Good Dealer Dealings - List Your Good Dealer Experience

[ChiTownGal]

Posted this on the "Current Waitlisters of Classic Kia (Waukegan, IL)" but had to post here as well. John Plewka at Classic Kia is the absolute best.

Picked up my Telly yesterday (April 2) and could not begin to tell you what an awesome car buying experience it was with John Plewka from start to finish. I cannot speak highly enough about John and Classic. He was transparent from the beginning and always kept in communication with me. Trust me, there was a time when my order was cancelled and I was tempted to place a new order with one of the larger dealers, but after meeting John in person my gut just told me to stick with him and I'm so glad I did. Was in and out in less than 90 minutes and I'm just in awe of my Telluride. I highly recommend John Plewka, just a nice, honest straight forward guy.

I found John's name from this forum so THANK YOU to everyone that recommended him and thank you to those running this forum. This forum and all the information in it has helped me tremendously. And of course, thank you @StephenCantrelle for always tracking our VINs.

Posted this on the "Current Waitlisters of Classic Kia (Waukegan, IL)" but had to post here as well. John Plewka at Classic Kia is the absolute best.

Picked up my Telly yesterday (April 2) and could not begin to tell you what an awesome car buying experience it was with John Plewka from start to finish. I cannot speak highly enough about John and Classic. He was transparent from the beginning and always kept in communication with me. Trust me, there was a time when my order was cancelled and I was tempted to place a new order with one of the larger dealers, but after meeting John in person my gut just told me to stick with him and I'm so glad I did. Was in and out in less than 90 minutes and I'm just in awe of my Telluride. I highly recommend John Plewka, just a nice, honest straight forward guy.

I found John's name from this forum so THANK YOU to everyone that recommended him and thank you to those running this forum. This forum and all the information in it has helped me tremendously. And of course, thank you @StephenCantrelle for always tracking our VINs.

Classic Kia of Waukegan is NOT at MSRP any longer. I called to inquire about doing an order and they informed me they are over MSRP.

 

[hannafordj]

Smart Kia is Davenport Iowa was a very good dealer. I was talking to several dealers in Chicago area about ordering and they were all going to charge me an extra several thousand to do that. Smart Kia did not charge me anything extra, just MSRP + processing fees. They quoted me 6 month wait and it was just over by about a week.

 

[Hkr22]

Just wanted to share a great experience buying my new Telluride.

Purchased at Arapahoe Kia in Centennial Colorado. Worked with the sales manager Joel, and he is top-notch. 100% business, honest, and to the point.

I ordered with a 500$ deposit mid-March, and Joel told me the ETA was late May... and this was for an LX that they already had on the way, so I got lucky there that I was not looking for a top-of-the-line model. It did make me a little nervous that the deposit was non-refundable, but in the end it was fine.

Got a call this Monday that the car was in, and ready to pick-up--so quite a few weeks earlier than expected! Even earlier than @StephenCantrelle quoted! Joel got my financing approved even though it was very late in the day, and I picked it up yesterday.

I was in and out of the dealer in about 90 minutes, after the requisite test-drive, 300 signatures, and declining the extended warranties. All in all it was a great experience! Paid MSRP, no games. Additionally, the first oil change is free.

I would highly recommend Arapahoe Kia, and Joel in specific--they are professionals who move product and take care of people.


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Thank you for sharing!! I just placed a second order through this dealership. I kept checking failcat on the first dealer I ordered with and there have only been three orders created in April... The Arapahoe dealer quoted me MSRP, 4-5 months, $100 refundable deposit and financing through them or USAA! I might just cancel my other order.....

They said I will get a call once they find out about 2023 orders to ask if I still want to order and inform me of any trim level changes and color options.

What a great find, thanks again!

 

[OptimaSoulFAM]

Wanted to say thanks for all the information on this site. I started my search with Telluride and then realized it's more car than I need (coming from a Cadillac XT5 which is big enough) and even at MSRP more than I want/need to spend. So I've shifted to the new Sportage, but still many of the same problems with market adjustments, dealer options (my favorite was at Raceway Kia in Freehold, $4000 for a package that makes your brake lights pulse and includes coupons for service), plus a $3000 market adjustment (same on Telluride, except 10K instead of 7K combined).

I created an account to relay a conversation I had with Nutley Kia's owner, and you'll see why I'm adding it to the "good dealer" thread.

