New to this whole car buying experience

[AC1]

I’ve been reading posts, checking out links, making notes furiously for the last few days and I swear I’m more overwhelmed now than when I started.

I can find what I want online at dealers but I’m not hearing back on email. The one dealer works with Costco but can’t give me any details if I’m not at the store. The other dealer that I contacted (and the one I test drove at) hasn’t responded since I asked what the price and lead time was for adding a tow hitch. My husband and I work opposite shifts so I don’t want to waste my time driving an hour to a dealer if they’re not going to give me a decent price.

I’ve only ever bought vehicles at Carmax before so this whole negotiation thing has me feeling way out of my league. Add in salesmen not retuning my emails and I’m ready to skip the whole new car buying experience and go back to whatever I can find at Carmax.

Any tips or tricks for what I’m doing wrong? Do I just need to deal with confusion at every step and non-communication if I want to buy this Telluride? (I don’t even want anything top of the line, just a S package with tow in Moss)

 

[Gwyn]

Do I just need to deal with confusion at every step and non-communication if I want to buy this Telluride? (I don’t even want anything top of the line, just a S package with tow in Moss)

What state are you in?

Right now is a horrible time to buy. Period. If you can make it to fall, I would wait. If you are not willing to pay MSRP your going to have to wait. If you have a dealer that works through costco, I would go with them. If they cite above MSRP, walk out and report. They will give you a better price then you can get on your own. KIA dealers are the worst when it comes to wasting your time. You will have to meet them, you will have to dicked around a litttle, and they will try to rip you off. Why KIA allows this is just insane.

If you are reading on any forum anyone paying under MSRP with out incentives from the manufacture, you can not get those deals. The people that are getting those deals are either:
1.) In a prefect market, like down town NYC where no one will buy a KIA large SUV.
2.) Personally, as in have the sales person over for dinner, know the dealership.
3.) Buying a test drive model.
4.) Just out and out lying because this is the internet. A lot of people post x,y, and z on forum then go into the dealer pointing to their own posts wanting that price. I know sales people that I have caught them doing this.
5.) Are willing to put in literally dozens of hours in offices and online haggling and scraping any dealer that will listen to them.

So bottom line.

1.) Set a realistic price. MSRP is realistic right now. Maybe a 500 below if you get lucky. Try to do everything online, if you can not then do it in person. Stick to your price. If you they don't like your price walk.
2.) Costco is your best bet right now. I would use them for below MSRP. If not, walk.
3.) Unless you need it in the next 3 months, don't buy right now. Hold off until fall. You will get a better price.
4.) If you are willing to drive, start looking into fringe markets like downtown nyc. For example, you can not order a prestige sx, but there are 3 of them in downtown nyc for sale.
5.) Look for moss, the tow can be added on for msrp if you push for it. It is a dealer install opition. Make sure you say factory hitch, or they will try to put on a 3rd party one. Ride them like a rented mule on this one.

 

[jazzyone]

1) go to the Costco dealer and see what price it is... it’s usually $x below invoice. You have to go to the dealer to see the pre-negotiated price but are not obligated to buy.
2) Ask for internet price (but I guess you already did on an in-stock vehicle)? I doubt they’ll give you a price on a custom order through email.
3) Armed with the Costco price and the internet price, you can decide to take the pre-negotiated price or negotiate some more.

 

[critrider]

I’ve been reading posts, checking out links, making notes furiously for the last few days and I swear I’m more overwhelmed now than when I started.

I can find what I want online at dealers but I’m not hearing back on email. The one dealer works with Costco but can’t give me any details if I’m not at the store. The other dealer that I contacted (and the one I test drove at) hasn’t responded since I asked what the price and lead time was for adding a tow hitch. My husband and I work opposite shifts so I don’t want to waste my time driving an hour to a dealer if they’re not going to give me a decent price.

I’ve only ever bought vehicles at Carmax before so this whole negotiation thing has me feeling way out of my league. Add in salesmen not retuning my emails and I’m ready to skip the whole new car buying experience and go back to whatever I can find at Carmax.

