Had My Fun; Returned To Acura

[Revvdmedia]

Before the Kia, I've had 3 Acuras and an Infinit and my wife also has an Infiniti. When I call the dealer for service of any sort, I'm always asked and gratefully accept a loaner vehicle. Spoiled...perhaps. But, it's what I've come to expect if I'm dropping $40-$50k on a vehicle and Kia dealerships don't come close...at least none of the ones I tried in the DFW area.

I completely understand your original post, I was in the same boat a few months back. I kept begrudgingly trying to fix the issues in my car because the dealer could not, and I kept saying "maybe they'll get it figured out in a few months." After someone drove into the side of it, I decided it was time to move on since I'm of the mindset that a car in an accident "will never be the same."

As far as responding to this particular post, I fully get the service aspect. I paid "too much" for my car, but I'm happy with how I've been dealt with thus far. I would think it should continue under the premise of trying to get me into another one once my lease is up. The plus side on the loaner is that the 230i/235i is the lowest spec car they have and can give me for a loaner...or maybe an X1. I'd be much happier in a low spec BMW loaner than the things I've driven from my Kia dealer, base model Optima, base model sorrento, base model Sportage, they even offered a Nissan Qashqai once lol. All of those loaners felt like a tremendous downgrade compared to a loaded Stinger. Spoiled I guess.

 

[RUFFSTUFF]

Before the Kia, I've had 3 Acuras and an Infinit and my wife also has an Infiniti. When I call the dealer for service of any sort, I'm always asked and gratefully accept a loaner vehicle. Spoiled...perhaps. But, it's what I've come to expect if I'm dropping $40-$50k on a vehicle and Kia dealerships don't come close...at least none of the ones I tried in the DFW area.

Were you getting charged for your service at Acura and/or Infiniti?

 

[stingerbeagle]

When it comes to dealerships, it’s very much local because they’re independently run. Some are motivated and go after the service quality incentives, while others just don’t care. I find you can’t really draw conclusions by brand. If anything, its the dealership owner groups that tend to affect service, and they usually own several brands’ franchise licenses.

 

[Nuthadey]

When it comes to dealerships, it’s very much local because they’re independently run. Some are motivated and go after the service quality incentives, while others just don’t care. I find you can’t really draw conclusions by brand. If anything, its the dealership owner groups that tend to affect service, and they usually own several brands’ franchise licenses.

I mostly agree with this. Of course there are differences between brands because some of them will have different policies. Providing loaners or picking up vehicles for service appointments, for example is a written policy with some brands so it's something they HAVE to provide. A few years ago I bought a new Mercedes that came with 3 years/30k mile free routine maintenance (they come and pick up my wife's SUV, leave a loaner, change her oil/rotate tires/etc, then bring her SUV back when they're done FOR FREE). Kia doesn't have the types of policies that some folk shopping for $50k+ vehicles expect.

Another significant difference, in my experience is how the actual buildings/service departments/waiting rooms/bathrooms are managed. What I've experienced at *most* Kia dealerships is vastly less impressive than what I've experienced at luxury dealerships. I've been to a Kia dealership that didn't even have AC in the bathroom. Going into the bathroom was like walking into a port-o-john on a construction site on a 95 degree day.

Kia needs to pump a lot of money and training into the dealerships and staff or go back to selling Rios and Souls exclusively. The current $30k+ vehicles coming out of Korea deserve better service than they are getting.

 

[Revvdmedia]

I mostly agree with this. Of course there are differences between brands because some of them will have different policies. Providing loaners or picking up vehicles for service appointments, for example is a written policy with some brands so it's something they HAVE to provide. A few years ago I bought a new Mercedes that came with 3 years/30k mile free routine maintenance (they come and pick up my wife's SUV, leave a loaner, change her oil/rotate tires/etc, then bring her SUV back when they're done FOR FREE). Kia doesn't have the types of policies that some folk shopping for $50k+ vehicles expect.

