I'm a client adviser at KIA

[Swalk3]

Hey everyone. My name is Jay Rudio. I'm a lead client adviser at Lokey Kia in Clearwater,FL. I myself have a Telluride and Stinger. If anyone has a questions or even would like to purchase one I'd be happy to help.

Jay- Can you speak to the towing issue that is posted on this forum? The Telly is advertised as capable of towing 5k lbs. which is what the powertrain can handle. however the factory tow package is a 4 pin and the manual shows only rate for 3,510lbs (351lb Tongue weight). The Pilot, Ascent and Atlas have a tongue weight of 500lbs. . .

so...options are to get an aftermarket rated for 500lbs would that void the warranty? Is there potential for a recall to make the Telluride physically capable of what it appears in advertisements? Paying for the Tow package seems like a waste now....

 

[CAsuKiHy]

Jay- Can you speak to the towing issue that is posted on this forum? The Telly is advertised as capable of towing 5k lbs. which is what the powertrain can handle. however the factory tow package is a 4 pin and the manual shows only rate for 3,510lbs (351lb Tongue weight). The Pilot, Ascent and Atlas have a tongue weight of 500lbs. . .

so...options are to get an aftermarket rated for 500lbs would that void the warranty? Is there potential for a recall to make the Telluride physically capable of what it appears in advertisements? Paying for the Tow package seems like a waste now....

It is very unlikely that salesperson will claim any capabilities over the internet or even know anything about towing, we have KIA being clueless about their own product I don’t know how regular dealer employees would claim to know better.

 

[Jrudio]

Hey everybody. Sorry I've been MIA. I've 2 days off the last 2 months.

 

[rvv2002]

Hey everybody. Sorry I've been MIA. I've 2 days off the last 2 months.

Can you weigh in on the very last issue that was posted? Towing weight?

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[Jrudio]

Correct the powertrain can handle the 5k capacity. I, myself tow 2 jet skis with no issues. I also don't have the self leveling package. I spoke with parts and our warranty specialist and they both indicated it would not void warrenty. However, I'm sure each dealer will have a different answer.

 

[Gwyn]

Is the Skid plate available for ordering?

 

[Jrudio]

Is the Skid plate available for ordering?

Any accessory that is available for the Telluride you can find on kia.com

 

[Vietvet]

Here are my thoughts... MANY of us are or have been "WAITING" a long damned time to get our order...usually the TOP END SXP with AWD and tow.... I think...and I am not a dealer... that as we are suppose to pay MSRP and we have been patient as a monk... you would think some "extras" would be given when we finally take delivery... I am not talking about a couple of car washes or oil changes... I just feel that if we are willing to lay about 50 grand on the top line and model... maybe we deserve more of a taste for waiting with all the issues appearing to be KIA's poor planning in the first place...be it the Prestige Package seats to combinations of options... Most of us had to place a "down Payment" to set the deal. Well that money isn't making US interest so..KIA has it in THEIR accounts earning the interest... again...while we wait. Not mad just have had a lot of time to think about this.

And I am still waiting as patiently as I can...and this is the vehicle I want... not a Sorento or a different color or model. And as we wait we are thinking a lot on issues like UVO costing us fees or even the 5000# / 4 pin connector supposition of the towing package... I hope when we DO receive our vehicles...there will be a revamp of customer service for many of us... not so much myself but many who have already took possession. So...now we wait some more....

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[Jrudio]

Here are my thoughts... MANY of us are or have been "WAITING" a long damned time to get our order...usually the TOP END SXP with AWD and tow.... I think...and I am not a dealer... that as we are suppose to pay MSRP and we have been patient as a monk... you would think some "extras" would be given when we finally take delivery... I am not talking about a couple of car washes or oil changes... I just feel that if we are willing to lay about 50 grand on the top line and model... maybe we deserve more of a taste for waiting with all the issues appearing to be KIA's poor planning in the first place...be it the Prestige Package seats to combinations of options... Most of us had to place a "down Payment" to set the deal. Well that money isn't making US interest so..KIA has it in THEIR accounts earning the interest... again...while we wait. Not mad just have had a lot of time to think about this.

