Well, I was going to save this for later, but I just bought a 2017 Kia Sorento.... It's going to get the OB treatment, I think!
What Did You Do With Your Rig Today?
- Thread starter iamout
- Start date
Well, I was going to save this for later, but I just bought a 2017 Kia Sorento.... It's going to get the OB treatment, I think!
Here's the story behind this car.
This year (2026), back in January, I decided I'd had enough dealing with the nerve pain in my right arm, and pulled the trigger on ACDF neck surgery.
Not long afterwards, while I was still recovering on medical leave, my mother was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. Thankfully, I was able to help get some of her things in order, including her giving her Kia Soul to my youngest daughter. About 6 weeks later, my dad, who was also in poor health, had a massive heart attack and passed away. And about 2 weeks after that, my mom finally passed, on Good Friday.
For the last 6 months, I've been cleaning out their stuff, including their old camping gear, fishing stuff, tools, furniture, clothes, etc. and in that process, I ended up being sole executor of my dad's will, which included selling his car (the 2017 Sorento, which originally belonged to my oldest daughter who sold it for a minivan).
So for months, it's been sitting in my back yard. Dad was a heavy smoker, especially of the bent-type cigarettes, so I spent a whole week steam cleaning and washing everything inside the car to get the stains and smell out. The seats, which I thought were ruined, ended up being mostly okay.
So now I have a viable rig prospect, I have to get it in proper working order, and then sort through what I have for camping gear, and THEN decide what I need.
Plans right now:
* Car needs the A/C fixed
* New wipers, check tires/brakes/lights, etc.
* At least 1 wheel speed sensor is bad
* Needs the Power Steering rubber bushing replaced (it clunks when you turn)
* Oil change
* Check all suspension bushings
After that, I can look at some additional things. This car has a TON of room in it, and since it doesn't have the optional 3rd row seats, there's huge storage bins under the rear cargo floor. Perfect for organizing camp gear.
Secondary: My wife has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which means she has little energy, and doesn't tolerate temperature changes well. It also makes sleeping arrangements important for her comfort. Plus, she's a woman, so there's things like bathrooms and running water that she somehow expects to be available in the middle of nowhere.
Since one of my kids moved about 10 hours away, and another is about to move 6 hours away, we're looking into this being more of a "rolling hotel" than a "roughing it" camp setup to save money. We're not planning on off-roading, going off-grid, or likely even on unmarked roads.
I would like to eventually build a good storage/power solution in it, get a roof rack (if necessary) and make things as easy as possible. I don't want to be running around for an hour while my wife just sits and waits for me to finish.
As for now, I paid $5000 for the Sorento, TT&L was $725 (and after splitting the estate with my sister, I'll get half the $5K back) so I'm into it for $3225 so far.
This year (2026), back in January, I decided I'd had enough dealing with the nerve pain in my right arm, and pulled the trigger on ACDF neck surgery.
Not long afterwards, while I was still recovering on medical leave, my mother was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. Thankfully, I was able to help get some of her things in order, including her giving her Kia Soul to my youngest daughter. About 6 weeks later, my dad, who was also in poor health, had a massive heart attack and passed away. And about 2 weeks after that, my mom finally passed, on Good Friday.
For the last 6 months, I've been cleaning out their stuff, including their old camping gear, fishing stuff, tools, furniture, clothes, etc. and in that process, I ended up being sole executor of my dad's will, which included selling his car (the 2017 Sorento, which originally belonged to my oldest daughter who sold it for a minivan).
So for months, it's been sitting in my back yard. Dad was a heavy smoker, especially of the bent-type cigarettes, so I spent a whole week steam cleaning and washing everything inside the car to get the stains and smell out. The seats, which I thought were ruined, ended up being mostly okay.
So now I have a viable rig prospect, I have to get it in proper working order, and then sort through what I have for camping gear, and THEN decide what I need.
Plans right now:
* Car needs the A/C fixed
* New wipers, check tires/brakes/lights, etc.
* At least 1 wheel speed sensor is bad
* Needs the Power Steering rubber bushing replaced (it clunks when you turn)
* Oil change
* Check all suspension bushings
After that, I can look at some additional things. This car has a TON of room in it, and since it doesn't have the optional 3rd row seats, there's huge storage bins under the rear cargo floor. Perfect for organizing camp gear.
Secondary: My wife has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which means she has little energy, and doesn't tolerate temperature changes well. It also makes sleeping arrangements important for her comfort. Plus, she's a woman, so there's things like bathrooms and running water that she somehow expects to be available in the middle of nowhere.
Since one of my kids moved about 10 hours away, and another is about to move 6 hours away, we're looking into this being more of a "rolling hotel" than a "roughing it" camp setup to save money. We're not planning on off-roading, going off-grid, or likely even on unmarked roads.
I would like to eventually build a good storage/power solution in it, get a roof rack (if necessary) and make things as easy as possible. I don't want to be running around for an hour while my wife just sits and waits for me to finish.
As for now, I paid $5000 for the Sorento, TT&L was $725 (and after splitting the estate with my sister, I'll get half the $5K back) so I'm into it for $3225 so far.
