Kia Dealer Slipping A Credit Card Surcharge To Their Service Bills...... [View all]

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I made an appointment today to take my Kia Soul in for service (basically an oil check and change). I just received an e-mail confirmation for my service appointment - with this bit of new information tacked on to the e-mail.

It reads:

As of March 1st 2023, there will be a 3.25% charge for credit card payments. There is no fee for debit card payments, cash payments or checks. Thank you for your understanding.

It's always been my understanding that a credit card is a convenience when you purchase something. If I don't pay my bill on time or if I pay only a portion of my monthly bill - the credit card company charges me interest and late fees if I don't make the payment by the deadline.

I've always come to believe that businesses accept credit card payments without tacking on a surcharge for a customer making a payment by credit card. I've always thought that "it is a cost for the business for doing business".

I'm terribly upset about this surcharge and I also question the legality of a business to add such a surcharge to their bill.

My eye-doctor tried to do this during the pandemic. I called him on it and said it was unfair to pass that on to the patient. I told him it was a cost of him doing business. On my next 6 month visit to his office - his credit card surcharge was eliminated. I'm thinking that he got an earful from other of his patients.

Aren't surcharges like this what Pres. Biden commented on in one of his speeches and was moving to do something to eliminate them?

I'm going to pay this Kia dealer with a personal check. Then I'm going to look for other Kia dealers in my city that aren't tacking on a credit card surcharge. I'm going to take my business elsewhere and never do business with this dealer again.

I'm thinking that other car makers aren't instituting such surcharges. I'm also thinking of writing a letter to the editor of our local community newspaper and putting it out their for other customers and potential customers to see.

What do you think? Is such a surcharge legal? Am I wrong for making such a fuss about this? Has anyone else run into such credit card surcharges? I'm curious to hear what others think about this.