Hyundai Telling Dealers They Cannot Swap Genesis Emblems

[Stoofpilot]

I was told today by a dealer sales rep that they cannot put the Genesis Wings on anymore because Hyundai does not want a branding issue over here in the US and the Genesis emblem is too close to the BMW Mini Cooper.

Anyone else heard this??

 

[Dimitry]

i call bullshit

the emblem is also close to the bentley, aston - but who cares? It looks good, and distinct

 

[PINGGOLF]

I call BS too. It CLEARLY says GENESIS.

You just found a salesman who is too lazy to take a leak...If you asked, I bet he would tell you he wears a diaper.

Gotta love those type.

Anywho, you can do it yourself in less than 5 min. Park your car outside in the sun...get you some dental floss, slide it between the metal and the plastic. Clean off any goo left behind and then put your new emblems on and forget the headache of a lazy man.

 

[dataguy]

Actually, I'd find it more credible if HMA told dealers they couldn't rebadge and try to charge $1000+ to do that. Not only would they be diluting the brand halo but ripping off the customer to boot.

EDIT: Case in point attached. From the dealer I bought my Genesis from. They weren't kidding when they told me I was better off ordering the parts myself rather than pay their markup.

 

[Gambler]

So do it yourself, it is cheap and easy to do. There is even a YouTube video of a guy doing a genesis emblem:
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6l9hfr-J64"]YouTube- How to rebadge the trunk lid of your Hyundai Genesis[/nomedia]

 

[Mark_888]

HMA probably does not like it, because they want people to know it is a Hyundai, because the Hyundai logo enhances the brand (so they can sell more Sonatas, etc). But I doubt seriously that HMA can legally prevent dealers from changing the emblems to the KDM version. If a dealer actually put another auto-maker emblem on the car, that would be a different story.

 

[ASHDUMP]

HMA probably does not like it, because they want people to know it is a Hyundai, because the Hyundai logo enhances the brand (so they can sell more Sonatas, etc). But I doubt seriously that HMA can legally prevent dealers from changing the emblems to the KDM version. If a dealer actually put another auto-maker emblem on the car, that would be a different story.

I would think HMA thought about this for 2 seconds and then said, "We really don't care as long as people are buying the car". Word of mouth will be Hyundai's climb to the tipping point!

 

[nearwater]

Actually, I'd find it more credible if HMA told dealers they couldn't rebadge and try to charge $1000+ to do that. Not only would they be diluting the brand halo but ripping off the customer to boot.

EDIT: Case in point attached. From the dealer I bought my Genesis from. They weren't kidding when they told me I was better off ordering the parts myself rather than pay their markup.

Wow, just look at that markup! No wonder why people call them 'stealership'.
Before I was seriously into buying a Genesis, I think I read somewhere that Hyundai offered a "signature package" for about $1k which included all the rebadging.
Obviously I was misinformed.

Dan

 

[Konig]

That doesn't mean dealers are not allowed to remove the hyundai logos, apply the adhesive to the wing logos and wait for you to PUT IT ON THE CAR YOURSELF.

 

[ctrcbob]

Whatever happened to the statement by manufacturers that "Dealers are independent business men and the manufacturer can't tell them what to do". At least that is what they say when customers complain that dealers are charging sky high prices, both in sales (with the bump-up stickers) and service.

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[dataguy]

Whatever happened to the statement by manufacturers that "Dealers are independent business men and the manufacturer can't tell them what to do". At least that is what they say when customers complain that dealers are charging sky high prices, both in sales (with the bump-up stickers) and service.

I think the relationship is more like a franchise, with certain minimum standards to sell the brand. The risk for a dealer would be that corporate would not permit them to sell the vehicles. Not that I think that would happen.

I'd like to see them go after some of these hideous dealer-modded cars that you see from time to time in showrooms before they would go after ones that install an orderable Hyundai-Mobis part.

 

[Mark_888]

I think the relationship is more like a franchise, with certain minimum standards to sell the brand. The risk for a dealer would be that corporate would not permit them to sell the vehicles. Not that I think that would happen.

I'd like to see them go after some of these hideous dealer-modded cars that you see from time to time in showrooms before they would go after ones that install an orderable Hyundai-Mobis part.

Unless there is a clause in their dealership contract that specifically prohibits them from making mods, or using KDM emblems, there is not much HMA can do about it.

 

[dataguy]

Unless there is a clause in their dealership contract that specifically prohibits them from making mods, or using KDM emblems, there is not much HMA can do about it.

I agree, other than deciding not to renew their contract. Or not allowing them to sell the Equus. Or making sure they get the bottom of the barrel in allotments. It's one of those "read between the lines" things in business. There are things that are contractual, but then there are things that are merely suggested.

 

[Mark_888]

I agree, other than deciding not to renew their contract. Or not allowing them to sell the Equus. Or making sure they get the bottom of the barrel in allotments. It's one of those "read between the lines" things in business. There are things that are contractual, but then there are things that are merely suggested.

That may be true to some extent, but there are also some serious anti-trust laws that prohibit that kind of shenanigans by distributors, and the penalties can be lethal.

More than likely the dealer who made the claim about Hyundai not letting change the badging was lying, as salespersons often do.

 

[tiresmokindad]

I was told today by a dealer sales rep that they cannot put the Genesis Wings on anymore because Hyundai does not want a branding issue over here in the US and the Genesis emblem is too close to the BMW Mini Cooper.

Anyone else heard this??

I heard that genesis wings cannot installed on mine. I think you should choose another one.

 

[sandy]

How much control a mfg has over a franchised dealer is a complex legal issue and the courts are filled with cases on the subject. And they cut both ways, franchisee vs mfg and mfg vs franchisee.

In this case we are really talking more about a mfg's control over his product and, more importantly, its branding. Often, a brand is a company's most important asset, built over years with many millions of promotional dollars.

Once the sale is made to the end-user, the customer is free to have the dealer make any changes he chooses, so long as they don't violate safety/DMV requirements.

Prior to the customers ownership, I believe Hyundai would have a strong case in protecting its branding investment. Also, particularly in the case of the Genesis, Hyundai branding is part of the overall "halo" marketing strategy.

So, I wouldn't be surprised if Hyundai has asked their dealers not to re-brand the Genesis. How far they would push it would depend on many factors including their relationship with a particular dealer.

 

[dg_moore]

I was at my dealer's yesterday and saw two new (unsold) Genesis' (Genesi?) on the lot - both rebadged, and both with the front badge too close to the grill.

 

[ASHDUMP]

and both with the front badge too close to the grill.

bummer - Can't people take the time to do things right?

 

[Ron Veenker]

I was told today by a dealer sales rep that they cannot put the Genesis Wings on anymore because Hyundai does not want a branding issue over here in the US and the Genesis emblem is too close to the BMW Mini Cooper.

Anyone else heard this??

My salesman in TN offered the badge kit free. I couldn't stay in town to wait for the shipment so I came back to NC and a few days later I got the box from FedEx.

Was it the guys at Parkway in Wilmington that told you they couldn't rebadge or the dealer in DC?

Ron

 

[Ron Veenker]

I was at my dealer's yesterday and saw two new (unsold) Genesis' (Genesi?) on the lot - both rebadged, and both with the front badge too close to the grill.

I hate that too. At the last minute I decided not to put the wing badge on my hood. I really like the clean look of the design as it is. However, I do find a well installed hood badge quite dashing. I see a lot on this forum that look great.

Ron