******Honda Lemon?******
#11
08-07-2007, 05:17 AM
Re: ******Honda Lemon?******
I wish you'd checked with us or other forums for what people are paying before plunking down 30k 
.
I got my car for 20,800(including delivery charge); out the door for 24k with an extended warranty(another topic worth discussing here).
Are there any other Honda dealerships in your area? They will all honor the Honda Warranties, so you might be better off driving a little extra to get some good service. Filing a complaint with Honda is also a good idea; they take that kind of thing seriously and the dealership WILL get into trouble if you report their lack of professionalism.
A good dealership will take care of the spots if it was delivered that way and no one noticed. If nothing else, they can replace the dash pieces with fresh ones.
.I got my car for 20,800(including delivery charge); out the door for 24k with an extended warranty(another topic worth discussing here).
Are there any other Honda dealerships in your area? They will all honor the Honda Warranties, so you might be better off driving a little extra to get some good service. Filing a complaint with Honda is also a good idea; they take that kind of thing seriously and the dealership WILL get into trouble if you report their lack of professionalism.
A good dealership will take care of the spots if it was delivered that way and no one noticed. If nothing else, they can replace the dash pieces with fresh ones.
#13
08-07-2007, 10:26 AM
Re: ******Honda Lemon?******
I too spent close to $30,000 and felt that I got hosed on the price of the vehicle. $26,500 delivered TTL HCH with NAVI.
Unfortunately, I love this car so much I am planning to gift Honda another chunk of change next year for a second one.
NOTE: The Toyota Prius with NAVI around here would have cost me over $30k with TTL as they wanted MSRP + $3,000 - $5,000 extra.
Unfortunately, I love this car so much I am planning to gift Honda another chunk of change next year for a second one.
NOTE: The Toyota Prius with NAVI around here would have cost me over $30k with TTL as they wanted MSRP + $3,000 - $5,000 extra.
#14
08-07-2007, 10:48 AM
Re: ******Honda Lemon?******
Yikes, what a yicky dealer experience. I still get Christmas cards from my salesperson with cookie recipes and she sent a birthday card for my car when I had had it for a year- there was a full tank of gas at purchase, a car wash (plus another car wash everytime I go in for an oil change or something) and a gift-wrapped gorgeous glass vase engraved with little grapes on the backseat as a surprise last-minute token of appreciation as I was driving away. My car was in great shape. I paid $19,600 back in 2005, plus tax, title, and a couple of accessories-- and I didn't even buy an extended warranty. I could do commercials for Honda of Lisle- these people rock!
It's really all about the dealer when it comes to getting the little stuff right, but the little stuff can definitely add up to a lot, as your experience demonstrates. Individually these would be inconveniences, but collectively, it makes you peeved. Dealers that show you a little more respect, like mine, are going to be the ones who benefit in the end; repeat business, happy customers, and a better bottom line.
It's really all about the dealer when it comes to getting the little stuff right, but the little stuff can definitely add up to a lot, as your experience demonstrates. Individually these would be inconveniences, but collectively, it makes you peeved. Dealers that show you a little more respect, like mine, are going to be the ones who benefit in the end; repeat business, happy customers, and a better bottom line.
#15
08-07-2007, 12:00 PM
Re: ******Honda Lemon?******
Crown Honda Problems
The decision to purchase a brand new 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid was as easy one. I had owned a civic in the past that
stood up to the Honda name and was trouble free. Buying this Honda would be an easy one as long I as the test drive
of the Hybrid was fine which it was. I fell in love with car instantly. Now the problems are starting.
1. Spots! Owning the car now for only 20 days I have now noticed there are glossy spots all over the dashboard, air
vents and the plastic area around the GPS screen. I can best describe the spots as looking like they were sprayed
on during the assembly process. The spots arent of a differnt color but as dark and glossy almost like an adhesive.
I took it back to Honda to show them and they said they could get it out with some cleaner their onsite detailer
had. He wiped it down and it appeared to have worked until a few hours later when they all appeared again. They are
everywhere on the dash. Mine has those too. You have to work on cleaning them a bit, but they come off.
2. I noticed the trunk opener lever doesnt open the trunk so I opened the trunk with the key opener and took a look
around and the lever cable has been cut in half, severed. Make the dealer fix it, it's under warranty still.
3. When we purchased the Honda Civic Hybrid they told us all the cars come with the new nitrogen in the tires to
help with the gas mileage and because it lasts longer than air. I started to wonder why the tires looked low if
there was nitrogen in them. There wasnt. No blue caps on the tires to confirm this. I brought it back a after a
week and they confirmed there was no nitrogen in them. They took the car back to fill the tires but after it taking
2 hours I asked what the heck was taking so long and they said they hadnt done a PDI on the car before I bought it
so there doing it while they have it. PDI is (Previous Dealer Inspection) You don't need nitrogen in your tires. It doesn't help much, if at all. Also, if they're not charging you for it, I don't know why you would complain about them wanting to look over your car to make sure it functions correctly and is in tip top shape.
4. Dont you normally get a full tank of gas when you buy a new car? I didnt. It's up to the dealership. It's not like it's a law or anything. If they don't give you one, get over it, fill your tank up, and be happy that now you get 500 miles a tank.
I just spent close to $30,000 for this? I need advice.
