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11:19 pm EDT
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Kia Of St. Cloud False advertising

It all started when my grandparents bought a brand new 2013 Sorento. They wanted to trade in their 2006 Pontiac Montana. They were pressured into trading it in right away. They were low balled badly. The van was valued at around $10, 000-$12, 000, as it was not too old, had low miles, around 70, 000, and was in near brand new condition. They were offered $4, 000. My grandfather, knowing the value of the van, was not happy, and wanted to leave. The salesman told him to hang on, and he came back with an offer of $5, 000. They ended up getting $7, 500 on trade in. They were told with the four cylinder engine with all wheel drive they were buying, they would get between 24 and 28 miles per gallon. They were happy with that and ended up buying the extra $1, 700 10 year/100, 000 mile warranty, and the extra protection on the inside and outside, which ended up being in the neighborhood of another $700. Just like many other reviews, they said they felt a little pressured into buying the Kia as soon as possible. At 5, 000 miles, it was due for an oil change. In that first 5, 000 miles, they noticed the mileage was between 17 and 22 miles per gallon, it idled rough, and there was a bad road/wind noise in the top of the drivers door. They said they would look into it. There ended up being a "recall" on the bad idling, and we were told it would be in "Wednesday." That's all he said. The noise coming from the drivers was found to be "normal, " but you can even hear it from the passengers side. As far as the mileage, we were told it was normal. I find it hard to believe that a small four cylinder should be getting just a tad better mileage than our full size eight cylinder trucks. When they bought the new Kia, they said the mileage should get better over 5, 000 miles. Well, it didn't. We brought it back in, and we were then told once it gets 10, 000 miles on the mileage should go up. Well now as it's reaching close to 10, 000 miles, and no signs of improvement, we are now told 15, 000 miles. Looking in the manual, break in shows between 600 and 1200 miles. That allows everything to seat right, and the engine is officially broke in around that 1, 000 to 1, 200 mile mark. Not real sure where they're pulling the 5, 000, 10, 000, and now 15, 000 mile numbers from, but they are totally inaccurate. The one day we had it in there talking to a salesman about the mileage, he wanted us to wait and he wanted to take it for a drive. When he got back, he showed us a video he recorded on his phone. He turned the info center to average fuel economy and started driving. Once he was up to speed, he reset the system, and shut the radio off, the fan off, all the options he could off. I was carefully watching the speedometer, and I could clearly see he wasn't using the brakes at all when he was slowing down, obviously increasing the mileage because the engine was coasting. It doesn't take a genius to figure out how to rig that system. I can make it show anywhere from 13 to 50. That proves nothing. I also wondered why we couldn't go with, he insisted he go by himself, after watching the video I figured out why. They treat you very badly and like you are very unintelligent. We have also been thrown the excuse of not getting as good of mileage in the winter. So strange considering I can get 18 with my full size GMC Yukon XL in the winter, and it doesn't vary at all, whether it's -30 or 100 degrees out. Nine weeks after being told the recalled part would be in "Wednesday, " we decided to call the Kia plant in Georgia. After a phone call from them in Georgia to Kia of St. Cloud, we had an appointment because the recalled part had come. Keep in mind, a recalled part. Wouldn't you keep a bunch in stock? No, make the customer wait over TWO months after they bought a $32, 000 car from you. What ever happened to, "the customer is always right?" Not here, once they have your signature and your money, you're screwed. They're stuck with a small four banger that gets mileage like a full size truck. The vehicle itself is not that bad, but between the mileage, and the poor customer service Kia of St. Cloud offers, it was something we would have never done. We just took the warranty off, and are planning on going back to a genuine Chevrolet, that has never failed us. As far as the reimbursement Kia is offering, with almost 9, 000 miles on it, we are getting a check for a lousy $71. We're averaging around 20 miles per gallon. With the old ratings that were a complete lie, we should be averaging around 26. That's a six mpg difference, that's a huge percentage. At 9, 000 miles, if we were AVERAGING 26 mpg, we should have burned about 350 gallons. At $4 a gallon, that's $1400 in gas. Now we're getting 20 mpg, we have burned roughly 450 gallons. At $4 a gallon yet again, that's $1800 we have spent in gas already. According to my calculations, that's a $400 difference, not $71. Kia tried making it right, but I'm smarter than that. $71 doesn't cut it. When you tell the people at Kia of St. Cloud they say, "I'm really sorry, but there's nothing I can do, " and carry on like nothing happened. It doesn't affect them that they're screwing their customers over. My next story is about my vehicle. Since my grandparents bought a new vehicle from there, I thought I'd give them a try. Worst decision in my life. Fortanetly I was spending $12.95 instead of $30, 000. I got an oil change in my 2002 GMC Yukon XL. A few days later, and I was very lucky I was in it and paying attention, the oil pressure gauge read zero, and my info center said, "check engine oil pressure." I heard knocking coming from the engine so I stopped. We towed it to a heated garage, and once it was warmed up it was fine. A few days later again, it did the exact same thing. We decided to drain the oil. What came out was not oil. Kia put something in there that could have potentially ruined my engine. If I was inside letting it warm up, and it ran without oil for 15 minutes I would have a lot different situation on my hands. What came out looked like chocolate milk. I put a different filter on it and good oil in it, and luckily my truck has been fine. I finally had the chance to bring it in, a few guys looked at it, shrugged their shoulders, and said, "condensation, it was flooded, short trips, we don't know what it is, we can show you what we have in the back, what do you want us to do about it?" That's how they take care of their customers, they don't care! When I was in and waiting for my oil to be changed, they came back with a list full of things wrong with my Yukon, and basically told me it's unreliable. The tires are bad, the wipers are bad, the ball joints are bad, the brakes are bad, the belt is bad, the cabin filter is bad, yet, I haven't touched a thing on it, and it's still going strong, just like any GM car or truck out there. The prices for what they wanted to change at the time was beyond ridiculous. $120 for a belt that costs $17 at a store? With all the bad reviews this dealer has, and the crappy customer service, and the pushy salesman, something has to change. They're screwing people over, and they think it's perfectly fine. In a few years they won't be around, enough people will get sick of the way they're running their business and do something about it, and that time is now. They got my grandparents money, sold one of my cousins a lemon and wouldn't do anything about it, and just about cooked my engine, time to put an end to this mess. After looking at all of the reviews about other local businesses, this is the only one that is having major issues. They put the blame on, "a few people, " and "we can't make everyone happy, " but at this rate, I'm not sure they're making anyone happy

