at that point. So I am stuck with my current insurance and can only hope that they don't jack up our rates over time due to the issue. I also feel that the value of my car is not going to be good over time when it comes time to sell it when others read about all the issues associated with this incredible mess. Right now I can at least get a good amount in trade for my car, it is in fact incredible that they are giving me just $1,100 less than I paid total including TT&L when I bought it. Of course the prices of current cars have increased as well.

Stupid thing is I really don't want to do this, I just paid off the car and now I have to put money on top to get this Seltos S. This decision sucks and I'll admit that I am pissed that I've been put in this situation.

It has a little over 35200 miles at this point and I got it in November 2019.

That is all fellow Souls.

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Flatsole

· #2 · 5 d ago

Good luck to you with your new vehicle.

You sound like just the latest victim of this coordinated orchestrated campaign to convince people it's not ok to own a vehicle that will start when you tell it to start.

You gotta have a computer deciding whether the person giving the start command is eligible to have a running vehicle or not.

Reactions: 3

Hammerhead

· #3 · 5 d ago

I was thinking of buying a new seltos. Insurance was 200.00 more a year. Couldn't see it. My 21 has an immobilizer cause it's push button start. Thieves can now steal vehicles with immobilizer by using some gadget to tap into the wiring. It tricks the vehicle into thinking the remote is there.

The problem is not car manufacturers, it's thieves who are too sorry to work to make an honest living.

Reactions: 3

dailygrind

Discussion Starter · #4 · 5 d ago

Flatsole said:
Good luck to you with your new vehicle.

You sound like just the latest victim of this coordinated orchestrated campaign to convince people it's not ok to own a vehicle that will start when you tell it to start.

You gotta have a computer deciding whether the person giving the start command is eligible to have a running vehicle or not.

I edited what I wrote to explain a little more. And yes, I feel forced into this when I was perfectly happy with my car (other than the mechanic in my head that kept wondering about the 1/4 of a quart of oil that kept disappearing each 1000 miles or so and the 5 recalls regarding incorrectly heat-treated piston rings that made me wonder if my engine would torpedo itself and kept me from driving it on longer disctances for fear of getting stranded somewhere).

And for some damn reason, I really do love this car...what the h*ll is wrong with me?

dailygrind

Discussion Starter · #5 · 5 d ago

Hammerhead said:
I was thinking of buying a new seltos. Insurance was 200.00 more a year. Couldn't see it. My 21 has an immobilizer cause it's push button start. Thieves can now steal vehicles with immobilizer by using some gadget to tap into the wiring. It tricks the vehicle into thinking the remote is there.
The problem is not car manufacturers, it's thieves who are too sorry to work to make an honest living.

My insurance will only be about $10 more per year with the Seltos.

I agree it's the thieves, of course. There are millions of vehicles out there without immobilizers, but the rate at which these have occured is too high. And when the insurance companies are no longer willing to cover the car, I have a problem with that.

Tree 44

· #6 · 5 d ago

The trouble is this: insurance companies are in the business of collecting money, not paying money.

Reactions: 5

dailygrind

Discussion Starter · #7 · 5 d ago (Edited)

Yes Sir. I was still on the fence simply because I love the car itself, but then I decided to check a quote on Farmers for full coverage on the 2020 Soul...shocked me, $257 per month!!! And that's with home insurance already bundled with them, I had all my cars and motorcycles there until I moved over to Progressive. My wife's new 2023 Kona was less than half...

That did it for me, I'm not taking the chance it's going to get worse. The software update has no bearing on insurance companies. I'm at the dealer now waiting to sign. Sucks but it is what it is.

dailygrind

Discussion Starter · #8 · 4 d ago

Not happy about it, but I did what I felt was the right thing for us. Here together, out with the not-so-old and in with the new. I will say that the engine and IVT responsiveness has gotten much better on both the Seltos and my wife's Kona.

Car Wheel Vehicle Land vehicle Tire

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MonsterSoul

· #9 · 4 d ago

Tree 44 said:
The trouble is this: insurance companies are in the business of collecting money, not paying money.

Chicken Sh!! Bass Turds they are.

jdmartin

· #10 · 4 d ago

What insurance companies wouldn't insure your car? I have two of these cars, both with keys, and no one has said anything to me about not insuring either of them. I have relationships with at least 4 companies so I am curious if it is any of these so I can ask them - the not insurable thing sounds like bs to me....

Reactions: 3

MonsterSoul

· #11 · 4 d ago

Try AAA / Auto Club.

dailygrind

Discussion Starter · #12 · 4 d ago (Edited)

jdmartin said:
What insurance companies wouldn't insure your car? I have two of these cars, both with keys, and no one has said anything to me about not insuring either of them. I have relationships with at least 4 companies so I am curious if it is any of these so I can ask them - the not insurable thing sounds like bs to me....

Liberty Mutual will not insure it (only liabilty)
Farmers Insurance wants $257 per month for full insurance
Progressive is still insuring it here in Texas, but stated they will not insure them in 5 states at this time

You can call BS all you want, I personally talked to each one of these companies after not being able to get a quote online. My brother-in-law has been with yet another company and he knows of this happening as well. So call it what you may, when two MAJOR companies either will NOT insure it or charge me 2 1/2 times what a new car costs, while my current MAJOR insurance company says we are still insuring you but not in 5 other states, there's a freaking problem.

