Has anyone ever purchased a car from these dealerships? I shopped there once and it certainly felt very high pressure (and crazy high interest rates).

Note to self: Don't choose a car outside of my price range.

Also note, don't ever trust a car salesman.

Not surprising. Guy in the commercials comes off as a real d bag.

This is their attempt at "Keeping it Awesome"

Lol!!! Apparently he's not "keeping it awesome!"

Imagine buying a Kia.

Whew thankfully I’ve managed to avoid this predatory practice!

(My secret: I cannot be lured into loans I cannot afford).

Surprised more dealerships don't get popped for this.

Anyone in automotive who’s familiar with them isn’t suprised by this.

NH is not a consumer friendly state. The banking and insurance departments don’t protect consumers and I’m not sure they even think it’s their job to protect consumers. I’m surprised the NH AG has finally done something to actually help consumers. Other than devoting scarce resources to tracking down a bankrupt, judgment proof and downtrodden contractor all the way to Texas, for failing to finish a home remodeling job he was paid $2k for in advance, what has the AG ever done for consumers? God forbid it goes after any business with any lobbying presence whatsoever.

My 2011 Kia Soul I bought brand new, and now it has 249,000+ miles on it. Best damn car I’ve ever owned, and it’s not even close.

Kia used to be terrible, but they’ve improved greatly.

yeah kia and hyundai are great cars. my girlfriend just got a new 2023 Tucson and it has the 100k/10yr engine, drivetrain, powertrain warranty.

The new Kias are pretty nice if you haven’t seen or been in one recently.

Right? Been waiting for years for this. They offered me a role repeatedly despite my refusal- even after telling them its because I value my reputation too much.

I researched buying the KIA EV6 earlier this year. Dan O’Brien had a $20k markup on their models. Everywhere else was MSRP or maybe $5k markup. F that place.

NH dealers are some of the most transparent and least scummy dealers I've ever been exposed to, been in the industry 15 years, AK,TX,MS,NH,VT. The NH/VT dealers I've been to are by FAR the best.

By comparison when I was in Houston, a fine like this wouldn't even make the news.

The Merchants 1 dime down ads drive me nuts. Those people just sell bad loans to people who can't afford them.

I have been car shopping for a while now because I hate headlights on my Chevy. I saw a few kias that I was interested in and I was considering going to this place. Yikes. Luckily for me, I know my limits and I'm too cheap to get lured into nice things that I don't deserve.

Nope. But car shopping a couple years ago was infuriating in Nashua.

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Keeping it awful!

When I first saw the brand, my immediate thought was "Killed In Action," which isn't a good name for a car.

Now all their deals have to be video and audio recorded for the next 5 years.

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They rely on lower information buyers and people who want a new car with features, despite their budget. Kia/Hyundai offer cars with lots of competitive features at a low price AND with a very long warranty.

But they haven’t unlocked a secret to cost effective manufacturing that no other automaker knows about. They just cut corners. A decade or more of poor quality engine manufacturing leading to ever-expanding recalls. Not using security key technology that has been used by other carmakers for over 20 years, leading to very high theft rates. And most recently a major child labor issue. Keep in mind that they opened plants in southern states to avoid the UAW - and the worker’s protection that comes with them.

They lure buyers in with good deals, and then deliver a substandard product. They hope you’ll overlook that due to the crazy long warranty, but then constantly fight paying warranty claims.

As someone with nearly 2 decades in the automotive industry, I absolutely wouldn’t recommend one to my friends or family. There are plenty of other vehicles with better design and higher quality manufacturing.

That's not true they wouldn't sell me shit.

"Korean in America"

Eh, there was a time when they were turning it around but they've had very real problems with their motors the last 6-7ish years

Really? Doesn't inspire a lot of trust in prospective customers.

You just said Soul and good? Do you need help???

I got one as a loaner when my car was in for a maintenance bulletin. It sounded like it was going to explode on the pike… the engine is way to small and don’t even get me started on the speaker lights

I’ve heard in some places that the engines after 2011 aren’t quite as good, so I’ll give benefit of the doubt there. But my results kinda speak for themselves I think.

and it didn't take a lawsuit for you to figure that out.

