Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  01/08/2025

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am filing this complaint regarding a concerning and invasive experience I had with Coastal Kia following the purchase of a vehicle. After leaving an honest review of my purchasing experience, I was contacted multiple times by a member of their sales staff. These contacts included:* Text messages,* Phone calls, and * An uninvited visit to my home.The salesman explicitly told me that management had instructed him to come to my home and ask me to remove the review. He further stated that if I did not remove the review, he would be the one to lose his job. This behavior was not only unprofessional and invasive but also left me feeling uncomfortable and unsafe.I filed a formal complaint with **** corporate office on December 30, 2024, regarding this matter. However, I have not received any follow-up or acknowledgment from the dealership about these actions.

  Business response

  01/08/2025

  Mr. **** ******,

  
  We received the BBB case number #******** this morning in reference to ****** *********s recent experience.

  
  We have been a trusted automotive dealer in the **********, ** community for over thirty years.We pride ourselves on being a small local business that does the right thing while always striving to give back to our local community. Our team takes this case seriously and have had multiple senior management meetings regarding Ms.*********s experience, voiced concerns and frustrations.

  
   We want to formally apologize for the actions our Product Specialist took in reaching out to Ms. ********* via text and in person. This is inexcusable and does not reflect our training culture nor our values in handling conflict resolution with our clients. The behavior of this Product Specialist has been addressed with individual training as well as additional training for the entire Coastal Kia staff.

  
   We realize the due diligence process of responding to this case will be shared with the claimant, Ms. *********. Again,we extend our sincere apology and look forward to restoring her faith in Coastal Kia during future service visits.

  
  In reference to her formal complaint with the manufacturer. Their protocol is to stay in touch with her once the file has been processed.

  
  Although this experience is extremely unfortunate and was easily avoidable, as Ms.********* mentioned, it allows us to create training tools to share with our team to avoid this experience from happening again.

  
  Please do not hesitate to reach out if you need any further information.

  
  Thank you,
  Senior Management Team
  Coastal Kia
  

  
  

  Customer response

  01/10/2025

   
  Complaint: 22781108
  
  Dear ***************** Team at Coastal Kia,

  Thank you for your recent response to my complaint through the BBB. I appreciate your acknowledgment of the situation, your apology, and the steps taken to address the behavior of the Product Specialist involved.

  That said, I was informed by *** corporate that the dealership would reach out to me directly to address my concerns. While they also suggested that "no news might be good news," I believe that direct communication is important to fully resolve this matter and rebuild trust. As of now, I have not received any follow-up from the dealership regarding this situation.

  I would appreciate clarity on the next steps Coastal Kia plans to take in restoring my confidence in your dealership. A more personal acknowledgment would go a long way in addressing the discomfort I experienced due to this incident.

  Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to hearing from you. 

  Sincerely,
  ****** Devonport

  Business response

  01/28/2025

  Mr. ******,

   We apologize for the confusion regarding ID ********.

  We received the complaint for ****** Devonport January 7th, 2025. Our senior management team

  addressed the concern onsite with our entire team and promptly responded January 8th, 2025.

  Please accept this second response as requested. We again want to apologize to her regarding her

  experience and concerns. 

  Unfortunately we can not control the protocol Kia ********* has regarding cases they create from

  customer contacts. ********* shared with us that ****** Devonport called regarding having our representative

  "desist from contacting the customer immediately." We addressed this concern in our original response.

  Again, we met with our management team and personnel to avoid this experience from happening again.

  Thank you for your assistance.

  Please reach out if you need anything else.

  Customer response

  01/29/2025

   
  Complaint: 22781108
  
  Dear Coastal Kia ***************** Team,

  Thank you for your follow-up response and for addressing my initial request for your representative to cease contact. I appreciate that this matter was handled promptly and that youve reviewed the situation internally.
  