To further this, while not Kia itself, Genesis as another Hyundai brand offers that type of service - they come pick up your car, leave a loaner, and bring you car back after. With Genesis though, there are very few actual "dealerships" so it's a very online like service, some people who actually like to go to the dealership (not sure who these people are) will miss out on that experience. Also, I had gone through the Genesis forums a few times and have heard complaints that Genesis owners were getting some lackluster Hyundai loaner vehicles because the Genesis loaners were not available. It seems Genesis falls a bit short of hitting the luxury mark too...seems somewhat systemic of HKG themselves, I do feel they could use a significant revamp.

My service experience with my main Kia dealer when I had the Stinger was only lukewarm at best. I always got a loaner but it was a huge downgrade from a Stinger every time. Also, more so an issue of the staff, my primary dealer was unable to fix any noise related issues in my Stinger, which there were numerous offenders. I bought the Stinger 100% under the mindset that since the USA had a special "Stinger line" to call and the fact Kia themselves called the Stinger their "halo car," I expected a bit better service and attention to issues than I received. Maybe I was out of line to expect that.

 

[YEH]

When it comes to service amenities like loaner vehicles, "free" maintenance, etc. - all that is priced into the MSRP.

A sizeable chunk of the price delta btwn the K900 ($59.9k) and the G90 ($72.2k) is due to the cost of the amenities.

Now, some mainstream brand dealerships may offer loaners (even if it is just on certain vehicles), but YMMV.

As for loaner programs, there have been Lexus dealerships which had Toyota and even Hyundais (dealer group also owned a Hyundai franchise) loaners.

There have even been Lexus dealerships which have started charging a nominal fee.

So even within a brand like Lexus, the level of service can be different.

 

[RUFFSTUFF]

I am fortunate enough to not need a loaner for an oil change.

 

[stingerbeagle]

I mostly agree with this. Of course there are differences between brands because some of them will have different policies. Providing loaners or picking up vehicles for service appointments, for example is a written policy with some brands so it's something they HAVE to provide. A few years ago I bought a new Mercedes that came with 3 years/30k mile free routine maintenance (they come and pick up my wife's SUV, leave a loaner, change her oil/rotate tires/etc, then bring her SUV back when they're done FOR FREE). Kia doesn't have the types of policies that some folk shopping for $50k+ vehicles expect.

Another significant difference, in my experience is how the actual buildings/service departments/waiting rooms/bathrooms are managed. What I've experienced at *most* Kia dealerships is vastly less impressive than what I've experienced at luxury dealerships. I've been to a Kia dealership that didn't even have AC in the bathroom. Going into the bathroom was like walking into a port-o-john on a construction site on a 95 degree day.

Kia needs to pump a lot of money and training into the dealerships and staff or go back to selling Rios and Souls exclusively. The current $30k+ vehicles coming out of Korea deserve better service than they are getting.

That's true, I over-generalized. The Kia dealership where I bought my Stinger was really gross.

My previous car was a BMW and for its last service, I happened to go to a newly renovated dealership. I must say it was gorgeous. But while I was browsing the showroom, someone approached me to see if I was looking to buy something. Once he found out I was just in for service, we chatted a bit, and it turns out he's part of the ownership group somehow, and when I complimented him on the building, he was not shy about complaining about how BMW forced him to spend millions to upgrade it.

So the manufacturer clearly has leverage.

 

[Nuthadey]

That's true, I over-generalized. The Kia dealership where I bought my Stinger was really gross.

My previous car was a BMW and for its last service, I happened to go to a newly renovated dealership. I must say it was gorgeous. But while I was browsing the showroom, someone approached me to see if I was looking to buy something. Once he found out I was just in for service, we chatted a bit, and it turns out he's part of the ownership group somehow, and when I complimented him on the building, he was not shy about complaining about how BMW forced him to spend millions to upgrade it.

So the manufacturer clearly has leverage.

That's something Hyundai/Kia should consider. Most franchises require their franchisees to maintain a certain company-wide standard. I'm sure they have identified a set of standards the owners must maintain but maybe they should raise the bar since they are starting to sell higher priced cars.

