service department wouldn't allow me to go on the test drive

[unity]

Took my car in for a service and wanted them to investigate something on a test drive. I asked when I made the appointment if I could go on the test drive and was told yes. But when I got to the service I wasn't taken on the test drive.
They couldn't duplicate what I was experiencing and I wonder whether they actually tried looking for it. When you are there atleast you can point out when you experience the problem happening. When you are not there it's just too easy for them to say there's nothing wrong.
Are there many other Honda dealers out there like this? I will never use them again and will never again go to a dealer that atleast has the courtesy to take you along for a test drive in your own car?

[geeang]

They can't take you for a test drive (with you being passenger and them driving) probably because they will be liable if you were to be injured in any way.

[na-118]

well. what was the problem anyways?

[hisoka]

honda sucks man ~ there service is pathetic.

buy a brand new car from them, take it back for service with a booking for a rented car (not even courtesy you have to pay for it) and show up and they tell me there was no booking at all for the rental car. absouletly pathetic.

[na-118]

not all do courtesy cars, some ford dealerships don't even do it at all, the rental car is usually booked on the spot

[Alpine]

They can't take you for a test drive (with you being passenger and them driving) probably because they will be liable if you were to be injured in any way.

I've never had this problem with any Honda workshop...they were always more than happy for either me to drive or they drive with me as passenger, then as we drive we dicussed the weird noise. Mind you, it was always the workshop foreman who came along, not a mechanic.

[na-118]

the foreman will always be more then happy to satisfy the customer, most of the times mechanics like i won't go with the truckie or whatever, take into account about the insurance and that. i havn't got my hr license yet i still drive it, if i hit then obviously it's coming out of my own pay packet but usually the workshop manager/ controller will be more then happy to

[unity]

I had some annoying noise that I wanted checked out. If they can't find it then they should have the courtesy to ask you to join them so that you can point out what you want to.
I have been to 2 other dealers before and the foreman was more than happy for me to come along. And overall the other Honda service departments I have been to have been more that accommodating.

[na-118]

did you point out to him where the problem is so he can directlly go test drive it and diagnose it. and might need other types of diagnostics,
does the problem happen once in a while, or is it constant or when your doing are particular thing,

[unity]

did you point out to him where the problem is so he can directlly go test drive it and diagnose it. and might need other types of diagnostics,
does the problem happen once in a while, or is it constant or when your doing are particular thing,

yes all details as to when and how to duplicate it were given and it is constant. without me being there who knows what was going on during the test drive.
Anyway, my point is boycott dealers that take your car out without you. They don't value you as a customer.

[na-118]

well i guess during the test drive they will obviously try to duplicate whatever you have told them to do and check for, if it doesn't come up then it might be a one off or something like that,

[Zinyo]

honda sucks man ~ there service is pathetic.

buy a brand new car from them, take it back for service with a booking for a rented car (not even courtesy you have to pay for it) and show up and they tell me there was no booking at all for the rental car. absouletly pathetic.

Cant be that bad is it? A mate of mine serviced his IS200 last year at Lexus and he got a luxury range IS250 as a courtesy car for a day (got sent to his house & they pick up the is200)...Now thats service...

[aaronng]

Cant be that bad is it? A mate of mine serviced his IS200 last year at Lexus and he got a luxury range IS250 as a courtesy car for a day (got sent to his house & they pick up the is200)...Now thats service...

Lexus service > Honda. You do pay extra for Lexus servicing, but at least they will come to your house, pick your car up and leave you with the same or better model of Lexus for you to drive for the day (assuming you live a reasonable distance away from the dealer)

[aaronng]

They can't take you for a test drive (with you being passenger and them driving) probably because they will be liable if you were to be injured in any way.

Never had that problem with my dealer. I went with them on test drives and never had that excuse given to me.

[na-118]

LMAO yeah. but some dealerships are ****s., haha im a mechanic myself, i'd never take the truckie on a run, or diagnosing session with me never!