I'm in a very odd spot where I'm in their local included NJ market (Middlesex County) but so close to the border, my zip code shows as Monmouth Co. They wanted no part of my argument my taxes are paid to a town in Middlesex, my kids go to school, etc. After some back and forth, I ended up on the phone with the owner. I think he felt I was upset with them and was pretty defensive (to be honest, I was only trying to explain the nuance of the situation and that I certainly live in their defined zone).

His point, which I 100% agree with, is that he's selling MSRP to customers in his community who have supported him and will support him in the future. He said, correctly, that I would have to drive past 5+ Kia dealers to reach him, and I should be giving THEM a hard time, not him (this gave me a chance to clarify I wasn't, and apologize it seemed that way). He said I should be talking to the places tacking 5-12K on top of their prices. Talking to Kia corporate. He rightly pointed out that I never walked into Nutley Kia before now and I would have no reason to once the market settles. So even if I'm on the far outskirts of his market area, why should he work to figure out if I'm a mile in or a mile out, I'm still not "local" (for those unfamiliar with NJ, I'm 45 min away, which isn't crazy, but surely not in the neighborhood).

I feel for the dealers who say they're trying to account for the 50% drove in volume, whether that's legit or not, and understand if they're selling, the market should lead their decisions.

But I really felt I better understood where the dealers who are holding the line are coming from, and should be celebrated, because if it was easy, they'd be a lot easier to find. And, I could hear the frustration he had, knowing what these short-sighted dealers might be doing to the overall Kia brand.

That's a very long was to say, if you're in the Nutley market, know they're really caring about their community.

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[ChiTownGal]

Wanted to say thanks for all the information on this site. I started my search with Telluride and then realized it's more car than I need (coming from a Cadillac XT5 which is big enough) and even at MSRP more than I want/need to spend. So I've shifted to the new Sportage, but still many of the same problems with market adjustments, dealer options (my favorite was at Raceway Kia in Freehold, $4000 for a package that makes your brake lights pulse and includes coupons for service), plus a $3000 market adjustment (same on Telluride, except 10K instead of 7K combined).

I created an account to relay a conversation I had with Nutley Kia's owner, and you'll see why I'm adding it to the "good dealer" thread.

I'm in a very odd spot where I'm in their local included NJ market (Middlesex County) but so close to the border, my zip code shows as Monmouth Co. They wanted no part of my argument my taxes are paid to a town in Middlesex, my kids go to school, etc. After some back and forth, I ended up on the phone with the owner. I think he felt I was upset with them and was pretty defensive (to be honest, I was only trying to explain the nuance of the situation and that I certainly live in their defined zone).

His point, which I 100% agree with, is that he's selling MSRP to customers in his community who have supported him and will support him in the future. He said, correctly, that I would have to drive past 5+ Kia dealers to reach him, and I should be giving THEM a hard time, not him (this gave me a chance to clarify I wasn't, and apologize it seemed that way). He said I should be talking to the places tacking 5-12K on top of their prices. Talking to Kia corporate. He rightly pointed out that I never walked into Nutley Kia before now and I would have no reason to once the market settles. So even if I'm on the far outskirts of his market area, why should he work to figure out if I'm a mile in or a mile out, I'm still not "local" (for those unfamiliar with NJ, I'm 45 min away, which isn't crazy, but surely not in the neighborhood).

I feel for the dealers who say they're trying to account for the 50% drove in volume, whether that's legit or not, and understand if they're selling, the market should lead their decisions.

But I really felt I better understood where the dealers who are holding the line are coming from, and should be celebrated, because if it was easy, they'd be a lot easier to find. And, I could hear the frustration he had, knowing what these short-sighted dealers might be doing to the overall Kia brand.

That's a very long was to say, if you're in the Nutley market, know they're really caring about their community.

One thing I would mention to Nutley's owner is I am sure there are a lot of people that will come back to him someday because he IS charging MSRP.

I will only go to a dealership that charges MSRP, I refuse to pay over. We plan to get the EV9 once it comes out in a few years and I will NEVER EVER buy from a local dealership that is charging over MSRP. They lost my business forever, no matter what. I will specifically always make it a point to do business with a dealership that is keeping everything at MSRP right now even if it means driving 3+hours.

