SEA Stinger
Active Member
Bought my Stinger Premium 2.0t AWD, Snow White Pearl at Smith KIA in Bellingham, WA. Overall, the experience was very good. They had the car I wanted, and we set the deal up via a couple of phone calls and emails on afternoon. Drove up to Bellingham the next morning and completed the transaction with no headaches.
Observations About the Process:
1. This dealer advertises reasonable prices (below MSRP) on their website www.smithkia.com and www.cargurus.com
2. They are willing to negotiate over the phone
3. It's easy to get pre-qualified for financing via the dealer website
4. The salesperson I dealt with was responsive and knowledgeable about the car - during my test drive, Matt shared good info about the car's driving features
5. The actual deal was as-promised, no surprise changes and lame excuses that other dealers make
6. Finance manager was easy-going, no high pressure to add unneeded extras
7. Finalizing and signing the paper work was straightforward and took maybe 30 minutes
8. The car was fully prepped for delivery, including final steps during paper work stage
9. Then, Matt spent nearly 30 minutes walking me through setup of the UVO system, Android Auto and demonstrating many of the car's safety features, etc.
10. Time from arrival to drive-off was about 1-3/4 hours, including chatting with the dealership manager
I left a satisfied customer, with the car that I wanted. Smith KIA is a local, family business. They seem to know how to get things done efficiently, without games or drama. The showroom isn't fancy, but I don't need a Lexus-like palace, especially since the costs for expensive showrooms are paid for by the customer. I much prefer a straightforward, well-run dealer over the large, corporate operations that seem to be taking over the Seattle market. So a 90-minute drive from Seattle to Bellingham was worth my time. And, I got to make the same 90-minute drive back home to Seattle enjoying my new Stinger!
Also want to mention that I had done a lot of advance prep, so I knew invoice price, KMF lease terms, etc. This meant I had a pretty good idea about how much money the dealer was making on the sale. We both ended up comfortable with the deal, which I think is the right way to do business.
Finally, want to thank everyone who has posted so much useful information here on stingerforum.org That helped me to be a knowledgeable customer and make a good deal.
Observations About the Process:
1. This dealer advertises reasonable prices (below MSRP) on their website www.smithkia.com and www.cargurus.com
2. They are willing to negotiate over the phone
3. It's easy to get pre-qualified for financing via the dealer website
4. The salesperson I dealt with was responsive and knowledgeable about the car - during my test drive, Matt shared good info about the car's driving features
5. The actual deal was as-promised, no surprise changes and lame excuses that other dealers make
6. Finance manager was easy-going, no high pressure to add unneeded extras
7. Finalizing and signing the paper work was straightforward and took maybe 30 minutes
8. The car was fully prepped for delivery, including final steps during paper work stage
9. Then, Matt spent nearly 30 minutes walking me through setup of the UVO system, Android Auto and demonstrating many of the car's safety features, etc.
10. Time from arrival to drive-off was about 1-3/4 hours, including chatting with the dealership manager
I left a satisfied customer, with the car that I wanted. Smith KIA is a local, family business. They seem to know how to get things done efficiently, without games or drama. The showroom isn't fancy, but I don't need a Lexus-like palace, especially since the costs for expensive showrooms are paid for by the customer. I much prefer a straightforward, well-run dealer over the large, corporate operations that seem to be taking over the Seattle market. So a 90-minute drive from Seattle to Bellingham was worth my time. And, I got to make the same 90-minute drive back home to Seattle enjoying my new Stinger!
Also want to mention that I had done a lot of advance prep, so I knew invoice price, KMF lease terms, etc. This meant I had a pretty good idea about how much money the dealer was making on the sale. We both ended up comfortable with the deal, which I think is the right way to do business.
Finally, want to thank everyone who has posted so much useful information here on stingerforum.org That helped me to be a knowledgeable customer and make a good deal.