Sounds like this dealership preyed on the financially inept.

His commercials were always creepy

"This Altima looks nice"

Glad this got posted

Buying a car is very stressful

NH Attorney General - Keepin it Awesome!

All of the Merchants ads are terrible. If I hear them on the radio, I instantly change the station.

As someone who works with all dealership groups and general repair shops in the state…

Nope. Not surprised.

I knew people who worked there and left very shortly after

The company that makes those ads sells them nationally I think, no matter what state I’m in the commercial follows me

What else do they do that’s shady

I tried, last year (the one that was in Hanover, MA) Made a deal with them, got a loan from my own bank, then they told me they didn’t have the title. I thought they meant it was just physically not there and they had to track it down. They kept me on the hook for a month, telling me it was being fedex’d to them. They finally told me it was ready, come get it. We drove the hour there, were on the street, when they called and said they didn’t actually have it. It ended up that the car was a lease buy-out from Ford, and Ford wouldn’t release the title to them. They had been so committed to keeping me waiting for this car that they never would have been able to sell me, for a solid month. It was truly bizarre.

(Edit to add, i was trying to purchase at a Dan OBrien Infiniti dealership, not a Kia dealership)

I went there and interacted for maybe 30 minutes before walking out because of how rude they were.

I bought a wrangler from their Methuen dealership back in 2020. While the experience wasn’t the best, it wasn’t the worst I have had. Mainly felt they weren’t organized or communicative between departments. Only reason I went there was because of their warranty. Time will tell whether it was worth it.

Soooooo. Who’s actually good? And reputable. Sincere question.

There’s way more good then bad, this was just one that a lot of peeps in the industry thought/knew was shady.

then dont sign the paperwork for shit you cant afford

nailed it

What if those affected? Are they getting compensated or are they shit out of luck?

I think it was a 2012 or so. Might hold water. It was terrifying

All you have to do is Google customer reviews. They are very helpful in this regard. Had to get a new pick up, (my old one was done) happened to be right during covid.. really hard time finding the right fit and there was not one good thing reported about this company. So I drove 8 hours one way to upstate NY and got a new truck no BS from a really great dealer. No hassle, no double talk just honest easy no covid mark up truck at a real cost. Not sure if I will ever be forced to make a drive like that for a truck again but if I had to Canandiguia Dodge will be on my list.

Article says they're paying restitution to two customers. But yeah, the rest are probably out of luck here, but they can take legal action of their own.

From the article:

>The dealership will also pay restitution to two consumers who were victims of the deceptive sales practices, Formella said.

Keepin it awesome!

The car reviewers love the Telluride, it consistently gets high marks from the sites I watch and read. On a lark I looked one up on their website before knowing about this dealer’s rep as wife wants a third row for kid shuttling —quick search shows a $10k market adjustment on a $49k MSRP. Ouch.

I've owned 4 KIA's since 2010, all nice cars. 2010 Optima, 2018 Stinger, 2019 Stinger, 2020 Niro. Only problem was the 2019 Stinger which had bad special edition yellow paint and was recalled, paint was not manufactured by Kia. I choose to get another one instead of getting it repainted. Besides the possible issue with the paint never a problem.

I just realized that "Keeping It Awesome" = KIA, is this well known how have I never noticed this before with all their ads?

Fuck those dealer markups. I’ll wait around for there to be one at MSRP or never at all before I pay $10k directly in a dealers pocket. They are glorified ticket scalpers.

I’m sure plenty of folks have had good experiences, and I’m glad your cars have been reliable. There’s some confirmation bias going on too, though. You would’ve almost certainly had the same experience with at least several other brands.

But you can find similar anecdotes about every car manufacturer. I don’t find those anecdotes to be compelling reasons to disregard evidence that a manufacturer is making poor choices and/or major oversights in engineering/production.

Had more than one customer come to the dealership I work at with a story about how the dealer convinced them to sign for a payment several hundred more per month than they could afford, but don't worry because if they stop on on their due date every month they'll give them a voucher for the difference.

Those were always heartbreaking because they were desperate for help but more often than not there's nothing I could do.

