Avoid LONDON HONDA

[bubbadss]

HI,
Just a heads up to the honda owners and prospective honda owners in the London Ontario area. Here's my story.

Leased a 2003 civic and had it serviced religously at the dealership according to the maintenance schedule. Liked the car, so bought out the lease. At 95K, it needed brakes. They wanted $410 to do them, so I went to local garage to get quote. They did them for $210. After that I went to my local garage for all service.

30K later, I was in the neighborhood of the dealer and needed an oil change. So I dropped into the dealership. This is where it gets interesting.

They came back with the following to report:
- front stabilizer linkages need replacing
- rear stabilizer linkages need replacing
- both front struts need replacing
- front brakes (pads and rotors) need replacing
- engine exhaust manifold is warped and needs replacing (and all oxygen sensors as well)


That totalled up to just over $3000 in work.


Also, they charged me 1/2 hour labour ($45) for the inspection. Which I didn't authorize. I just wanted an oil change.

So, I took the paperwork, paid the $96 for the oil change and left.

Went to my local garage and had them look at it.

The brakes are fine (60% left)
The struts are NOT leaking
The engine manifold is not leaking (or warped)
The front stabilizers are fine
The rear stabilizers are a little loose and should be replaced in the next 6 months or so (no urgency).


So, I am not sure if they just missed me at the dealership and wanted me to drop around more often, or they were behind in their quota. The service advisor gave me quite a story about the car not being safe to drive with leaky struts (they could seize and cause steering problems) and the brakes are a safety issue as well.

I have been going to my local garage for 15 years but was duped into thinking that I needed to service my car at the dealership. And, needless to say I will continue to my local garage.

Just be aware of LONDON HONDA on wharncliffe road. I am not sure if the tech was having a bad day or there was something else going on.

STAY AWAY!!!!!

Will buy a honda again, but not from those A$$holes

[bubbadss]

bump...

I am pi$$ed....

[fastlayne]

Sounds like this dealership could take a leading role in the next W-FIVE/APA auto repair industry investigative report.

My local Honda dealer (west side of Brampton, near a Leon's store) wanted to replace a throttle body for some $850 (for a rough idle and throttle position error code).

With an hours work, a rag, and some NAPA spray products, I cleaned the air intake valve and electrical connectors. And I haven't had any recurring problem in over 50,000 km.

Needless to say, my vehicle goes elsewhere for repairs (that I cannot handle).

[bubbadss]

would you recommend me writing a letter?
if so to whom?

[thenwhat]

HI,
Just a heads up to the honda owners and prospective honda owners in the London Ontario area. Here's my story.

Leased a 2003 civic and had it serviced religously at the dealership according to the maintenance schedule. Liked the car, so bought out the lease. At 95K, it needed brakes. They wanted $410 to do them, so I went to local garage to get quote. They did them for $210. After that I went to my local garage for all service.

30K later, I was in the neighborhood of the dealer and needed an oil change. So I dropped into the dealership. This is where it gets interesting.

They came back with the following to report:
- front stabilizer linkages need replacing
- rear stabilizer linkages need replacing
- both front struts need replacing
- front brakes (pads and rotors) need replacing
- engine exhaust manifold is warped and needs replacing (and all oxygen sensors as well)


That totalled up to just over $3000 in work.


Also, they charged me 1/2 hour labour ($45) for the inspection. Which I didn't authorize. I just wanted an oil change.

So, I took the paperwork, paid the $96 for the oil change and left.

Went to my local garage and had them look at it.

The brakes are fine (60% left)
The struts are NOT leaking
The engine manifold is not leaking (or warped)
The front stabilizers are fine
The rear stabilizers are a little loose and should be replaced in the next 6 months or so (no urgency).


So, I am not sure if they just missed me at the dealership and wanted me to drop around more often, or they were behind in their quota. The service advisor gave me quite a story about the car not being safe to drive with leaky struts (they could seize and cause steering problems) and the brakes are a safety issue as well.

I have been going to my local garage for 15 years but was duped into thinking that I needed to service my car at the dealership. And, needless to say I will continue to my local garage.

Just be aware of LONDON HONDA on wharncliffe road. I am not sure if the tech was having a bad day or there was something else going on.

STAY AWAY!!!!!

Will buy a honda again, but not from those A$$holes

I don't like London Honda neither, even I bought my accord over there. That is why I went to Westgate honda instead. Westgate Honda is not best choice neither, but less crap and more efficient than London Honda in terms of quality of service. And both Honda dealers over-charge their service I think.
And op, I don't alternative trusted mechanic in the region,
Would you mind sharing your mechanic with me?
I think he would not mind more business, would he?

[henry495]

would you recommend me writing a letter?
if so to whom?

You can try writing to Honda Canada.

[bobbings]

You can try writing to Honda Canada.

Realistically, what is Honda Canada going to do though?

[thephenom]

Realistically, what is Honda Canada going to do though?

Send a warning to stealership in attempt to keep them honest. I've heard Honda is actually quite tight about service quality. And as much as Honda Canada makes money off the dealership, there's never a shortage of people wanting to own a dealership, so revoking a dealership license is acceptable to protect the Honda brand name since a new dealership can be just around the corner.

If you believe nothing will happen and never notify them about it, then of course nothing will happen.

[gfong]

If you do wirte a letter, ensure that you include you are now thinking of purchasing a Toyota after the garbage the dealer lead you through! That should get their attention.

[bembol]

Realistically, what is Honda Canada going to do though?

Apologize. That's what GM did when I wrote them a letter regarding my '99 Pontiac LEMON Grand AM/V6.

[Spud72]

Assuming your normal mechanic is a "real" mechanic with all his papers, you'll need a letter from him stating everything is in fact A-OK with your car, contradicting what the dealer told you.

Assuming you can do that, I would the send the dealer a letter and CC Honda Canada. Voice your disappointment and ask how they are going to address the situation. Also demand your $45 back for the unauthorized "Inspection".

My guess is you'll get a phone call and letter of apology, all your money back (including the oil change) and likely a couple free oil changes in the future on the house.

[cheapmeister]

I never get anything done at these stupid honda dealers! I only get oil changes done, they wanted to pressure me into the type d/e servicing and I can change my own plugs myself and stuff. At like 300-400 bucks, yikes! I think I will just read the Haynes manual and stay away from them!

[kkl1208]

Realistically, what is Honda Canada going to do though?

They will definitely apologize. One time our new accord had a window stuck in one position. It wouldn't go up nor down, so my dad asked for a car for the few hours while our car was getting worked on. He used it for 2 hours and returned it. A month later, he got a really large bill from Honda saying he drove 300 km in the 2 hours. Obviously my dad was pissed and called up Markham Honda. The customer service person insisted (rather angrily) that he had to pay the cost despite the nonsense of driving 300km in 2 hours. So my dad wrote complaint letters to Markham Honda, Honda Canada, the president, customer relations ... basically a whole bunch of people and I believe they did apologize and rescinded the charges.