I live in Eastern Washington - visited, called, emailed, web surfed, text, etc. multiple dealers within about a six (6) hour drive from my home address. I became familiar with this form and received a lot of great information from the community. Ironically, despite most dealers tacking on markups, I found that my local dealer (approximately 4.8 miles or twelve [12] minutes away) would sell a factory ordered 21’ AWD SXP/NF/T with black Napa leather in Gravity Gray for MSRP. Seemed crazy. Upon initially contacting the dealer, I did ask for invoice which seemed to upset the crusty old sales manager who apparently tells customers who are looking for invoice ”to go somewhere else”. Whatever. I specked out my car to my liking with no additional add-ons to include the crappy over priced carpet
floor mats (retailed for $210 + sales tax of 8.6%). My order took place on October 9th, 2020 with $1,000 refundable deposit. Other than the slight back and forth about invoice, my experience was decent. Over the months of waiting I made it a routine to do a monthly email/call to the dealer for a status check. A lot of unknown feedback and “you’re closer now on the list”. Fast forward to June 7th 2021, got a call from the crusty old sales manager who told my wife and I our order was in production with an ETA July 12th, 2021, and sent us the sticker. Everything looked good except a charge of $210 for carpet
floor mats. I figured I’d keep quite until in-person and ready to pickup with a check in hand. A few days before July 12, I was told it was in transit. Fast forward to July 18th 2021 - still no car or at least the dealer never called to advise that the car was on the lot. So my family and I happen to drive by the dealer to see if our car arrived that day and sure enough, it was there. The crusty old man swore he’d call me when it was on the lot. With an hour before closing, a different sales rep made contact and didn’t necessarily believe me when I said “that‘s my car“ upon approaching me. I guess he took it as a joke? Anyway, the rep goes in to talk with the crusty old man, got the keys so I could see it but advised it would need to be inspected and detailed which wouldn’t be for another day or so. Okay, understood but a little frustrated that I didn’t get a courtesy call acknowledging the situation and I found out myself. On July 20th, 2021, my wife and I are housed in the hospital with a new born baby. Hours before discharge, I am notified that the vehicle is ready. After 9.5 months of waiting and knowing the next few days ahead were going to be chaos, I made arrangements to pickup the vehicle. I arrived early afternoon and the first thing was a quick test drive which is when I first made the comment about the carpet
floor mats would need to be removed from the purchase. My rep pushed it aside. Got back to the office, sat down for paper work, and further emphasized that the initial order did not include carpet
floor mats and nor did I want them. So my rep goes to his crusty old sales manager…few minutes went by and before my rep really said much I requested to talk to the manager. That is where my bad experience really started. I expressed that I did not agree to the $210 charge nor did I want that crappy overpriced product. I requested some sort of credit (removal of
floor mats, service credit, etc.). Crusty Old Man naturally wouldn’t budge, he’s the classic hard nosed sleazy sales manager that customers shouldn’t have to experience. Anyhow, the sales manager goes on to explain that he couldn’t do anything since it was on the sticker and I am paying MSRP. He also brings up the fact that I asked for invoice…about 10 months prior. Okay, really we were way past that or at least I thought. In fact, this guy decides to flip the table, playing the nice guy who has regrets of being a nice guy and expressing that he shouldn’t have thought of me and pulled this car that matched closest to my build. OH! And if I don’t want the
floor mats then I can get back into line with the exact build. He was astonished that I was arguing within him about $210 which were carpet
floor mats. It wasn’t the cost nor the product at this point. It was about what I agreed to as a customer who waited 9.5 months and my hard earned $1,000 deposit in their hands the whole time. It was about integrity, honor, and good faith business. I even emphasized I had previously ordered WT HP
floor mats ($300 worth) and they were in hand ready to be installed. No care in the world. There was another sales manager in the room, he decided to chime in at one point with “you know what other dealers are charging“. These guys have missed the freaking point. After a moment of silence and staring right at the crusty old man, I decided my valuable time wasn’t worth the effort to argue with this idiot. My hourly wage is worth more and he wasn’t going to retreat. So I ended up asking for them to draft up the purchase for a cash purchase, and I ended up eating the cost on the carpet
floor mats. Felt great to slap down a check with the full amount right out of savings especially since I was pissed off - I just wanted to be done. Next, the crusty old man hands me a paper with a breakdown of the purchase at which I did not see my $1,000 applied to it so I called that out. After that, I went to their finance office where they attempt to sell all the other crap with the vehicle. I knew about the Muncie Extended Warranty so I nicely said I wasn’t interested in any of their additions other than the Extended Warranty if they could match - they couldn’t. So I declined and the finance gal was a little shocked at the price I quoted. Their quote was about $200 over Muncie plus 8.6% tax. I am pending a response back to Craig’s request for purchase.
After I finalized all the information, I had the car in hand on time to pick up my wife and new baby girl from the hospital. But before I did, I yanked out the carpet
floor mats outside in the main parking lot of my local dealer and installed my well fitted WT HP floor liners that help compliment the nice interior. My wife thought I was being ridiculous when I told her my experience and others may too. But whatever, it wasn’t about the cost or product but much more and deeper than that. As representatives of Kia, the brand should be ashamed of this office in not honoring my initial purchase order. In the order, I agreed to their stupid negotiable document fee and MSRP price increases which there were at least two (2) that I know of between the time I ordered and delivered. I had no issues with those. And they couldn’t work with me on fixing the $210 charge for an add-on product. The reasons above is why I have decided to post this under the Bad Dealer Experience.
What are your thoughts? Is this ridiculous on my part or the local dealer? Critical feedback welcome by all means.
) worked with Beaverton Kia in Oregon. They kept telling me how Tellurides were flying off the lot yet when I followed up yesterday (Aug 1) they still had some. I asked if they would negotiate and they said they’d guarantee $6k >MSRP if I went to the dealership right now. “They want this SX gone.”
