Dealers My god is this the Honda Experience ?

[mitch]

Hi everybody - this looks like a great site for information!!

Unfortunately my first post is a bad one and I need some advice really...


It started off when we first bought our civic 2 weeks ago. We went to look at the car that we had been told about and found it had around 5000 more miles on it? Fortunately they had an ex demo 07 plate which had a lot better mileage and we did the deal. We arranged this on Tuesday for the pickup to be on Saturday and were told that the few scratches that we pointed out would be fixed no problem before purchase.


Saturday came and we were very excited to pickup the car so you can imagine my disappointment when we seen that they had just washed it? After we got over this and the salesman expressed his sincere apologies we went ahead and bought the car anyway. Unbelievably even though we agreed on the price and the correct price was in front of us on the invoice, the finance chap charged us £300 less. At the time we didn't realize this as surely any professional company wouldn't be so incompetent??

Well a week has gone by and we got a call from the salesman expressing his apologies and that we had been undercharged and would need to pay the extra £300. Of course we questioned this and needed to check with our bank that this was the case. Next day we got a call from the Dealer Principle to arrange collection for the car to sort out the scratches and also to ask why we were refusing to pay the extra £300 ?

Unfortunately after arguing for 15mins my girlfriend was pressured into paying the extra £300 and told me that she didn't want to deal with them again as they had been extremely arrogant and pushy with her.

I then had to remind her that they still had to fix the scratches as part of the deal and that she should allow them to pick up the car and drop it back with her fully fixed. I can only describe what happened next as being totally unbelievable. They arrived on Thursday to pickup the car and she showed them the marks before the driver went - crouching down to show the driver that the front light washer also hadn't been sprayed properly. The car was then driven back to her later that day and explained that it was all fixed but did she realize that the front corner had been scuffed? She expressed that she was not aware that it was and stupidly on the spot remarked that it possibly may have been done in the car park and how much was it going to cost. (Bearing in mind there was still one scratch out of three that they missed?) The dealer then called her an gave her a price of £110 + VAT

It was only when we got home that evening that she thought hang on a minute there was no scuff when they picked up the car and also that the scuff was right where she had crouched down to show the chap the problem with the bumper washer. I looked at the marks on the bumper and was shocked as it is quite bad and very noticeable and told her not to except that it was her problem. I told her to get on to the Dealer Principle first thing the next day and explain what has happened and hopefully get it sorted no problem. Wrong again - she explained to me later that morning that he had been very abrupt with her and trying to wriggle out of any responsibility saying that the driver had been with them for years and if it had have been done whilst in their care it would have been sorted and admitted to.

I then decided that enough was enough and phoned the Dealer Principle myself and explain the situation. Well I cant say they he was nasty with me but he certainly needs to go back to the customer relations school and after two phone calls on Friday the problem still isn't sorted. After the first phone call he told me that the driver had pointed out the scuff mark before he had taken the car in the morning which was BS and the second phone call he said that we were going round in circles and that he would have to ask the driver again to make sure. - wtf ?



That is how it is gone so far although I am due a phone call on Monday from him.


I will point out that I am a Managing Director myself and are both shocked and disappointed with the dealership after sales so far and can't believe that were arguing over £110 + VAT ? I mean I don't really care who did it and when - it’s just the case that it wasn't there when it was picked up in the first place..

The whole Honda experience so far has been unbelievable compared to Renault and BMW which I drive now and is very much clouding my opinion of an otherwise excellent product.


Two questions though :-

I am thinking that we have had the car two weeks yesterday and put on about 600miles and if this doesn't get sorted Monday, I would like to return it for a full refund and take my business elsewhere - does anybody know my rights to do this ?


I have phone Honda customer relations and they explained that it is a dealership problem and to seek citizens advice if the problem continues - is this all I can do to make my problem heard ? I will also be complaining to the manager of the group of which they are part of but does anybody think I can take it higher at Honda ?

I have also realized that no matter where I take it for a service locally it will have to go to part of this group which also pisses me off


Sorry for the long rant, but if anybody has some advice it would be much appreciated as I would like some more ammunition for Monday

as you can imagine I am very very upset


Many thanks

Mitch

[mitch]

just thought I'd post a picture so you can see what I mean and yes the paint has been rubbed off in a few places.

Picture this - they were crouched down looking at the bumper washer before the car was driven away - do you think that they would have noticed the scuff ???

they must think their customers were born yesterday..

mitch

[Bog]

Stick to your guns and get them to sort it!

I personally think Honda dealers are very poor and Honda UK don't seem to care.

[samuel090180]

your girlfriend should not have admitted liability, as it has now weakened your case...

