Model year What are the 2008 changes?

[FWH]

Originally Posted by NH Dan

1) you are right in your last comment
2) my heavily sarcastic reply/tip was in jest and in aid to help someone who feels they are getting nowhere.

Understood.
And thank you for your valuable contributions on here as a dealer, if only all dealers were so helpful.

This is where I am coming from..
I have a Honda dealer down the road from where I work.

They basically could not be bothered to sell me a car.
Let me test drive and gave me a first quote, but then did not want to know.

- Gave me incorrect information on the car and did not want to discuss this

- Had no knowledge of available accesories

- Did not answer e-mails

- When I dropped by I was told that the sales guy I had talked to was not in that day so I should come back some other time, but "I probably really need to chase him for some attention, because they had already met their budget"

So I drove ten miles to another dealer and bought a brand new EX.

Also one other example (I have more..), I was looking at some Toyotas at a dealer, but they could not give me a quote because they were closing in 30 mins. They pointed out they had a car on special offer and I could buy that if I wanted to... I did not becasue I know what colour / options etc I want.. They took my e-mail address so they could e-mail a quote when they had time. They never did.

I deal with suppliers daily in my work, and I know not to accept not being treated as a customer. You want my money - you are going to have to work for it....

[NH Dan]

Originally Posted by FWH

Understood.
And thank you for your valuable contributions on here as a dealer, if only all dealers were so helpful.

This is where I am coming from..
I have a Honda dealer down the road from where I work.

They basically could not be bothered to sell me a car.
Let me test drive and gave me a first quote, but then did not want to know.

- Gave me incorrect information on the car and did not want to discuss this

- Had no knowledge of available accesories

- Did not answer e-mails

- When I dropped by I was told that the sales guy I had talked to was not in that day so I should come back some other time, but "I probably really need to chase him for some attention, because they had already met their budget"

So I drove ten miles to another dealer and bought a brand new EX.

Also one other example (I have more..), I was looking at some Toyotas at a dealer, but they could not give me a quote because they were closing in 30 mins. They pointed out they had a car on special offer and I could buy that if I wanted to... I did not becasue I know what colour / options etc I want.. They took my e-mail address so they could e-mail a quote when they had time. They never did.

I deal with suppliers daily in my work, and I know not to accept not being treated as a customer. You want my money - you are going to have to work for it....

I wholeheartedly agree. Having been in the industry for 10 yrs plus i'd like to think that I've learnt lots of peoples lessons. Not perfect by a long stretch but still to this day try to treat every customer or potential customer as I would like to be treated if it were me....

[FWH]

Originally Posted by NH Dan

I wholeheartedly agree. Having been in the industry for 10 yrs plus i'd like to think that I've learnt lots of peoples lessons. Not perfect by a long stretch but still to this day try to treat every customer or potential customer as I would like to be treated if it were me....

I think also some find that customers who know a little about cars and know what options etc they want are just difficult.

They prefer someone who just believes everything they say or who buys a whole company fleet.

[NH Dan]

Originally Posted by FWH

I think also some find that customers who know a little about cars and know what options etc they want are just difficult.

They prefer someone who just believes everything they say or who buys a whole company fleet.

I find customers who know about the cars a hell of a lot easier to deal with. Its people who think they know that are the trouble lol, same in all walks of life.

[FWH]

Originally Posted by NH Dan

I find customers who know about the cars a hell of a lot easier to deal with. Its people who think they know that are the trouble lol, same in all walks of life.

[TTDegs]

but still a good idea to befriend the receptionist

They're the ones with the keys to the decent coffee machine


getting back on track

The date on the ashtray would give a good indication of the build date, due to the rate at which Civics are being churned out at the mo.
From memory (and no doubt FWH is going to use his fave Wiki picture in the next reply ) there might also be a date on the seatbelts?
Again, only an indication though.

as mentioned elsewhere in this thread though, it's the year in the VIN which is key

[Kremmen]

Somewhere around there is probably a way of deciphering the VIN or some other code somewhere into a build month ?

We know that the factory and build year is in there and probably the paint code number.

[TTDegs]

Originally Posted by Foggy69

Wiki is your friend. I borrowed that saying from FWH

These are Honda´s model designations.
FK1: 5 door 1.4 petrol
FK2: 5 door 1.8 petrol
FK3: 5 door 2.2 diesel
FN1: 3 door 1.8 petrol (Type S)
FN2: 3 door 2.0 petrol (Type R)
FN3: 3 door 2.2 diesel (Type S)

These codes are part of the VIN.
VIN is Vehicle Identification Number. Read more about VIN on Wikipedia.
The VIN can be found on a metal plate inside the lower part of the windshield.

For example:

SHHFK37607U000258

Is a 5 door 2.2 diesel (FK3) from Model Year 2007 (07).

SHH is Honda Swindon UK, the plant where the car is built.

using Foggy's number:

and the Wiki Link

1/2/3 Manufacturer = SHH
4/5/6/7/8 Vehicle attributes = FK376
9 Check digit = 0
10 model year = 7
11 plant code = U
12-17 sequential = 000258

out of all of that, the possibles for manufacture month would be
digits 7/8
or getting hold of Honda's build lists to work out which sequential nos (per model) were built when...

[Kremmen]

out of all of that, the possibles for manufacture month would be
digits 7/8

Looks unlikely as they would probably need to have them range from 01 - 12.

