Kelley Blue Book Reviews 253

They gave me an instant price quote online, and when I visited 2 local dealers both of them reduced the price by about 10% even though they both agreed with the condition and all criteria I entered online. The first one added a $1000 "certification fee" and the second one just said they adjusted it because of "the economy". I had gotten the price quote 3 hours earlier. This is a complete BAIT-AND-SWITCH - save your time and don't use it.

This was a bait and switch. KBB gave me a higher offer than CarMax and Carvana. But I went to the dealer, he decreased the offer below the other two unless I purchased a car from them.

False advertisement!! They represent themselves as the dealership!!! I put my car on tru car and got Mazda of Orange as one of the dealerships interested in the car. I received an email from Sarah Salon who lied and represented herself as Mazda! When I got there she still tried to say she is from Mazda and not from kbb!!! She was very slow and finally when I questioned her about the car she said she don’t work for Mazda!!!! They just rent an office there!!! False advertisement!! Even her email said Mazda of Orange! Huge waste of time! Beware!!!

I AGREE WITH ALL THE 1 STAR REVIEWS. KELLY BLUE BOOK INSTANT OFFER IS AN ABSOLUTE SCAM. THE OFFER YOU GET IS VERY LOW AND WHEN YOU GET TO THE RESPONDING DEALERSHIPS, THEY DO NOT GIVE YOU THAT OFFER. ITS A COMPLETE SCAM FROM KELLY BLUE BOOK. KELLY BLUE BOOK IS SCANDELOUS.

Gave me a high price on the phone, went to one of their offices at Mahar Chevrolet ...guy sat behind the desk and offered me $8,000 less than on the phone.

Went down the street to another dealer and I got for the car what I asked for.

Had KBB do an appraisal. Didn't realize they would be sending my information to 3 "participating" dealerships. In order to "participate" dealerships must pay KBB. Dealerships pay KBB when people trade their vehicles. KBB's appraisal was $21,000. Germain Honda of Beavercreek was at the top of the list and blew up my phone - 3 calls/3 voice mails/text in less then 24 hours. They were EXTREMLY interested. I should contact them ASAP.

I'm sure Germain Honda of Beavercreek paid even more to be at the top of the list.

KBB said I should redeem the "Instant Cash Offer" within 3 days...typical high pressure tactic...hurry hurry. After 2 days I got another email saying the Instant Cash Offer "expired in 1 more day." Sure ...sure it does.

KBB says I should take the Instant Cash Offer, title to my vhicle, drivers license, maintenance documentation, proof of insurance, all keys, remotes, manuals. It finished by saying, "Remeber to remove all personal belongingsand ifyou're not buying another car arrange for a ride home."

Complete nonsense, just KBB tryig to make me believe I'll miss out on the $21,000 appraisal.

I got several indepenant appraisals.

Germain's appraisal was $17,000-$19,000
Told an individual at Germain Honda of Beavercreek that I had gotten several independant appraisal and that their offer was way below fair market value of my vehicle, $21,000-$22,00. They said they would talk to their manager and call me. They never did. They did text me back 3 days later saying, "I wanted to touch base with you on your serach for a Honda Civic. Have you found anything yet?"

I texted Them back, "Your appraisal of $17,000-$19,000 for my vehicle was well below fair market value. If you're going to low ball; I'm not going to buy a new vehicle from you."

They texted me back and said, "I understand completly understand, I will say we do use a standard tool that shows market averages, if you would like to bring it in we can have our appraisers take a look to see if we can offer more. Does this work for you?"

More crap to try to get me to come into the dealership. They weren't going to redeem/honor the Instant Cash Offer. They never intended to.

I never went in and I saved my self from wasting @ 3 hours

The "standard tool", they use is Accu-Trade...they subscribe to it. Accu-Trades website says, "Turn More Cars For More Profit"...."...continually drive more highly profitable vehicles through your business."

Accu-Trade exists for the benefit of Germain Honda of Beavercreek only...to make them money and as much money as possible on every trade in.

New vehicle sales/inventory is low due to a computer chip shortage and supply chain issues. This has increased the demand for used vehicles a lot...meaning my vehicle is worth even more money (Germain - wants all this money.). Theirs a shortage of used vehicles increasing the value of my vehicle even more (Germain - wants all this money). Interest rates are high; inflation is at a 40 year high which is makeing my vehicle worth even more (Germain - wants all of this money too.).

Germain's offer of $17,000-$19,00 for my vehicle doesn't reflect current market conditions...they just wanto put that much more "extra" money my vehicle is worth into their own pockets.

Germain isn't going to "redeem" my Instant cash offer under any circumstance, in any reality. They never inteded too. They will find something, anything wrong with my vehilce as an excuse.

I see all the 1 star reviews here are useing the words, scam, and fraud when discribing Instant Cash Offer. From all the low 1 star reviews/complaints it looks like no dealership is actually honoring the Instance Cash offer.

This individual at Germain said the "standard tool" they use shows market averages. Yeah I have an average too...The average trade in appraisal from all the individual independnat appraisals I got was $21,000 too. Even the appraisals I have gotten are are lo do to the fact that they do not take into account that my vehicle still has 14 months left on the manufacturers extended warranty. My vehilce still being udner warranty increases the value of it. I'm sure Germain wants that money too.

Only ones getting paid/benifitting are KBB and Germain.

