Wow! Sorry about your experience. Before I purchased my Carnival, I did extensive research on the car and also looked up reviews on each dealership and the actual sales person. I hope you find an honest sales person regardless if you get the vehicle or not.I want to share an experience I had at Sterling Kia in Bryan, Texas when I traveled 2.5 hours to meet a salesman to buy a Carnival SX Prestige with my 77 year-old mother. I wrote the review below about my experience and interaction with the sales manager. I have been posting this review on every review site for the dealership and their dealership group (Facebook, Yelp, Google Reviews, etc) I also sent detailed letters about this experience to most of the management at the dealership group along with Kia America. This happened a week ago and I have not heard a word from Kia or from anyone at the dealership. This is my first experience trying to purchase Kia vehicle and this interaction and lack of a timely response has soured me on the entire Kia brand and the idea of ever purchasing a Kia vehicle. Has anyone else has a similar experience at a Kia dealership? We need to let Kia know this is not acceptable and that dealer's who use these tactics against customers should lose their ability to sell the Kia brand.
I was looking to purchase as 50K Kia Carnival, but I would not agree to the dealer’s low ball offer on my trade-in. When I told them repeatedly I would not accept a trade-in offer that was 3K below the KBB value, the SALES MANAGER, SHAWN FREEMAN resorted to his strong arm tactics. He came into the room with an attitude and started telling me that I did not know what I was talking about. He tried to BELITTLE me and INTIMIDATE me into submission. When I refused to give in, he said he did not even want to sell the car to me and he did not even want to have me in his dealership. He then THREATENED that he would not refund the $500 deposit that I put down to hold the vehicle. He finally relented when I asked him if I would have to take him to court and sue him. DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS DEALERSHIP. Take your business to another dealership that respects customers. Based on my experience, it seems like Shawn was trained to treat customers like this. If they can’t convince or get you to submit, then THEY WILL INSULT YOU AND ASK YOU TO LEAVE. I will never do business with this dealership and I would STAY AWAY FROM THE ENTIRE STERLING AUTO GROUP who condones these types of strong arm tactics. I have read a number of other reviews about service after the sale and this dealership continues to treat their customers like garbage. ALL THEY CARE ABOUT IS GETTING YOUR MONEY. Once they have it you will be an afterthought. Drive to Houston to buy from a reputable dealer that provides excellent customer service during and after the sale, not from these SCAM ARTISTS!
Kia dealers that insult and try to intimidate customers to sell cars
I want to share an experience I had at Sterling Kia in Bryan, Texas when I traveled 2.5 hours to meet a salesman to buy a Carnival SX Prestige with my 77 year-old mother. I wrote the review below about my experience and interaction with the sales manager. I have been posting this review on every review site for the dealership and their dealership group (Facebook, Yelp, Google Reviews, etc) I also sent detailed letters about this experience to most of the management at the dealership group along with Kia America. This happened a week ago and I have not heard a word from Kia or from anyone at the dealership. This is my first experience trying to purchase Kia vehicle and this interaction and lack of a timely response has soured me on the entire Kia brand and the idea of ever purchasing a Kia vehicle. Has anyone else has a similar experience at a Kia dealership? We need to let Kia know this is not acceptable and that dealer's who use these tactics against customers should lose their ability to sell the Kia brand.
I was looking to purchase as 50K Kia Carnival, but I would not agree to the dealer’s low ball offer on my trade-in. When I told them repeatedly I would not accept a trade-in offer that was 3K below the KBB value, the SALES MANAGER, SHAWN FREEMAN resorted to his strong arm tactics. He came into the room with an attitude and started telling me that I did not know what I was talking about. He tried to BELITTLE me and INTIMIDATE me into submission. When I refused to give in, he said he did not even want to sell the car to me and he did not even want to have me in his dealership. He then THREATENED that he would not refund the $500 deposit that I put down to hold the vehicle. He finally relented when I asked him if I would have to take him to court and sue him. DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS DEALERSHIP. Take your business to another dealership that respects customers. Based on my experience, it seems like Shawn was trained to treat customers like this. If they can’t convince or get you to submit, then THEY WILL INSULT YOU AND ASK YOU TO LEAVE. I will never do business with this dealership and I would STAY AWAY FROM THE ENTIRE STERLING AUTO GROUP who condones these types of strong arm tactics. I have read a number of other reviews about service after the sale and this dealership continues to treat their customers like garbage. ALL THEY CARE ABOUT IS GETTING YOUR MONEY. Once they have it you will be an afterthought. Drive to Houston to buy from a reputable dealer that provides excellent customer service during and after the sale, not from these SCAM ARTISTS!