Read full review of Kia Of St. Cloud and 3 comments
Update by justinehr18
Mar 21, 2013 3:31 pm EDT

I don't want to get in trouble for double posting though, some sites don't like that at all.

Update by justinehr18
Mar 21, 2013 3:08 pm EDT

Is there a way I can edit it?

Update by justinehr18
Mar 21, 2013 2:37 pm EDT

I understand I have no proof this came out of my engine, but I'm not doing anything but letting people know, I have no other reason to post this, I have no reason to lie about something like this, it's just to add to all the other bad reviews on the dealer.

Update by justinehr18
Mar 21, 2013 2:03 pm EDT

Here's a picture of the "oil" that came out of my engine. And Vanquisher, can you please explain what you think I'm making up? All of this is true, I have read a lot of complaints about this dealer, so I'm not the only one that's having a problem.

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Update by justinehr18
Mar 21, 2013 1:57 pm EDT

I apologize, not varying at all, I was refering to winter and summer, not city and highway. And yes, $7500 was a good price for trade in, the van was loaded and in excellent condition.

Update by justinehr18
Mar 21, 2013 1:26 pm EDT

And the KBB trade in value for the AWD Montana is $6400.

Update by justinehr18
Mar 21, 2013 1:20 pm EDT

My yukon will get 18 on a highway trip, in town driving is obviously a different story. They gave $7500 for the van, that's almost double of their first offer. And the mileage, read all the other reviews, we're not the only ones having problems, and sorry about the no spacing.

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Taylorh2
Aurora, US
Mar 21, 2013 3:01 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

This review is very hard to read, so I stopped reading it. Paragraphs make long reviews like this easier to read.

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aIe186
, AR
Mar 21, 2013 2:25 pm EDT

I don't have a habit of making false fast food claims. I am not dishonest Tasha14. I never wrote any of those reviews. You can keep insisting that I have several accounts but that does not make true, no matter how many times you say this.

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liberty1776
Cottage Grove, US
Mar 21, 2013 2:14 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

that picture is of mostly water with a little oil. it turns milky because the engine heats it and whips the oil and water together. The dealer is using bottom of the barrel contaminated bulk oil. Also, there is a Class - Action lawsuit going against KIA because of the lies they have told concerning the fuel-mileage ability of their vehicles. And P.S. - my 2010 Sorento is pure crap...

