Complaint Review: Gwinnett Place Kia - Toyota Mall Of Georgia

On October 8, 2004 we purchased a 2005 Kia from Gwinnett Place Kia who is owned by Mall of Georgia Toyota. We traded in a 2001 Dodge Durango which was a Lease. We signed a Retail Contract with the Dealership on 10/8/04 and took possession of the 2005 Kia and left the Durango at the Dealership and signed over a odometer statement on the Durango to the Kia Dealership to pay-off the Lease with Chevy Chase Bank. We had already taken out a new car loan with BB&T Bank on the new 2005 Kia.

On numerous occassions we contacted the Sales Manager Daniel and General Manager of Gwinnett Place Kia who advised they were taking car of paying off the Lease for the trade-in with Chevy Chase Bank. We assumed everything was taken care of. On October 30, 2004 we received a late notice from Chevy Chase Bank on the Durango which we traded in almost 30 days prior. We contacted the Sales Manager at Gwinnett Place Kia who informed not only myself but my husband that he had been talking with Chevy Chase numerous times and our trade-in was going to be turned in any day and the remaining lease payments were going to be made and not to worry about the late notice that everything was taken care of and to disregard the late notice.

On Monday, November 1, 2004 I called Chevy Chase Bank who informed me they had not spoken with anyone at Gwinnett Place Kia since October 8, 2004 to give them a payoff. As far as they were concerned I was late on my Lease Payment I and I needed to make arrangements to make a payment. I asked the Collections Manager at Chevy Chase Bank to call the Kia Dealership and find out what was going on. Chad from the Collections Department with Chevy Chase Bank called Gwinnett Place Kia and spoke with the Sales Manager who informed him they had no intentions of paying my trade-in off, news to me! I was advised by Chevy Chase Bank to pick up my Durango immediately.

My husband and I took the new 2005 Kia back to Gwinnett Place Kia on Tuesday, November 2, 2004 and met with the General Manager who informed us they had made a mistake on the payoff of my trade-in and they would not honor the car deal. Keep in mind we have a signed Retail Contract dated October 8, 2004 and I have been driving my new car for almost 30 days and have put 945 miles on the new car. Our choices were to re-do the car deal and pay more money for the car we had already purchased. That was not acceptable. We told the General Manager we did not want to do business with a dealership that intentially lied to their customers and intended to rip us off by not paying off our trade-in. If we would have waited 3 more days we would have had 2 cars and 2 car payments and the dealership knew this all along since in Georgia you have 30 days to resend a car deal.

If we would not have contacted Chevy Chase Bank we would be in a big mess today trying to keep up two car payments so our credit would not have been ruined while taking legal action against Gwinnett Place Kia. Buyer's Beware Do Not trade with Gwinnett Place Kia a/k/a Toyota Mall of Georgia they will not payoff your trade in and they will rip you off!

Nancy
Grayson, Georgia
U.S.A.