The decision to purchase a brand new 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid was as easy one. I had owned a civic in the past that
stood up to the Honda name and was trouble free. Buying this Honda would be an easy one as long I as the test drive
of the Hybrid was fine which it was. I fell in love with car instantly. Now the problems are starting.
1. Spots! Owning the car now for only 20 days I have now noticed there are glossy spots all over the dashboard, air
vents and the plastic area around the GPS screen. I can best describe the spots as looking like they were sprayed
on during the assembly process. The spots arent of a differnt color but as dark and glossy almost like an adhesive.
I took it back to Honda to show them and they said they could get it out with some cleaner their onsite detailer
had. He wiped it down and it appeared to have worked until a few hours later when they all appeared again. They are
everywhere on the dash. Mine has those too. You have to work on cleaning them a bit, but they come off.
2. I noticed the trunk opener lever doesnt open the trunk so I opened the trunk with the key opener and took a look
around and the lever cable has been cut in half, severed. Make the dealer fix it, it's under warranty still.
3. When we purchased the Honda Civic Hybrid they told us all the cars come with the new nitrogen in the tires to
help with the gas mileage and because it lasts longer than air. I started to wonder why the tires looked low if
there was nitrogen in them. There wasnt. No blue caps on the tires to confirm this. I brought it back a after a
week and they confirmed there was no nitrogen in them. They took the car back to fill the tires but after it taking
2 hours I asked what the heck was taking so long and they said they hadnt done a PDI on the car before I bought it
so there doing it while they have it. PDI is (Previous Dealer Inspection) You don't need nitrogen in your tires. It doesn't help much, if at all. Also, if they're not charging you for it, I don't know why you would complain about them wanting to look over your car to make sure it functions correctly and is in tip top shape.
4. Dont you normally get a full tank of gas when you buy a new car? I didnt. It's up to the dealership. It's not like it's a law or anything. If they don't give you one, get over it, fill your tank up, and be happy that now you get 500 miles a tank.
I just spent close to $30,000 for this? I need advice.
#16
08-07-2007, 01:17 PM
Ridiculously Active Enthusiast
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Diego, CA, USA
Posts: 941
Re: ******Honda Lemon?******
You got ripped off, if you payed $30,000. The car does not come standard with nitrogen in the tires. Try a different dealer. My dad's Mercedes was so bad that we took it in to the dealer so often, that our neighbors thought that he was a Mercedes dealer (we always had a different rental car in the driveway). That car didn't even qualify as a lemon in california. It was close though.
#17
08-08-2007, 07:25 AM
Re: ******Honda Lemon?******
My dealer didn't fill my tank even though they said they were going to; put a 2-inch gouge in my bumper the day they did the warrantied interior treatment; fisheyed the repaint job on that; but finally got it right after 2 additional trips in. They initially gave me the wrong touchup paint (I always buy one), which I was able to identify before I ever got back in the car, so that hardly counts, but still indicates a sloppy approach to customer care. They also took nearly a month to forward my contract to the finance company, which dragged out my refi with my credit union (who cut my financing rate in half, so you can see why that ticked me off).
When I had my Diesel I-Mark back in the '80s the dealer service department caused repeated problems with the car and eventually killed it by backing it over a rising hydraulic lift in the shop, torquing the frame and tearing half the exhaust system out. Man, I miss that car... Anyway.
OTOH, one of my colleagues got a light scratch on the alloys of his Accord and his dealership sent a guy out in a truck to our company parking lot to buff it out. It's a dealer-by-dealer thing. The nitro story would make me question a lot of what they're telling you. Make them fix the trunk thing, especially, or find another dealer. Drop a dime on them to Honda in any event.
When I had my Diesel I-Mark back in the '80s the dealer service department caused repeated problems with the car and eventually killed it by backing it over a rising hydraulic lift in the shop, torquing the frame and tearing half the exhaust system out. Man, I miss that car... Anyway.
OTOH, one of my colleagues got a light scratch on the alloys of his Accord and his dealership sent a guy out in a truck to our company parking lot to buff it out. It's a dealer-by-dealer thing. The nitro story would make me question a lot of what they're telling you. Make them fix the trunk thing, especially, or find another dealer. Drop a dime on them to Honda in any event.
#19
08-15-2007, 01:56 PM
Re: ******Honda Lemon?******
If your sticker says a tank of gas on it, then the dealer put it there. I still have the original sticker for my car and it doesn't say anywhere anything about a tank of gas. There's no way a brand new car gets shipped out with a full tank of gas in it to the dealership anyway. Many shipping companies still charge by weight (more gas in the tank means it costs more to ship), not to mention that it would be better for the car to put the gas in it when the dealership needs to put it in since gas can go bad after sitting for a while which would make the car run bad which in turn would make people not want to buy it.
#20
08-15-2007, 05:40 PM
Re: ******Honda Lemon?******
2005 Pilot - first stop on pickup is mobil
2003 Highlander - first stop on pickup is mobil
1994-2002 - Windstar, A6 quatro, 2 Accords - All first stop to mobil
1994 suburban - mobil
(imagine them filling those!)Only one car ever came filled, 02 bmw 325ci. Our neighboor said her 06 lexus came filled as well. Filling the tank is a dealer choice, I think only the dealers with names built on prestige choose to fill tanks.