And I am still waiting as patiently as I can...and this is the vehicle I want... not a Sorento or a different color or model. And as we wait we are thinking a lot on issues like UVO costing us fees or even the 5000# / 4 pin connector supposition of the towing package... I hope when we DO receive our vehicles...there will be a revamp of customer service for many of us... not so much myself but many who have already took possession. So...now we wait some more....

 

[Jrudio]

I'm sure it's been a long frustrating wait. I tell my clients it's a minimum 2 month wait. I have 8 clients alone waiting for theirs. As long as you know ahead of time it shouldn't be an issue. I know Kia is not accepting Prestige orders at the moment. They originally planned to make 40k the 1st year. They plan to keep production low next year as well because they want the exclusivity of it. That's why residuals are so high on them. Like at our dealership we require a 1k refundable deposit for the SUV.. So Kia is not gaining any interest on your $. As for the UVO, I'm not sure why you would be charged fees or sign up for UVO for the Telluride when it hasn't been delivered as of yet.

 

[Vietvet]

???? was no reply...

 

[Unlimited]

Here are my thoughts... MANY of us are or have been "WAITING" a long damned time to get our order...usually the TOP END SXP with AWD and tow.... I think...and I am not a dealer... that as we are suppose to pay MSRP and we have been patient as a monk... you would think some "extras" would be given when we finally take delivery... I am not talking about a couple of car washes or oil changes... I just feel that if we are willing to lay about 50 grand on the top line and model... maybe we deserve more of a taste for waiting with all the issues appearing to be KIA's poor planning in the first place...be it the Prestige Package seats to combinations of options... Most of us had to place a "down Payment" to set the deal. Well that money isn't making US interest so..KIA has it in THEIR accounts earning the interest... again...while we wait. Not mad just have had a lot of time to think about this.

And I am still waiting as patiently as I can...and this is the vehicle I want... not a Sorento or a different color or model. And as we wait we are thinking a lot on issues like UVO costing us fees or even the 5000# / 4 pin connector supposition of the towing package... I hope when we DO receive our vehicles...there will be a revamp of customer service for many of us... not so much myself but many who have already took possession. So...now we wait some more....

Ha Ha... When you buy a unicorn (SXP), you pay unicorn prices and wait the long gestation period. Mine will be delivered no later than 6/5. On Saturday I stopped by the dealership and asked if they had an updated delivery date. A guy in the showroom overheard me talking about it and casually asked for details on what I was getting. He then offered me 10k (my 5k deposit plus an additional 5k) to transfer the sale to him. I just laughed and said "no thanks".......

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[Tim-in-CA]

Ha Ha... When you buy a unicorn (SXP), you pay unicorn prices and wait the long gestation period. Mine will be delivered no later than 6/5. On Saturday I stopped by the dealership and asked if they had an updated delivery date. A guy in the showroom overheard me talking about it and casually asked for details on what I was getting. He then offered me 10k (my 5k deposit plus an additional 5k) to transfer the sale to him. I just laughed and said "no thanks".......

That would have been tempting for me. An easy $5k to wait 6 or more months for a vehicle that by then should be selling easily at or below MSRP.

 

[Unlimited]

That would have been tempting for me. An easy $5k to wait 6 or more months for a vehicle that by then should be selling easily at or below MSRP.

It was tempting, but we need the larger vehicle for the summer. We currently have to choose between taking our 2 grand kids and taking our 2 dogs to our mountain cabin. My wife would like to take the kids and the dogs this summer because the grand kids are finally old enough to go without their parents. Not sure what I would have done if he had offered me $15k.....

 

[Karam.31]

It was tempting, but we need the larger vehicle for the summer. We currently have to choose between taking our 2 grand kids and taking our 2 dogs to our mountain cabin. My wife would like to take the kids and the dogs this summer because the grand kids are finally old enough to go without their parents. Not sure what I would have done if he had offered me $15k.....

