Opportunity to get Telluride earlier...

[travelbug928]

I'm looking for input from the community!

I'm currently #4 in line at my local dealership (Dealer A) for a 2021 SXP with Towing in Everlasting Silver, since early April (almost 3 months). They haven't been able to put the order in yet since 2021 ordering isn't open, but have told me they still expect it to come in September/October unless corporate pushes it out... based on the feedback throughout this forum, I'm assuming I won't get the vehicle until November/December. Because of a calculation error when determining my payment, they will honor a $1,315 discount off MSRP. It's worth noting that I have a prior sales relationship with them, and they are where I will be going for maintenance and service.

I just spoke to another dealership in our state (Dealer B) because I saw my exact build came up on the VIN lookup site. That vehicle was already sold to another customer, but they told me that they have a 2021 SXP in Everlasting Silver that is coming in to be used as their Demo vehicle, which typically rack up to 1000 miles. They said they can add the towing package at the dealership, it just won't have the self-leveling suspension. They're receiving the vehicle at the end of July, and believe they will sell it mid-late August.

Assuming that Dealer B will offer the same trade on my current vehicle, and that I'll be able to negotiate the same discount since I'd be buying a demo vehicle, what do you think I should do?

• Dealer A: prior relationship, brand new vehicle, probably won't receive until November/December
• Dealer B: demo vehicle with up to 1000 miles, no self-leveling suspension, can get in August

I'm not well-versed enough in towing to know whether or not the self-leveling suspension is a deal breaker or not actually necessary. I'm also not hurting for a new vehicle right now, I'm just impatient to get my hands on this beautiful Telluride!

 

[Familyman20]

Id wait personally. Good working relationship with current dealer and discount for a new unused vehicle. Too many variables to not go your way on the demo. GL

 

[DruKe]

If you aren't in need right, just wait.

 

[travelbug928]

Thank you both! I swear, this wait is going to kill me, but heck if it doesn't end in the best reward ever!

______________________________

 

[MarcinTexas]

I'm looking for input from the community!

I'm currently #4 in line at my local dealership (Dealer A) for a 2021 SXP with Towing in Everlasting Silver, since early April (almost 3 months). They haven't been able to put the order in yet since 2021 ordering isn't open, but have told me they still expect it to come in September/October unless corporate pushes it out... based on the feedback throughout this forum, I'm assuming I won't get the vehicle until November/December. Because of a calculation error when determining my payment, they will honor a $1,315 discount off MSRP. It's worth noting that I have a prior sales relationship with them, and they are where I will be going for maintenance and service.

I just spoke to another dealership in our state (Dealer B) because I saw my exact build came up on the VIN lookup site. That vehicle was already sold to another customer, but they told me that they have a 2021 SXP in Everlasting Silver that is coming in to be used as their Demo vehicle, which typically rack up to 1000 miles. They said they can add the towing package at the dealership, it just won't have the self-leveling suspension. They're receiving the vehicle at the end of July, and believe they will sell it mid-late August.

Assuming that Dealer B will offer the same trade on my current vehicle, and that I'll be able to negotiate the same discount since I'd be buying a demo vehicle, what do you think I should do?

• Dealer A: prior relationship, brand new vehicle, probably won't receive until November/December
• Dealer B: demo vehicle with up to 1000 miles, no self-leveling suspension, can get in August

I'm not well-versed enough in towing to know whether or not the self-leveling suspension is a deal breaker or not actually necessary. I'm also not hurting for a new vehicle right now, I'm just impatient to get my hands on this beautiful Telluride!

"Since Early April..."

I hate to tell you - but most people here have been waiting double or or longer than you have been waiting. Seriously - I would recommend that if you like your current dealership - I would just wait.

Waiting since early April is very very recent.

 

[travelbug928]

"Since Early April..."

I hate to tell you - but most people here have been waiting double or or longer than you have been waiting. Seriously - I would recommend that if you like your current dealership - I would just wait.

Waiting since early April is very very recent.

Don't worry, I'm well aware of how little I've been waiting in comparison to others. That was never the focus of my post; I was simply trying to decide if taking the opportunity to get a vehicle earlier would be worth it or not. Thank you for your input though - I do believe I'll wait!

 

[jw_tx21]

@travelbug928 , Do you really want to buy a demo with ~1k miles for that price? Probably not. I'd let someone else who didn't find this forum take that "deal". Kia dealers have been doing this from the beginning... the dealership owner probably wants a vehicle to drive for a few months then they'll sell it. Seen this a lot. Tacky, but that is the market.

Stick with Dealer A and wait it out a few more months.