I was looking to purchase as 50K Kia Carnival, but I would not agree to the dealer’s low ball offer on my trade-in. When I told them repeatedly I would not accept a trade-in offer that was 3K below the KBB value, the SALES MANAGER, SHAWN FREEMAN resorted to his strong arm tactics. He came into the room with an attitude and started telling me that I did not know what I was talking about. He tried to BELITTLE me and INTIMIDATE me into submission. When I refused to give in, he said he did not even want to sell the car to me and he did not even want to have me in his dealership. He then THREATENED that he would not refund the $500 deposit that I put down to hold the vehicle. He finally relented when I asked him if I would have to take him to court and sue him. DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS DEALERSHIP. Take your business to another dealership that respects customers. Based on my experience, it seems like Shawn was trained to treat customers like this. If they can’t convince or get you to submit, then THEY WILL INSULT YOU AND ASK YOU TO LEAVE. I will never do business with this dealership and I would STAY AWAY FROM THE ENTIRE STERLING AUTO GROUP who condones these types of strong arm tactics. I have read a number of other reviews about service after the sale and this dealership continues to treat their customers like garbage. ALL THEY CARE ABOUT IS GETTING YOUR MONEY. Once they have it you will be an afterthought. Drive to Houston to buy from a reputable dealer that provides excellent customer service during and after the sale, not from these SCAM ARTISTS!
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Wow! Sorry about your experience. Before I purchased my Carnival, I did extensive research on the car and also looked up reviews on each dealership and the actual sales person. I hope you find an honest sales person regardless if you get the vehicle or not.
Old school tactics still survive in this modern era!
I still haven't found the time to share my terrible experience at one of the Houston dealers who also tried to leverage their position in this hot market. I don't expect a response from the dealership since it appears to have been mandated behavior by the GM, and Kia corporate simply has no control of dealers. But I too share your pain. This is but not normal as I've purchased 3 cars from Kia in the past 7 years. I blame the low supply for some of these behaviors.I want to share an experience I had at Sterling Kia in Bryan, Texas when I traveled 2.5 hours to meet a salesman to buy a Carnival SX Prestige with my 77 year-old mother. I wrote the review below about my experience and interaction with the sales manager. I have been posting this review on every review site for the dealership and their dealership group (Facebook, Yelp, Google Reviews, etc) I also sent detailed letters about this experience to most of the management at the dealership group along with Kia America. This happened a week ago and I have not heard a word from Kia or from anyone at the dealership. This is my first experience trying to purchase Kia vehicle and this interaction and lack of a timely response has soured me on the entire Kia brand and the idea of ever purchasing a Kia vehicle. Has anyone else has a similar experience at a Kia dealership? We need to let Kia know this is not acceptable and that dealer's who use these tactics against customers should lose their ability to sell the Kia brand.
I was looking to purchase as 50K Kia Carnival, but I would not agree to the dealer’s low ball offer on my trade-in. When I told them repeatedly I would not accept a trade-in offer that was 3K below the KBB value, the SALES MANAGER, SHAWN FREEMAN resorted to his strong arm tactics. He came into the room with an attitude and started telling me that I did not know what I was talking about. He tried to BELITTLE me and INTIMIDATE me into submission. When I refused to give in, he said he did not even want to sell the car to me and he did not even want to have me in his dealership. He then THREATENED that he would not refund the $500 deposit that I put down to hold the vehicle. He finally relented when I asked him if I would have to take him to court and sue him. DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS DEALERSHIP. Take your business to another dealership that respects customers. Based on my experience, it seems like Shawn was trained to treat customers like this. If they can’t convince or get you to submit, then THEY WILL INSULT YOU AND ASK YOU TO LEAVE. I will never do business with this dealership and I would STAY AWAY FROM THE ENTIRE STERLING AUTO GROUP who condones these types of strong arm tactics. I have read a number of other reviews about service after the sale and this dealership continues to treat their customers like garbage. ALL THEY CARE ABOUT IS GETTING YOUR MONEY. Once they have it you will be an afterthought. Drive to Houston to buy from a reputable dealer that provides excellent customer service during and after the sale, not from these SCAM ARTISTS!
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
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