Don't get me wrong I am a firm believer in people taking responsibility for their own actions, but holy shit you've got to be a special kind of scumbag to lie like that.

Any dealer that doesn't have in house F&I people should be avoided at all costs. Don't get me wrong there are plenty of bad f&I people that will take advantage of uneducated buyers. But on the whole, most of them take the compliance aspect of their career VERY seriously.

How did O’Bien become such a large group? (Or at least appear to be large) The guy on the tv seems fairly young to have amassed so much.

So 16 cars worth?

Dumb question but, what don’t you like about the headlights? Lots of models you can change them out or have them adjusted.

A little easier with this case to cite.

I had the “pleasure” of dealing with these guys when they first opened their Seacoast location through a previous employer. Absolutely scummy all the way around from sales to service. I’m glad to see them finally get tagged with something.

Dang that’s messed up

Only “two customers.” Through a two year span, and an “affordable” car, you know there are more victims.

Keeping it not awesome

When it used to be Team Kia, they were awesome. And they were also a certified, official Kia dealership. I am pretty sure that made a difference in how they treated and approached customers.

I’m sure he has silent partners and is probably swimming in debt.

they screwed my 64 year old mom out of thousands of dollars as recently as this year. verbally agreed to 1 price and once paperwork came out it was $200 more a month and only way she knew was reading the paperwork they never said a word about the change. at this time they had already taken her down payment and she wanted to stop before signing anything and they claimed her money was already in the vault and they would have to send her a check because they cant open the vault twice which is bull shit. she had signed nothing at this point. this dealership is a complete scam and needs to be shut down. she paid $19k+ for a 2016 kia soul. also not even leaving the lot with the car, they held her car for 15 days even though they had her down payment and everything signed. told her to lie to the bank and say she had possession of the car because the dealership said she had taken the car home already.

they screwed my 64 year old mom out of thousands of dollars as recently
as this year. verbally agreed to 1 price and once paperwork came out it
was $200 more a month and only way she knew was reading the paperwork
they never said a word about the change. at this time they had already
taken her down payment and she wanted to stop before signing anything
and they claimed her money was already in the vault and they would have
to send her a check because they cant open the vault twice which is bull
shit. she had signed nothing at this point. this dealership is a
complete scam and needs to be shut down. she paid $19k+ for a 2016 kia
soul. also not even leaving the lot with the car, they held her car for
15 days even though they had her down payment and everything signed.
told her to lie to the bank and say she had possession of the car
because the dealership said she had taken the car home already.

only when it was team kia were they anything near good. i purchased then and made the mistake in 2018. Made an apt to look at a vehicle i was interested in only to be told numerous reasons why all of a sudden the vehicle was no where to be found. they had a new sales person and pressured me into looking at different vehicles. in which i mean one shitty dodge i had no interest in. i ended up purchasing the worst car i have ever owned. a 2011 kia optima lx ...that car has had more problems and recalls than i can count..it has sat in my driveway since may of 2020...at this point its about paid off...i only put 30k on it..but these people screwed me and many others... also whoever carlos is should get fucked for preying on women to make a sale (one of my friends) but thats another story for a different time.. i never want to get my vehicle serviced here in fear of the sht ive been through and the way employees have been towards customers but in order for recall work to get done...or get my vehicle inspected for free i basically have to suck it up..or find another kia dealership...but kias and hyundais are no longer reliable and the companies refuse to stand by them..but only 2 customers get compensation...thats complete bullshit.. best believe me though im coming after dan obrien and kia corporate when the throttle body sensor investigation allows me to and then some

Car dealerships are almost always family businesses. I can't remember the exact reason why... something about it's easier to inherit a license to sell than it is to get one otherwise. I don't have any knowledge about this particular business, but I'd wager a large sum that his primary qualification for running a dealership is his genes.

> silent partners

AHHH, YES. "Silent partners."

Hopefully --for him--these partners(if there are any) are fine, upstanding citizens...

and NOT "connected" to unsavory groups.

