![]() The timing belt will often drive the water pump too. Serpentine belt vs timing belt? The timing belt connects the crankshaft to the camshaft, thus making sure the pistons and valves are operating in the correct sequence. The serpentine belt in your Spectra connects your engine to many of the components you use every day such as your air conditioner, battery (via the alternator), power steering and cooling system - a quick look at the serpentine belt diagram outline all of the components feeding from it. Check out our parts page for coupons on new belts for your Spectra! Most vehicles do not need a special serpentine belt tool, but rather a 1/2" breaker bar and a socket on the serpentine belt tensioner to relieve the tension from the belt. Depending on your engine, the serpentine belt replacement cost is between $100 and $200. Worn serpentine belt noise in a Spectra can indicate impending problems if ignored, while typically being fairly cheap and easy to replace. Each review is based on a test of a vehicle supplied directly by the manufacturer.The video above shows how to check the serpentine belt on your 2005 Kia Spectra - if it gives more than a half inch when pressed, is cracked, frayed or appears shiny, you should change it (or have it changed) immediately. Jason Stein’s column appears Sundays in Business. Price as tested (including destination and delivery): $17,140 Warranty: Basic warranty is 10 years/100,000 miles. Standard safety equipment: Dual front, side and inflatable curtain air bags Transmission: Five-speed manual or four-speed automatic (optional) ![]() Key competition: Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Focus, Honda Civicīase engine: 138 horsepower, 2-liter DOHC, 16-valve four-cylinder engine Vehicle type: Front-wheel-drive, front-engine, four-door, five-passenger compact sedan In other words, world-class safety without the price.Īnd, with a 10-year/100,000-mile warranty (done to encourage new Kia shoppers to consider one), where can you go wrong? As a first for Kia, there are six standard air bags, including a full-length side-curtain air bag. Four-wheel anti-lock brakes are $400 and an option I would suggest you add.īut tilt steering and heated mirrors? This isn’t the bare bones vehicle I remember. The Spectra comes with air conditioning, AM/FM/CD audio system with six speakers, power windows, power door locks with remote keyless entry, power heated outside mirrors and a height-adjustable steering column. ![]() You get more standard stuff on the Spectra than virtually any car on the market for its price. Criticized in the past for using cheap, plastic materials, Kia has swapped out the old style for nice textures on the instrument panel and throughout the cabin.Īn added bonus is that Kia did not skimp on standard equipment. The turning radius is very tight, and its compact size makes it a delight to drive in mall traffic. Larger stabilizer bars and 16-inch wheels help structural rigidity and better performance in the turns. Kia spent a lot of time tightening things up and buttoning things down on the Spectra. Underneath the Spectra, Kia has installed a suspension to match the power. It accelerates cleanly at low and high speeds and seems to find its best range in city driving when you can zip in and out of a lane change or merge onto a highway.Īt 24 miles per gallon in the city, or 32 on the highway, can you really complain? Powered by a 2-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine, it produces a sprightly 138 horsepower and plenty of torque for this class of vehicle. And, mostly, it will leave money in your wallet. The Spectra, a four-door sedan that is also available as a hatchback, is an understated vehicle that can be dressed up with a spoiler, metal pedals and fog lights. Not flashy, not rakish, but definitely drivable, the Spectra is a very viable option for anyone who has never considered this car company before. Hyundai-Kia have even targeted the end of the decade to be the world’s fifth-largest car company. Many think the Koreans will be a player to watch in the future. With the involvement of parent company Hyundai (and Hyundai’s subsequent rise up the quality charts), the Koreans are onto something good here. Kia has been the punch line of several new car jokes over the years, mostly because it was value-priced without the value. Those two statements have not always been synonymous. Priced at less than $14,000 in base versions, and available with a slew of standard features and interesting options, Kia is a good value and a good car. No apologies here, but Kia is really something to consider. Perhaps there’s something gratifying about finding a diamond in the rough, or a little uncharted territory when everyone seems to be walking in the same direction. ![]()
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