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We've just inherited a 2008 2.0 petrol kia sportage. After fitting new rear discs and brake shoes it passed its MOT however to call it agricultural is an understatement.
It makes lots of noise, but doesn't really accelerate and the clutch has lots of travel and is very heavy?
Is this normal? The performance i can live with, but the clutch makes it hard work to drive? Is this common or is it new slave cylinder or new clutch time??
Help me 🙂
Dave
It’s an eleven year old car, in a segment that has developed dramatically over the last few years. I’ve driven six year old Sportage, as well as Hyundai and other SUV’s, and those were a bit...basic. Not quite agricultural, that’s a Landrover Defender, but not very sophisticated.
A heavy clutch is a deal breaker for me, I’ve got an arthritic left knee, and I’ve had to drive smaller vehicles than a Sportage with a heavy clutch in slow moving traffic, and been pretty much reduced to tears because of the pain.
If you can live with the clutch, as it’s basically a freebie, then use it as a beater and use it until it dies!
Indeed. I don't mind them being basic, but the clutch is a bit of an issue espcially if its in city traffic. The car is solid so we'll keep it long term, but if it needs a new clutch i'll jack it up and drop the gearbox, but i'd prefer not to if the clutch is still going to be heavy.
Sadly Google doesn't bring much insight on this topic
You don't need to use the clutch apart from reverse and standing start
Well, the farmers round the dales seem to like them. It's and old Sportage, Daihatsu Terios, if not an old Defender for them.
I guess that explains the agri-ness of them.
Kia's and the like weren't as good as others then (2008) in terms of refinement, but reliability is there. The newer Kias are great cars.
Just looked at the 2008 Spec Sportage, and it's way more agricultural than my old 2002 Nissan Primera P12 (the last Primera they made/replaced with a Qashqai - which we have as well).
The new Kia's aren't cheap now.
If it works, doesn't cause issues, keep it. I've kept my Nissan - bought it at less than a year old, and it's been a good car - no big faults/breakdowns in 17 YEARS. No massive bills. It still carries 4 bikes on the roof, and 4 of us in the car. Still used everyday. Passes MOT no issues.
My wife has a newer Qashqai, lovely to drive, if a bit slow, but it handles 'city' pot holes far better than my typical saloon. We don't use it for the bikes because of the height, but it's always handy having a big 'hatch' in the family to shift stuff. Her previous Yaris would shift more 'bulky' stuff than my saloon - but not as long. The Qashqai does both.
Keep it, it should be relatively trouble free.
It looks like we'll be keeping it long term now as any value it did have just went out the window after the Mrs drove into the back of a Hilux yesterday 🙁 Thankfully only a dented bonnet and a cracked bumper. I only spotted it when doing an oild an filter change that nicely was doable in under 20mins!!
I just need to try and see if the clutch can be improved.
It's a bit specialist, but you can get servos to help. I don't know any more than that though, so you'll have to get googling.