I know that if I walk into a McDonalds in middle Missouri the food will taste as bad as it does in southern California. That's a uniformity buyers expect from franchisees.

Kia needs to first identify what buyers in the $50k + shopping range expect after the sale, then they need to do what the BMW guy said was done to him, then they need to enforce uniformity across the nation to weed out the sub-par dealerships.

 

[RUFFSTUFF]

I can spend $50k on a Mustang easy. That's not an amount of money that warrants upper class treatment anymore.

 

[PMR818]

I'm one of those folks who thought he'd be driving BMWs until the end of time; that's until I got sick of paying so much! I wanted that BMW power but not at the BMW price point. Obviously I had to make sacrifices going with the Stinger (i.e. shanty local Kia dealership and other budget brand quirks). And sure the interior isn't as refined and fancy as Mercedes, etc. But I love underdogs and I love my low monthly payments for this fantastic engine. And I really do consider this car a baby BMW M5 -- and hell maybe with the right mods one day we'll straight up call it an M5 killer! Cool to see everyone here is being respectful towards someone finding happiness with another car; it's all personal preference for sure.

 

[BlueByYouGT]

I can spend $50k on a Mustang easy. That's not an amount of money that warrants upper class treatment anymore.

Why are you here? ..just all butt hurt and defensive...but why?

No one has suggested Kia should give Bentley service. People have made some valid points in this thread. Kia would be wise to listen to it's customers. Most of us would prefer a better experience with Kia after the contract is signed. You appear to be in the minority here.

Jesus, lmao. Seriously, why are YOU of all people butt hurt by any of this? What negative impact does ANYTHING mentioned here have on YOU? Sheesh

 

[westcoastGT]

I'm one of those folks who thought he'd be driving BMWs until the end of time; that's until I got sick of paying so much! I wanted that BMW power but not at the BMW price point. Obviously I had to make sacrifices going with the Stinger (i.e. shanty local Kia dealership and other budget brand quirks). And sure the interior isn't as refined and fancy as Mercedes, etc. But I love underdogs and I love my low monthly payments for this fantastic engine. And I really do consider this car a baby BMW M5 -- and hell maybe with the right mods one day we'll straight up call it an M5 killer! Cool to see everyone here is being respectful towards someone finding happiness with another car; it's all personal preference for sure.

your perspective and mine are symbiotic ! all I ever drove was BMW's all 8 cyl all 5 series and above ........................I know we give up some quality , and dealer experience but I'm beyond caring about owning a badge .......................go underdogs !

 

[stingerbeagle]

One of the selling points of the Stinger for me was actually the Kia badge. I park at a train station everyday, so I wanted something that wasn't a luxury brand to draw less attention. My Stinger is a 2019, but it is one of the early ones that still has the true "Kia" badge on the rear. I love it, and I have no plans to de-badge

 

[Aero2001]

I'm also eager to see the "small" Acura Type-S sedan that was hinted in the dealer presentation...rumors circulating on the Acura forums that it could be a return of the Integra!

Yes, I'm very excited about the upcoming Acura compact sedan. I just hope it truly is compact, like the current ILX, because I live in downtown Philly and a large car would be too much hassle. I was looking forward to the 2G TLX but feared it would be huge, and indeed it is at 194.6" long. Looks great, but ain't happening.

I became interested in the Stinger when I learned it's only 190" long--which is actually smaller than the Accord. I'd like smaller, but that could work, so I immediately test drove one and loved it, hence my presence here. Most cars are painfully bland these days, so I found the Stinger's character to be massively refreshing.

If I replace my 2010 Acura TSX next year, it will probably be either the Stinger 2.5T or that compact Acura. I also want more seat time in the BMW 330i, but apart from the stellar 2.0T motor, it seemed pretty boring on my short test drive and probably not worth the cost and long-term ownership concerns.

Congrats to the OP on the TLX. I think that blue is its best color, and NA Honda engines are things of beauty. If I didn't want modern safety tech, I'd enjoy my TSX's NA VTEC/6MT combo for several more years.

