Well, I am pulling the trigger

[RM7]

Should let corporate know.

That sucks. I’ve used CC for down payments or even partial down payments before.

 

[Kimberly Lazarski]

I know, right? I put $5,000 down on my ZR1 with a credit card, and $4500 on my Saab. Crowley wouldn't let me put more than $1,000 down, don't take out of state checks, and wanted cash for for me to wire them the funds. Wiring funds for a car sight unseen is something I am not at all comfortable with because once cash is wired, there is no protection, and trying to withdraw that much cash requires filling out a bunch of forms, asking Uncle Sam "Mother may I" and waiting for approval.

f#*@

Maybe I should just give the kia a miss, and buy an M340i xdrive next spring - or M3, since the M3 xdrive will be out by then.

 

[Kimberly Lazarski]

OK, Kia corporate were not at all helpful. It's no wonder Kia isn't moving the Stinger in the US.

At this point, I'm inclined to wait for BMW availability issues to be sorted, or go back to my original plan (WRX STI).

 

[Maljey]

OK, Kia corporate were not at all helpful. It's no wonder Kia isn't moving the Stinger in the US.

At this point, I'm inclined to wait for BMW availability issues to be sorted, or go back to my original plan (WRX STI).

What about Genesis G70? It's pretty much the same price as a GT2 Stinger these days.

Dealership experience should hopefully be better.

Also, see Cadillac CT4-V or possibly CT5-V.

 

[jthrelf]

I wouldn't give up on the Stinger, you may just have to be patient and travel to the right no BS dealership.

Also I put down the max I can on a credit card when purchasing a car. Usually it's like $2500. @ 1.5% cashback and a month or two period before the bill is due it's a no brainer. Not sure why they insisted on literal cash. Perhaps trying to move money around under the table?

 

[jthrelf]

What about Genesis G70? It's pretty much the same price as a GT2 Stinger these days.

Dealership experience should hopefully be better.

Also, see Cadillac CT4-V or possibly CT5-V.

Definitely a good suggestion on the G70. I like the Stinger hatch and styling better but would not be upset with a G70 at all.

 

[Maljey]

Definitely a good suggestion on the G70. I like the Stinger hatch and styling better but would not be upset with a G70 at all.

Yeah I went for Stinger due to hatch. Otherwise the G70 and CT4-V were tied for next on my list. I probably would have went G70 due to warranty and more general availability. But the CT4-V is very competitive, and by most accounts a more sporty sedan.

If none of the above worked, I was going to hold out for the Elantra N.

 

[Kimberly Lazarski]

What about Genesis G70? It's pretty much the same price as a GT2 Stinger these days.

Why not the G70?

The back seat is useless, it's not a hatchback, the ambient lighting sucks, and the interior and body are ugly. Other than that the G70 is a fantastic car. Besides, like Kia, it's still a Hyundai and I am turned off on all things Hyundai after a dealer went full snowflake when I mentioned I had been talking with other dealers. I've never encountered anything quite like this. It's like Kia dealers are actively working to kill off the Stinger.

I've already got an orphaned car (9-3) so with the Stinger being discontinued at the end of 2021, maybe it's just as well because having a Saab, I've had headaches trying to source the most mundane parts.

If I'm going to go sedan, I'll go BMW M340i xdrive or Audi S3 Prestige.

Dealership experience should hopefully be better.

Also, see Cadillac CT4-V or possibly CT5-V.

Have you sat in one? The interior materials suck.

 

[MerlintheMad]

The car isn't selling well because Kia dealers like you F$#%^@* SUCK! They don't know how to handle customers who want to just get it done right now.

Well, what can I say other than my experience was polar opposite: walked in shortly after they opened, rolled away by mid-afternoon: they traded one of their cars with another dealer to get the Silky Silver to us, while I waited in the showroom.

 

[Kimberly Lazarski]

That's because you didn't mention your search with other dealers. They got unbelievably pissed that I've been shopping around. Hey if I hadn't been shopping around I would never have found them in the first place.

I was willing to pay their asking price just to get it done, because GT2s have been hard to find - except in MA where there are a bunch but I can't get UVO Link on those so they may as well not even exist.

