What Premium Car Brand Has The Best And Worst Dealers And Dealer Experience?

Hyundai has shit dealers in cities with population of 249,999 or less. cities with 250,000 to 750,000 the dealers are top notch; comparable to well established Kigs of Luxury like BMW. cities with 750,000 or More, you might as well be at some hick cracker box "Well we wont fix your codes, becuase you put on a Short Ram Intake wrong" dealer, like in Springfield, Ohio or some other hick town.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2009 2:26:06 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -4   

I know this doesn't count as a premium brand; however I remain extremely impressed with the high amount of customer care at Don Valley North Toyota. http://www.donvalleynorthtoyota.com/

— Jordanski (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2009 3:37:08 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

This really is true. It's what made us order a Venza this past Thursday! By the way, there's a 12 week waiting list.

— Jordanski (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2009 2:01:46 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

In Charlotte for premium brands:
Best - Hendrick Lexus
Worst - Hendrick BMW

— 0to60 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2009 12:48:18 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Might want to avoid Lexus dealerships in the Greater Toronto Area; a friend of mine had some very bad 'Friday the 13th' (or Lexus hospitality) luck; Their Lexus ES350 got rammed in the parking lot of the dealer WHILE they were taking DELIVERY! They never even put it in drive yet! It was a sales associate that rammed them too!

They were then told to report the accident on their own.
Lets just say... their getting a new, new ES350.

— Jordanski (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2009 2:09:37 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

In David969's dreams.

— Jordanski (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2009 10:49:46 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Porsche dealers, hands down. I never dealt with people that were so cocky and rude. Even a Ferrari dealer is a lot more nicer than Porsche. First they try to feed you a load of crap of why their cars don't come with bluetooth, satellite radi... (That was 2 years ago). While I was talking to my sales rep, another gentleman walk in and I guess he didn't fit the profile. Within the first sentence, the guy who greeted him ask him what he did for a living. I was trying to convince myself to get a squashed bug, since so many people talk about it like it's such a great car, but after the expeiences I had at different Porsche dealer, the brand totally turn me off. Oh well, the prancing horse looks better anyway.

— Lecsucks (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2009 6:03:47 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Since the Hyundai/KIA Industrial Conglomerate, decided to make Hyundai a full line Near Luxury Brand which includes B and C Segment cars. A niche that every luxury make except BMW ignores. KIA will make the lower cost cars for now on. In Europe the Transition has been made with the small B and C segment cars first, then it will trickle up to the Big D, E, F segment cars. In America it has started with the Big D, E, F and segment cars first. As you can see, it is starting to trickle down to the C segment i.e. Elantra Touring, and according to those I speak with in Hyundai Corporate expect 2011 to be the year of the Accent. The same buzz generated around the Genesis now, will be focused on the Accent in 2011. The 2011 Next Generation Accent will also have a Hyundai Blue Drive Hybrid system from day one, and it will be the lowest cost Hybrid in America, yet offering more features than the Insight. In September 2009, Hyundai will bring its Blue Drive Accent and Elantra, at the same date as the next generation Blue Drive Hybrid Sonata. In which my sources tell me the Accent and Elantra will be Hybrids also, but very mild ones.

Volvo and SAAB are considered premium brands, and New Hyundai cars have more features, and better MPG at a lower cost than Volvos or SAABs. So why not? Why cant the Koreans take advantage of a lower Won, a higher yen, a higher Euro, and a low Dollar to undercut premium companies? The lower cost Premium brands like Lincoln and Mercury are getting a lot better, but still have perception problems. Volvo and SAAB are shells of what they used to be. Lexuses, Acuras, Infintis are nearly on par with the: BMWs, Mercs, and Audis of the world in price. Somebody has to take over that foreign lower cost luxury spot that Lexus is leaving behind fastly. Hyundai makes better looking luxury cars anyway than they make cheap cars. So why not create the biggest come back kid story in the history of Automoblies?