 

[travelbug928]

@travelbug928 , Do you really want to buy a demo with ~1k miles for that price? Probably not. I'd let someone else who didn't find this forum take that "deal". Kia dealers have been doing this from the beginning... the dealership owner probably wants a vehicle to drive for a few months then they'll sell it. Seen this a lot. Tacky, but that is the market.

Stick with Dealer A and wait it out a few more months.

Thank you! At first I was okay with it - I've seen people on Facebook paying over MSRP for a new one, or buying one with 1-5k miles from someone who had buyer's remorse AT MSRP, so I thought it seemed like an okay deal! After what you said I had to look into what "demo" actually means... I thought it's just the one that they let customers test drive, I didn't know that they also use it for personal driving! With that new knowledge, I'll definitely just wait it out haha.

______________________________

 

[jw_tx21]

Thank you! At first I was okay with it - I've seen people on Facebook paying over MSRP for a new one, or buying one with 1-5k miles from someone who had buyer's remorse AT MSRP, so I thought it seemed like an okay deal! After what you said I had to look into what "demo" actually means... I thought it's just the one that they let customers test drive, I didn't know that they also use it for personal driving! With that new knowledge, I'll definitely just wait it out haha.

My first visit to a Kia dealership to see the Telluride in March 2019:

"I'm looking for an SX."
"Oh, we don't have any in stock."
"What about that white one between the LX and the EX?"
"Oh, that one. Well, the dealership owner's daughter will be driving that one."
"I see, any others coming in the next few months?"
"Well, I think they are all spoken for. I know the owner and his wife are both going to use one... and..."
"But, you can sell me this nice LX I bet, right?"
"Sure can! With the lowest markup in town!"

Needless to say, that white SX remained on their website for months even while being driven as a "demo". Dealership was using that vehicle to "sell from" - a very common practice as having an SX on the website generates inquiries. Probably sold it to the highest bidder after a few months once it passed about 1200-1500 miles.

Saw this too at multiple other dealerships. One pic I saw of an SXP was dirty and had 1200 mi on odometer in website photos being sold as new! (That was a really bad dealership though.)

A salesman joined last year and boasted about how he was on his third Telluride... because he would lease them and then customers would want to buy it from him as they weren't in stock. As I said, tacky practices, but one can only hope that those owners and salespeople at the least learned something about the Telluride to help educate consumers down the road. (Trying to look for a positive angle.)

 

[travelbug928]

My first visit to a Kia dealership to see the Telluride in March 2019:

"I'm looking for an SX."
"Oh, we don't have any in stock."
"What about that white one between the LX and the EX?"
"Oh, that one. Well, the dealership owner's daughter will be driving that one."
"I see, any others coming in the next few months?"
"Well, I think they are all spoken for. I know the owner and his wife are both going to use one... and..."
"But, you can sell me this nice LX I bet, right?"
"Sure can! With the lowest markup in town!"

Needless to say, that white SX remained on their website for months even while being driven as a "demo". Dealership was using that vehicle to "sell from" - a very common practice as having an SX on the website generates inquiries. Probably sold it to the highest bidder after a few months once it passed about 1200-1500 miles.

Saw this too at multiple other dealerships. One pic I saw of an SXP was dirty and had 1200 mi on odometer in website photos being sold as new! (That was a really bad dealership though.)

A salesman joined last year and boasted about how he was on his third Telluride... because he would lease them and then customers would want to buy it from him as they weren't in stock. As I said, tacky practices, but one can only hope that those owners and salespeople at the least learned something about the Telluride to help educate consumers down the road. (Trying to look for a positive angle.)

Wow... that feels very shady to me! Thanks for the heads up. As much as the wait will really test my limits, at least I'll be able to save up a killer deposit by the time I get to pick up my Telly!

 

[jw_tx21]

Wow... that feels very shady to me! Thanks for the heads up. As much as the wait will really test my limits, at least I'll be able to save up a killer deposit by the time I get to pick up my Telly!

Check out this post too. Another egregious example of a tacky dealership. I would run from this dealer, but poster ended up buying vehicle from them - plus an extended warranty! Crazy... this dealership's staff is just driving free vehicles for a while and pawning off the depreciation on the consumer. Incredible.

KIA Telluride South Florida--recommendations?

We live in Miami and are looking to buy a gravity grey/grey EX AWD or SX prestige AWD. We're willing to buy now but can wait if ordering is necessary. There is no major rush for us. I have been in touch with local dealerships, and it's been a mind-numbing experience. Any recommendations for...

tellurideforum.org