Then you have the whole thing with KIA insulting my mechanical intelligence with suggesting that disappearring quart of oil in less than 4000 miles is completely normal, when our 2012 and 2013 Kia Souls didn't lose a drop of oil well over 110k miles. I am also concerned that some idiots will try and steal it simply because of a TikTok freaking video. As I said, I loved the car but I just decided the insurance issue was the last drop in a long line of concerns. Then like an idiot, I went and gave MORE money to KIA to get a new Seltos...LOL

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Hammerhead

· #13 · 4 d ago

You do what is best for you. Enjoy the new one.

Reactions: 2

glove

· #14 · 4 d ago (Edited)

dailygrind said:
Well, it looks like I'll be trading my 2020 Soul X-Line on a 2023 Seltos; my X-Line does not have the immobilizer and some insurance companies are no longer offering full coverage due to this. I hate it because I love my X-Line, but between the immobilizer and theft issues, plus the questionable oil burning that I've experienced since I've had it (over a quart in 5000 miles), I feel like I am forced into this decision. Seriously love the undercover green and the car really fits me and what I want out of a car, but when the insurance companies are starting to no longer cover the car, what am I supposed to do?

I called a few other insurance companies and they told me they would not be able to cover the car other than liability, which is not acceptable for me (obviously). My current insurance tells me Texas is still okay, but that some other states will not take new business for my car and only liability is the option at that point. So I am stuck with my current insurance and can only hope that they don't jack up our rates over time due to the issue. I also feel that the value of my car is not going to be good over time when it comes time to sell it when others read about all the issues associated with this incredible mess. Right now I can at least get a good amount in trade for my car, it is in fact incredible that they are giving me just $1,100 less than I paid total including TT&L when I bought it. Of course the prices of current cars have increased as well.

Stupid thing is I really don't want to do this, I just paid off the car and now I have to put money on top to get this Seltos S. This decision sucks and I'll admit that I am pissed that I've been put in this situation.

It has a little over 35200 miles at this point and I got it in November 2019.

That is all fellow Souls.

I did, traded my 2020 Soul EX for a 2023 Seltos EX, AWD. Since Kia backed down on making the Soul an AWD. Best choice I made the AWD is great and it has a better ride then the Soul.

Reactions: 2

jdmartin

· #15 · 4 d ago

dailygrind said:
Liberty Mutual will not insure it (only liabilty)

Farmers Insurance wants $257 per month for full insurance

Progressive is still insuring it here in Texas, but stated they will not insure them in 5 states at this time

You can call BS all you want, I personally talked to each one of these companies after not being able to get a quote online. My brother-in-law has been with yet another company and he knows of this happening as well. So call it what you may, when two MAJOR companies either will NOT insure it or charge me 2 1/2 times what a new car costs, while my current MAJOR insurance company says we are still insuring you but not in 5 other states, there's a freaking problem.

Then you have the whole thing with KIA insulting my mechanical intelligence with suggesting that disappearring quart of oil in less than 4000 miles is completely normal, when our 2012 and 2013 Kia Souls didn't lose a drop of oil well over 110k miles. I am also concerned that some idiots will try and steal it simply because of a TikTok freaking video. As I said, I loved the car but I just decided the insurance issue was the last drop in a long line of concerns. Then like an idiot, I went and gave MORE money to KIA to get a new Seltos...LOL

🤣 I don't say you are BSing but that the companies are BSing. Insurance companies are regulated by state agencies and they are required by law to insure anything that's legal in the field that they cover, ie a home insurer can't refuse to insure your midcentury modern home because there's too many windows. Unless your state has approved a waiver on Kia Souls for insurers in your state they have to either insure them or leave the state. I have a house in Florida and this is what a bunch of insurers have done - they don't want to cover the hurricane damage any more but they are legally obligated to offer insurance on homes if they do business in the state for home insurance, so they've just left the state altogether.

In your case it doesn't matter since you traded your vehicle, but what you could or should have done was file a complaint against Liberty Mutual with your state regulator. There are also rules and limits on what they can charge you based on data they receive from the state, such as your driving record, criminal background, etc, without which they would have no idea how to rate drivers.

So this follow up is really meant for future people - if an insurer company tells you they won't insure your Kia, talk to their supervisor because that's bullshit.

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GeoSoul

· #16 · 4 d ago

Isn't the Seltos mechanically the same as the Soul? Same engine? Just different look & springs in the rear? Same cargo capacity.

If you liked the Soul so much, why not just get a new one?

Reactions: 1

Flatsole

· #17 · 4 d ago

GeoSoul said:
Isn't the Seltos mechanically the same as the Soul? Same engine? Just different look & springs in the rear? Same cargo capacity.

Independent rear suspension and available AWD are the big difference from what I can see. Size and weight are comparable. Base msrp on the seltos is quite a bit higher, but it may have more features standard (in addition to the IRS suspension)

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GeoSoul

· #18 · 4 d ago

Flatsole said:
Independent rear suspension and available AWD are the big difference from what I can see. Size and weight are comparable. Base msrp on the seltos is quite a bit higher, but it may have more features standard (in addition to the IRS suspension)

I get that, but the OP seemed to be running away from the Soul engine, which is the same. Otherwise he said he loved the Soul and didn't really want to sell it.

If I didn't like the Soul engine, I certainly wouldn't buy a Seltos, no matter what bells & whistles it has.

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Flatsole

· #19 · 4 d ago

I agree exact same engine (& trans at least on fwd models)

theo2thea

· #20 · 4 d ago

I looked at a Seltos when they came out a year or so ago and it less room inside so not for taller people.

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