Dear Kia

Eric and I seem to fall into adventures, ones we don't always want to be on.

Here is the latest in our world.

Dear Kia,

My story involving a Kia vehicle is long, but well worth the read.

On December 26, 2009, my fiance and I were supposed to head to Bismarck, North Dakota to spend some of the Christmas weekend with my parents. Unfortunately, a blizzard shut down the interstates and we were unable to travel.

We then planned to head to Bismarck on Friday, January 1, 2010. We started loading up my fiance's GMC Yukon with luggage and presents. I went to start the truck to let it warm up since it was thirty below zero with the windchill. The truck would not turn over. My fiance, Eric, had left the overhead light on and the battery died.

We have a single lane driveway. I moved my car into the street. We then proceeded to push the truck out of the snowy driveway and partially into the road so we could get close enough to jump the truck with my car. This was not an easy task. We hooked up the jumper cables and let the battery charge. Nothing doing.

The truck would not even turn over. We called AAA and they were able to get the truck started with boost.

We were then able to start off on our journey from Drayton, North Dakota to Bismarck. We stopped in Grand Forks to have Eric's brother check the truck out to see if it would make the four hour drive to Bismarck. As soon as we shut the truck off, the car would not turn over. The starter had died.

Another unfortunate problem, was that it was New Year's Eve day and they did not have a starter to fit Eric's truck. Also, no auto parts stores were open that day. Eric's brother, John, attempted to call in a favor and have someone open a store so we could get the part and be on our way. However, it was not able to happen.

I began to cry, afraid of missing yet another chance to see my parents and spend time in my childhood home. My fiance went to work and called Hertz. No one answered. He then tried Avis and was able to persuade the clerk who was in her coat and walking out the door to wait twenty minutes so we could run out to the airport and rent a car.

We arrived at the Avis counter and was informed that they had a Kia Sedona or a full-sized Kia car. My fiance is a tall, large man and often finds most cars unable to comfortably fit someone of his size. So, we went with the mini-van.

The leg room on the driver's side was an uncomfortable fit for my fiance so I drove. I loved this vehicle! It was a smooth ride, had some wonderful options like rear heat, MP3 player space, lots of cup holders, and comfortable seating. My fiance found the front passenger seat comfortable. He also enjoyed moving the front seat up all the way and sitting in the back seat with an option to stretch out his legs. This is not normally something he can do and he loved it.

You have two new fans! We joked that if we were to ever get a Kia would we put Kia Power on the license plate, a play upon the super hero powers. Despite the harsh temperatures of the day, the van started right up. The Sedona also got great gas mileage for such a large vehicle.

The GMC Yukon is a gas hog and we definitely saved money on this trip in gas. I drive a Chevy Cavalier and enjoyed the roominess of the van. I also loved the big windshield and the height advantage. An inch of snow was no problem for this mini-van unlike my car.

We are not financially able to purchase a Kia of our own at this time, but will definitely keep it in mind. I also created fans of this van in my parents. I took them both on a spin and they very much enjoyed the ride. They are mini-van lovers and had they not just installed a wheelchair lift in the back of their Chrysler Town and Country, I think they may have checked out some Kias. This is just an expense and hassle they do not wish to repeat.

My fiance is in treatment for leukemia so the option for a new car is not there. However, if we ever find ourselves in better financial shape, we will definitely check out the Kia Sedona. We had never before been in a Kia and don't know many people who own one. But we will pass on our praises to our friends and family.

Thank to Avis and Kia for saving our Christmas! We appreciated the "ride."