2018 Kia Stinger Dealer and Mall Displays Full Listing (USA)

[Bamm1]

That's the old list that popped up a few weeks back and kia just got around to sending out via e-mail right? It doesn't list any for Maryland but I've since spoken to my local dealer and confirmed they will be getting Stingers in by years' end, so I guess it's not a definitive list? Or maybe that's the list of places that currently have the Korean spec model dedicated as a showroom unit?

It is just the "official" Kia web version of the very first post in this thread. A list of dealers with the non-US spec cars on display. But it appears, just like everything else Kia has done with marketing the Stinger so far, there are items missing . I thought maybe it would actively get updated as dealers put cars on display but I guess that is too much to ask.

It is not a list of dealers "allowed" to sell the Stinger or anything of the sort. When dealers will have salable models on the lot is still anyone's guess. It could be years' end as your dealer communicated.

 

[davebo]

Yeah what threw me off a while ago was someone here saying that only dealers who previously sold the K900 would be allowed to sell the Stinger, but that's clearly untrue now.

 

[Bamm1]

Yeah what threw me off a while ago was someone here saying that only dealers who previously sold the K900 would be allowed to sell the Stinger, but that's clearly untrue now.

The K900 roll out was "interesting".

Kia didn't "select" dealers to sell the K900. Kia had special stipulations that the dealer had to meet in order to do so. They required all of the dealers to make 10k+ worth of "changes". This included special displays in the showroom, etc. So theoretically, every dealer in the network "could" have sold it.

We don't know yet if that will happen with the Stinger. There appear to be a lot of dealers displaying them. Does that mean they can all sell them? Will they have to make changes like they did with the K900? Who knows.

 

[Jayce]

This rollout is just crazy. Mississippi isn't even listed on the list but there's a Korean display. It's like Kia has no clue what they're doing. After they designed a hell of a car, they just dropped the ball lol.

 

[ralzod]

Mississippi isn't even listed on the list but there's a Korean display.

Not sure what you mean by the "Korean display" comment, but there's only one K900 dealer in Mississippi (Wilson Kia On Lakeland), so you might want to call them, and find out if they're anticipating any Stinger display models or future retail models.

 

[shaggystinger]

I was at the DC location (well, technically Maryland but ya know) and saw what looked like a new store being put in place but it had a huge Stinger sign with #stingersalon. Apparently these are popping up all over the country. Anyone have any insight? There are even jobs posted for vehicle presenter, brand experience manager etc. Something like tesla? Pretty cool.

 

[moinmoin]

#stingersalon

Yup, something is happening. Google "stingersalon" and you get a number of hits. But KIA, as usual, is completely mum....

 

[Bamm1]

I was at the DC location (well, technically Maryland but ya know) and saw what looked like a new store being put in place but it had a huge Stinger sign with #stingersalon. Apparently these are popping up all over the country. Anyone have any insight? There are even jobs posted for vehicle presenter, brand experience manager etc. Something like tesla? Pretty cool.

This sounds exactly like what the dealers were required to do when it was time to sell the K900.

 

[davebo]

This sounds exactly like what the dealers were required to do when it was time to sell the K900.

But did they do it off-site from the dealer? The Montgomery Mall location he's talking about is a good 15 minute drive from the nearest Kia dealer. Seems weird to rent out commercial space at a mall for a shop that's going to close when the car is no longer on display in a month and a half. Unless the car will leave and the Kia store stayed, which would be even weirder. Definitely interesting info though.

 

[ralzod]

Yup, something is happening. Google "stingersalon" and you get a number of hits. But KIA, as usual, is completely mum....

http://www.driveshop.com/vehicle-presenter/
Stinger Salon Vehicle Presenter
"This position will support one location of the in-mall, in-market, non-sales showroom for the Kia Stinger Pop-Up salon program."
"- Conduct vehicle presentations with interested guests and customers visiting the Stinger salon"
"- If active in the market, conduct test drive appointments and experiences with guests either from the salon location or visiting the home or office of guests"

 

[ralzod]

"- If active in the market, conduct test drive appointments and experiences with guests either from the salon location or visiting the home or office of guests"

The more I think about this, the more I like it. I'd be reluctant to buy a Stinger off a dealer lot if I thought a bunch of "enthusiasts" had test driven it just for fun. Since we've seen that there is a break-in period, a dealer test drive vehicle would likely never receive that luxury, and therefore shouldn't be sold as new. I don't view this as unique to the Stinger, but it's the first sporty car I've ever really considered buying, so maybe some of you know how other test drive vehicles of this caliber are typically handled.

 

[Chris]

I'm 99% sure you are still going to have to buy from the dealer. Most states still have laws that say you cannot buy a car from the manufacturer..

 

[ralzod]

I'm 99% sure you are still going to have to buy from the dealer. Most states still have laws that say you cannot buy a car from the manufacturer..

Understood. I just meant that I'd be happy to see these "Stinger Pop-Up salons" handle the bulk of the test drives, and let the dealers handle distribution. Either that, or make sure the dealers have dedicated demo cars, so as not to put potentially damaging mileage on inventory cars.

 

[ralzod]

I stopped by the "DC" display yesterday (actually at a mall in MD; first floor, under Apple store). The car was unattended locked (of course), but still nice to get another close-up walk-around opportunity. While I was looking, a 30-something couple approached, and I could see the guy staring intently at the the car, as his female companion clearly spoke out, "That's a Kia?" I'm sure that's exactly the response Kia is hoping for, so perhaps their marketing is starting to take a hold amongst the non-enthusiast masses (even if it causes us a little bit of agita). I probably would have started a discussion with the couple, except I was already on the phone.

 

[Kia Stinger]

I stopped by the "DC" display yesterday (actually at a mall in MD; first floor, under Apple store). The car was unattended locked (of course), but still nice to get another close-up walk-around opportunity. While I was looking, a 30-something couple approached, and I could see the guy staring intently at the the car, as his female companion clearly spoke out, "That's a Kia?" I'm sure that's exactly the response Kia is hoping for, so perhaps their marketing is starting to take a hold amongst the non-enthusiast masses (even if it causes us a little bit of agita). I probably would have started a discussion with the couple, except I was already on the phone.

I want to try and envision what these people saw. Was it a GT? Red? I can definitely picture a lot of people saying, "THAT'S a KIA?!" - exactly what Buick wants from consumers as they quickly take a gander at the boring sheetmetal...

 

[davebo]

There are photos of the MD/DC mall display on the top of the previous page by Mike_10

 

[ralzod]

I want to try and envision what these people saw. Was it a GT? Red?

Yeah, red GT w/red interior.

 

[Kia Stinger]

Thank you. I just took a look at the previous page. Wow, that's certainly an eye catcher! Yeah. That's a Kia.

 

[david norman]

Yeah, red GT w/red interior.

I sat in the Red GT yesterday with the Red Napa. Love the combination. It’s cool how you can bring the sides of the driver seat in for a better fit.

 

[Kia Stinger]

I sat in the Red GT yesterday with the Red Napa. Love the combination. It’s cool how you can bring the sides of the driver seat in for a better fit.

Hmm. That sounds like a feature I had in my old C4 Corvette that really squeezed you into the seat - if that's what you wanted...