Kia of Orange Park

I have originally purchased 2011 Kia Sorento from Grand West Kia in Colorado. After purchasing the vehicle, I drove it to Florida where I currently reside.

On the way from Colorado, I have noticed that my front bumper is slowly coming off on both sides where it meets the fenders. It appeared that clips on both sides broke off. Upon arriving in Florida, I went to Kia of Orange Park to have them fix what seemed to be a body warranty problem. Upon dealer inspection, I was told that my claim is denied due to "reason unknown" (I have this written on their service invoice).

I then contacted Kia Motors and after numerous attempts was able to secure an appointment with district parts and service manager Charles **. When I met with Mr. **, I was told that bumper has been painted and claim is denied. I was shocked to hear this, as there is no evidence of damage or anything ever to be painted. I went ahead and took the car to a major body shop in town and after their inspection, I was told that bumper was NEVER painted.

At this point I am extremely disappointed with the kind of non-service, lies and treatment I received from Kia and that I am stuck with a vehicle that is not backed by a company or any of its dealers!

On 6/2/10, I went in to the Kia Dealership of Orange Park in Jacksonville, FL to see if I could get financed for a car. They showed me a 2010 Kia Fonte SX. They had a special event on every Wednesday which does not require a credit check. So I fill out the necessary form for that which instead, it would require me to put down 65% of the $23,264.35 the price of the car. The salesperson asked me if was sure if I wanted them to do a credit check. I said ok. He came back with another man, they told me I was approved for that car. The statement, a monthly payment of $570.00 a month, I disagree and told him it was too high.

Then he told me this is what I can do, I give you $1,800.00 for my trade-in plus the rebate offer and he drop the monthly payment down to $470.00 a month. They lied and only gave me $500.00 for my car. They also told me it would have built my credit score higher and I only have to make those payments for eight months then get refinanced. I told him, I will think about it but I had to go pick up my kids from school. I can go home did my calculated my monthly bills and saw that I could make the payments and pickup my kids and headed back to the Kia dealerships. To inform then I was willing accept the deal. I fill all the finance form transfer my new car onto my insurance to my old car off which raised my rate. I got the car that evening. I was so excited and so were my kids. The next day, I get a call from then asking could I get a co-signer.

So, I contacted my mom, she came over that evening and we went back there we both sign all the forms over again. I did not hear from them until two weeks later, they call me the morning of 6/16. I talk to a man named Chuck. He said to me they finally have my loan worked out and if I could come up there that day. I told him I'd be up there at 2PM. Once there, I asked for Chuck and then gave my file to another man who took me back in the office and told me my mom didn't go through. Could I find another person who could co-sign for me? I call someone else they give him their information and told me no he would not work out either. I then call my sister at work. It was hard for me to get in contact with her but when then, finally did he was out of the office and it was hard to reach her again so my daughter came there. She was also considering getting a car from the day after I got my car and was also approved, they even told her to have me co-sign for her and that she can do the same for me. She had just paid off her car a year ago. She told him that I just co-sign for my mom. He looked her name up in their computer and told her no too. Then, he told me well since we couldn't get in touch with your sister you have to give the car back. I had no choice but to do so.

I am a mother of 4 and on disability. Who only was penalized for not having a limited credit history. Since I paid off a car back in 2002 and didn't apply for any more credit since then. I have a excellent credit history with all the company that I paid my monthly bills too. Also, all the places that I had rented from. My mom has been working with the state of Florida for 25years and had just been approved for a home. I don't understand why I didn't get approved and why it took them two weeks to tell me so. I thought they suppose to have you approve before they let you have a car. The sales tax is cruel and devastating to me, who just want a chance and a reliable car to drive. They should not tell people they are approve when they are not.

The economic damage was that I lost money, changes my car insurance back and forth. The physical damage it caused me and my family. It left me into a depression state, the embarrassment, and the hurt it caused my autistic daughter who don't understand why they took her mommy's car away.

I thought I had purchased a Kia Rio on May 13, 2010, until May 31, 2010, they told me I need a co-signer to get the car finance. Anyway, I brought my brother-in-law in to co-sign for me and they made him the primary instead of the co-signer. They lied and said he had to be the primary holder in order to get the car finance. So, when he refuse to be the primary, they tried to swindle us into getting the car by saying they will go ahead and finance the car with me being the primary and him the co-signer.

Basically, I was lead to believe that it wasn't a problem with me getting the car. I think their managers and finance dept managers need to get their acts together before lying to customers about deals they can't make happen. With that said, my credit has been run to over 15 different banks. Now my credit score has dropped because they pulled my credit 15 times, instead of them faxing the one they pull to the different banks, they pulled it 15 times. How I know this is? I went to other dealerships and they said, Kia has reported my credit to 15 or more banks which has made my score drop and it's making it hard to get financed!

I called the dealer yesterday inquiring about a 2007 Kia Sorento and asked if it was still in their inventory. I talked to Moe and he said yes. I asked if I was able to get pre-qualified for a loan for the vehicle and he led me to their online credit application. He pulled my application and called me back and said based on the information I qualified even though he did not pull my credit report. He told me to call back this morning at 8am to make sure the vehicle was still in stock.

I called this morning and he said it was not however they had a 2006 Sorento. I told him I work at noon but would go to the dealer and check out the vehicle. After test driving the vehicle they began to run my credit and review my trade in. I got there around 9:20am. At 10:50am, an hour and a half later I ask Moe if it would take long, he said George the sales rep that was helping me would let me know the decision any second. I said ok because I have to leave for work in 30 minutes. Moe said I had been approved and they would discuss pricing with me.

Then 15 minutes later George comes to me and said it was almost done and that he would be back in a second. finally at 11:15 I go to George and say I have to leave in 5 minutes for work, may I come back tomorrow to close out the deal. He then says "You were not approved for the Sorento but we can put you in something else". I waited over two hours just to be told no. I thought that wait time was ridiculous.

I ask him why is it because of my credit. I said is there only a certain amount you were approved to finance me for. He said yes. I asked him how much. He said I dont know. Then I say "Well how much is the vehicle you want to get me in" He says "I dont know". Not only was this a waste of two hours of my time but I was not even given any honest answers. I am in a situation where I need a new car as soon as possible. This was a huge waste of time and caused me an inconvenience.