When I said there were "Tiers", I wasn't necessarily referencing "quality".

The Tiers are based on public perception, time in the market, customer satisfaction, dealer profitability, Manufacturer support ... a lot of things go into the equation and manufacturers (name plates) move up and down.

It was that long ago, Subaru was a 3rd Tier, now I'd put it in the 2nd Tier, depending on geographical location. VW has move up & down between 2/3. Hyundai is now upper echelon of Tier 3, Genesis has helped it.

Not everyone will agree with how our organization sees the Tiers, but we represent almost all the 2nd Tier Manufacturers, with only Mazda being marginally out of that Tier.

There's more than enough room in the market for Kia. I was perfectly fine spending 100K+ for my BMW and when it's been serviced, I better be sitting in a leather lounge chair, while I'm waiting for them to bring me my loaner BMW. Same with my Acura (bottom 1st Tier).

This is funny to me, snobbery tiers. The real funny part is that the younger generation is so much wiser on the whole to this money thing. The couple that owns the Kia I spoke of could easily have your BMW or two but they are young, financially stable and living the life they enjoy without sweat and waving their status around. It feels to me like the younger generation is so much wiser and on to the older generation's hang ups.

All very interesting. I didn't know anything about "tiers" before.

My last car was/is a low-end Mercedes (GLK) and I was treated well by the dealer. Service is expensive, but they give you snacks, a nice work area with desks and charging ports while you wait, and they wash the car. They will also give you a loaner if you want. I never have bothered, because you generally need to give them more notice on your service appointment and it is just as easy to bring my laptop and work in their lounge.

I then bought a Hyundai Palisade because I wanted a bigger car to carry stuff and people on road trips to Florida; and I didn't want to spend $100K. But they also treat me very well. Service is much less expensive than the Mercedes, they also give you snacks, and they also have a nice lounge area where you can work and they also wash your car. I don't know if the loaners are free I haven't asked...probably not.

I am sure some of it is my lack of sophistication, but I haven't noticed a very big difference between my Mercedes dealer (tier 1 i assume) and my Hyundai Dealer (tier 3 as I have just learned)

I'd suggest you're hanging around in the wrong neighborhoods.

I belong to a mid-tier country club and regardless of a member's age, everyone has a luxury car. There's a handful of Bentley's & Maseratis, but most everyone else is driving a BWM, Mercedes, Lexus or some such thing. I'm fascinated by how much money the younger generations have and how they spend it. My daughter and her BF, go out for dinner in Boston, 4 nights a week ... & to 1st class restaurants.

I guess it depends on what you're used to.

I have owned many high five-figure cars and one six-figure car. Here is the biggest difference. After purchasing the car, you NEVER have to return to the dealer unless it is time to trade it in. A loaner car of the same brand will magically appear on your driveway in the morning when it needs servicing. You can then head out for a round of golf and an adult beverage following the carnage and disappointment you just endured.
Upon returning home, later in the afternoon, your loaner car will disappear from your driveway and your car will reappear. It has been washed and vacuumed and the service is complete.
Seriously, why would anyone want to take the time to drive to a dealer and sit in a waiting room if they purchased a high-dollar car?
Perhaps, ego and not sophistication is at play.

Yeah, that's ego all right. We would do it for the same reason we wash our own clothes, clean our own home, cook our own food for the most part, do our own books, invest our own money, do our own grocery shopping.. we don't consider it beneath us. We're still ambitious and how many rounds of golf can one play in a day? To each their own.

Maybe you're hanging around in the wrong neighborhoods. Our hangouts sound more authentic and when we belonged to a club up north with valet parking, I didn't pay any attention to what others were driving. Who cares?

Not sure about Florida but in Maryland, the State Attorney General's Office of Consumer Affairs was helpful with uncooperative car dealerships. Below is the info for Florida. I agree you were scammed and the dealership needs to be investigated for fraud. Good luck to you and thank you for taking the time to share your experience.

To contact the Florida Attorney General's consumer affairs division, call their toll-free Complaint Line at 1-866-9-NO-SCAM (1-866-966-7226) or visit the My Florida Legal website, myfloridalegal.com, to file a complaint or find consumer protection information. The office is responsible for protecting Florida consumers from fraud and can help with various scams and business disputes.

This is why I used a car 'buyer'. Not a buying service like true car. I paid a fixed price for his service. He knocked off all of the 'add ons' and then worked on getting the best price below MSRP. All I had to do is go to the dealer and sign the forms. Of course, I still had to say NO to the extras from the finance manager but that was easy. Great experience.

So I'm curious.

At least once a month, the subject of buying a New Car comes up on this site.

Within day, there are at least 50 posts, decrying all the thieves and crooks, selling cars.

There are at least 25 posts, with Posters describing their technique, tips and theories, on how to buy a car for the right price.

Every time someone asks about buying a New Golf Cart ...

Within a day, there are at least 50 posts (presumably from the same automobile posters), recommending in the strongest terms .... walking into Village Golf carts and paying $5000 to $6000 more than one would have to pay from a competing golf cart dealer.

Any golf cart bought from Villages Golf Carts for $22,000, can be bought elsewhere, for around $15,000.

Why don't Villages mind getting raked over the coals on a golf cart, yet proclaim all the auto dealers in the area, are crooks?

I just bought a new Chevy Colorado and my wife still likes her car, but if we were looking to get her a new car, a Tesla would be at the top of our list. I know afew people that drive Tesla's and are very happy owning one. The buying process is a plus for sure.

Aside from the fact that we've learned never to buy any car in Orlando or surrounding area....... seriously who wants to steal a KIA???

It pays to get out of the bubble once in awhile. Car theft is a big item for those who can't afford a vehicle. For a period, Kia had an issue which created easy access for thieves. The issue has been solved and is no longer a problem for new vehicles and there have been post purchase repairs provided. Easy theft is low-hanging fruit in the event some people aren't aware of that and has happened to other vehicles in the past. Hope this gives the insight which is lacking in some.
I suggest you take a loaded, 2025 KIA Sorrento for a ride, insight is a wonderful thing. 😉

I've bought 5 vehicles from Jenkins Hyundai. I've always wondered why so many people bad mouth any Jenkins Dealership on this forum. Does Jenkins try to up-sale? Daaa who doesn't. Their service is fast and efficient. Again, they might try to sell you some optional services, but they aren't pushy about it at all. Just last week I ran over a construction ladder that had fallen off of a truck in front of me. It damaged the large plate beneath my engine and other parts. They said it was damaged, but it didn't need to be replaced. I asked how much and he said around $320. I asked if that was for the plate or just the labor. He said everything and he would give me a 10% discount. They happened to have the part so they took me to the front of the line and it was ready ASAP. What's not to like about that?

When Tesla comes out with an ICE car, I’ll be first in line. I love the innovation and features of a Tesla, other than the electric component.