Service Department - Technicians - Attention to Detail

[Callum]

Kia probably does not read this forum, they probably don't care. It will stop me from driving another KIA vehicle, no matter how much I love the brand.

Your service department, and technicians are a joke. My Stinger has had over $3,000 in repairs done only due to the fact that the techs, advisors and detail crews aren't up to par. Not including a one week paint correction that took me out of a car.

• I've had engine oil on my seats, steering wheel after an oil change
• Doors, instrument panels scratched (replaced after many meetings with the managers)
• Interior panels super glued back together after work (from the above bulletin point)
• Scratched trim panels from the super glued panels being replaced
• Broken clips from replacing the scratched trim panels.
• Severely damaged paint from detail crew
• 6 months arguing and pulling fingernails trying to get it fixed.
• $2,500 paint correcting finally performed on your dime.
• I live with rattles, in fear of my car getting screwed up more!

I'm living with these issues, because the next step is replacing my superglued dashboard and I am terrified of letting any dealership do this. So hear I am, $52,000 vehicle with a superglued dash board and a loose rear view mirror...

At what point do you look at your internal dealership claims and focus on the brand image you are trying to build? This sucks. I can't take my car to one of your "authorized dealers".

Not one dealership has been confident with my GT2. One guy opened the hood and asked me if it's a 4 cylinder. You are the tech, learn the products. They had no idea WTF my car was. I live in Atlanta, not BFE.

Train your dealers, train the techs like the brand you want to be. Stop being a non-premium brand and be a premium brand like you are trying to be! I used to get a 14 year old Mercedes Benz serviced, my car was treated like a AMG GT-S. KBB valued the vehicle at $12,500.

You need to train your advisors to treat customers that own a Stinger, differently than the customer that has a 2006 Rio. You need to train your techs to treat a Stinger differently than a 2006 Rio. You need to make sure dealers can support the owners of Stingers, they aren't the same as the customer with the 2006 Rio. We aren't stuck up, but we did come from "real premium brands". This isn't how you become a premium brand, this is how you kill off something that would have been great.

Charge $52,000 for a KIA? ACT LIKE YOU CHARGE $52,000 FOR A KIA. This isn't how you become a premium brand, this is how you kill off something that would have been great.

*mic drop*

 

[Kamauxx]

 

[NismoDPB]

Daaaaaammmmmnnn.

In all seriousness though this is something I'm not looking forward to when I have to take my car in for service.

 

[Callum]

This wasn’t meant to be a fun post. I don’t enjoy writing it. But hey, I gotta vent

 

[Desslok]

i have 11,000 miles on mine. no issues. car is great. very satisfied---beyond my expectations, would buy again.

however...
i brought it in for the wiring harness recall. the issue is --for those not aware--a wiring harness running from the engine compartment into the passenger compartment may contact a rough edge on the LEFT fender body panel. Car was inspected, luckily no fraying, the grommet was installed to protect the wires.

two weeks later, i noticed the left black fender liner was flapping. It was missing 3 push pins that secure it into the fender. i called the service department that did the work to complain that they failed to re-install the pushpins after the inspection and repair. The service assistant left, came back to the phone and said he just talked to the technician, the fender liner is not removed during the inspection, so they must have fallen out!

i say bullshi!.
i didn't feel like arguing, so i bought some replacements at a dollar each, but it certainly was not like dealing with a "premium" brand service department.

 

[NismoDPB]

To be honest I think I can already answer the poll as a "no." When I bought my car last month, there was an exterior trim piece on the door that they had broken off while moving the car from display to the sales lot. I took the car home because I was excited and they said they would have the trim piece after the weekend. The following week had an impending snow and ice storm so I was keen on not having exposed holes on my door when that hit. Needless to say the responsiveness of the dealer went right out the window after the weekend. The trim piece arrived and the guy who's job it was to notify me and get the car in the shop decided not to do that or delegate that responsibility. I drove it there right after work and I didn't mention what car I had, just simply that I needed this trim installed before the storm tomorrow. The lady in service told me to kick rocks because service was closing in 20 minutes, mind you, there was not a single car in the garage at the time and I saw two techs standing around. I went right into the sales managers office and put on my huffy pissed off customer pants and demanded someone puts the trim on my brand new GT1 that I purchased not even 5 days ago. At that point he got it straightened out and had me in the shop right away, it was just disappointing it had to get to that level on my first service experience.

On that note the techs were very cool and were pretty happy to have the stinger in. They had lots of questions and we chatted while one of the guys took the 5 mins to get the trim on and the 15 minutes for the adhesive to cure.

