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KIA Dealership Experience

1782 Views 2 Replies 2 Participants Last post by  Markus
While talking to @markus on another thread, I got the idea of starting a thread about your experience purchasing your Forte.

Tell us about your experience with the KIA dealership, sales person, etc. Was you impressed, stressed, content?

I'll start off with my experience..

The test drive of my Forte Koup SX was great. I had a very laid back gentleman, he seemed new but full of personality. He wasn't not pushy when it came to buying the car. Personally, I do not like someone to be pushy and force things. He told me about the car, i had already done my research but i learned a couple things i didn't already know, and that's pretty much all he said about the car. The conversation lasted about 5 minutes, and then we moved onto casual conversation, shared laughs and had a great time. He told me to give the car all the speed i felt comfortable with, he didn't mind.

Getting back to the dealership, he handed me over to another guy, since he had an appointment to meet with a couple that had came back to purchase their Soul. The next guy was nice, he talked the numbers with me and unfortunately they were not where i need them to be. I thanked him for his time, and walked out to my car. He came running after me, yelling my name, and gave me another number. I told him that i could not do it, i know what i can afford and what i will pay for a certain car. I left, and he called me and told me to come back to get my car appraised for trade in.

I went back a couple hours later and the guy had left. I got handed to another man named Jeff. I had worked with Jeff before, when i was looking at a 2013 koup a month prior. He had already gotten a value on my car a month before, but said he needed to get another value since a month had passed. I agreed. He came back 20 minutes later and offered me $1,000 LESS than what he previously offered me, and proceeded to tell me that it was the same offer that i was given last time. I told him over and over, he was incorrect and my trade was $1,000 more than that a month ago. He was VERY rude, his whole attitude was completely and utterly ridiculous. He told me over and over, "listen, i don't have to deal with you. i wrote down what was offered a month ago and it is the same as it is now". I told him i would not work with him. and i left.

I went down the road, very angry. This man had pissed me off so bad with his attitude and the way he talked to me like i was a completely stupid. I took a few minutes and drove back to the dealership. Jeff walked up to me and said "ha, you're back to buy this from me are you, because you know i'm right". I looked at him and politely told him I WILL be purchasing the 2014 vote koup SX but It would not be from him. I walked over to the nearest salesman, and told him i wanted to purchase the car, i just needed paperwork. I talked to him about my trade, and he gave me another numb that was higher than what Jeff had told me.

A couple hours of paperwork and i was done. They asked me how my experience was there, and to rate them. The guy that I ended up purchasing the car from, his name was Obi (like on star wars lol) he was the nicest guy i've probably ever met. Very sincere person. and the first guy that i test drove with, wa fantastic as well. I said all good things about everyone that i had dealt with, except Jeff. I spoke to the sales manger and told him about Jeff's attitude and demeanor towards me. He said i was not the first person to complain.

Overall I was happy with my experience. There was only a brief period where I was unsatisfied with Jeff, but the other 3 people i worked with made up for it. I left smiling, and ready to get home :)
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Oh, I appear to be inspiring people! :D Nice write up, and I'll admit, that some of what you mention is what makes me loathe buying cars. I've not had man cars direct from dealerships, but I always have the thought at the back of my mind of the sleazy car salesman who just wants to ream you for every cent they can. It's unfair as the majority simply are not like that. You always hear about the bad experiences and rarely the good.

Once I've got the car I'll add to this thread will more information - not sure if we're allowed to mention sales people names and dealership names (some forums get a bit funny about that) but I'll happily give praise, and shame, where it is due.
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Whoops, naughty boy, I have not updated this thread!

I was looking for a new car, Forte 5 seemed to fit the bill. I had been using carcostcanada to get the dealer invoicing pricing, so as to work out what discount I could negotiate. I then found unhaggle.com (might be Canadian only). You can get a free dealer cost report, so I gave it a shot. Within around 10 minutes I'd had a voicemail left by my local Kia dealership, Budds' Kia and I phoned back and spoke with Sean Gooding. We arranged for me to pop down and try the car for size, and test drive. I'd been pouring over specs and had pretty much decided I wanted an SX AT Luxury / Premium (hey, why not). As for colour, well, Corsa Blue looked interesting on the website, and I was curious to see what it looked like in the metal. They had an EX in Corsa Blue, which was the car I test drove and I was sold on the car and the colour, so we sat down and did the paperwork. A completely pleasant experience and Sean was fantastic, a very pleasant and helpful person.
A few days later they let me knew they had sourced my car for me, which required some phone calls and re-routing of a car from another dealership as the exact spec and colour I wanted seems to be rather rare.

Car came in, I picked it up, Sean ran me through the crazy list of items the car has on it, and off I drove.

I did notice a couple of small scratches on the car, called Sean and said I didn't want to sound petty, he said to come down, they looked at it, and agreed it was probably nothing major, popped off with the car, presumably to a detailer, and came back and they'd buffed out the scratches. Very impressed with the level of service, and highly recommend both the dealership and Sean.
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