Step One Kia Fort Walton Beach

The alternator on my wife's Kia gave up on a Friday afternoon. We had it towed to Step One, where Zach saw to it that it was diagnosed on Monday and fixed by Tuesday. The quick turnaround was important because we were 800 miles from home and at the end of our vacation. Many thanks Zach!

Step One Automotive messed me over. The entire experience from start to finish was a nightmare. We were struggling to drive my car away from the dealership upon getting it back. Originally, my engine locked up in the middle of an intersection. Thankfully there was a motor recall due to metal shavings in the oil compartment from the manufacturer, and the motor was still under warranty for 7 days. I called Kia and found out that I could get my engine replaced for free. It should have gone a lot better than it did taking it to a dealership. At the start they told me it would take 48 hours for them to get to it to look at it, and to send the info to Kia to halt the warranty running out of time. They didn't get around to it until the end of the first week. I received three phone calls/ emails from the technician explaining to me the same thing over the course of 3-4 weeks they had my car. It was a script, telling me the same thing over and over. I've spoke with many different people who experienced this. No new information, the technician would just tell me the same drawn out things, reassuring me that it was being handled. Their mechanics finally replaced my engine after that third week, and put it together in an UNBELIEVABLE manner. I was genuinely afraid for the first week I drove the car, I'm a mother and I'm driving with my one year old baby. I felt like the car was going to fall apart beneath me driving down the road. As we drove it back home, my friend was having to put it in neutral at stop lights, amidst other issues. They could not have cared less that this was my one warranty replacement, and that it needed to be done correctly as you'd expect would be done by a dealership. It was not safe to drive! Not only did the mechanic just slap the engine in there, he broke pieces under my hood! And left off covers, flaps, bolts, screws. They did not have the bolts and screws to give back to me either. I still can't imagine what's missing on the sides and underneath my motor. The mechanic really could not have cared less about our safety and well-being with this job that he did. They also killed my battery. We took the battery to be tested, but there wasn't enough time for it to recharge. We had to get back home, it was storming and we had a long drive. They had had my car for a month and I needed to get back to work. I had to come out of pocket $190 that day. We have a video where they had left the lights on in other customer's vehicles out in their parking lot, probably to try and charge more people for dead batteries that they'll refuse to be accountable for. I had a friend go back up to talk to them about a refund on the battery, the technician tried telling us that it was the car/ battery at fault, when simply the mechanic probably left a door ajar or a light on. That battery was from November 2024. As my friend went to talk to them about a refund, they treated him very poorly. He also let them know that they gave the car back to us a quart low on oil! The service manager stated he would send me a check in the mail for a QUART of oil. I was not actually looking forward to it, but they didn't even keep their word. It's been a month and I've not received it. They are petty and scammy. It was all unprofessional and embarrassing. This has been such a poor experience with a Kia dealership. I would love to see them get shut down. I cannot believe that they would do anyone this way. I had ONE warranty engine replacement, I made the GREAT mistake of bringing my car to them to do the job. I'm not the only one who has had a ragged experience with Step One. We were struggling to drive my car away from the dealership. I cannot stress how unbelievable they did me and my car. I implore others to mark and avoid Step One at all costs. Find a different dealership,

I bought a 2023 Kia K5 process was smooth the purchase. but I now have had a gas cap locked and couldn't add gas to the vehicle and I live an hour away and work Monday thru Friday. They do not offer loaner cars or do service on Saturday or so I was told for over 6 months. So I had road side assist call me to make sure I was in a safe area since I did not have enough gas to drive to the dealership, So I paid a local person to get the cap open to be able to get gas but now it does not latch. I will need to take vacation from work to get it fixed even though after numerous calls I was told it was under recall. Again not my fault! But if I didn't make my payment I am sure i would get calls all day every day!! this dealership is horrible for recalls no email or letter in the mail until Numerous at least 50 calls from me. But I sure get notices when they think I need maintenance service so wrong. I will never buy from this dealership again!