I think what some of these dealerships that are charging crazy markups don't realize is this shortage will not last forever. Once its resolved people will remember the places that tried to justify a $5000 markup compared to those who didn't.

 

[thechief16]

One thing I would mention to Nutley's owner is I am sure there are a lot of people that will come back to him someday because he IS charging MSRP.

I will only go to a dealership that charges MSRP, I refuse to pay over. We plan to get the EV9 once it comes out in a few years and I will NEVER EVER buy from a local dealership that is charging over MSRP. They lost my business forever, no matter what. I will specifically always make it a point to do business with a dealership that is keeping everything at MSRP right now even if it means driving 3+hours.

I think what some of these dealerships that are charging crazy markups don't realize is this shortage will not last forever. Once its resolved people will remember the places that tried to justify a $5000 markup compared to those who didn't.

I hear you, but I really don't think people will have that long a memory. They will go where the price is best. if it's local, they will go there. If not, they will find somewhere else.

A couple months ago, one of the reps from Parsons Kia in VA posted a similar explanation why they were going to start charging a fee on top of MSRP for out of area buyers. Essentially it boiled down to the fact that the dealership didn't make much off selling off MSRP, and they wanted to get vehicles in the hands of local buyers who would return for service. That hit home for me as a smart/understandable business decision on the dealer's part.

 

[PAOLE]

Classic Kia of Waukegan is NOT at MSRP any longer. I called to inquire about doing an order and they informed me they are over MSRP.

Oh no, sorry to hear that. I wonder when they decided to go that route.

 

[Monish03]

Hey Monish
Thank you very much for sharing valuable information about Nutley. That is great! I'll order mine from them too. I have a few questions if you can please help.
Was the order at MSRP?
In 6-8 mos, it will be 2023 model year. Did they say anything about that, change in MSRP/price?
Any particular sales person?

I'm going for a test drive today in Denville.
Thanks Again.

Yes, the order was at MSRP. They only thing is they require 3 accessories to be purchased so I selected the cheapest ones. Carpeted Floor Mats ($210), Wheel Locks ($60) and Cargo Net ($50). I worked with Nick Lima who was really nice to work with. He wrote on the order sheet "MSRP is the MSRP at the time of delivery" since there is a chance I may end up with a '23 which is projected to go up in price. He didn't anticipate a big price increase.

I was quoted 6-8 months for the order since I ordered the EX. If I were to order the SX, there is a 9-12 month wait. I was told two weeks ago I am number 72 on the list and the dealership is allocated around 14 cars a month.

I called the dealership end of last week to see if my order was picked up and was told it can take up to 3 months so I will reach out next month.

Hope the above info helps. Let me know what they say when you order it. Thank you.

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[kyanme]

Yes, the order was at MSRP. They only thing is they require 3 accessories to be purchased so I selected the cheapest ones. Carpeted Floor Mats ($210), Wheel Locks ($60) and Cargo Net ($50). I worked with Nick Lima who was really nice to work with. He wrote on the order sheet "MSRP is the MSRP at the time of delivery" since there is a chance I may end up with a '23 which is projected to go up in price. He didn't anticipate a big price increase.

I was quoted 6-8 months for the order since I ordered the EX. If I were to order the SX, there is a 9-12 month wait. I was told two weeks ago I am number 72 on the list and the dealership is allocated around 14 cars a month.

I called the dealership end of last week to see if my order was picked up and was told it can take up to 3 months so I will reach out next month.

Hope the above info helps. Let me know what they say when you order it. Thank you.

Monish

Thank you for your detailed reply. That helps a lot. I want to pass on latest information I got, for the benefit of others.

I contacted Nutley last week. They said the same things you mentioned.
Unfortunately, they are not taking orders for 2022 models. I am fine with 2023 model and corresponding MSRP but they are not yet taking orders for 2023. You got lucky getting your order in.

I noticed on Kia.com that the Telluride SX-Prestige AWD base model price went up by $300 within days, looks like after May 1.

Good Luck to you.

 

[Monish03]

Monish

Thank you for your detailed reply. That helps a lot. I want to pass on latest information I got, for the benefit of others.

I contacted Nutley last week. They said the same things you mentioned.
Unfortunately, they are not taking orders for 2022 models. I am fine with 2023 model and corresponding MSRP but they are not yet taking orders for 2023. You got lucky getting your order in.