Maybe just linked to the serial number which Honda can look up in their database.

[electric]

I took my 2008 EX back to Honda Enfield today and the sales executive immediately exchanged my 2006 Sat Nav disk for the 2008 two DVD set. (I just hope they remember to put a replacement set back in the new orange Civic that had just arrived in the showroom!)

While waiting I checked out the ashtray build dates of the Civics on display. The new orange ES had an 08 VIN and was built in November 2007. They had a new EX on show which had a 2007 VIN. This had a build date of February 07.

It seems important to check your VIN if buying new. However cars are arriving at the dealers many months after being made.

[Coldwarkid]

Originally Posted by FWH

I think also some find that customers who know a little about cars and know what options etc they want are just difficult.

They prefer someone who just believes everything they say or who buys a whole company fleet.

Agreed!

They didn't seem interested in selling optional extras.

[Kremmen]

They had a new EX on show which had a 2007 VIN. This had a build date of February 07.

Blimey, that's the same build as mine and I've been tooling around in mine for a year !

Surely that build date can't be right for an unregistered Civic ?

[NH Dan]

Originally Posted by Kremmen

Blimey, that's the same build as mine and I've been tooling around in mine for a year !

Surely that build date can't be right for an unregistered Civic ?

Why not?? The 07 MY EX has only one major difference to the 08 MY EX and thats the rear parking sensors which are now to be retro fitted on any 07 cars anyway. The car is inherantly the same be it an 07 or 08 MY. If you get one of the first cars from a MY build then you will obviously be a year ahead on someone who gets maybe one of the last of the same year.

The only time a problem should arise is when there has been a major change of spec in a model, in which case, the manufacturer usually makes amends by price re-alignment or specification upgrade as with the current 07/08 EX.

[NH Dan]

Originally Posted by electric

I took my 2008 EX back to Honda Enfield today and the sales executive immediately exchanged my 2006 Sat Nav disk for the 2008 two DVD set. (I just hope they remember to put a replacement set back in the new orange Civic that had just arrived in the showroom!)

While waiting I checked out the ashtray build dates of the Civics on display. The new orange ES had an 08 VIN and was built in November 2007. They had a new EX on show which had a 2007 VIN. This had a build date of February 07.

It seems important to check your VIN if buying new. However cars are arriving at the dealers many months after being made.

Well done the salesguy for sorting out the problem as quickly and cleanly as he did and glad you have the issue resolved now.

The 'ashtray date' is purely the part build date and not really an indication of when the car was built only the ashtray component. Build years run from approximately Sept thru to Aug so the cars you have seen should be in that time space. The only way of determining the actual build time of the car is the VIN number.

When a car is built, if it hasnt been built specifically for a customer then it is stock. It will sit in the pound until it is pulled out by a dealer for stock or sale. This can be a matter of days or months dependant on what it is(spec/model etc). On average, dependant on geographic location, it takes between 3-10 days for a car to be delivered to a dealership once called in.

As per my previous post, the only issue with the time of build and the model year is if there has been a significant spec change at year switch. Some 06/07/08 cars will all be identical.

If there has been a recall/revision of a part or parts since the 06/07 build on the newer car then the PDI (Pre Delivery Inpsection) is designed to pick this up and the parts replaced/revised (petrol flap issues etc)

[Kremmen]

Originally Posted by NH Dan

Why not?? The 07 MY EX has only one major difference to the 08 MY EX and thats the rear parking sensors which are now to be retro fitted on any 07 cars anyway. The car is inherantly the same be it an 07 or 08 MY. If you get one of the first cars from a MY build then you will obviously be a year ahead on someone who gets maybe one of the last of the same year.

The only time a problem should arise is when there has been a major change of spec in a model, in which case, the manufacturer usually makes amends by price re-alignment or specification upgrade as with the current 07/08 EX.

What I meant was - would there still be an unregistered Civic in a showroom that was built in February last year ?

Surely they get rotated, with newer stock being in the showroom ?

Given the waiting list for some models.

[NH Dan]

Originally Posted by Kremmen

What I meant was - would there still be an unregistered Civic in a showroom that was built in February last year ?

Surely they get rotated, with newer stock being in the showroom ?

Given the waiting list for some models.

That could be the exact reason to have it in the showroom.

for instance, A customer shows some serious interest in a black Civic Ex and although the SE in the showroom is nice, wants to see an EX which currently isnt in stock. The build time for the particular car new is 16 weeks and the customer isnt happy with that. The only car that is available is a 2007 EX in black - the exact same car but no parking sensors, built in feb 07. What would you do??

[Kremmen]

Got you

[alanwalne]

On checking Euro NCAP Honda have made a few safety changes to the 08 Civic

Euro NCAP - For safer cars | Honda Civic

Bigger side airbags dual stage front airbags etc.

Still only got 4 stars though. Only missed 5 stars by one point by the look of it. Honda must be gutted.

[TTDegs]

good find!

you would have thought Honda would have shouted a bit more about that...

though as you say, perhaps not sue to the 'close, but not quite'...


Wiki updated

[electric]

When I ordered my 2008 ML I told the salesman that it was because of the Dual Stage AIr Bags I was insisting on an 08 model. He had never heard about the change and was surprised to know. I could see he didn't really believe me.

Why is it that Honda do not at least update dealers so that their salesmen can be fully informed about what they are selling. - or perhaps they do but sales managers are not bothering to pass the information onto their staff?