Kia of Duluth

I am the service manager here at Kia of DuluthMy History for [redacted] is on his Chevy we diagnosed his Check engine light as a seized Purge control valve and replaced it with new and reset his trouble code PON 5/26/AT 119,Miles, Have not heard of any other concerns on this oneOn [redacted] ’s Kia Rio history is we diagnosed the check engine concern and found trouble code for a faulty purge control valve, we replaced the purge valve on 1/15/86,miles [redacted] returned again on 3/10/at 103,miles with another check engine concern, again diagnosis showed it was again another faulty purge control valveOur parts and labor warranty is months or 12,miles so since [redacted] drove 17,miles and months later the part is no longer under a parts or labor warrantyAlso looking at our records [redacted] had his Rio in different visits between the first purge valve to the second with no Check engine light concernsThe part failed outside of the month 12,mile warranty and this is why he is angry at usThanks Scott [redacted] , Service Manager Kia of Duluth, [redacted] Duluth MN s [redacted] @kiaofduluth.com, ###-###-####

I am writing in response to the above referenced complaint to your organization by Mr [redacted] While it is unfortunate that Mr [redacted] is unhappy with his purchase, it is clear that Mr [redacted] was aware of the purchase price of the vehicle in question at the time of the sale The purchase price of the vehicle was fully discussed previously to signing any documents and also disclosed in at least three places on his contract Mr [redacted] did in fact make a verbal offer to purchase the vehicle for $and we subsequently counter offered to a price of $plus tax and license which he did acceptThe Purchase Agreement, MN Application for Title and the Lenders Retail Installment Agreement all which were placed in front of Mr [redacted] for review but also contains Mr [redacted] 's signatures which would in fact acknowledge the terms and conditions of the sale.In reference to Mr [redacted] 's claim that the vehicle had mechanical issues, we do allow every buyer the opportunity to have the vehicle inspected by a third party mechanic that will allow the customer to receive an independent opinion of the vehicles condition Mr [redacted] did not elect to do so This vehicle was sold "as-is" and again was disclosed to the complainant on the MN Buyers' Guide (Munroney Label) and the Relationship After The Sale ("We Owe") which both contain Mr [redacted] 's signatures Mr [redacted] did return to the dealership soon after leaving with a check engine light Our service department ran a scan and diagnosed it as a loose gas cap We diagnosed this at no charge to the customer This was the only issue that was brought to my direct attention at that time If Mr [redacted] is currently having an issue with a check engine light, we would be willing to diagnose the issue free of charge

Please see attached letter.**BBB NOTE: Text of attached letter reads as follows: "To Whom It May Concern: [redacted] , a former employee, brought his 2012 Volkswagen Beetle in January, 2018 to fix the issue of it not shifting properly. Mr [redacted] paid for the repairs and took the vehicle with... no issues. Several months later, Mr [redacted] brought his vehicle in to an independent, non-franchised repair shop. The repair shop told him there was damage to his vehicle done by us during our January repair work. He spoke with Rob [redacted] , the service manager, demanding to be repaid for the work. Mr [redacted] explained that it is not common business practice to take other shops word and we would need to be given an opportunity to inspect the damage and determine fault. Mr [redacted] gave Mr [redacted] a few options, such as bringing the vehicle to another dealership in his vicinity, when they spoke on Friday, May 4th. Mr [redacted] got angry and hung up on Mr [redacted] . In spite of him cutting us off, he was called on Monday morning by Brad [redacted] , General Manager, Steve ***, Sales Manager and Mr [redacted] on the line. They offered to send one of our employees with a trailer to pick-up Mr [redacted] vehicle and bring it back to our shop due to the distance between Mr [redacted] and us. This is being done at our expense. Once we are able to look at the vehicle and address mechanical problems related to our work, we will try and get it covered under warranty. Mr [redacted] has agreed to this.We believe this complaint to be resolved. Brad [redacted] General Manager"

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me

I am rejecting this response because:
Upon review of my maintenance history, the dealership replaced the same thing four times, in two different vehiclesEven in heir response, they made no effort to contact me via the phone or email they have on file or return my calls and emailsAlso, they expressed no remorse or care in their responseOnly said "sorry it's slightly outside our warranty periodSorry." I will be looking to take them to small claims court if this isn't resolvedThanks! ***

