Bad Bill Barth Kia, Mandan ND

[nhsjpeterson]

I wish that there was a 'Mixed' option instead of just 'Good' or 'Bad'. The final price was much better than I would have gotten from any other ND dealer, but...

After several months of hoping a North Dakota dealer would come down off MSRP, I got an offer from Grand Forks that I was just about to accept until they told me it was a dealer demo unit with 1500 miles on it, so I passed on that one at the last minute.

Then I contacted Bill Barth Kia in Mandan, ND. In June, they wouldn't come off MSRP for a GT2, but by the end of July, they were about $1000 below dealer invoice. In an email, they quoted me monthly payments of $561 for a 3-year lease.

I made the trip (3 1/2 hour drive) the next day. I knew I wanted the car--I didn't test drive it, I didn't even open the door! The salesman took me to a nearby building to do the financing. It took them about an hour, and when they called me in the office for signing the papers, the monthly payments were $591. I reminded them that the email had said $561, he said he was aware that I had been told $561, but the real payment worked out to $591. (He had not sent me the e-mail, a business manager had sent that -- but I'd guess she must have gotten the figure from the finance guy)

I probably should have held firm for $561, but it was still about $50/month cheaper than the demo unit in Grand Forks. I knew I wouldn't find anything cheaper unless I went to Minneapolis, so I agreed to the deal.

The salesman contacted me a few days later, and I told him about the situation. He made some apologies and said they would try to make it right, but other than getting a tin of cookies in the mail, nothing.

Maybe the business manager made an honest typo in the e-mail, who knows? But I won't be going back there again.

 

[mldavis2]

Another excellent example of why you need to deal on the bottom line cost of the car and not the payments. Almost everyone who goes in with a monthly payment in mind will end up paying more than their stated amount after (oh, yeah, taxes and title fees, and dealer prep, and special paint protection, and special wheel and tire warranty, and windshield protection warranty, and lease fees or finance fees, and, and, and,) they play games. You must know what you're paying for, and the bottom line is the only way to know that. Caveat emptor.

 

[Mach_Tuck]

Another excellent example of why you need to deal on the bottom line cost of the car and not the payments. Almost everyone who goes in with a monthly payment in mind will end up paying more than their stated amount after (oh, yeah, taxes and title fees, and dealer prep, and special paint protection, and special wheel and tire warranty, and windshield protection warranty, and lease fees or finance fees, and, and, and,) they play games. You must know what you're paying for, and the bottom line is the only way to know that. Caveat emptor.

Unfortunately i have to agree here. First question out of the dealers mouth when i walked in for mine was "so, what are looking to spend on monthly payments?" Thanks for the concern but that info is of no use to you...i am here to purchase that car...

Even after that they tried the "monthly payments" game with me.

Glad to hear you got a deal close to what the offered at least. My "bait and switch" was thousands different from the emails i received

 

[MerlintheMad]

Thirty bucks? Meh. I don't plan on buying another new car anytime soon. But if/when we do (my wife was making preliminary noises in that direction the last few days, it comes up), I will remember this advice about settling on a bottom line and never offering a single word on monthly payment.

 

[KiaofMuncie]

I wish that there was a 'Mixed' option instead of just 'Good' or 'Bad'. The final price was much better than I would have gotten from any other ND dealer, but...

After several months of hoping a North Dakota dealer would come down off MSRP, I got an offer from Grand Forks that I was just about to accept until they told me it was a dealer demo unit with 1500 miles on it, so I passed on that one at the last minute.

Then I contacted Bill Barth Kia in Mandan, ND. In June, they wouldn't come off MSRP for a GT2, but by the end of July, they were about $1000 below dealer invoice. In an email, they quoted me monthly payments of $561 for a 3-year lease.

I made the trip (3 1/2 hour drive) the next day. I knew I wanted the car--I didn't test drive it, I didn't even open the door! The salesman took me to a nearby building to do the financing. It took them about an hour, and when they called me in the office for signing the papers, the monthly payments were $591. I reminded them that the email had said $561, he said he was aware that I had been told $561, but the real payment worked out to $591. (He had not sent me the e-mail, a business manager had sent that -- but I'd guess she must have gotten the figure from the finance guy)

I probably should have held firm for $561, but it was still about $50/month cheaper than the demo unit in Grand Forks. I knew I wouldn't find anything cheaper unless I went to Minneapolis, so I agreed to the deal.

The salesman contacted me a few days later, and I told him about the situation. He made some apologies and said they would try to make it right, but other than getting a tin of cookies in the mail, nothing.

Maybe the business manager made an honest typo in the e-mail, who knows? But I won't be going back there again.

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