I noticed on Kia.com that the Telluride SX-Prestige AWD base model price went up by $300 within days, looks like after May 1.

Good Luck to you.

Thanks for the info! What time line are they quoting?

 

[SaddieTaz]

Monish

Thank you for your detailed reply. That helps a lot. I want to pass on latest information I got, for the benefit of others.

I contacted Nutley last week. They said the same things you mentioned.
Unfortunately, they are not taking orders for 2022 models. I am fine with 2023 model and corresponding MSRP but they are not yet taking orders for 2023. You got lucky getting your order in.

I noticed on Kia.com that the Telluride SX-Prestige AWD base model price went up by $300 within days, looks like after May 1.

Good Luck to you.

I understand if orders picked up after Kia stops manufacturing ‘22 models, we’ll get ‘23 and pay the slightly increased MSRP. But what if orders are picked up for ‘22 models after Kia increases the MSRP of ‘22? Do we lock the price at the time of ‘22 orders? I know the difference will be just a several hundred dollars, but I don’t want the dealer to charge me more with a BS reason.

 

[bmc000]

I understand if orders picked up after Kia stops manufacturing ‘22 models, we’ll get ‘23 and pay the slightly increased MSRP. But what if orders are picked up for ‘22 models after Kia increases the MSRP of ‘22? Do we lock the price at the time of ‘22 orders? I know the difference will be just a several hundred dollars, but I don’t want the dealer to charge me more with a BS reason.

You’ll pay whatever the price is at delivery, so the recent $300 May 1 price hike will impact you.

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[Monish03]

You’ll pay whatever the price is at delivery, so the recent $300 May 1 price hike will impact you.

I was under the assumption I would only pay an additional amount if I got the '23. The receipt says "MSRP is the MSRP at the time of delivery ". I didn't think msrp for 22 would increase.

 

[kyanme]

Thanks for the info! What time line are they quoting?

They said they are backed up on 22 delivery 9 to 12 months. Not taking new order for 22 nor 23.

I noticed on Kia.com that the Telluride SX-Prestige AWD 2022 base model price went up by $300 within days, looks like after May 1.

 

[Monish03]

They said they are backed up on 22 delivery 9 to 12 months. Not taking new order for 22 nor 23.

I noticed on Kia.com that the Telluride SX-Prestige AWD 2022 base model price went up by $300 within days, looks like after May 1.

Did they not take your order?

 

[voxel]

You’ll pay whatever the price is at delivery, so the recent $300 May 1 price hike will impact you.

So in the other thread, another person said I should have paid the old MSRP price when I picked up my SX on May 3rd.

And you are saying I should have paid the new price (which I did).

It's weird that Kia just randomly bumped the price up... but not unheard of because the Ioniq 5 or EV6 I think got silently bumped too.

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[Monish03]

Sales rep confirmed I will be responsible for paying new MSRP at the time of delivery. They are not sure how much the increase is but said I will be notified well before my delivery (Sept-November).

 

[Monish03]

If it helps, my salesman was Chris Martino.

Denville is definitely over MSRP, but I’m not sure how much right now. You should have some fun with them, and after the test drive tell them to sell at MSRP or it’s off to Nutley (which it will be anyway)…

Did Nutley require you to finance through them or were you were able to use your own bank (assuming you did finance)? Did you purchase any of the warranties? I was recommended the tire package when I was placing the order. Thank you.

 

[zhelder]

Did Nutley require you to finance through them or were you were able to use your own bank (assuming you did finance)? Did you purchase any of the warranties? I was recommended the tire package when I was placing the order. Thank you.

I financed through Kia, but that was back in the 1.9% days. I don’t think they required financing through them. I bought the wheel package, but they gave it to me for $500. I didn’t buy an extended warranty. Don’t be afraid to negotiate on the add-ons…

 

[Olivia]

Smart Kia is Davenport Iowa was a very good dealer. I was talking to several dealers in Chicago area about ordering and they were all going to charge me an extra several thousand to do that. Smart Kia did not charge me anything extra, just MSRP + processing fees. They quoted me 6 month wait and it was just over by about a week.

Thank you for posting this I am in the Chicago area and being told $7500+ around here to “custom order.” Feeling defeated and sad, I did a google search and stumbled across this thread and your post. We called them and they’re only charging us 2k extra +msrp to order out of state. This is MUCH more doable. Thanks again!