We went from a 2017 Kia Sportage to a 2019 Kia Sedona, so - MatteFamMama
We went from a 2017 Kia Sportage to a 2019 Kia Sedona, so that we wouldn't have to tow when we went camping. I found the van on CarGuru, it had been on the lot for 140+ days. I went to test drive it on a whim with my daughter, the van was in the showroom, so they offered to let us drive a lower trim of the same year, to get a feel for the size and ride. When Justin asked if we could talk numbers, I said no, as my husband is our main income provider, he was disappointed, but I suggested that I book a test drive for that Saturday with my husband, and other daughter. Fast forward to the test drive, Justin brought us the same van I had previously drove, but there was an issue with the sliding door on the drivers side not closing completely. This made for a very distracting drive. When we returned to the dealership, we said we were leaving, that the test drive was not fun, and very distracting. The manager came over and offered to let us test drive the van we were actually interested in. They removed the van from the showroom, which was a spectacle to watch, having never seen it before, our children were excited to watch. We went on the second test drive, which was much better then the first. We fell in love with the roominess and comfort. Put down the $500 *deposit* (deposit infers that the money will be returned), we were then passed on to Ralph in finance. Ralph was very straightforward and didn't sugar coat anything. We are special market for loans, so the payment we were expecting was raised, we were expecting this. Ralph told us that we would probably not be accepted for the loan, we asked him to try - the worst that could happen was we were declined - no harm no fowl. On Monday we got the call we had been approved, and for the amount that Ralph had said would be the payment. We arranged to pick up the van on the Thursday. The van was not fully cleaned, still some stains on the seats (part of the reason for the 4*). When I asked about the deposit, Ralph said it had been put as a down payment. I was upset that the the deposit wasn't returned as expected. When I hear deposit - I thought it would be returned, not put as a down payment (the other reason for the 4*). I will say this, after dealing with other large dealership groups, and having bought many vehicles, this is the first time we drove away without feeling like we were railroaded, scammed or taken advantage of. I would recommend this dealership, but be sure to have the time to inspect the vehicle (don't bring children to the pick up), and be sure that it is cleaned. Also be ready to lose the $500 "deposit", and to be told you have to have new plates, which I am convinced was unnecessary and that they didn't want to have to do an extra step at the DMV.
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