  However, I want to highlight an important aspect of this incident that remains unaddressed. The salesperson involved stated that he was instructed by management to come to my home. If this is accurate, it significantly increases the seriousness of this situation and raises questions about the decisions made at a leadership level.
  

  While I did request that the representative cease contact with me about anything other than the maintenance of my vehicle, I was advised by *** corporate that the dealership, not corporate, would be the one to reach out to address my concerns. Therefore, I was expecting a more personal outreach from management, which has not occurred.
  

  The eventsincluding the uninvited visit to my homeleft me feeling violated and deeply uncomfortable. A direct apology from management, along with clear reassurance about how such actions will be avoided in the future, would go a long way toward restoring trust.
  

  I welcome the opportunity to speak directly with someone from senior leadership to resolve this matter in a way that feels more personal and meaningful. Please feel free to reach out to me via phone at your earliest convenience.
  

  Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.
  

  Sincerely,
  ****** Devonport

• Initial Complaint

  12/09/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Don't Trust them! Their salesman offered to sell a 2025 ******* PHEV for $40,000. We asked that he recharge it and we would come the next morning to write a check for $40,000 after a test drive. The next morning he apologized and said the price was now $41,000. We left and don't plan to ever return.Later, they called me. Bottom line: they told my wife that to satisfy my complaint, the price was now $45,000? Who do they are?

  Business response

  12/09/2024

  We appreciate the time Mr. ******* spent on the phone with our sales manager Friday afternoon December 6th, 2024. We sincerely apologize for any confusion with the numbers discussed. We take full responsibility for the confusion and are here to make things right if Mr. ******* and his wife would allow us the opportunity. Although this is not an excuse, our records show there was more than one vehicle we were given the opportunity to quote numbers on initially. Our request is for Mr. ******* to reach out to our Operations Manager ***** ******* if he is still in the market. She can be reached on a direct line of ************. We look forward to a follow up call. Thank you

  Customer response

  12/11/2024

   
  Complaint: 22652316
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *******

  Customer response

  12/13/2024

  We went to Coastal Kia looking for a 2025 Sorento phev. The salesman offered to sell us the car for $40,000. We met with the manager. We asked that the car be recharged and washed so we could test drive the ev mode the next morning,  then we would write the check and finish the sale. The next morning,  we were told the price was now $41,000. We left, mystified that the dealership was not supporting the agreed price. Later, my wife was offered the car for $46,000. Lastly, ***** ******** offered to sell us the car for $48,000. I am 74 years and have been buying cars since I was 17. I have never experienced anything like this. I would like the dealership to honor their initial offer.

• Initial Complaint

  09/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I purchased an extended warranty in Sept of 2019 from Coastal Kia for my 2016 Kia Sorrento. I was told that the warranty was a 5yr unlimited mileage warranty and would cover everything as if the car were purchased new. I paid nearly $3,000 for this extended warranty thinking it was through Kia so it would be legit and they would honor the repairs I've just received a call from Kia that the $4,000 in repairs that Kia staff verified and stated were covered by warranty have now been denied. Now I'm stuck to foot the bill and my $3,000 warranty isn't worth the paper it was written on.

  Business response

  09/21/2023

  Mr. ***** spoke with our Service Director **** ******.
  His concerns were addressed and parts have been ordered
  for a warranty repair.  A service appointment has been set
  for his 2016 Kia Sorento in reference to Mr. *****’s concerns our
  technicians were able to duplicate.
  Mr. ***** expressed satisfaction with
  the resolution and is aware of the applicable deductible.
  Please contact our office if any additional information is requested.