 

[Revvdmedia]

your perspective and mine are symbiotic ! all I ever drove was BMW's all 8 cyl all 5 series and above ........................I know we give up some quality , and dealer experience but I'm beyond caring about owning a badge .......................go underdogs !

I'm in the opposite boat, lol! I always bought the "value" propositions, the bang for buck cars like the Cobalt SS (instead of MazdaSpeed 3), Mustang GT (instead of German cars), Stinger (instead of German cars, again), but I always ended up with something that riddled me with mental anguish that is probably just maximized OCD. I had said prior that I would never buy a German car due to fear of out of warranty costs, so I just leased a new one for the length of the warranty term with "free" maintenance, and I can just hand it back when I'm done with it.

Figured YOLO, gotta try it once. Honestly for me, not a single car other than the M240i really offered what I wanted at a price I could afford. Fast, small, entertaining engine, [preferably] RWD biased AWD, and a coupe.

After the M240i, I seriously have no idea what is next. It's probably going to be used so I can justify the flaws I find as attributed to age. New cars with problems just bother me tremendously!

 

[Revvdmedia]

Yes, I'm very excited about the upcoming Acura compact sedan. I just hope it truly is compact, like the current ILX, because I live in downtown Philly and a large car would be too much hassle. I was looking forward to the 2G TLX but feared it would be huge, and indeed it is at 194.6" long. Looks great, but ain't happening.

I became interested in the Stinger when I learned it's only 190" long--which is actually smaller than the Accord. I'd like smaller, but that could work, so I immediately test drove one and loved it, hence my presence here. Most cars are painfully bland these days, so I found the Stinger's character to be massively refreshing.

If I replace my 2010 Acura TSX next year, it will probably be either the Stinger 2.5T or that compact Acura. I also want more seat time in the BMW 330i, but apart from the stellar 2.0T motor, it seemed pretty boring on my short test drive and probably not worth the cost and long-term ownership concerns.

Congrats to the OP on the TLX. I think that blue is its best color, and NA Honda engines are things of beauty. If I didn't want modern safety tech, I'd enjoy my TSX's NA VTEC/6MT combo for several more years.

The car I bought clocks in at 175.9", and from the inside and outside I see zero reason that it would need to be bigger, it's the perfect size IMO. If not for the fact a 4 Series comes with more tech, there would be no reason to look at a 4 (other than M4) if not needing space. I like small cars, they just handle so much nimbler than the average boat.

You could try the 340i (or better yet just go 2 door with the M240 ) but the inline 6 is just intoxicating. I would not have touched a 2.0L BMW knowing the 3.0L exists, to me it's just that much more exciting. For the same reason I could never bring myself to get a 2.0 or 2.5L I4 Stinger knowing the V6 exists. Just sounds much better.

 

[stingerbeagle]

@ProsperDad How is the 9 speed auto in the TLX treating you? That was a gigantic mess at rollout and there are folks on Acurazine who say that even the latest versions aren't great.

 

[RUFFSTUFF]

Why are you here? ..just all butt hurt and defensive...but why?

No one has suggested Kia should give Bentley service. People have made some valid points in this thread. Kia would be wise to listen to it's customers. Most of us would prefer a better experience with Kia after the contract is signed. You appear to be in the minority here.

Jesus, lmao. Seriously, why are YOU of all people butt hurt by any of this? What negative impact does ANYTHING mentioned here have on YOU? Sheesh

Don't look in the mirror when you're typing because if you're seeing butt hurt and defensive it's not on my end. I've had nothing but great experiences from the 2 Kia dealers that have worked on my car. Do I go into the dealer expecting to get a GT2 as a loaner just because I bought a GT2? No, I am not a child. Guy got rid of his Stinger for something else... Good for him. It's not for everyone. Perhaps you should go get that mirror and ask "What negative impact does ANYTHING mentioned here have on YOU?"

 

[ProsperDad]

Were you getting charged for your service at Acura and/or Infiniti?

For general service like an oil change, yes, but warranty work no.