Kia of Duluth is missing the point here in their responseOf course there will be discrepancies between what a dealership says a car is worth and what the customer thinks it is worthThe issue here is their deceptive advertising, created to get the customer in the door, by the promise of an offer that they are not going to fulfill. The email from them had the heading “KIA OF DULUTH WANTS YOUR VEHICLE!” And in the body of the email “…I would REALLY love to purchase that vehicle! The good news is that the number on the offer is KBB’s “national” numberI’ll bet the local market value for your vehicle is probably a little bit more than thatAs a matter of fact, we’ve found that most of our customers get anywhere from $300-$more after they’ve come in for a VIP appointment and had our onsite appraiser do a mechanical inspection of their vehicleAll we need is minutes of your time, and you can get top dollar for your vehicleOf course, we’ll need to see your vehicle in person…” I then set up an appointment with Jessica for 6:00, and she said she “looked forward to meeting me”She reiterated that it would take about minutes, then they could make out a check for us and we would be on our wayAfter two of us driving (in separate vehicles) an hour and a half to get to Duluth from Hayward, WI, I asked for JessicaJessica wasn’t in, but I could meet with any of the sales reps (who thought I wanted to buy a car)After the inspection, and then the lowball offer, I realized that this was a very deceptive marketing ployWhen I originally filled out the online Kelly Blue Book condition report (and being honest and critical) I was given a “trade in” value and offerThe KBB offer of $16,was for a trade in, in very good shape (not excellent, and not retail price)In fact, when we arrived at Kia of Duluth, we were complimented on the carThe technician even stated “What do you do to keep the car in such good shape? Put out four orange cones whenever you park it?” Then he added “It’s in very good shapeWe would just have to buff out a few small areas and it will be good to go.” To sum it up, here is what was not only extremely poor customer service, but deceptive advertising: 1. My “VIP appointment” was supposed to be with JessicaThere was no Jessica and they said “anyone” could assist meSo I had to basically start from scratch with a sales representative2. The inspection showed only minor issues that could be easily remedied3. The lowball offer was given, $3,less than the original offer(Even though typically “most of their customers get $300--$more”.) 4. In speaking to the manager, suddenly my car’s condition went from very good to “good”, and that was the reason for the low offer5. And, if we had taken the offer, a check could not be cut until the next day because “payroll had left for the day”They knew what time we were coming, yet a check that day was promised as well (if the deal had been accepted)In Kia of Duluth’s Revdex.com response they argue the condition of the car, which truly was not the issue (according to the technician’s original statement)They state that the KBB offer was close to the retail value of the carReally? Then why offer possibly $to $more? And never in Kia of Duluth’s email response to me (or when I spoke to Jessica), that they may offer less than the KBB offerNo, they said typically it was moreTwo of us drove from Hayward, WI to Duluth based on that email and conversation with Kia of DuluthOur time spent at the dealership was from 6:to 7:Then we had to drive back in two cars again another hour and a halfNot only was it a frustrating waste of time, but we had cars driving miles each way for a total of milesHow about Kia of Duluth reimburses us for our time and mileage? I believe that is the least that they could do for their unacceptable and deceptive marketing

I am rejecting this response because:
Calvin *** is a ratty person, he did lay out a contract, but in no way explained anythingI was in a desperate situation and he knew itI do not recommend Kia to anyone

The KBB offer is guaranteed but is contingent on an accurate condition report.  Occasionally there can be discrepancies between the offer a customer receives when they enter their own car into the program and when another party, or, in this case, the dealership enters the car into the...

program.  There are many variables that can and will change the amount of the offer including wheels, tire depth, actual mileage, interior condition, body damage, glass, brakes, mechanical issues, accident history, title issues etc.In this case the number the customer arrived at using the KBB Instant Cash Offer program was close to the retail value of the vehicle, raising a red flag, and not reflective of the wholesale value of the car. We have purchased vehicles and paid more than the KBB guaranteed offer, this was not the case in this instance.We would offer to bring the customers car to the KBB representatives in Minneapolis and get a definitive and guaranteed offer from the KBB inspectors.

I am the service manager here at Kia of Duluth. My History for [redacted] is on his 2005 Chevy we diagnosed his Check engine light as a seized Purge control valve and replaced it with new and reset his trouble code P0496 ON 5/26/2016 AT 119,397 Miles, Have not heard of any other concerns on this...

one. On [redacted]’s 209 Kia Rio history is we diagnosed the check engine concern and found trouble code for a faulty purge control valve, we replaced the purge valve on 1/15/2015 86,642 miles. [redacted] returned again on 3/10/2016 at 103,711 miles with another check engine concern, again diagnosis showed it was again another faulty purge control valve. Our parts and labor warranty is 12 months or 12,000 miles so since [redacted] drove 17,069 miles and 14 months later the part is no longer under a parts or labor warranty. Also looking at our records [redacted] had his 2009 Rio in 4 different visits between the first purge valve to the second with no Check engine light concerns. The part failed outside of the 12 month 12,000 mile warranty and this is why he is angry at us. Thanks Scott [redacted], Service Manager  Kia of Duluth, [redacted] Duluth MN 55806. s[redacted]@kiaofduluth.com, ###-###-####

The letter we faxed in on 4/27/18 has been attached.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 6, 2015/09/28) */
Thank you for giving us the concerns of Mr. [redacted]. I have reviewed the concerns of Mr. [redacted].1st concern was 8/23/2011 "There is a Lack of power when on the gas"- repair was a Throttle Position Sensor. 2nd concern was 2/01/2012 7 months...