Any tips or tricks for what I’m doing wrong? Do I just need to deal with confusion at every step and non-communication if I want to buy this Telluride? (I don’t even want anything top of the line, just a S package with tow in Moss)

What you are doing wrong is buying now into this laughable Kia/Dealer induced sellers market. Its the greater fool theory..as long as a) Dealers are not well stocked and b) there is some anxious idiot willing to pay thousands over MSRP, don't expect much from dealers. Wait 6 months if you can, if not I'd suggest you do all your searching and negotiating over the internet/email. Correspond directly with a sales manager or internet sales manager, you can usually find their contact information on the dealers web site.

______________________________

 

[jw_tx21]

Trying to buy a Kia is a frustrating experience in and of itself. A Telluride is a whole different level of crazy. I would check out the good dealer experiences thread and find a one near you who will put in an order for your desired car (at your desired price - expect near MSRP right now) - if you can wait 6-12 weeks. Talk with Stephen Cantrelle here on the site.

Prices displayed online are not currently reflective of asking prices... many dealers want over MSRP for all Telluride models right now. Or, they try to tack on exorbitant dealer fees or "dealer adds". Probably 9 out of 10 Kia salespeople will lie to you to get you to come in, and then waste your time. Many Kia dealerships try to sell like it's 1995, so don't expect emails with prices and info to come back in a timely fashion.

It could turn you off completely to the Kia brand, so proceed with caution. Note that the Palisade and the Telluride are 2020 models, so as most people say here, just wait it out a while if you really want either of those vehicles. Production is just ramping up.

Also, be sure that the tow package is right for your intended purpose. There are discussions here on this forum about it. Kia's tow package is not sufficient for some uses.

That being said, you can get a great deal on a Sorento right now!

If you want used (wait out the madness a few years), check out carvana.com for used vehicles - I've seen their pricing a bit lower than CarMax sometimes, and they provide a good experience.

 

[AC1]

Thank you for all your responses. I did read the good and bad dealer threads, there aren’t any listed in the Chicago area in either.

The Sorento’s back seat was too tight for the kids, but there’s currently 0% APR on 2018 Sedonas so I’ll look into those.

Unfortunately we need a new vehicle within a month, so time is not on our side for this purchase. You all have given me a lot to think about, perhaps we’ll put off our Telluride purchase for a couple of years and let the excitement die down and the kinks get worked out.

 

[SC300ES]

does it have to be a Kia? What about something like the Subaru Ascent? If you need a car soon.

 

[AC1]

The Ascent was difficult for the kids to crawl into the back seat and strap themselves into their boosters. With their high back boosters in the back row (because the older ones weren’t comfortable in the back at all) I could barely see out the back window.

I wanted to like the Ascent, but the test drive showed it wouldn’t work for us right now.

______________________________

 

[Gwyn]

Then go with the costco dealer. It will get you the best price.

 

[Nellie2110]

There is a gravity grey(I know you wanted moss) S AWD in dubuque, not sure if it is spoken for. If you are on the west side of Chicago not the worst drive. They are very fair and good to work with. At least me and one other on here got under msrp before incentives. I worked with Alex at Finnin Kia.

 

[jazzyone]

One thing you need to be aware of when using Costco. Any dealer add-ons are extra. Recently I used Costco for another car purchase and the dealer tried to charge me $1k extra for wheel locks, nitrogen filled tires and pin striping. I found it amusing since the car had hub caps. Wheel locks? Don’t think so. Nitrogen gas? Yeah right!

They also tried to up sell me every thing under the sun. But I imagine that’s typical of any dealer.

 

[TontoKowalski]

There is a gravity grey(I know you wanted moss) S AWD in dubuque, not sure if it is spoken for. If you are on the west side of Chicago not the worst drive. They are very fair and good to work with. At least me and one other on here got under msrp before incentives. I worked with Alex at Finnin Kia.

I can actually tell you that I worked with April Finnin in the Dubuque dealership on that exact gravity grey S AWD. and she was straight forward and I asked the out the door price(with rebates and taxes etc. total amount financed) and told her the price I’m getting at another dealer and we went back and forth a couple times and she told me 36,378.95. It is 900 more then what I have at the other dealership(for ebony black/black interior). I almost took it because of having to wait for the one at the other dealership(4 more weeks) but opted out - wife prefers the black/black. Pretty good price - includes floormats cargo net and mud guards as well.

______________________________