I Received Charged $765 for My Kia EV9 Alignment, They Billed Me $325 Per Hour for 4 Hours of Work

Every so often, the digital campfire of social media and automotive boards sparks to life with one other story of dealership malpractice, half comedy, half tragedy, all the time involving a receipt that feels extra like a ransom observe. This time, the sparks flew on the Kia EV9 Homeowners USA Fb group, the place one proprietor’s expertise with a easy alignment changed into a four-hour ordeal and a $765 lesson in dealership chaos. The story, like a nasty comedy routine, unfolded at Eide Ford in Mandan, North Dakota, the place miscommunication and disconnect managed to show routine service into headline materials.

A $765 Mischarge

Let’s paint the scene. You pull in for what ought to be a simple alignment. Possibly your EV9 is pulling a bit to the proper, or perhaps you are simply attempting to maintain issues tight after a winter of cracked roads and salty slush. As a substitute of the anticipated hour or so and a invoice of round $150, you end up ready 4 hours. The techs say they’re nonetheless working. You permit together with your SUV and a receipt that reads like a punchline: $325 an hour, multiplied by 4. Whole: $765. Not for diagnostics. Not for transmission work. Simply an alignment. Because the proprietor wrote:

“Anybody else get gouged this difficult for an alignment? Lmao(Up to date Edit).

They really gave me a refund as a result of they did not apply their sister location Eide Kia’s alignment charges.

Fords obvious personal price is 325$ an hour(we stayed for 4 hours), however then we got here again in the present day to speak to the supervisor, and yea their very own workforce did not go by Kia’s price since they needed to be those to service Kia’s till they transfer their methods to their new renovated constructing, all is effectively.”

To their credit score, the dealership didn’t double down. They admitted the error. Seems the Ford aspect of the operation had billed at its inside labor price, not realizing that Kia automobiles have been presupposed to be serviced beneath the decrease pricing mannequin of the model’s sister facility. 

Kia EV9 Comparability: Affordability, House, & Household-Pleasant Options

• The Kia EV9 presents a extra budget-friendly possibility with out compromising on important options. With a beginning MSRP of roughly $56,395, the EV9 is considerably cheaper than the Tesla Mannequin X, which begins at round $81,380. This worth distinction permits customers to entry a three-row electrical SUV with superior expertise and luxury options at a extra accessible worth level. ​
• Designed with households in thoughts, the EV9 affords beneficiant inside house. It offers 41.4 inches of front-row legroom and 42.8 inches of second-row legroom, surpassing the Mannequin X’s 41.1 inches and 38.7 inches, respectively. This extra house enhances passenger consolation, notably on longer journeys. Moreover, the EV9’s boxy design contributes to better headroom, making the third row extra accommodating for grownup passengers in comparison with the sloped roofline of the Mannequin X. ​
• The EV9 introduces distinctive options, reminiscent of second-row seats that may swivel 180 levels, fostering a extra interactive and versatile cabin setting. That is notably advantageous for households, facilitating simpler baby seat entry and making a communal house inside the car.

This mishap, the results of a system not but migrated to their new Kia-dedicated facility, was corrected after the client raised the problem straight with administration.

The $765 was refunded, and peace was restored. The proprietor took it in stride and shared the story on-line, laughing about it looking back. However one wonders, what if he hadn’t spoken up?

How a Easy Alignment Error Might Harm Fame

Conditions like this are how manufacturers bleed loyalty. For all of the billions automakers spend crafting id, buzz, and buyer relationships, a rogue bill can undo it in a second. Significantly within the EV house, the place patrons are typically early adopters, tech-savvy, and vocal, these tales unfold like wildfire. You purchase right into a car just like the EV9 not only for the product however for the ecosystem it represents. A premium possession expertise is anticipated, and for good purpose. In spite of everything, the Kia EV9 begins within the excessive $50,000s and competes towards the likes of the Rivian R1S and Tesla Mannequin X. It can not afford dealership-level clownery.

There’s an added sting of irony once you understand that Firestone, a series hardly recognized for its high-touch service, affords a lifetime alignment deal for $199. That’s lower than a single hour on the price this Ford retailer charged. Alignments, thoughts you, aren’t a high-frequency service. Until your automotive is visibly pulling or your tires are displaying uneven put on, there’s hardly ever a necessity for one outdoors of a collision or main suspension work. But dealerships persist in pushing them as routine upkeep, proper alongside cabin filters priced like medical tools and $40 “complimentary” fluid top-offs.

Kia EV9 Security Remembers: Addressing Bolt, Software program, & Parking Help Glitches

• In December 2024, Kia recalled roughly 22,883 EV9 automobiles attributable to potential lacking mounting bolts within the second and third-row seats. This difficulty arose from an meeting error on the Gwangmyeong plant in Korea, probably compromising seat stability and occupant security throughout a collision. Sellers have been instructed to examine and set up any lacking bolts freed from cost. ​
• In October 2024, a recall was issued for round 14,163 EV9 automobiles to deal with a software program error inflicting the instrument panel display to fail. This malfunction might forestall the show of essential info reminiscent of pace and warning indicators, growing the danger of accidents. The treatment concerned updating the instrument cluster software program, both via dealerships or over-the-air updates. ​
• In September 2024, Kia recalled roughly 12,400 EV9 automobiles geared up with the Distant Sensible Parking Help characteristic. A software program glitch might trigger the system to miscalculate stopping distances, probably resulting in inadequate braking throughout low-speed distant parking maneuvers and growing the danger of collisions. Sellers offered a free software program replace to rectify the problem.

What makes this all so irritating is the broader context. Kia has come a good distance. It wasn’t that way back {that a} Kia or Hyundai badge was automotive shorthand for

“finances compromise.”

These have been automobiles you got since you needed to, not since you wished to. However prior to now twenty years, these manufacturers have gone from joke to juggernaut. The EV9 and EV6 are beautiful examples of what Korean automakers can now produce: world-class EVs that undercut their American and European competitors in worth, tech, and generally even efficiency.

File Gross sales & Innovation Amid Remembers

Kia’s success within the EV house has been notably noteworthy. They set new EV gross sales information within the U.S. final 12 months because of sturdy demand for the EV6 and EV9. Critiques have been glowing, with critics praising the EV9’s inside high quality, vary, and aggressive styling. The IONIQ 5, Hyundai’s sibling to the EV6, is even nipping at Tesla’s heels by way of innovation. These aren’t simply good Korean automobiles anymore. They’re good automobiles, full cease. This makes experiences like this one, the place the dealership system fails spectacularly, so maddening. If Kia desires to take care of its upward trajectory, its seller community must catch as much as the standard of the automobiles it’s now promoting.

In the end, this story ends effectively. The dealership acknowledged the error. The shopper bought his a reimbursement. And due to a wholesome dose of humor and transparency, what might’ve been a PR catastrophe grew to become a cautionary story with a punchline. However it shouldn’t take a nasty overview on Google to make issues proper. The dealership expertise, the Achilles heel of the car-buying course of, stays the ultimate frontier for enchancment. 

Picture Sources: Kia EV9 USA Fb Group, Kia Media Middle

Noah Washington is an automotive journalist primarily based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys masking the most recent information within the automotive business and conducting evaluations on the most recent automobiles. He has been within the automotive business since 15 years previous and has been featured in outstanding automotive information websites. You may attain him on X and LinkedIn for suggestions and to observe his automotive protection.