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10:19 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Kia Of St. Cloud Bait and switch tactics

I am going through an issue with a bait and switch from St. Cloud Kia. I have a van sitting in my driveway that they sold us last Friday night then on Saturday they called and said the financing wouldn't go thru and it came down to us going in there and them trying to force us to buy a more expensive model. We had already signed all the paperwork and they accepted our check for the downpayment. The only reason I went there in the first place is because their radio ad claimed to pay off your trade in, but really they just roll the negative equity into your new loan. Of course they don't tell you that up front. Three different people told us four different stories of why we had to buy a more expensive model with higher payments for us to get approved (by the way our credit score is 680). They told us they were desperate to keep the deal going as they had already entered on their February books. We went home with the same car we bought from them on Friday, only to have them call me the next day and tell me the best they could do was a 2008 Town & Country that is $3000 more than what we wanted to pay and would increase our payments by $60 a month. I told them no deal and that I wanted our trade in and our check back and the guy was insulted that we weren't taking the deal they worked so hard on. What a joke these people are. I will NEVER buy from a Kia dealership again if this is how they run things.

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COMPLAINER KILLER
Saint Cloud, US
Jan 14, 2012 11:02 pm EST

SO YOU GOT A CAR TO DRIVE FOR FREE FOR TWO MONTHS WHILE THEY TRIED TO CRAM YOUR CRAPPY CREDIT UP SOME BANKS ###. IS THAT ABOUT IT? PAY YOUR BILLS AND YOU WONT HAVE THAT PROBLEM. ALL YOU CAN DO IS COMPLAIN ON SOME WEBSITE. TAKE THAT TIME AND WORK TO MAKE MONEY PAY YOUR BILLS, FIX YOUR CREDIT AND THEN BUY A CAR WHEN YOU'RE IN A POSITION TO DO SO. UNTIL THEN SHUT UP WHINER!

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unknown2011
st.cloud, US
Jul 25, 2011 7:46 pm EDT

mine was that we were granteed that we would have the one we paid for the very next day-------then we get told a few days later that we would get it if we could make it within an hour----we did, he wants 500more in cash and he will have it for us againe "the next" day, send us home in a different one$6, 000.00 more dollars 5 miles total on it week later they still dont have the one we bought but yet offer us ones in different colors! pissed as hell!

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ppat269
st cloud, US
Jun 28, 2011 2:04 pm EDT

OMG dont buy from kia in waite park in st cloud. They put me in a car took my car in trade 2 months later they tell me they cant get it financed they want there car back. Im now looking into a attorney, calling the better business bueru and nailing these guys to the wall This is what I call THEFT by SWINDLE

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Tommyt1514
St. Cloud, US
Apr 12, 2010 9:01 am EDT

Call [protected] and file a complaint with Kia

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Moneyman360
Freeport, US
Mar 03, 2010 3:25 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I also had a very negative experience and would encourage anyone that values their money and their sanity to do business elsewhere! Very unprofessional, disorganized and I agree with the "bait and switch" tactics. I purchased a brand new vehicle and brought it in 3 times to have it detailed correctly. I still found plastic under the seats. I also had an empty gas tank..I found the staff very condescending and will NEVER buy another vehicle from this disorganized mess!

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BeenThereDidThatB4
Sartell, US
Jan 27, 2010 10:45 am EST

I am sorry you had this experience, however, had you taken the time to read what you were signing, you would have understood that ALL sales that require financing are pending until the bank approves them signs on the dotted line. The person in the office working on your loan is simply a go-between and does not have final say in the outcome of your loan. When they ran your credit in the office, it simply gave them an idea of what your credit looks like, not what deal the bank will finally agree to.

What you experienced could, and DOES happen in EVERY dealership in exsistance. I hope you finally found some peace with the vehicle you have currently. I know that the dealership wants to sell you the vehicle you want, it just isn't always possible per the lenders regulations.

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mustang92
St Joseph, US
Jan 08, 2010 1:51 pm EST

I never bought a car there but i do some service work with them. The service guy is good and I havan't had any problems there. they seem nice. jmo

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unknown1206
Otsego, US
Nov 14, 2009 9:24 am EST

D147 is the sales manager for the dealership! D for Drake. Get it!

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D147
Burnsville, US
Sep 08, 2009 7:13 pm EDT

This is the most friendly, best car dealership on the planet! I had the most pleasant buying experience of my life there!

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nicole.d
Big Lake, US
Sep 04, 2009 12:27 pm EDT

I had the best car buying experience of my life.

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