 

[Helo58]

My dealer scheduled me for the wiring harness recall 3 weeks out. I showed up for the appointment (drove 25 miles) and had to reschedule because they did not have the plug/grommet in stock. When I had a Lexus, if the same thing would have happened there, they would have scavenged it off a new car on the lot to make it right or given me a sweet loaner until it was ready. The OP's story is a familiar one and one that is all too common. But, I knew this going into it. There were several discussions and concerns mentioned here on the forum about Kia's service departments and dealerships ability to sell and service a car targeted at premium car owners and brands. It appears that many of those concerns are legitimate and have been realized. New buyer beware.

 

[nhcowboy28]

I’m terrified to have them inspect my sunroof (creaking) and the grommet install this Saturday.

This is why I did every single thing on my 2011 gt mustang myself. Regardless of warranty coverage or not. Then1 time I took it in for something, ended up with a scretch on the door they denied (I had just hand washed before taking it in... it wasn’t there).

Every dealer I’ve ever dealt with seemed to make things worse.

 

[DiabloStinger]

Think about how much these guys make... then grab the wrench yourself. It is what I do.

 

[Callum]

Think about how much these guys make... then grab the wrench yourself. It is what I do.

How much they make is dependant on how many service tickets and jobs they sell, and how well the service dept does as a whole. Their income level is directly correlated to the service they provide, and the professionalism they display and provide.

These vehicles are not cheap to service, and carry the opportunity for a service advisor to make wonderful pay off Stingers. There income levels are their problem, they can fix that for themselves by stepping up the game. KMA needs to step in and give them the tools to succeed. They are failing their dealers, and their customers.

The clients that are buying $52,000 sedans over Audi/BMW/Mercedes didn't fall off the turnip truck last night.

Call me an a**hole, call me rude and not understanding. I was a service advisor, a parts counter guy...I made $280/wk servicing vehicles at the dealership that I worked at. I know the game, I know what goes on and I was the service advisor...it was at a KIA dealership. I changed my game and had more customers than I could imagine, went from broke to doing pretty well.

I'm not working on a $52,000 vehicle that is under warranty. If I wanted to, I would have bought a used car.

 

[NismoDPB]

Think about how much these guys make... then grab the wrench yourself. It is what I do.

Yea, I bought my first new car ever because I am a father of two and specifically did not want to spend time fixing my own car.

 

[Kamauxx]

I’m terrified to have them inspect my sunroof (creaking) and the grommet install this Saturday.

The sunroof issue may be the end of my Stinger adventure. If the dealership tells me it has to be replaced they might as well keep the car. No way I can trust them to rip apart the interior. I'll sell it and me and my wife can share her rattle maker.

It sucks cause the damn car is paid for and I don't want to trade up and have a monthly payment but they are just too incompetent for most jobs.

 

[Callum]

The sunroof issue may be the end of my Stinger adventure. If the dealership tells me it has to be replaced they might as well keep the car. No way I can trust them to rip apart the interior. I'll sell it and me and my wife can share her rattle maker.

It sucks cause the damn car is paid for and I don't want to trade up and have a monthly payment but they are just too incompetent for most jobs.

There has been a few times after getting home, looking at super glued parts and thinking I should just cut my losses and move to another brand. I'm not comfortable servicing my vehicle anymore and it's brand new.

I'll give KIA one more year and if things don't improve I'll cut my losses and move on

 

[Peeso33]

If you do your preventive service at an indy shop, or yourself.... is there a place/website, where you can enter that information so when you need warranty work, it shows up in the Kia's system that maintenance service has been regularly performed?

 

[nhcowboy28]

If you do your preventive service at an indy shop, or yourself.... is there a place/website, where you can enter that information so when you need warranty work, it shows up in the Kia's system that maintenance service has been regularly performed?

No. Just keep the receipts (even if just for the consumables... oil / filter). Write you name and date on the oil filter

 

[falanger]

OP you confirmed my suspicions. I was in ATL for the holidays and needed something looked at. I called service depts from Atlanta all the way to Conyers and each one sounded extremely incompetent. I'm so glad I decided to wait til I got home.

 

[DiabloStinger]

Yea, I bought my first new car ever because I am a father of two and specifically did not want to spend time fixing my own car.

I've owned many new cars... i just don't trust dealership service peoples. My kids are always wanting to help even though they cannot.

 

[NismoDPB]

I've owned many new cars... i just don't trust dealership service peoples. My kids are always wanting to help even though they cannot.

Mine are 5 and 3 so they are a little ways out from being able to crawl under a car with me haha.

 

[Peeso33]

No. Just keep the receipts (even if just for the consumables... oil / filter). Write you name and date on the oil filter

Thank you. With a Lexus, you can add a service event to the (centralized) service history log, even if it was done at an indy.... was hoping the same for the Stinger.

 

[Ucinn]

I feel sorry for you guys. I have a really great dealer here. The service is impeccable and they treat everybody like somebody special there. I can't complain at all. A lot better service than a ford and chevy dealer nearby. I did finally find a good Ford dealer which is a little farther to go, but worth it.