  Thank you,

  ***** ******* ********** ******* ************

   

  Customer response

  09/22/2023

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.  I believe this was a misunderstanding and that I made my complaint without giving them time to contact me and explain why some of my repairs were rejected. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Jeff Poole

• Initial Complaint

  09/28/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Purchased a new vehicle 9/3/2022. There were $4,995.00 in extra charges for: splash guards, lifetime car washes and local pick up and delivery within Wilmington zip codes with scheduled service. We indicated many times that we are not in a Wilmington zip code and if the car wash was a free car wash at a Wilmington location we wouldn't use it either. They didn't remove it. The finance person explained it to my husband, Bruce, basically saying it was because they need to make a profit on vehicles, and then told him if he didn't like it to bring the car back knowing it couldn't be brought back, we wouldn't have brought it back anyway. We don't need to hear the same explanation over and over. This is something specifically listed that would not apply to us since we don't live in Wilmington. The salesman told us they delivered a vehicle to the Chicago, IL area, was that charge on that vehicle because he didn't live in Wilmington, NC? If something is being charged for, it should be something the buyers can use, not just a way to add an upcharge. Also it's highly unlikely that the car washes and pick up and delivery would add up to as much as listed. People should not have to pay for something they can't use.

  Business response

  11/17/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/10/03) */ As the complaint points out; we discussed pricing with Mr. and Mrs. **** during the time of the sale after they inquired specifically about the charge. They elected to proceed with the purchase with full knowledge at their sole discretion. After the purchase and further communication regarding this charge we gave Mr. and Mrs. **** the option to return the vehicle and reverse the purchase if they were not completely satisfied. They declined the offer and chose to keep the 2023 Kia Sportage. As a "goodwill" gesture we offer to provide a $1000.00 credit that may be applied towards accessories or future vehicle service needs or a cash payment in that amount. We regret that this customer feels dissatisfied and truly desire to rectify this situation as offered if possible. Again; Mr. And Mrs. **** had every opportunity for full disclosure of costs and additions and freely elected to purchase this vehicle, declining the generous opportunity to reverse the transaction. Please contact our Operations Manager Peggy R****** at XXX-XXX-XXXX with any concerns or questions. Thank you Consumer Response /* (2000, 7, 2022/10/07) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)

• Initial Complaint

  08/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In June 21st I purchased an ATV from coastal Kia of Wilmington for just over $5200 the manufacture is kandi. It is meant to be an all-terrain vehicle and go off-road or in the sand within the first time of driving it the front suspension we noticed was facing outwards and that the tire had gone bald within 10 minutes. They came and picked up the vehicle and replace the tires at that time it took almost 2 weeks. We finally got a vehicle back and within five days started having ignition issues and realized that again the tires were going flat and facing outwards something did not feel right with the suspension. On multiple occasions we had tried to call them and let them know that there were still problems to which we never got return phone calls finally we ended up showing up there at that point we were treated extremely rude by a sales associate name Uber at that point in time we were accused of being somewhat hostile which we were not I asked them to please look at their cameras and we were ordered to follow people into their offices. During the first go round we were offered $120 reimbursement for the time out of the vehicle however that did not even cover the first payment in which we have already had to pay and not had the vehicle in our possession again for the second time more than two weeks. I was then told that they tried to call us put on the wrong number we got our very first call the second time of them keeping the vehicle on Friday August 5th. We've actually only had the vehicle a total of about 11 days in our possession which to no avail we still have problems I was told today that they were going to dump the vehicle on our lawn when we in fact do not have keys as 1 of the issues was the ignition switch needing to be replaced. I explained we would be able to check out the vehicle tomorrow and talk about trading it back when I was told we were just bringing it and dropping in your yard. I'm Being told I cannot check it out or sign anything approving it.

  Business response

  11/01/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/08/17) */ Note to BBB: This case was posted to Coastal Kia. The comments reflect concerns with a Go Cart purchased from Coastal Powersports We appreciate you and Mrs. ***** coming in to discuss your concerns. Your patience is appreciated as well. As you are aware the service concerns you mentioned were addressed at no charge to you before this case number XXXXXXXX posted. Your Go Cart was delivered back to your home as requested. Please reach out to our Service Director whom you have been working with if you have additional concerns - John Wigger XXX-XXX-XXXX ext **** Thank you

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