We are VIP/Luxury Customers at Dealerships

When I dropped my Cadenza off at the dealership from which I bought it to have them look at the transmission, they gave me another Cadenza as a loaner once they determined it was going to be an overnight deal. The salesman who sold me my Cadenza met me at the door and had me completely taken care of. He also told me it was their policy that Cadenza owners were to *only* get another Cadenza as a loaner. Idk if that's just this dealership or Kia-wide.

A few days after I dropped off my Cadenza I got a call from an account rep from Kia Corporate, who told me that she was my personal account rep and that from now on I should call her if I have any problems with my car. She called me back at regular intervals to check on my car and my satisfaction that the issue had been addressed.

TBH I was impressed. My last car was a Cadillac, and the service was great, but not to the level I've seen so far with my Cadenza.

The issue with my tranny is a hard shift from 2nd to 3rd. It's the only shift that's rough, the rest are buttery smooth. I noticed it a day or so after I drove it off the lot.

I took it in for that maybe a month ago. They reset the adaptive computer and the problem disappeared for about a day but did come back. All throughout the account rep was calling me, assessing my satisfaction with the service and all that. The loaner Cadenza that they gave me seemed do it on and off, too.

I decided not to take the car back in until either the first service or the problem becomes worse. I'm just shy of 2K miles and neither the check engine light nor any of the other diagnostics have indicated anything wrong with the car. I figure it's either the parts wearing in or just a particular quirk of my Cadenza. Either way, if it's still present when I take it in for its first service I will have them look it over again.

Gotta say: I wouldn't wish anyone K900 "VIP" treatment.

We bought a K900 March 9, 2015 at Larry H Miller Kia in Denver and its been in the shop 29 days at this point, most of the time weeks we've owned the car. My husband is a 100% disabled vet and we searched a long time to find a car that doesn't aggravate his back and other combat injuries. We loved the K900 the few days we had it. We see it more on a tow truck than get to drive it.

Soon after we took delivery, when in reverse and the steering wheel turning, there was a groan or a loud shudder that shook the entire car. After talking to about 10 people from Kia Roadside Assistance and being promised VIP treatment and KIA VIP coordinated with Cottonwood Kia in Albuquerque, we took the car to Cottonwood Kia, about 250 miles from us in the Las Cruces area. When we arrived, they seemed to have never heard we were coming in. They kept it two days and said nothing was wrong, so nothing was done. The GM drove the car home and couldn't duplicate the problem.

We had the same problem happen several more times in the next few weeks. We had to talk to 17 different people to get Kia Consumer Relations (note not anything close to Customer Care) had the car put on a flatbed to go back to Cottonwood Kia in Albuquerque. They had it a day before anyone called to say it had gotten there OK. After 10 days they drove it back to the Las Cruces area, 250 miles, and sent a Factory Rep/Mechanic from Phoenix over to drive with us. We duplicated the problem within minutes, the 2nd time we backed the car up. Apparently, the GM and service dept at Cottonwood Kia doesn't use the parking brake although that's required per the owners manual. The problem apparently was/is the brake not releasing the rear wheel, which is why the car shudders like someone has hit you.

We were assured the car would be flat bedded 250 miles back to Cottonwood Kia. It wasn't. Again, no communication for more than a week, then we were told the necessary part was ordered but it was the wrong part so now the correct part was going to be overnighted. Once the part arrived, Chuck, the Service manager at Cottonwood Kia said the part was "really hemmed in" and would need days to repair.

Last Tuesday pm, they brought the car back to Las Cruces. Almost 600 miles are on the car since we turned it over to the tow truck on April 6. My husband drove the car before accepting it yesterday with the local service manager, but with those soundproof windows and doors closed.

The next morning, as he was pulling out, looking forward to driving the car, the rear passenger wheel grates like a disc being dragged. We had only heard the noise from the inside before. It grates forward and backward now. I'll attach the video as soon as I figure that out. The car also had two one inch gouges into the front hood, down to the metal, uninstalled interior trim on the floor, and wadded candy wrappers under the seat.

It took 2 days before our handler at Kia Consumer Affairs, MandyJay Straus, replied to our emails and calls, kinda soon for her in our experience. This woman has never heard about courtesy or customer service. The first call to Kia Roadside Assistance wasn't entered correctly or something so we waited more hours for a tow truck. Looks like we'll go at least another week without the K900 or a loaner.

This car surely had latent defects when we bought it and we now have a new $70,000. car that has been disassembled and apparently improperly reassembled in the service dept. Our gorgeous brand new car that we garage and park way away from anyone else - when we get a chance to drive it, has big gouges on the front nose.

Our recent cars were a Toyota and a Honda, which were pretty much trouble-free. We never imagined the K900 would be such a disaster, but even worse is the complete lack of customer service and follow-through. That warranty ... not worth much if the car stays in the shop.

So, I hope you don't get K900 "VIP" service on your Cadenza or anything else.