Topic: WARNING about Buying a Kia at Kia Vancouver!!!!

[Branko]

I want to share an awful buying experience I had with purchasing a Kia Rio at Kia Vancouver on at 396 SW Marine Dr., Vancouver.

The purpose of this review is to make you aware of some of their practices that will make you think twice before purchasing a Kia from Kia Vancouver.

Before purchasing the Kia Rio from this place I shopped around quite a bit. I checked out a number of sub compacts and, while each had their pros and cons,  I came to the conclusion that their was no one model that was unquestionably superior over the others. What swayed me to the Kia was the fact that they offered “free” lifetime oil changes...or so I was led to believe. Great, I thought, that will save me lots of money over a period of time so that definitely tips the scale in the decision making process towards Kia. I looked at the gas mileage and warranty so that was another factor. But, alas, that too was a deception (I will explain later).

The reality is that their “free” oil changes are not free at all. There is a string attached: you have to pay some sort of “Service Fee” for about $28.00. Oh, and then they said subsequently it will be more! How much more? All they would say is “it will be more”.  If there are extra charges involved in this “free”  deal YOU HAVE TO LET YOUR CUSTOMERS KNOW ABOUT THIS CHARGE BEFORE THEY BUY THE VEHICLE SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION WHETHER TO BUY OR NOT BUY!!!! In my case, I was swayed by Kia with the prospect of free oil changes. They are misleading people into believing that they are getting something for free. Based on this you could say that EVERY dealership and auto repair shop on the continent is offering free oil changes. If you go to any auto repair shop (or dealer) they will change your oil and inspect your car for a sum of money. Kia Vancouver changes your oil and inspects the car for a sum of money. So where is the free? ...it’s ridiculous and an insult to your intelligence!

When I confronted the sales manager about this issue he became very defensive and rude. I got herded into dingy little room away from the showroom floor to discuss it there so that no potential suckers would hear about it and find out about their despicable practices. After refusing to make good on their free oil changes they kicked me out and said “go sue us!” I’ve never ever in 50 years of life been treated this rudely. This is how you treat a customer who buys a $18,000 vehicle from you and pay cash? I own my own business and I could never dream of ever treating my customers in this manner.

About the warranty: If you do not pay this extortion fee your warranty is void. Also, they tell you have a 5 year bumper to bumper. It is not, some things are only one year such as radio.

The realistic gas mileage is about 10-12L/100 km...if you are a careful driver.

I was warned by competing brands to buy anything but Kia. I didn’t listen because I thought they were just try to
prop themselves up but they were right.

Be warned!!!!

[tortoise]

Nice rant!  Not sure why I'm bothering, but I'll bite.

There is a string attached: you have to pay some sort of “Service Fee” for about $28.00. Oh, and then they said subsequently it will be more! How much more? All they would say is “it will be more”. 

What does the fine print say about this fee?   If it is specifically listed then I don't see the issue (outside of a little false advertising..)

About the warranty: If you do not pay this extortion fee your warranty is void. Also, they tell you have a 5 year bumper to bumper. It is not, some things are only one year such as radio.

Nonsense.   Otherwise you would have to have the vehicle serviced at a Kia dealership.  Also, the warranty information is readily available here: http://www.kia.ca/content/Owners/warranty/2014_Kia_Warranty_Manual_en.pdf 
and the service schedule here: http://www.kia.ca/content/ownership/ownersmanual/13rio_en.pdf

Neither mention a mandatory $28 fee to keep the warranty valid.

The realistic gas mileage is about 10-12L/100 km...if you are a careful driver.

The EPA (who produces realistic estimates) - disagrees with you.

Combined - 7.6
City - 8.7 
Highway - 6.4

So does fuelly.com where the 2013 owners have an average of 7.2 L/100km for the gas engine.  The car will get better as it ages. 

Aside from the "free" oil change trickery I see nothing that the dealership has done wrong.  A little diligence on your end would have made for a much smoother transaction.

[quadzilla]

+1 Thanks for saving us time from typing this up.

[dkaz]

If you mostly drive in downtown Vancouver, yea it's hard to get my Mazda 3 to drop below 10L/100km. My Mazda 5 stuck around the 13L/100km range. Outside the downtown core, I drop to around 8 and 11 respectively.

[Branko]

Are you a Kia troll Tortoise? I am telling you if there was fee mentioned there would have been a line with an amount and I would have to agree to that amount. If I was told verbally, or in writing, about this I would not have bought the car.

I repeat myself again: They said if i don't pay up my warranty is void. I have a witness.

I calculated with several fills(just to be sure) that the gas mileage is 10L/100 KM AT BEST! My friend who bought the same vehicle at the same time also got the same numbers.
I'm telling you these people are crooks.

[PJ]

I never believe anything is free so I would have read the fine print or asked more questions before buying a car based on a perk. 

As for mileage what was your previous car and what did it get in the same sort of driving ?   

[tortoise]

Are you a Kia troll Tortoise?

I repeat myself again: They said if i don't pay up my warranty is void. I have a witness.

Far from it.  I think they are making decent cars but don't currently sell a model I would buy.

Send KIA Canada an email asking about the fee.  I guarantee they will say it's BS.

[dkaz]

$25 is almost free. You're getting 60-65% off the price of any oil change.

My sister in law is currently getting about 8L/100km driving her Rio in Surrey most of the time. And it's winter right now. And your engine is still breaking in.

[X-Traction]

Are you a Kia troll Tortoise? I am telling you if there was fee mentioned there would have been a line with an amount and I would have to agree to that amount. If I was told verbally, or in writing, about this I would not have bought the car.

I repeat myself again: They said if i don't pay up my warranty is void. I have a witness.

I calculated with several fills(just to be sure) that the gas mileage is 10L/100 KM AT BEST! My friend who bought the same vehicle at the same time also got the same numbers.
I'm telling you these people are crooks.

It sounds like you're saying that if you don't have your warranty service oil changes done by Kia (whatever the costs), your warranty will be void.  You may have been told this, but it is not true.  As long as you document the changes, you can have the oil changes done by anyone, including yourself if you keep receipts for oil and filters and maintain the car's maintenance log book.

[jaari]

They CANNOT deny your warranty even if you go to another dealer.
A  dealer in Thunder Bay likes to brag about a freedom maintenance program, every time you get oil changed etc it says free on work order.
But you pay 20+$ a month for the free servicing and also like to pick and choose whats covered.
Pamphlet states all filters etc, yet was being told bye service manager the cabin filter was not covered.