Mark Up
What was described to me as 'Winter Package': $1,703
Lets look at the Mark Up specifically. Canadian prices.
Though it's not expressly broken down on the bill of sale, let's say it's not unreasonable that the dealership likely had a finance fee of some kind in there like
@Rgue.
That would put the cost of my 'Winter Package' somewhere around $1000. What would it have cost me to do on my own.
For the block heater and installation I'll Google search a price. Block heaters ranged from 40 to 180 bucks on Amazon Canada. Higher than US searches. Let's call it 60 Cdn, which I suspect is high. Found another site claiming installation would be 100-200 USD depending on car, but also found a YouTube video suggests it takes about 5-7 minutes to install for a Kia Forte. Let's low ball it and say the Seltos will be similar, and call it $140 Cdn.
Block heater and install: $200 Cdn
Mats were brand name, no brainer to find.
Weathertech Mats: $285 Cdn on Amazon
Provided with KIA brand wheel locks but the locks themselves aren't specailly branded in any way other than the packaging, so I could just change them with any.
McGard Wheel Locks (look identical): $30 Cdn
Paint pen. Kiapartsnow shows the American price at $14 USD.
Paint Pen: $20 Cdn.
So roughly $535 bucks worth of stuffs and installation. Does it leave a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. Yes. But what would have been worse is paying Used prices on a Seltos. Used dealers wanted $42,000 for a Used 2021 with 10,000 kilometers on it. Pre-Tax. And it had a blown rear subwoofer.
I did talk him down to 38,000 (cash deal), but I ultimately walked. I just couldn't do it, pay more than New for a Used, two-year-old car, with 10,000 kilometers on it? Just couldn't do it. They're preying on people that have written off their cars and NEED something now. Just a shitty bunch of human beings.
The reality is if they weren't gouging, they'd make their profit in high sales. If you're the only dealership not taking advantage, word would get out. But these guys are preying on the unfortunate.