Honda Garage Refusing Business?!

dub_dan

Hi guys,

My Dad drives a 99 Honda CRV, he rang up a well known honda garage to enquire about getting a service and a t/b change, the chap on the phone asked him what year the car was at the start of the conversation, so he knew it was a 99.
What I found weird was he let the conversation go on, getting prices and such, my dad thought great, when can i book it in......

"Can I just have your reg plate number first please,",

" 99-D......".

"Oh I see you've never been here before, sorry we only do '00 reg'd cars onwards, goodbye"

So they're refusing to service a HONDA car, at a HONDA garage, make sense to anyone else? Nope I didnt think so

I wouldnt of believed it only i heard it with my own ears

Do honda intentionally not look after their own customers just because their car is a bit old?!

Fey!

There is a Mercedes/Audi/VW garage renowned for having a policy of taking in nothing over about 5 years old.

Makes me think that they have no faith in what they're selling.

BostonB

Not a sign of a good garage is it. I wonder would Honda Ireland be happy about it?

bazz26

dub_dan wrote:

Hi guys,

My Dad drives a 99 Honda CRV, he rang up a well known honda garage to enquire about getting a service and a t/b change, the chap on the phone asked him what year the car was at the start of the conversation, so he knew it was a 99.
What I found weird was he let the conversation go on, getting prices and such, my dad thought great, when can i book it in......

"Can I just have your reg plate number first please,",

" 99-D......".

"Oh I see you've never been here before, sorry we only do '00 reg'd cars onwards, goodbye"

So they're refusing to service a HONDA car, at a HONDA garage, make sense to anyone else? Nope I didnt think so

I wouldnt of believed it only i heard it with my own ears

Do honda intentionally not look after their own customers just because their car is a bit old?!

Maybe it might be worth giving Honda Ireland a ring and see what their take on it is. It hardly inspires you to buy a car in the future from a garage that have no interest in servicing your existing car.

maidhc

Honda is now a luxury brand. If you drive a 99 you clearly can't afford to own one of them. Buy a Lada or something.

</sarcasm>

jayok

Well I suppose the Dealers themselves do have the right to "Refuse anyone business" but it's certainly not good for the brand! Just shows how much money main dealers are making! This actually flys in the face of Honda's ethos regarding customers.

Call Honda Ireland on 01-6423100, give them the story and see what the response is.

furtzy

jayok wrote:

Well I suppose the Dealers themselves do have the right to "Refuse anyone business" but it's certainly not good for the brand! Just shows how much money main dealers are making! This actually flys in the face of Honda's ethos regarding customers.

Call Honda Ireland on 01-6423100, give them the story and see what the response is.

Would definitely ring them

Tanabe

Ring Honda Ireland
Name & shame the dealer in question
Then bring your custom somewhere else in future

And to think Irish car dealers have the cheek to whine about how imported cars are taking business away from them:rolleyes:

bazz26

maidhc wrote:

Honda is now a luxury brand. If you drive a 99 you clearly can't afford to own one of them. Buy a Lada or something.

</sarcasm>

Audi have been trying that line for years too.

BrianD3

Common enough practise especially in Dublin garages. IIRC I've heard the following excuses put forward

-If they take in old cars they believe they will find a lot wrong with them. When they inform the customer the garage will be then be accused of trying to generate unnecessary extra work.
-A customer brings in his 99 Honda for a timing belt. Because it's an "old" car another unrelated part may wear out/break out a short time later. The customer then comes back to the garage accusing them of breaking something while they were doing the timing belt
-Perhaps the garage's diagnostic equipment may not work on an older car. Also the older the car the less electronics involved therefore a mechanic may have to diagnose problems the old fashioned way i.e. using his brain (if he has one)
-they don't want "old bangers" contaminating their fancy new workshop

Tanabe

All of their excuses are just that - excuses. What a load of bollox. As I said, take your custom else where.

I drove a 98 Type R Honda up to the end of last year. I always got it serviced from my main Honda dealer with the timing belt only changed last year too before I sold it. They made great money from my business alone.

layke

I can give the name of a garage that will do it very cheap if your interested?

Tanabe wrote:

All of their excuses are just that - excuses. What a load of bollox. As I said, take your custom else where.

I drove a 98 Type R Honda up to the end of last year. I always got it serviced from my main Honda dealer with the timing belt only changed last year too before I sold it. They made great money from my business alone.

Dealers are too expensive, use specialists for that type of car.

HashSlinging

Hi Layke,

I'm looking at getting the accord serviced, can you PM me the guy you know, never going to CLON$ki motors again.

5500

Typical really,Ive heard them use the same line for imports manys a time,trying to say they cant get the parts ect its all waffle.

Try www.tuningfactory.ie

layke

HashSlinging wrote:

Hi Layke,

I'm looking at getting the accord serviced, can you PM me the guy you know, never going to CLON$ki motors again.

Eireal already read my mind and posted it mate.

These guys get 5 stars.

dub_dan

yup i was thinking of recommending them to him, i've had a bit of work done there, was very happy with them! wasnt sure if they're be into working on something like a slow crv though

MercMad

I hate to tell you that ALL garages have the choice to do this if they wish. Under the most recent changes in law, things like Block Exemption, mean that selling dealers DO NOT have to offer service facilities for ANY car they sell !

Even new ones !!

Basically dealers have too much business, so they will look after the customers who will be in a position to buy a new car every few years. They dont need new customers !

However the tide will change and their time will come.....................eventually !

DublinWriter

It's really all down to the garage.

Windsor in Raheny were more than happy to service my old faithful 94 D Primera right up until when I bought my new car last year.

Yes, they were a main dealer, and yes they might be classed as a little pricey, but when you consider that most of us depend on our cars for work, then paying a little over the odds for friendly and efficient service and a job well done is well worth it.

Guy:Incognito

MercMad wrote:

I hate to tell you that ALL garages have the choice to do this if they wish. Under the most recent changes in law, things like Block Exemption, mean that selling dealers DO NOT have to offer service facilities for ANY car they sell !

Even new ones !!

Basically dealers have too much business, so they will look after the customers who will be in a position to buy a new car every few years. They dont need new customers !

However the tide will change and their time will come.....................eventually !

I dont think anyone is tryign to suggest the garage are under any legal obligation to take on business, just giving out about the apparent lack of customer service and willing to look after their own brand. I'm sure Honda wouldnt be too happy about the brand getting a bad name or losing sales as a result of a dealers attitude.

antodeco

I know the very garage and have had many a run in with them. I bought a 00 car with them. Came with 6 months warranty. Went back 2 months later because of a squeaking from the engine. They "fixed" it. Same problem occured again only a month later. Dropped it into them. Went to pick it up and were looking for €300 for a service! I told them where to go! It was under their warranty and was brought it for a tbar adjustment. PLus original work has 90 days warranty anyway! They then refused to give me back the car. F**kers! :rolleyes: Got it sorted in the end though.