By the way a little trivia: Did you know that the Ford Focus in its first year had more recalls (A lot more:13), than the Hyundai Excel its first year?

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2009 6:05:31 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

I thought the premium segment was divided by: Near Luxury, Luxury, Ultra Luxury, Mega Luxury, and Supercars.

Sold in America

Near Luxury:

Hyundai
Volvo
SAAB
Mercury
Lincoln
Chrysler

Luxury:

Lexus
Acura
Cadillac

In Between:

Audi
Infinti

Ultra Luxury:

BMW
Mercedes
Jaguar
Porsche
Aston Martin

Mega Luxury:
Maybach
Rolls Royce
Maseratti Sedans
Bentley

Supercars:

Ferrari
Koenigssegg
Lamborghini
Maseratti Coupes
Bugatti

Maybe its just me. Or maybe its just my 3 years of experience parking every and any car under the sun sold in America for extra money, as well as, following current automotive trends.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2009 6:30:54 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -5   

Sorry but BMW, MB and Jaguar are no where near Ultra Luxury. Your categories need reorganizing.

— VISO (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2009 8:07:28 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

MB has crocodile skin leather seats as options, and so does BMW. Jaguar of 2004, yes I agree with you, but Jaguar of today no I beg to differ.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2009 8:44:22 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3   

Jaguar has made so many changes and improvements you cant help but to give them a nod.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2009 8:50:44 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Hyundai Smoke, the official list goes like this :-



HIGH LUXURY = Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar, Lexus ( For Trucks - Range Rover/Porsche/Humvee H1 ) ........
LUXURY = Cadillac, Infiniti, Acura, Volvo, Lincoln, Saab ( Land Rover, Some Jeeps & Hummers ) for trucks.........Alfa Romeo etc. outside N.A.

ULTRA LUXURY CARS = Rolls Royce, Bentley, Maybach, Maserati ( Some Models ), Lagonda coming very soon

SPORTSCARS = Porsche, Lotus,.....

SUPERCARS = Bugatti, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Koeniggsegg, Pagani, Porsche ( Some Models ), Lotus ( Most Models ), McLaren, Caparo, Barabus, Saleen, Bristol, Gumpert ....... This list is basically endless due to so many boutique/kitcar makers.......probably Tesla

Please add in suggestions for more brands - iLike this!

— TECHGEEK (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2009 10:38:22 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Another way for splitting those Luxury Car Marques :-

Tier 1 = Mercedes Benz, BMW, Jaguar, Audi, Lexus
Tier 2 = Cadillac, Infiniti, Acura, Volvo ( Alfa Romeo )
Tier 3 = Lincoln, Saab ( Lancia )

I would say in that order in each tier.....though Cadillac vs Infiniti, Mercedes vs BMW and Audi vs Lexus tough ( Jaguar has way more heritage than both )....

— TECHGEEK (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2009 10:43:28 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

Since forever Jordanski. Stop being silly dawg.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 3/23/2009 1:02:52 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Hyundai tried in the late 70s early 80s to not have that. However, the Italicized grille was not only a way to change the look of the company, but it was a way to get people to see the change in the company's agenda. That is this is partnership between customers and the company. One side of the H is a company man holding his hand out, and the other side of the H is a customer holding his hand out. So far, Hyundai is listening to its customers with their new program of going upmarket at a value. They should emphasize that more in advertising.

I know where this convo is going 25 BMW comments, 17 Benz Comments , and 56 Hyundai bashing comments. People, probably myself included will end up with -200, and we have gotten so off base with the topic, with 850 comments concerning our usual great debates we have about the auto industry.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 3/23/2009 1:12:41 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Iam only joking on that one.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 3/23/2009 1:13:04 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

What do you drive for you to be so choosy about luxury, if Acura is supposedly not a Luxury brand?

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 3/23/2009 1:16:57 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1