 

[MerlintheMad]

That's because you didn't mention your search with other dealers.

You're right: because I didn't shop other dealers. When I walked through the door, one of the first things the salesman said was, "We discount $2,900 off the top." Then they trotted out the lease incentive. Well, everything was going smoothly and I simply let it roll, waiting for the hitch in the gitalong that never came.

 

[Maljey]

Why not the G70?

The back seat is useless, it's not a hatchback, the ambient lighting sucks, and the interior and body are ugly. Other than that the G70 is a fantastic car. Besides, like Kia, it's still a Hyundai and I am turned off on all things Hyundai after a dealer went full snowflake when I mentioned I had been talking with other dealers. I've never encountered anything quite like this. It's like Kia dealers are actively working to kill off the Stinger.

I've already got an orphaned car (9-3) so with the Stinger being discontinued at the end of 2021, maybe it's just as well because having a Saab, I've had headaches trying to source the most mundane parts.

If I'm going to go sedan, I'll go BMW M340i xdrive or Audi S3 Prestige.


Have you sat in one? The interior materials suck.

Audi S5 if you still want a hatch? That's the Stinger's biggest competitor on paper.

I didn't find the CT4-V and CT5-V materials to be that bad. I've sat in them at auto shows. You mentioned a WRX STi in a prior post so I dunno how big interior materials are on your list.

Frankly I wouldn't write off the G70 because of your Kia dealership experience. The Genesis dealers should be much better. The G70 is their cheapest model, while the Stinger is Kia's most expensive model. Yeah I'd expect Kia dealerships to be hit or miss when the Stinger is sold alongside 15K cars. Not an excuse, but that's the reality of it.

Otherwise there are a shitload of practical & sporty/performance cars on the price range:

Golf R
Civic Type R
Alfa Romero Giulia

Dunno how important AWD is to you, but also Dodge Charger Scat Pack.

 

[vipeboy2000]

The first thing I said walking into our local Kia dealer was that I'm on my way to the Kia dealer in Atlanta but saw you also had the spec I wanted .. said if you can beat the price I have in writing from the Atlanta one I'll buy from you guys , from test drive to driving out the door wasn't longer than 4 hours . They were great!

 

[hummus]

If I'm going to go sedan, I'll go BMW M340i xdrive or Audi S3 Prestige.

Unless there has been a major overhaul that I'm not aware of, I don't think the S3 will have any back seat room advantage over a G70.

 

[Kimberly Lazarski]

No, but if I am going to forgo a usable back seat, I may as well choose the RS 3 over the G70.

I made a thing: Crowley Kia Sucks!

 

[Kimberly Lazarski]

I didn't find the CT4-V and CT5-V materials to be that bad. I've sat in them at auto shows. You mentioned a WRX STi in a prior post so I dunno how big interior materials are on your list.

The econobox interior is why I walked away from the STI and the beautiful interior is what drew me to the Stinger GT2.

 

[hummus]

Scat pack wide body not to your taste? Or, if truly okay without a back seat and already moved on from Hyundai/Kia, a Supra? Just other things in the price class. I would also consider a G80 for that matter and would love if they brought over the new K900.

Don't get me wrong, I love me some RS3, and I honestly think the Stinger is worth fighting for. Plenty of dealers boldly try unsavory tactics, and it happens with just about every brand. In a seller's market, they can unfortunately afford to skimp on customer good will.

 

[Kimberly Lazarski]

Scat pack wide body not to your taste?

It's not AWD

Or, if truly okay without a back seat and already moved on from Hyundai/Kia, a Supra? Just other things in the price class. I would also consider a G80 for that matter and would love if they brought over the new K900.

If I could go with an impractical car, I'd be getting into another Corvette.

Don't get me wrong, I love me some RS3, and I honestly think the Stinger is worth fighting for. Plenty of dealers boldly try unsavory tactics, and it happens with just about every brand. In a seller's market, they can unfortunately afford to skimp on customer good will.