Also I saw no disclosure from KBB saying they are getting payed by participating dealerhips for each person they refer and whom trade in their vehicle. There is a 1 star review here saying KBB is getting paid $650 per person they refer and whom trade in the vehicles.

I'm very disapointed in KBB and will not be useing their services again.

Once I saw Germains appraisal didn't match the KBB apprasial of $21,000, researched it and fould all these negative KBB Reviews here on Trustpiolet.Not particualy surprised dealterships are doing this.There's complaints about Instant Cash Offer going back to 2016.

We got a great "offer" at the website, but once we went to the dealership, they found "minor" isues and lower the value 20%. I think this is plain and simple a scam, they make you do the work, to increase their revenue.

Took vehicle along with paperwork to dealership and they didn’t honor cash offer, guess it just works to get you on the lot.

Autotrader's instant cash offer is a scam to get and then sell your information. I got no offer, but got many emails from dealers. To get an offer you have to give them email, and phone number in order to be able to click get an offer. And I wasn't able to find a plce on the site to opt out of sharing my information. What a scam!!!

We used KBB for a “cash offer” from a dealer. We got three dealers to participate. I called one of the dealers and they said they would honor that price if all was good with the info I provided. We drove there only to be told they will only give us less. They said KBB gives wrong values.

I think it’s a waste of time to use this KBB feature on for cash vale!
Beware.

This app doesn’t do what Kelly Blue Book is supposed to do - give you a price on the car you are researching! What is the point of this waste of time app? Vehicle research? I wanted an estimate, and with all the pop up adds it makes this app even worse. Worst app I’ve ever used. Very surprised the rating was over 1 star.

Wish I could rate this a zero Star - what a scam - KBB instant cash offer was $9,015 - the Hyundai dealer in Bend Oregon offered me $7,000. I ask why the big difference - they said it was a rear wheel drive not an all-wheel drive - well duh, that's what it said on the Autotrader KBB instant offer! I asked if there was anything different about the car than was represented on the KBB offer - they said no...what a shady operation - can't believe I wasted an hour at that dealership and with the KBB instant offer - this is a SCAM

I participated in the KBB Instant Cash Offer program on 9/29/22 and obtained a $2582.00 established value for my 2014 VW Golf. That offer went out to 3 dealerships James, Tradition, and Auction Direct of Rochester. I chose James as they were the closest and had the most communication. They inspected my car, established a value, and disclosed the value to be the same (2582.00). I was able to view the dealership’s assessment of the 2582.00 offer on their computer. Then the sales/inspection person discussed the offer privately with the General Manager (Aaron) and came back with a low ball offer of 1000.00. I feel this is a classic bait and switch and a reluctance to bargain in good faith. KBB should force the dealer to make good on this offer. I'm sure this will never happen because these dealers and KBB are in bed with each other. This is pure and simple fraud. BBB has a report also.

I found a gem of a truck out in the country, 99 f150 xl, low mile v6 w/5 spd manual, super clean and well taken care of. Those "wonderful people" told me it was only worth a little over $1300, only about 1/5 of what it's actually worth, and then car lots started calling me trying to con me out of it! Way to sellout KBB!!!

Site is un-usable. Pop-up said turn off ad blocker. Mine are turned off, but it still said the same thing. Site is garbage.

SCAM...received a "cash" offer on KBB. Dealer rep from Ciocca dealerships in Pleasantville NJ called to set appt.
No one came to talk to me once i arrived. Receptionist handed me a paper notating the amount they would offer.
Little did they know that I was in the market for a new vehicle. Will never use KBB or CIOCCA.

September 24, 2022, I just purchased a new Ford bronco and I am in the process of deciding what to do with my other Ford vehicle. I went to Carvana and another online vehicle purchaser and they both gave me values of $8300 give or take $100. I said to myself well maybe I’ll smell it myself and perhaps I can make a couple thousand extra. So I go to Kelley Blue Book to get an idea of what my value should be as a private sale. I was surprised to see that they were more than $2000 lower than what Carvana was offering me as an outright purchase. And then I realize that KBB Also has a service where they sell my information to other car buyers and I’m assuming that if they keep my value artificially low they will then have more subscribing car buyers to their portal increasing their bottom line. Very disappointed in KBB

Do not waste your time. They lowered $2800 from the quote because of market conditions. I went to Carmax and they honor the exact quote from the website.

KBB made me a reasonable on-line offer, albeit on the low side, at $12085 for my used car. We made arrangement for a dealer to inspect and purchase. When I showed up the dealer stated the car needed tires - IT DOES NOT. The fronts were only a couple months old (!) and the rears have at least 2 years left. My 2012 car has only 34K miles, has no mechanical issues, has no rust, has no paint chips, has only two very small dings (honestly hard to see), has good tires (2 new) and the interior is like new - truly. The dealer stated KBB's offer was now "ineligible", but the dealer would be willing to pay $9000. What a joke. I expect this type of crap from dealers but not KBB. Shame on you KBB. I drove out to the dealer because KBB's reputation was behind the credible, albeit a bit low, offer. What a sucker I was! KBB is in bed with the dealers, and I would not be surprised if they split the profits made from this low-ball crap. My advise: don't waste your time considering any offers from KBB - they cannot be trusted anymore than a used car dealer. They will tell you one thing to get you into the dealer, then they will make up BS to justify a ridiculous low-ball offer. KBB was one of the few on-line companies I actually respected. Fool me once...