We all get that (or most of us), but at the end of the day we are pretty used to just emailing/calling/visiting a dealer and finding out how they can get us what we want at the price we want. If they don't have it, they either order it (maybe a month or 2 wait), or in most cases they just swap with other dealers and the wait is a few days at best. It's the way we've done it all along. Hence why there are hundreds of threads about gripes on here.
I understand too. But, the point is, Kia is producing and delivering vehicles according to the system that they believe is appropriate for their business. I realize it doesn't align with some of our expectations.
They really didn't anticipate grabbing as many customers from luxury vehicles - these customers like you and jdakke are demanding and expect to get what you want when you want it. Porsche sells less than 2000 Cayenne per month, BMW around 2000 X7s, Audi around 2000 Q7s, even Acura (not true luxury market) sells around 4500 MDX. And these are either on established models or like X7 are priced exorbitantly high. So, yeah, they have inventory and can get what you want.
Also, the luxury buyer is used to seeing massive amounts off the MSRP - like $5000 off a Lexus, or as one poster wrote $13,000 off an MDX. Or $8,000 off an Explorer or Durango, or $6000 off an Atlas.
Those kinds of margins just aren't in the Telluride.
Kia's target market is not the luxury buyer - that's why they are still producing trims other than SX-P - those buyers won't fuss about fabric being visible on the Nappa leather seats. They are trying to make inroads primarily against the Pilot, Highlander, Ascent and Atlas (while offering an option for many other vehicles) but those vehicles sell over 10,000, 20,000 and 7000+ per month, respectively (many more than Telluride). These manufacturers have inventory at dealer lots and can have a vehicle to you tomorrow with your specs.
Kia has just been wildly successful, and is attracting new customers - there are and will be growing pains and long waits for top trim models until Kia figures out how to build more and optimize their supply chain (and dealer network) to cater to luxury-minded buyers.
In the meantime, us value conscious potential luxury buyers will have to wait it out. Whining won't make a difference. The wait was painful for me too, I didn't hear anything from my dealer until I inquired about a
VIN listed on cars.com (before production spreadsheet) about three weeks before delivery. I considered all other options, and I figured my dealer might try to screw me in the end with a markup, but ultimately the transaction was as agreed, fast and all the paperwork came with me on a USB. Faster and more pleasant than a former BMW transaction - in which I got hosed big time, and will never repeat.
In spite of the shenanigans at many Kia dealers, I'd still rather repeat my Kia transaction than try to negotiate thousands off a luxury vehicle... and up with a higher final price, as I know they'll get it back in maintenance issues down the road.
So, either wait it out with your dealer (and keep pestering the sales managers for updated information) or go hunting using the production spreadsheet provided so graciously by Michelw.
