Awaiting refund and losing patience lol

6158 Views 38 Replies 14 Participants Last post by Canesguy, Jul 27, 2012

Tony2K12

Discussion Starter · Jul 23, 2012

So even though I love my car, I am extremely aggravated with the dealership. There are lots of details that aren't sitting right with me now but long story short, when I was signing the 400 documents after being there for nearly six hours, one of the managers or whoever it was popped his head in and said I wanted the polysteel package. I'm leasing my car (don't ask) so I thought it would be a good protection plan. At this point I am tired, I had been up since 5am, I have medical issues and I was in extreme pain and asked them several times if we could expedite this because I needed to get home. I was approved for the car around 530pm. I didn't get into the financing office to sign papers til after 930. So I get to finally read everything the next day and I see that this package covers nothing at all for my car. I am a 32 year old male. I will not be using crayons, make up, or lipstick anytime soon. Also the tear/puncture protection is only for leather or vinyl. I have cloth seats. All in all, after telling me that I wouldn't be able to get the car with the monthly payments I wanted to be at, somehow they managed to add this package which after all is said and done costs me almost $1200. So I called that Monday, about 3 days later. My salesman said no one was in financing at the moment, they will call me back. Called that friday, same response. Called the following friday and was told that the paperwork needs to go through before they can take it off because they dont want to write up a new contract. Finally after the third week, I went in to speak to someone face to face. Turns out my salesman was fired. The new financing person took my name and number and told me they would call whoever on Monday (it was now friday again) and see what they can do. She told me that they usually send the money to the financing company. I said **** no. They jacked my payment up. I should get that refund directly. A week has passed again. What are my options? If they are gonna keep my payments up, I feel as though I should be in a better car. They spent 5 hours the day before I bought it telling me no no no and trying to get more money from me. I thought this would be handled swiftly but it hasnt and if this is a taste of things to come with this dealership, I'm not so sure I want anything to do with them. Any advice? Any soothing words for me? lol

See less See more

21 - 39 of 39 Posts

Munky

· #21 · Jul 24, 2012

Tony2K12 said:
It's Gateway Kia in Quakertown, Pa. Should I go there and explain my issues or should I just make the call to the state attorney first? The story is actually much bigger than just the refund.

I would contact the dealership, ask to speak to the sales manager. Tell them your story, and be firm about two things:

1. You felt cheated/misled, and you would like a refund for the protection plan (that doesn't even apply to you)
2. You will elevate this to Kia Corporate if necessary for a resolution

The last thing a dealership wants is the head honchos having to fly all the way out there to settle little qualms like this, but they will if they have to.

Tony2K12

Discussion Starter · #22 · Jul 24, 2012

shaner85 said:
:eating: ...WOW... :shocked: I thought the one dealer up here was bad :disbelief: ...keep up the fight :blowup: !!! Let us know how you make out...

I am still at a loss for what the lady said last night about not owning the dealerships and having very little control over how they operate. That is completely incomprehensible to me and knowing this, I bet that is why so many of us have had issues with our dealerships. There isn't anyone to regulate and monitor how they conduct themselves. It's all about that bottom line.

Tony2K12

Discussion Starter · #23 · Jul 24, 2012

Munky said:
I would contact the dealership, ask to speak to the sales manager. Tell them your story, and be firm about two things:

1. You felt cheated/misled, and you would like a refund for the protection plan (that doesn't even apply to you)
2. You will elevate this to Kia Corporate if necessary for a resolution

The last thing a dealership wants is the head honchos having to fly all the way out there to settle little qualms like this, but they will if they have to.

I filed a formal complaint with Kia corporate yesterday and I am going up there tonight to speak with the general manager. I'm usually pretty non-confrontational but this is eating me up.

shaner85

· #24 · Jul 24, 2012

I thought that having the Kia lineup at the dealership would mean that they followed the Kia sales directives, etc... Isnt that what franchising is all about...consistency in certain aspects of the game from Kia dealer to Kia dealer? Sure the dealers may try to get you to trade in a vehicle for a lot less but that isnt the same as offering the basics in selling a new car...Imagine random McDs or other chain store owners just doing what they wanted...? That would get resolved most ricky tick...

She may have misspoke a little on the phone when she said that or she meant they have no direct control of the Management group @ the specific dealer you are referring to...

I agree with munky...go up the food chain one level at a time and keep telling the story...They will make it right I hope...

Just keep banging the drum...

Munky

· #25 · Jul 24, 2012

Tony2K12 said:
I filed a formal complaint with Kia corporate yesterday and I am going up there tonight to speak with the general manager. I'm usually pretty non-confrontational but this is eating me up.

Yeah, I don't blame you. It's dealerships like this that give the rest a bad name.

Tony2K12

Discussion Starter · #26 · Jul 24, 2012

Well, the sales manager just called me "out of the blue" to discuss this. I said what I had to say while trying to be civil. I said it is funny that I get blown off for a month but the day after I call corporate I get a call back. He said it had nothing to do with it.....yeah ok. He wasn't so cooperative at first but I laid it out for him and now I have a meeting with him and the finance manager. I told him I'm not trying to not do business with him, but the business he does is horrible. I was stalled, rushed, lied to, stalled again and robbed and I didn't even get the car I wanted. I'm glad I found you guys. I will keep you posted.

shaner85

· #27 · Jul 24, 2012

just keep being cool and stick to the plan for what you want...you will get there...

