We bought a 2025 Kia K4 LXS for under $25k, hoping it’d ease inflation and fuel cost strains—until we got hit with a $275 bill just for an oil change and tire rotation. That’s got us rethinking what “budget motoring” means now.

Plus, service intervals are confusing: the manual says 8,000 miles/12 months, but our base 2.0L model popped up a service alert at 6,200 miles, while the Kia app reminded us of the 8k-mile service. Is the car over-cautious, or did we miss fine print?

Have you faced unexpected pricey service on a budget car, or mixed service signals? Share in comments!