I thought all dealers had inside f&i - mainly because selling the loan to a bank can give them a 2-5% bonus

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Doubt it. Dude just has a buncha dealerships. He is also neighbors with Dont’a Hightower in TN: so he has money lol

Yep, apparently people are too dumb to figure out what they can and can't afford, they need government bureaucrats to protect them from big loans.

Oh it absolutely can, even the local CU's pay 2-3% of the amount financed, while giving the customer the same rate as if they had walked in the door and picked up a check.

Dan O'brien tried to get rid of the entire F&I department, have the salespeople/sales managers sell the extended warranties and place the loan, and have a centralized location (manchester) do the paperwork via videochat with the customers in an office- ie; Come sit in this office in front of this monitor mister customer, you're going to be videoconferencing with so and so to finalize your paperwork.

The problem with this is an F&I Professional has 3 main priorities, in order of importance: 1: Protect the dealership 2: Ensure all contracts are 'bankable' (ie; you have all of the required stipulations, the contract is properly written, and all required signatures are present) 3: Sell ancillary products (Extended warranty, gap, etc).

Sales Managers only have 1: Sell cars.

So when you have people that come in on a car who have an 850FICO, and are good to go at the quoted $600+ car payment but maybe are on a fixed income of $2000/mo, a sales manager is incentivized to give them a raise. $4000/mo will carry that car payment, they're an 850 so the bank is unlikely to require proof of income, and the customer isn't being misled about what his car payment will be, so why not?

An F&I person who takes their job seriously will catch that, put a stop to it, and ensure that it never happens again. A "loan closing specialist" who's only job is to sign paperwork, not only won't catch that, they're likely inexperienced enough that they don't even know to look for it. An F&I job is easily 6 figures, I've been doing it about 5 years, and my first year, which was also my worst year, was $165,000. So short sighted dealers will start to question if that role is really worth it, because hell, a good salesman can convince someone to take a warranty along with the car, so why am I paying this guy tons of money to do that? Dealers with more years in operation or who have been burned by overly aggressive/fraudulent sales managers never question it. Because yeah, I'm expensive. But not having someone like me is even more expensive.

I can definitely see this. They're super shady I went there some years ago they slid percentages over on paper like some kind of drug deal was super weird. Was desperate and got a non Kia used car worth about 10k there regret it and they didn't help with any issues the car had immediately after purchase such as engine shaking, radio not working in the cold, ext. Was a rogue would also never buy one of those again lol.

Called to complain and the sales person we dealt with at the time was apparently let go or left very soon after our visit. The owner is a dink as well. I wouldn't suggest this dealership to anyone.

Bought a car from grappone a few years after never looked back. They know how do it right.

They tried pulling this with me too. Told me the car I wanted was $15/month than what they had quoted me originally. I told them I was going to go somewhere else. They folded.

They are also paying restitution to 2 whole people. That should make everything alright.

The Soul has a buzzy little 4 cylinder engine, if you're coming from a nicer car you're probably going to find it's noisy and slow...

That alone doesn't make it a bad car, though. You could always try a Mitsubishi Mirage.

All hail Toyota, Subaru and Honda.

Keepin it awesome!

What about damage done from their commercials?

You know what's keeping it awesome about this whole thing? We don't have to see his stupid fucking beard and tattoos and that ridiculous high pitched cartoon puppet and B-team Patriots players in commercials on WMUR every five minutes. Hopefully they never accept their ads again.

no personal accountability in snowflake reddit land

Unfortunately I just saw one this morning

With a Chevy Malibu 2008 - 2012 (I think) you have to remove the entire front bumper assembly. It takes about 20-30 mins. Service centers charge $200ish to replace the headlight. I'm so thankful to YouTube because they made me comfortable enough to do it myself. I've actually gotten better at it.

https://youtu.be/C411G9Cl_pI

For anyone who wants to see what kind of satanists designed this car.

I walked in and spent 5 minutes with a salesman who knew less about Kias than I did. I told him that he would be better off spending time learning about the products and walked out. I went to another dealership and bought a Kia the same day and tell everyone not to deal with Dan Obrien.

I guess they weren't actually "keeping it awesome" after all!

“Two consumers,” but there are more than just two consumers affected by their practices.