Did you counter? Lol I would have

 

[Buckeye-TRide]

Here are my thoughts... MANY of us are or have been "WAITING" a long damned time to get our order...usually the TOP END SXP with AWD and tow.... I think...and I am not a dealer... that as we are suppose to pay MSRP and we have been patient as a monk... you would think some "extras" would be given when we finally take delivery... I am not talking about a couple of car washes or oil changes... I just feel that if we are willing to lay about 50 grand on the top line and model... maybe we deserve more of a taste for waiting with all the issues appearing to be KIA's poor planning in the first place...be it the Prestige Package seats to combinations of options... Most of us had to place a "down Payment" to set the deal. Well that money isn't making US interest so..KIA has it in THEIR accounts earning the interest... again...while we wait. Not mad just have had a lot of time to think about this.

And I am still waiting as patiently as I can...and this is the vehicle I want... not a Sorento or a different color or model. And as we wait we are thinking a lot on issues like UVO costing us fees or even the 5000# / 4 pin connector supposition of the towing package... I hope when we DO receive our vehicles...there will be a revamp of customer service for many of us... not so much myself but many who have already took possession. So...now we wait some more....

This is partly KIA not being prepared for different levels of customer than they’re used to. They brought in big guns to design the Stinger and Telluride but didn’t quite do enough to revamp their dealer experiences. There are some awesome dealers in nicer areas that have pivoted to sell high trim cars to people who aren’t on their 3rd bankruptcy and actually have cash for a down payment, but others are still very much playing in that space. I will say that there is no way KIA, as a manufacturer, will be throwing in upgraded seats or rims for people who have been waiting just for the hell of it. They have a hot car and people are tripping over themselves to buy them $5k over MSPR before they even back them off the transport trucks. If anything, they’ll be raising prices on existing trims to meet the market price so the dealers aren’t pocketing too much of that sweet sweet profit. At the end of the day, if your dealer sucks at communicating and being upfront about what’s going on with your order that YOU paid for either find a new dealer or hit them in the manufacturer dealer-survey where they deserve it.

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[Unlimited]

I agree completly about not preparing the dealers properly for the Telluride. No one at my dealership really knows exactly what they are selling. That being said, the level of service they are providing is very high.

I would like to know when my vehicle will arrive, but the dealership can't get an accurate delivery date from Kia. For example, mine was scheduled to arrive on June 19th. Then they get a communication from Kia that says it is in transit and is targeted for delivery. However, the dealership has been receiving Tellurides from 3 days early to 5 days late. You can't blame that on the dealership, and frankly, I'm sure that causes a lot of problems for them.

Here's an idea they might consider: when it rolls of the line in Georgia, put a GPS tracker on it and make an app available to the customer to physically track it until its delivered to the dealership.

 

[Tim-in-CA]

I don’t really think that Kia was expecting the overwhelming amount of interest in the Telluride. They were woefully prepared on the supply chain side as well as not keeping dealers in line. Case in point, they had to stop orders for the SX-P due to demand outstripping parts availability. Hopefully they’ll get this all back on track. Will be interesting if anyone brings this up during the focus group next week at Kia HQ. I’ll be attending on Friday

 

[Rondakay]

I agree completly about not preparing the dealers properly for the Telluride. No one at my dealership really knows exactly what they are selling. That being said, the level of service they are providing is very high.

I would like to know when my vehicle will arrive, but the dealership can't get an accurate delivery date from Kia. For example, mine was scheduled to arrive on June 19th. Then they get a communication from Kia that says it is in transit and is targeted for delivery. However, the dealership has been receiving Tellurides from 3 days early to 5 days late. You can't blame that on the dealership, and frankly, I'm sure that causes a lot of problems for them.

Here's an idea they might consider: when it rolls of the line in Georgia, put a GPS tracker on it and make an app available to the customer to physically track it until its delivered to the dealership.

I would be happy to build that app!

Actually they could easily use the same identity that is passed to UVO and have a dealer site to accomplish without the need for an additional tracker.

Hey KIA are you hiring programmers, I would love to work for this company as I think everything about them is looking up!

 

[CAsuKiHy]

I would be happy to build that app!

Actually they could easily use the same identity that is passed to UVO and have a dealer site to accomplish without the need for an additional tracker.

Hey KIA are you hiring programmers, I would love to work for this company as I think everything about them is looking up!

Try aurora that they use for autonomous driving. They’re hiring all kind of engineers.