Nutley Kia — Local services in Nutley

This is a long post, so let me get to the bottom line. Our salesperson, Maria Heredia Disla, is outstanding! She is knowledgeable about the technical and all aspects of the products and listened to what we wanted. The model KIA with certain features that we wanted was not on the lot, but had a scheduled delivery date that was about 8 or 9 weeks. Maria gave us the window sticker with the MSRP and the VIN. She mentioned that Nutley KIA would stand behind the price. That is important because the model I wanted was in high demand and people were putting down deposits.

Nutley KIA was actually the 2nd KIA dealership that I went to. During my due diligence stage, I had been to another KIA dealership as well as a Toyota dealership. Once I decided on a KIA, I went back to the first KIA dealership, but the salesperson I had before was working in the previously owned section. Since it was close to closing time, I took another salesperson’s contact info. A few weeks later, when the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore was damaged, I decided to put down a deposit, because I felt auto deliveries might be impacted. I called the first KIA dealership, but the salesperson never returned my call. We next called Maria and she told us the specific auto was still available, but the delivery time was still more than a month out.

Now, the reason that we went to Nutley KIA in the first place was a recommendation from a friend. He purchased his KIA at the first dealership, but felt that when he went in for service, he was being nickeled and dimed. He switched to Nutley KIA for service and has been satisfied ever since.

While we were waiting for the car to be delivered to Nutley, we had put down a fully refundable deposit, I was renting a car and faced another month of auto rental expenses. So to continue with our due diligence, we called a third KIA dealership, which was a little bit of a drive. Over the phone, we were given a price, close to the MSRP from Nutley. They had several cars in stock with the color, features and options that we wanted. We drove there, only to find out that there were additional costs in the $5,000-$9,000 price range, mostly an adjustment for market demand. In their effort to make a sale, they said I could put more money down, to lower the monthly payments. I’m a finance person, so I know that playing around with that doesn’t change the purchase price. When we mentioned that we had put a deposit down on a car, the response was that someone might come in and offer more money to the dealership and we wouldn’t get our car. That did not happen with Nutley KIA. Maria and the team kept their word and did not try to fleece extra money from us. A few weeks later, Maria called and said the car was being delivered about a month early. She stayed in touch the whole time. In a way, my wife and I were glad that we didn’t get the car at the other two dealerships. We wanted Maria to have the sale. Upon delivery she went over all the features and made adjustments to fit our driving preferences....

This is a response to owner.., I have the documents that dispute your claims… your dealership fees are double what you say…I am not speaking about the $300 finance fee in the lease… I am speaking to the fees you charge/add not listed in the lease contract… I have documents to support that… and as I said there is no reason for the dealership to charge double the fees for registration and title just to have to give back the amount you UNNECESSARILY collected via a check at a later date sometime in the future… the fees for reg and title are available on the MVC website and everyone have access to them… people need to be aware of your business practices and excessive fees, especially in a lease buyout which are not just $499 as you claim… as I said I have documents that your person sent that dispute your claims in your response. Sorry you are offended at the truth.

“ Stephanie: Your review and comments are completely unwarranted. I apologize for your misunderstanding the numbers our staff provided to you via email. It is best for you to come in and speak with Peter who sent you the quote online. We have NEVER charged a single customer $2000 in additional fees for a lease buyout. Any fees you are required to pay include sales tax and motor vehicles fees which are all due to the State of New Jersey. Nutley Kia does charge a $499 documentary fee - that's it; our fee is significantly lower than the average fee charged by most other dealerships. Kia Finance does charge a $300 fee that is fully disclosed on your lease agreement. As we explained, you also have the option to work directly with Kia Finance to handle your lease buyout -- you will be responsible for handing your own motor vehicle paperwork and title transfer. The registration fees on the DMV website are not clear as day and often inaccurate. If there is an instance where we overcharge a customer for registration (because the State website is not accurate) we refund the customer any difference -- even if it is a penny. You will be hard pressed to find another dealership that is more customer friendly or loyal than Nutley Kia. Jim Russomano, Owners...

My recent visit to Nutley Kia, located in Nutley, New Jersey, unfortunately, did not meet the standards of professionalism and customer service I had expected from a reputable dealership.

On April 26, I brought my vehicle in due to a problem I was experiencing. After an initial assessment, it was determined that my tie rods needed repair. I proceeded with the recommended service, trusting that it would resolve the issue. However, upon returning, I was informed by the owner, Anne Russomano, that despite the repair, the problem persisted. Understandably concerned, I expressed my intention to explore other options, as the additional proposed diagnostics amounted to a significant cost increase from the initial quote of $409 to a staggering $1800.

What followed was a deeply distressing encounter. Despite my clear intention to retrieve my vehicle and explore alternative solutions, I was met with hostility and aggression. As someone who recently underwent surgery, my physical condition was compounded by the unprofessional behavior exhibited by Anne Russomano and her staff. I was subjected to undue pressure to sign documents asserting my refusal of services, despite my willingness to pay for the work already completed.

The situation escalated when I was effectively held against my will, with Anne Russomano resorting to physical aggression and intimidation tactics, including confiscating my wallet and blocking my exit. The involvement of law enforcement only added to the distress of the situation, as I found myself outnumbered and fearing for my safety in an environment that should have been conducive to resolving the matter amicably.

In summary, my experience at Nutley Kia was nothing short of harrowing. The lack of professionalism, disregard for customer welfare, and resort to aggressive tactics by the owner and staff tarnished what should have been a routine service appointment. It is my sincere hope that by sharing my ordeal, others may be spared from similar treatment and that Nutley Kia takes the necessary steps to address these...