[Foggy69]

Originally Posted by mitch

Unbelievably even though we agreed on the price and the correct price was in front of us on the invoice, the finance chap charged us £300 less. At the time we didn't realize this as surely any professional company wouldn't be so incompetent??

Well a week has gone by and we got a call from the salesman expressing his apologies and that we had been undercharged and would need to pay the extra £300. Of course we questioned this and needed to check with our bank that this was the case. Next day we got a call from the Dealer Principle to arrange collection for the car to sort out the scratches and also to ask why we were refusing to pay the extra £300 ?

So the guy made a mistake, it's not unknown you know. Calling them incompetent for one small error is very OTT, have you NEVER made a mistake.
As an Managing Director yourself, don't you have some knowledge of money?? Did you check to make sure that the finance deal was right, I would have done.

[Pottsy]

Hi. It's a shame it's all started so badly.

How many miles did they say the first car had on (the one that ended up having 5,000)?

So far as the second car goes, the price question just seems to have been badly handled. Both parties agreed the price, so you are obliged to see them right. Any defects on the car that they agreed to rectify should really have been rectified before you accepted the car - in used car terms taking the thing away is normally seen as acceptance, but at least they made the effort to come and collect the car and sort out the issues.

I suspect strongly that the dealer did not realise that they had scuffed the car. If they had, they would have made some effort to quickly repair it - but it is very poor that they are questioning your word on it. Let's hope they just apologise and fix it.

Honda are correct in saying that it's a dealer problem. All the issues you have had are to do with the transaction (condition, finance and so on); Honda are only responsible for honouring the guarantee on the car - and there appears to be nothing wrong with the car itself. Remember that Honda sell the car to the dealer, and you then buy the car from the dealer. Having a go at Honda is like having a go at Black & Decker because the B&Q man dropped your drill in the shop.

Honda contractually insist that any franchise offer a 30 day exchange program - so you can exchange the car for another, but to get a refund you will have to claim that the car is either faulty or not as described. Not liking the dealer is, I suspect, not enough grounds to warrant a refund.

Let us know how you get on!

[Bungle]

This has very little to do with Honda, it's the dealer. What has happened is very bad, and needs sorting out. But it is all down between you and th dealer, HUK really can't do much to help this. You'd be better off complaining to the HO of the dealership.

[mitch]

thanks for the replys - I see your point regarding Honda's responsibility for the car rather than the after service - it is my mistake to assume that they keep an eye on their dealer network from a customer point of view.

Also - I do make mistakes all of the time, however I would have nipped this in the bud asap and made sure that my customer comes back time and time again. My grievance is not with the problem it is the fact that on each occasion the dealer has not sorted them and now the car has been further damaged and they are denying responsibility.

Hopefully this will all be sorted on Monday and we can get back to enjoying the car as intended

I'll let you know what happens

mitch

[Brodick]

You should name an shame the dealer on here Mitch
although we understand if you want to wait until the situation is sorted out

[illegalhunter]

Dont you get a 30 day money back garantee on the car . Ask for the cash back they will do what ever it takes to keep your money

[Jobo]

Hi Mitch.

Sorry to hear you and your girlfriend have had a bad start with the new car.

I would check your contract of sale to see if you do have a 30 day money back guarantee. However, as your girlfriend was pressured into accepting liability, you may have to pay for the damage first.

My car was damaged slighty during a visit to the workshop last year. When I went to collect the car, it wasn't parked in the service bays but had been reverse parked round the back of the dealership so I couldn't check it properly until I got home. I asked my husband to phone the dealership and explain the problem. He took my car back in next day, spoke to the workshop manager who in turn went and spoke to a chap in the workshop who admitted damaging my car. It was sorted out later that week. I think most garages try it on if they think they can get away with it.

I would advise taking photos of the car before it goes back to the garage and let the garage know you have done so. They may be more careful in future.

I wouldn't say you and your girfriend are over-reacting. if you have paid good money for a car, you should expect some standards of service. I can fully understand why your girlfriend doesn't want to speak or deal with them after being patronised and pressurised. We can all do without that.

Good luck for tomorrow.

Jo

[Pottsy]

You get a 30 day exchange guarantee...

Honda (UK) - Cars - Used - 30 Day Exchange

[joonyar]

I have had bad experience with 2 of my previous cars regarding the stealer, but my missus phoned head office & reported both of them & then the stealer couldnt be nicer. This was Peugeot & Nissan, basically head office told her that they dont want their name getting dragged through the dirt due to bad interpersonal skills. I would wait till you speak to the manager & then if still not happy phone up Honda & tell them what you think of the manager & branch etc

[Type S Bournemouth]

Also you do not have to take your car to a Honda dealer to be serviced. Your warranty would still stand. But it would have an impact on future reselling value.