Kia Boss Hooks Up To A Lie Detector

What does it take to convince a potential customer that what your brand's claims are genuine? How about putting the company's boss through a lie detector test? That was exactly what Kia Motors Belgium did. To convince the public that Kia's 7-year warranty offer is genuine, Benoit Morrene, GM of Kia Motors Belgium allowed himself to be hooked to a lie detector while answering questions streamed from the Internet. Live video feed and incoming questions were posted online.

The ad campaign was done by a Belgian agency LDV United. If you speak Dutch, you can follow the entire proceeding here. The transcript of questions and answers given can be downloaded here.

I don't think it is possible not just for Kia, but for any car company to do the same thing here. It's not so much about manufacturer's here are out to fleece you, but I would imagine the load of rude and negative rubbish that will be submitted. Just ask anyone in the customer service / support line on the sort of horribly written complain letters that they have to deal with. Plus, this was done in Belgium, where people are more civilized, and consumers understand what is their right and what is an irrational / rude complain.

Regarding extended warranties, there are quite a number of car manufacturers offering them. But no two extended warranties are the same. You maybe offered a 5-year extended warranty package, but most of the time, what the extended warranty package really is a 3-year (or even 2-year) warranty covered by the manufacturer, while the remaining is picked up by a third party, usually an insurance company. The coverage given by the manufacturer (first 2 or 3 years) is different from the coverage given by the third party insurer. Does it cover rust, engine, transmission, or does it exclude these? The extended warranty may only cover parts and not labour. So be sure to read the fine print on what items are covered within what period. In some cases, the extended warranty is tied to the first owner, so it cannot be transferred to the next owner once the car is sold.

In the case of Kia Motors Belgium, the 7-year warranty offered is bumper-to-bumper (meaning it covers the entire car with no exception), including parts and labour, It also includes a free 7-year roadside assistance. And the best of all - these are transferable to the next owner, so it dramatically increases a Kia's resale value. Just how many used cars can you buy out there that are still under warranty?