later for "intermittently seems to start out in 3rd gear, repair was - found internal transmission failure, replaced transmission. 3rd Concern was 4 months later 06/15/2012- repair was a the control module was not plugged in all the way - repair was repaired connection, 4th concern was 3 years and 2 months later on 8/18/2015 "Have to hold accelerator pedal to the floor for vehicle to move"- repair was internal transmission failure, replaced transmission. Customer is stating he is having the same issue again, Mr. [redacted] wants a Rental vehicle that we do not have available at the moment. We are to contact Mr.[redacted] when we have one returned. As you can see most of the concerns are different from each visit and Mr.[redacted] drove his vehicle for 3 years and 2 months and 34,668 miles it is hard to say we didn't repair it right the 1 st time. The 1st and 2nd repairs are 6 months apart and 2 different complaints and we found different trouble codes on both visits. We have done everything to repair MR. [redacted]s vehicle but I do not see that we have any fault, other than the poor connection on the module THAT is possiblY our fault even though it was 4 months and 4,000 miles later, So I apologize to Mr.[redacted] for having to return with that concern. So to Mr. [redacted]'s concern about not repairing it the 1st time , we don't have control on how long a part may last, he obviously was driving time and distances with no issues so that to me says we repaired it correctly. As for Mr. [redacted]'s current issues we need to make an appointment to verify and diagnose his issues to move to the next step.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 8, 2015/09/28) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Our concerns were the SAME every time we brought our vehicle in, it was always a "lack of power while pushing the gas"/ "vehicle starting out in 3rd gear" (SAME THING). The only thing that seemed to change each time was the mechanic's description of the problem (lack of knowledge?). This problem was intermittent, and would sometimes correct itself when the vehicle was shut off and then turned on again, which is why there were time gaps in-between services. If we brought it in every time the ignition slipped or had this acceleration problem, it would've been there every other month.
Obviously if it was repaired right the first time, we wouldn't have had to be back 4 more times to fix the same problem. A "new" transmission should not be having problems after 4 months yet alone 3 weeks for our second "new" transmission. All we are asking is that Kia takes responsibility for fixing this RIGHT so we don't have to continuously deal with the same issue.

I am writing in response to the above referenced complaint to your organization by Mr. [redacted]. While it is unfortunate that Mr. [redacted] is unhappy with his purchase, it is clear that Mr. [redacted] was aware of the purchase price of the vehicle in question at the time of the sale.  The...

purchase price of the vehicle was fully discussed previously to signing any documents and also disclosed in at least three places on his contract.  Mr. [redacted] did in fact make a verbal offer to purchase the vehicle for $5999 and we subsequently counter offered to a price of $6825 plus tax and license which he did accept. The Purchase Agreement, MN Application for Title and the Lenders Retail Installment Agreement all which were placed in front of Mr. [redacted] for review but also contains Mr. [redacted]'s signatures which would in fact acknowledge the terms and conditions of the sale.In reference to Mr. [redacted]'s claim that the vehicle had mechanical issues, we do allow every buyer the opportunity to have the vehicle inspected by a third party mechanic that will allow the customer to receive an independent opinion of the vehicles condition.  Mr. [redacted] did not elect to do so.  This  vehicle was sold "as-is" and again was disclosed to the complainant on the MN Buyers' Guide (Munroney Label) and the Relationship After The Sale ("We Owe") which both contain Mr. [redacted]'s signatures.  Mr. [redacted] did return to the dealership soon after leaving with a check engine light.  Our service department ran a scan and diagnosed it as a loose gas cap.  We diagnosed this at no charge to the customer.  This was the only issue that was brought to my direct attention at that time.  If Mr. [redacted] is currently having an issue with a check engine light, we would be willing to diagnose the issue free of charge.

Please see attached letter.**Revdex.com NOTE: Text of attached letter reads as follows: "To Whom It May Concern:[redacted], a former employee, brought his 2012 Volkswagen Beetle in January, 2018 to fix the issue of it not shifting properly. Mr [redacted] paid for the repairs and took the vehicle with...

no issues. Several months later, Mr [redacted] brought his vehicle in to an independent, non-franchised repair shop. The repair shop told him there was damage to his vehicle done by us during our January repair work. He spoke with Rob [redacted], the service manager, demanding to be repaid for the work. Mr [redacted] explained that it is not common business practice to take other shops word and we would need to be given an opportunity to inspect the damage and determine fault. Mr [redacted] gave Mr [redacted] a few options, such as bringing the vehicle to another dealership in his vicinity, when they spoke on Friday, May 4th. Mr [redacted] got angry and hung up on Mr [redacted]. In spite of him cutting us off, he was called on Monday morning by Brad [redacted], General Manager, Steve [redacted], Sales Manager and Mr [redacted] on the line. They offered to send one of our employees with a trailer to pick-up Mr [redacted] vehicle and bring it back to our shop due to the distance between Mr [redacted] and us. This is being done at our expense. Once we are able to look at the vehicle and address mechanical problems related to our work, we will try and get it covered under warranty. Mr [redacted] has agreed to this.We believe this complaint to be resolved. Brad [redacted]General Manager"