I recently purchased a 2023 Kia Telluride from Palm - Jamiestarke222
I recently purchased a 2023 Kia Telluride from Palm Chevy, and overall, the experience was positive thanks in large part to Kevin, who was fantastic throughout the process. He was knowledgeable, attentive, and made the entire buying experience smooth.
Sven in the finance department was also impressive. He explained the warranty options in a way that finally made sense to me. I appreciated his insight and ended up purchasing most of the coverage for peace of mind—something I'm genuinely glad I did. He shared a personal story about the tire warranty, which initially didn’t seem relevant but later felt oddly fitting.
Now, here’s where things got a bit concerning. After completing the sale and stepping out to the vehicle, Kevin pointed out that the tires didn’t look new—despite the Palm Chevy service team claiming they had just replaced them. Kevin even mentioned this out loud and took pictures, saying he’d look into it. I told him I’d be willing to drive back the three hours if it turned out I was owed new tires.
Over the next few weeks, I noticed the driver-side tire was losing air consistently. Three weeks later, I took it to a local shop, only to find it had both a nail and a previously patched puncture—both leaking. While the nail was an easy fix, the old patch was another story. The technician showed me the inner lining of the tire, where an incorrect patch job had gouged the rubber so deeply that the inner threads were exposed. This was not only disappointing but alarming, considering I have a wife and two small children who ride in that car.
This situation left me with some uncomfortable questions. Was this an honest oversight, or did someone at Palm Chevy know the tire was compromised? Why did Sven emphasize the tire warranty so strongly? Why did Kevin point out the tire issue immediately? And why was there never any follow-up about the supposed new tires?
I understand that used vehicles are sold “as-is,” and that legally Palm Chevy may not be liable. But given the circumstances, I can’t help but feel uneasy about the whole situation. At best, this was an unfortunate coincidence. At worst, it raises questions about internal communication or oversight.
That said, Kevin and Sven were both excellent in their roles. My concerns lie more with the service side of the operation and how this situation was handled (or not handled). I’m sharing this not to accuse, but in the spirit of transparency—for both future customers and the dealership to be aware and hopefully improve.
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