I'm kind of spent on this. I was prepared to drop cash on it Friday, and had put in for tomorrow off to drive to Bristol to sign, but there's no way I can withdraw $14,000 even if I were comfortable carrying that much cash, thanks to the DEA AND the Patriot Act, and I can't transfer funds to my fiance and have them withdraw, because that would also be a felony, because I'd be structuring withdrawals to avoid filling out those forms and to get the money out quickly. When they finally browbeat me into wiring the funds I wanted to propose transferring a small amount, having them confirm the amount (they'd have to tell me how much I had wired), and upon transmitting I'd know it's legit and was done correctly and wire the rest, but before that I interrupted myself and said "wait let me call the other dealer I've been talking with and tell them I'm buying this car" they reneged and refused to sell the car, flat-out telling me they won't sell to me because I've been talking with other dealers.

What the F___. Do none of their prospects shop around? Do they have only marks walk in the door? I was prepared to pay the asking price- no haggling or anything. It was the easiest halo car sale in the world, and they f---ing blew it. I now despise Kia as well as the dealers, because Kia corporate did absolutely f--- all about it.

This s--- is why the Stinger is failing in the market. Their dealers do not understand the enthusiast market.

Want to know the real shame of this? I was actually more excited about this purchase than I was about the ZR1 Corvette. Really.

 

[nhcowboy28]

Part out.

 

[Kimberly Lazarski]

Scat pack wide body not to your taste?

MOPAR don't go for is a universal constant, plus the interior really sucks. They're fun to drive, but I would never want to own one.

Or, if truly okay without a back seat and already moved on from Hyundai/Kia, a Supra? Just other things in the price class. I would also consider a G80 for that matter and would love if they brought over the new K900.

A Suprabimmer? Nah. I need a practical car - the Stinger was almost exactly what I wanted, minus the craptacular dealership experience.

Don't get me wrong, I love me some RS3, and I honestly think the Stinger is worth fighting for. Plenty of dealers boldly try unsavory tactics, and it happens with just about every brand. In a seller's market, they can unfortunately afford to skimp on customer good will.

Point me at a good dealer in New England who has a GT2 on hand (or, one that isn't in Nannychusetts) and who isn't trying to profiteer on the shortage (see: Dan O'brien's chain with their $5K-$10K "market adjustment" line item) and I'll sign tomorrow. Seriously.

Crowley Kia were asking for $3,000 off MSRP. I told them I'm fine with their asking price, I just want to get behind the wheel of a GT2 this week. I wasn't into haggling, I just wanted to get it done.

Now, my new hobby will be maintaining a web site critical of Crowley that I am going to buy adwords on to promote on google. They've pissed off the wrong person; I've used the internet to battle corporations far, far larger than Crowley Kia before, and I've won.

You know... I'm starting to think Kia still sucks; they haven't retrained their dealers on handling upscale customers, and what's worse, is they don't care that dealers are costing them sales. I called corporate and they couldn't care less that Crowley cost them a sale.

I've also inquired multiple times about where to buy KIMTF and HYMTF securities the last few months, via the appropriate form on their web site, and the reply I get back is "check online brokerages." Uh... yeah... I have, and none of the ones I deal with, offer those particular OTC securities, hence why I am trying to ask your investor relations department where to buy your stock. Thanks for the help on all counts, Kia.

If I go with an M3 or M340i xDrive next spring, I'll go to Crowley Kia, ask for the general manager, point at the Bimmer, and tell him what I really wanted was a Kia Stinger, but remember that chick who wanted to pay your asking price and drive the GT2 away, a no hassle sale? That was me, and you pissed me off so much I decided to spend more money and show you that I was serious, and you flipping blew it.

And honestly, I like the Stinger better - the materials are actually better, and I can get ventilated sport seats, while in the BMW sport seats and ventilation are mutually exclusive options, and I like the sportback/hatchback because I can fit gear for me plus three teammates for road trips to travel games, and it's very tunable. The problem with the Kia Stinger is it's a f---ing Kia. The nameplate didn't turn me off, until today.

They need to fix their dealer network, because they're not helping Kia's image, and they're not helping move Kia's higher end cars.