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"Hey guys, we don't want Corporate in Seoul thinking we are TOO successful for 2023, so we'll let these cars keep accumulating in storage lots til the new year" is the most oddball thing I've heard :koko:

Makes sense if you want to penny pinch on advertising and don't want to Seoul to stop the ad spend.

This is also yet another reason why the direct sales model by Tesla is proving to be better. No risk of shenanigans from other bastards in the middle.

What a bunch of assholes. Not that I was ever considering a Kia for my next car, but sure as shit, I never would now after this bullshit.

Oh, and how I hate the dealership model of selling cars. Finagle, haggle, prevaricate, upsell, charge absolutely eye-watering service fees and hard sell unneeded maintenance...

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"I'll talk to my boss" --- the absolutely required, pure BS line uttered by all car salesmen of all time.

I never get my vehicles serviced at the dealership.

I used a car buying service the last time I bought a car. I don't like the whole, "Let me talk to my manager," bullshit. He has a dealer's license. His fee was $250. I told him what I wanted, how far I was willing to travel to pick up the car and my tolerance for profit margin over dealer invoice.

Took 20 mins to pick up the car and sign the paperwork on the day of, at the closest dealership to my home.

Not of all time, more a product of the last 20 years or so. Almost seemed to be concurrent with the ’Karen’ “Let me speak to the manager!!!” thing.

I think this is a marketing stunt by Kia. Sales have been very slow at dealerships this fall. Or maybe there's a big recall on their vehicles we haven't heard about.

I gotchu :tup:

Pulled up to a Cars & Coffee this weekend.

Here are some of the more interesting old school builds.

One of my fav cars from the 90s. The SC300/430. Love the plate SCEEESH!
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1782c91d_c.jpg

Interesting collection here. 4Runner, a couple of R35 GTRs, a 3000GT, and an Integra Type R.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...26eff2fb_c.jpg

MKIV Supra
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2d70c1c3_c.jpg

Clean FD RX-7
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...893f33af_c.jpg

AE86
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...172bc7ea_c.jpg

Nissan Safari.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c9df6ec3_c.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f9709a8f_c.jpg

And of course, my car along with another buddy's SW20, parked next to a clean EK hatch.
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https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...724601ac_c.jpg

It pisses me off that VW Group doesn't bring Skoda to North America. The new Superb is way better than anything VW itself brings to North America yet its their value brand in Europe.

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They look like Buicks

They strike a good balance between Japanese and German near-luxury marques. The interiors look amazing compared to Volkswagen products.

A nice portfolio of different products:
https://www.skoda.co.uk/

They won't bring those other brands here because:

1) They don't want brand dilution. This is also why we get Golf GT and R models. And not say SEAT's Cupra models.

2) They don't want to sell cars. Just SUVs. You'll notice the Superb uses the MQB platform and there's a bunch of other VW MQB models we don't get either.

I've been fascinated by Skoda for years. Are these made in Czechia? I also like how that company makes trains/trams/streetcars

Sad but true.