Tony2K12

Discussion Starter · #28 · Jul 24, 2012

Thank you

bumpercut

· #29 · Jul 24, 2012

Agree, there are some really dishonest dealers out there. We go in every 10 years or so to buy a car, and they sell several a day, so who's gonna have the upper hand here? Maybe it's come to the point where we need to start secretly recording these dealers when we go in.

Dateline NBC, where are you when we need you?

Tony2K12

Discussion Starter · #30 · Jul 25, 2012

bumpercut said:
Agree, there are some really dishonest dealers out there. We go in every 10 years or so to buy a car, and they sell several a day, so who's gonna have the upper hand here? Maybe it's come to the point where we need to start secretly recording these dealers when we go in.

Dateline NBC, where are you when we need you?

Hahaha that's what my mother said. "Call Channel 6 news!!!" lol

Tony2K12

Discussion Starter · #31 · Jul 25, 2012

Thank you Canesguy. The complaint has already been filed, hence the return call yesterday after a month of being dodged. We spoke about the refund. We went back and forth about that because first he said my car was covered and that I had been bad information. He asked where I had read about the coverages. I said "from the pamphlet that came with it!!!!" lol. Then he said that they couldn't refund it because they had already performed the service to my car. Ummm....my car was done being prepped for sale and had been sitting in front of the dealership for approximately three hours before this godforsaken protection package was even mentioned. He seemed to be on a roll with these lies. My issues get a bit more involved with certain things that happened that day. It is beyond just the refund now. He seemed to change his tune towards the end and arranged the meeting with me and the other manager. We'll see how it goes. He has already been made aware that I am aware of other avenues to take if they cannot remedy this.

See less See more

jsolo_sx2011

· #32 · Jul 25, 2012

Part of the power of being a buyer is having the right to walk out of any deal at any stage of the game. No deal should take more than 3-4 hours to complete, including financing. If you're tired/hungry/worn down, have them get you dinner.

If you haven't already, contact your local newspaper's consumer watch reporter. I bet the dealer will gladly do the refund not to have their name mentioned in print.

Canesguy

· #33 · Jul 25, 2012 (Edited)

That's a bunch of BS that thy "can't refund" you for the "service" they already did to the car. Point out in your next conversation, what is more important to them between a pure profit option they did requiring minimal effort on their part or the ill-will and bad publicity for the dealership generated by this practice of theirs.

Obviously it would have been better to end the transaction before it was completed but there's no reason why this unwanted "option" can not be reversed.

I feel you will ultimately prevail. Keep us informed, and good luck.

Teman99

· #34 · Jul 26, 2012

In all my yrs. of buying cars Kia was by far the worst at closing the deal. It does take them along time to do the paperwork
and when I was with their finance guy he wrote the contract with a higher APR. on the loan.

I nailed him on it and made sure he got it right, even though he tried to weasel his way out of it.

Good luck and keep fighting. Screw them!!!

Tony2K12

Discussion Starter · #35 · Jul 27, 2012

Alrighty. So I went in last night to talk to the managers about everything. After a half hour delay because they couldn't find my file, we went over all the numbers. Turns out they forgot to give me the actual itemized bill which is why nothing made any sense. I was never told how much the polysteel or the wheel/tire plan was. He kept saying that I knew how much it was and kept showing me my signature on everything. I said I know I signed papers, I'm not denying that, but show me where any of these have prices on them. Then he said that they already did the paint sealer on the car so they cant refund me. I said oh **** no, that car was done being prepped and was sitting outside the window by my desk for a good 3-4 hours before the polysteel was even brought up. I said to him that anything that was done to my car involving the polysteel was done prior to my approval. Then he said that it is done to every car as they come in. So then I casually asked him if he sneaks this onto the price of every car then and then makes people pay for it? I said "Is Obama selling cars now?" LOL End of story is, since I wasn't going to get the refund directly (it goes to the bank towards my payments) I asked if I could get another service through them. I asked for a remote starter. He asked the manager how much it was and I saw the manager nod his head yes and he came back and wrote out a "we owe" for it. So in lieu of getting $499 back for the polysteel, I'm getting a $700 remote starter and they are eating the difference. I was very grateful that even though things could have been way better on the day I bought the car, this guy spent two hours going over all of this with me. With my side business/hobby, you learn that even if a deal goes horribly wrong, the way the person in the wrong makes up for it says alot about their character. I am happy now that this has been resolved. Now let's hope it all goes smooth when I take it in for the starter

See less See more

Canesguy

· #36 · Jul 27, 2012 (Edited)

I thought that this unwarranted tacked-on "option" you paid for amounted to $1200. No?

(BTW.....careful, you may offend some Obama supporters

.)

Tony2K12

Discussion Starter · #37 · Jul 27, 2012

Canesguy said:
I thought that this unwarranted tacked-on "option" you paid for amounted to $1200. No?

(BTW.....careful, you may offend some Obama supporters .)

HAHAHA I meant that as a joke. I kinda like the guy, but the cash for clunkers irritated me to no end lol. I was totally thrown off because there were no prices for either of these packages and the number I came to was around $1200. The polysteel was $500 as was the tire and wheel protection so that was the $1000 discrepancy. I'm keeping the wheel and tire plan because PA is notorious for the crappy roads and the unending construction. But the polysteel crap helps me in no way. The $500 "refund" helped me in no way at all since I wouldn't actually get it until the very end of my payments anyways.

shaner85

· #38 · Jul 27, 2012

Sounds like you made out ok...Just hope the installers of the remote are any good at what they do...

Nice work...

Canesguy

· #39 · Jul 27, 2012

Glad it worked out for you!

21 - 39 of 39 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.