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2014 Kia Forte Prices Paid and Buying Experience
Welcome to Edmunds discussion dedicated to 2014 Kia Forte purchase experiences. If you have recently purchased a 2014 Kia Forte, please share your experience here.
You can also research local dealer inventory and get pricing, reviews, features, and specifications on our 2014 Kia Forte page.
To see all forums discussions about the Kia Forte, including earlier model years, please visit our list of Kia Forte discussions.
Navigation tips: To see the most recent information and activity, make sure to visit the latest post, which may be a few pages ahead. Click the pages numbers just below to go to a new page in the discussion -- or search the entire discussion by clicking the magnifying glass icon and entering keywords.
We also invite you to share your purchase experience on Edmunds Facebook page, Share Your Story.
You can also research local dealer inventory and get pricing, reviews, features, and specifications on our 2014 Kia Forte page.
To see all forums discussions about the Kia Forte, including earlier model years, please visit our list of Kia Forte discussions.
Navigation tips: To see the most recent information and activity, make sure to visit the latest post, which may be a few pages ahead. Click the pages numbers just below to go to a new page in the discussion -- or search the entire discussion by clicking the magnifying glass icon and entering keywords.
We also invite you to share your purchase experience on Edmunds Facebook page, Share Your Story.
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Comments
The $750/$1250 KMF is a little confusing
THE STORY:
To start off, let me say that this felt like the journey that would never end, even though I only started looking a month ago. Why did it feel that way? Because at the beginning of July, there were absolutely no cars anywhere in California that met my specs. What did I want? It's simple: a 2014 Forte EX with tech! You know, the one in all the auto reviews. It's been out for a few months. I even had Kia customer care do a search, thinking maybe they could find something I couldn't. Nope. Nada. Nothing in CA.
Fine, I went on vacation for two weeks (already planned). The day I got back, I picked up where I left off. My search now turned up several in LA. great there are some in CA, but unfortunately I live in the Bay Area and that's a six hour drive. I had contacted my local dealership (Dublin Kia) back in the beginning of July and they were about ready to order me what I wanted (white was my preferred color). However, I was hesitant, because I felt I'd never get a good deal that way. I was starting to doubt that I could find a deal anywhere close to invoice with this car so hard to find. Out of boredom, I started searching for tips and pricing, thinking I could at least arm myself as best I could while I waited. That's when I came across the TrueCar site. I was actually only looking for pricing, but I ended up registering and inadvertently sent my contact info to three dealers. I didn't think anything would come of it since I could find nothing in the area.
Well, I was wrong.
I was first contacted by a lady at Capital Kia. Note that she contacted me about five minutes after I signed up. Yea. Really. She at first said what I expected, that there were a few in LA, but to get them, she would have to pass some of that cost on to me. Ugh, no thanks, not that desperate. I hung up and she called me back not two minutes later. She had found some in the Bay Area, and that would save me the cost of long distance transport! "Ok, how much?" I asked. "$25,775". Yes, that's right. MSRP. How is she TrueCar certified again? And she's on the internet sales team? I politely told her I would think about it and hung up.
I was back to being depressed at my prospects. Shortly after though, another dealer, JC, from Kia of Fairfield emailed me, telling me they had several EX's on their lot. "Yes", I replied, "But not an EX with tech" like I wanted. "No", he responded, "but I can get you one!" There were apparently 4 on an trade partner's lot: 2 blacks, 1 silver and 1 steel blue (side note: The lady who had phoned prior to this was trying to sell me the silver one). He also said some magic words: that he was trying to meet a sales challenge for the month of July, and would sell to me at $1000 below invoice, good for the last 3 days of month. I couldn't believe it. Just when I was losing hope! And I never thought I'd even get very close to invoice, let alone under it. Of course I had to see it through.
The dealership was an hour+ away and we decided we could not go that day as it was already late and the dealership would probably be closed by the time we got there. We did, however, go to our local dealership to get our trade-in appraised and talk about what the other dealership was offering us. We had checked KBB for our trade-in and had decided on 5K as our aim. Unfortunately, they came in low on the trade-in ($4270) and high on the price of the Forte (only $500 below invoice). Never a good sign when they can't meet or beat a price. After telling them that the trade-in price was too low and that we wanted 5K, they did raise that price to 5K, but already in our minds, this was our backup if the better deal fell through.
The next day we set out for the other dealership. JC was out and referred me to his partner Mitch. They had been able to trade for the car (I chose Black) and it was sitting on their lot, clean, detailed and with a tank full of gas - ready for me they'd said. The only question was, what would they give my trade-in? Well the happy news is that they didn't jerk me around. As they said, they had the car there, ready and waiting. We took a test drive and then sat down to business. There was no additional negotiation, except the price of my trade-in. I told Mitch if they could meet the 5K, we had a deal. He went to his manager with the numbers and the forms and came back shortly. We had a deal.
THE SUMMARY:
All in all, I really recommend Kia of Fairfield, especially the internet department. They are a small mom and pop outfit and I felt I was treated very well and fairly. No underhanded techniques that I despise. As a result of their honesty, they had a deal.
I do think I was lucky to find this deal, and only because I randomly caught the guy who was participating in a sales challenge. I no longer go to the dealer, preferring to do everything online and sort out the ones who are honest, really want my business, and realize that nobody likes underhanded tactics. I'm not scared to walk away.
THE DEAL:
Black Forte EX with Technology and Premium Package.
Black Leather Interior
MSRP: $25,870
Includes port installed options on car:
Bumper applique (BA)
Cargo Mat (CA)
Carpeted Floor Mats (CF though really? This was an option?)
Cargo Net (CN)
Cargo Tray (CT)
Wheel Locks (WL)
Invoice: $24,338
My price, before TTL and Rebates: $23,338
I used my rebates and my trade-in as my down payment:
I qualified for the competitor bonus of $500 since I drove a Honda Civic
I also got $750 because I financed my car at .9% for 36 months
My trade-in fetched an additional $5000
I had trade in of a rough condition 2004 Forester with 120,000 miles which they gave me $3000 which was more than Edmunds appraised.
I then decided to lease and 36 month, 12,000/year with cap cost 22,763 and residual of 16,298 gave me payments of 226.86.
I had offered another dealer 24,000 for same car and told them I wanted to lease and was given 386 as payment.
I also had trouble finding a tech package as none of the dealers in Atlanta area had one.