Phil Smith Kia

I was shopping alone at Phil Smith Kia in Lighthouse Point and was sold a CPO car that after I got home and researched found out it had been in a major accident during a test drive with multiple airbags Point and was sold a CPO car that after I got home and researched found out it had been in a major accident during a test drive with multiple airbags deployed. How is this legal to CPO a car after that kind of wreck? If it is legal, slipping a Carfax into the rest of the paperwork is NOT how that car should be sold. I found out that Kia allows the dealerships to certify the cars at the dealership – I bet Kia doesn’t realize that they are selling CPO cars that have a history like this car. Is this happening because of low inventory restraints? They refused to return it and give me my Lexus trade in, forcing me to keep the car or buy another one from them. I have been physically sick from how much I was taken advantage of. Not sleeping and now have a LARGE car payment on a car that I settled on just to get out of the situation I was in. I was trading in a 2020 Lexus RX 350 and looking at a 2023 Telluride. Never purchased a preowned before and was talked into it by the Sales Manager. As a buyer, you have no idea what the actual price of the car they are selling until you sit down and negotiate. This dealership (and likely others) are on-the-fly marking up the sticker price to cancel out your trade in equity. Saying that its due to low inventory but high demand. I was priced out of the new car I was looking at because of this. The sales manager, Bijan Motiei, was set on me leaving with a car, even though it was 1.5 after closing time on Sunday evening. A preowned was suggested and after frustration I agreed as my lease was ending and I had $8-10K equity on my Lexus, thinking I was finally getting a car in a price range I wanted. I needed to make a decision on something – and I made the wrong decision!!! I was alone, it was dark out and no one was left at the dealership but myself, the sales guy, sales manager and finance girl. The paperwork was quickly underway and I asked about a Carfax and was told, ‘the car is good, it was in a fender bender but don’t worry – its Certified PreOwned and all covered.” I was concerned about the ‘fender bender’ and was then assured, “Kia wouldn’t Certify the car if they thought anything was wrong with it.’ Like an idiot, I trusted what I was told. I bought all the additional warranties just in case. The Carfax was handed to me with all of the other paperwork. It was never reviewed with me, but they claim I signed it – yet to see proof of that. They were rushing to get the deal done and go home for the night, it all happened so quickly. On the way home the car felt jerky driving and I got a pit in my stomach knowing I had messed up. I got home and purchased the crash report and the car had been crashed badly with multiple airbags deployed!!! The car was new and on a test drive with a sales person demoing the auto brake feature. The car slammed into the back of a PARKED city bus. Multiple airbag deployments. The dealership clearly fixed it up, drove it for a while to consider it ‘used’ and Certified (CPO) it in house. How is that ok, safe or legal? They claim there was an owner that then traded the car back in 10 months later. I wrote emails overnight as it was Sunday and Monday AM called as many ppl as I could to help. No one would return my calls so I took off work and went in to the dealership to ask for my Lexus back – they refused, said it was too late. They claimed the deal was funded and my Lexus was already sold to a local Lexus dealership that they were partnered with. Mind you my Lexus is for sale on their site now. When I called my bank funding the deal, Bank of America said the transaction could still be canceled but Phil Smith Kia would not do it. The only option I was given was to trade in the car in. Basically, they kept my trade in with the $8-10K equity, my $3K and said it was all lost with the purchase of the first car but they were going to cut me a deal on the new car. I really had no option but to trade that wrecked car in for a new car. I was crying hysterically, mad at myself for getting into the position but shocked at how I was being treated. I kept telling them how much the were F’ing me and they were still being so slimy working me as a new sale. The new numbers were xx and I left with a huge car payment. They promised things like a maintenance warranty and 90 deferral but never told the finance person when completing the paperwork. Arrived a 12noon and got home at 8pm last night. I was there the whole day and not in a much better place. I finally was able to speak to the General Manager after having to find him personally on his Instagram account. When this was all happening, I called the dealership multiple times asking for him but they would only take a message and clearly was not passing it along. He was very kind and I explained what happened and he did try and help me out but he was not offering to decrease pricing anything close to what I had in my equity of my trade in and the $3K I put down on the first car. So, my big question is – how can they sell a car that has been in a major accident with multiple airbags deployed as a CPO car in the first place. I can not believe that Kia would allow this and if they do, that should be FULLY disclosed to the customer. Clearly I did not know or I would not have purchased it. I learned SO much with this terrible experience but I am sick, SICK about it and feel very taken advantage of. I just wanted a safe car for my family and 2 year old and what a disaster I got myself into. I hope you can help to at the least shine light on this happening so that others can be aware. I would like to know if Kia is ok with this and this is how they want their brand represented. More

Absolutely worst service department hands down! Went for oil change and tire rotation but almost ceased engine due to their service techs total incompetence. Tech failed to properly secure gasket a Went for oil change and tire rotation but almost ceased engine due to their service techs total incompetence. Tech failed to properly secure gasket after changing oil and filter, allowing oil to spew out from underneath the vehicle. I drove away from dealership and noticed my 2021 K5 was not driving correctly after a few miles down the road and the low oil indicator light coming on. I barely made it back to the dealership after having already been there for over 2 hours, adding another hour to what should have been a quick and easy routine service appointment. Also the tech never checked the tire pressure of the tires as he noted on the service report. The tires should be 35 psi, the tech noted 35 psi but my tires were all under inflated as I took a picture of what the actual psi's were per my onboard computer. I had to properly inflate my tires on my own and also checked to make sure the lug nuts were properly tightened, as I don't trust anything this service department did. I tried to contact the General Manager and Service Manager through e-mails and phone messages to find out what they planned to do to ensure these issues would not reoccur but they never reached out to me. I have it documented that if my vehicle has any future mechanical issues due to their technicians incompetence, I will seek a new vehicle as compensation from them. Stay away from this dealership if you value the long term use of your vehicle More

Excellent customer services I would recommend sales representative Byron he was extremely patient and helpful. The staff are all friendly representative Byron he was extremely patient and helpful. The staff are all friendly More

Great customer service good see my guy Charlie very professional and outgoing straightforward very relaxed and easy process professional and outgoing straightforward very relaxed and easy process More

This place is NOT professional I know there is low inventory on cars and you have to act fast to buy but you can still deal with people in a courteous manner. I'm a karmic person and the day will come inventory on cars and you have to act fast to buy but you can still deal with people in a courteous manner. I'm a karmic person and the day will come when there will be plentiful cars and hopefully people that work in this company will become humble and appreciate the fact that customer service is still alive and well. On a side note we lost 2 cars and a home in Naples and have not been able to find a car for my MOM. I'm not a victim but I wish people would treat people better in this time of crisis More

Rockie is Very professional and courteous and would recommend this dealership if you’re shopping for a good car recommend this dealership if you’re shopping for a good car More

Good attention from the staff, especially Mr. Edson Dealmeida, they looked for a way to make him leave pleased. Edson Dealmeida, they looked for a way to make him leave pleased. More

My sales guy, Luis Sotomayer is awesome, really easy to deal with and I appreciate the nice people around here deal with and I appreciate the nice people around here More

Rockie was an absolute pleasure to work with as a first time car buyer. Very personable and not pushy at all. There were no games look forward to coming back in the future for my next Kia. time car buyer. Very personable and not pushy at all. There were no games look forward to coming back in the future for my next Kia. More

Was a good compromise. Yes I would recommend. Ray Santiago is very personable and gave us all the attention we needed to get thru this. Yes I would recommend. Ray Santiago is very personable and gave us all the attention we needed to get thru this. More