[unity]

The guy might have been deaf for all I know. However, when in comes to our sense of sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch etc we all have different sensitivities. So just because the technicians can't see, feel or hear something doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. So they should never dismiss a customers complaint on the basis of their experience because a real problem may actually exist.
So this is where technology should play a bigger part. The is a tool that Honda America uses called a Chassis Ear which is used to diagnose with great accuracy the location of hard to pin point noises and vibrations. If such a tool was used for my concern there is no doubt that my complaint would be substantiated and then they could go about fixing the problem. And when such technology is used in diagnosis there is less chance of the dealer turning around to you and saying that no problem exists or I couldn't detect anything.
It would be like going to the Dr after a receiving a bad blow to your finger during a sports event. You are in agony. You visit the local emergency department and you see the Dr. The Dr sees your past history and sees you are a heroin addict. Straight away the Dr thinks you might be putting on a show to receive some stong narcotics to satisfy your cravings. However, the Dr examines your finger and doesn't think it's broken. So who is right? This is where technology comes in to play a big part. An Xray is ordered and then there's your proof.
I think dealers need to use more technology in this same way to prove whether a customer's complaint is actually existant or not. Such technology may have a cost but I'd be happy to pay any such costs to get an accurate, definative and truthful answer.

[power_of_dreams]

they will courtesy drive you to the nearest train station

[na-118]

all the tech and computers we use in our trucks and cars at the workshop don't always diagnose everything, it could sometimes be false codes, you can't always rely on them, so if they cant feel hear or whatever the problem is then he will obviously pass the complaint or problem on as he didn't find anything in the diagnosis, not like the mechanics going to pass on squeaking brakes, he will obviously fix that cause he can hear it and feel it

[unity]

all the tech and computers we use in our trucks and cars at the workshop don't always diagnose everything, it could sometimes be false codes, you can't always rely on them, so if they cant feel hear or whatever the problem is then he will obviously pass the complaint or problem on as he didn't find anything in the diagnosis, not like the mechanics going to pass on squeaking brakes, he will obviously fix that cause he can hear it and feel it

Do you have a tool like a chassis ear? It apparently consists of mini electrodes each containing a microphone that detects sound from where ever the electrodes are placed. Quite a simple tool from what I have read but it may be expensive.

[na-118]

nah we don't but i'm saying like, all the 100000+ diagnosing equipemtn for different trucks and cars won't diagnose everything, and some workshops will have it and some workshops won't have it, so if they don't have it they obviously have to try hear it or feel ir or smell it whatever, and also what if that area doesn't have electrodes?

[unity]

they will courtesy drive you to the nearest train station

One place I go to will actually take you to where you need to go as long as it's a reasonable distance from the dealer. And if I need a loan car the salesman will actually organise one for me. I don't ask need to ask the service manager for one.

[unity]

nah we don't but i'm saying like, all the 100000+ diagnosing equipemtn for different trucks and cars won't diagnose everything, and some workshops will have it and some workshops won't have it, so if they don't have it they obviously have to try hear it or feel ir or smell it whatever, and also what if that area doesn't have electrodes?

I know that might be the case, but if such equipment was used for my problem there would be no dispute. I just don't have the equipment I need to demonstate my concern.

[na-118]

as i said some dealerships will do that. usually most ford dealers organise one within an 1 hour of placing your car in,

[unity]

So have you ever lied to a customer about a particular problem that actually existed but wouldn't admit it because you just couldn't be bothered or you were too busy?

[aaronng]

Do you have a tool like a chassis ear? It apparently consists of mini electrodes each containing a microphone that detects sound from where ever the electrodes are placed. Quite a simple tool from what I have read but it may be expensive.

Too bad you are not in Sydney. Because the dealer where I used to service my car at has one of these chassis ears. They pinpointed the source of my chassis creak using it.

[unity]

Too bad you are not in Sydney. Because the dealer where I used to service my car at has one of these chassis ears. They pinpointed the source of my chassis creak using it.

I might make a trip to Sydney one day in the coming future. I have heaps of family there and it's been a while since my last trip.
Any way it will be nice to take the Euro on a long drive.

[na-118]

well to be honest i've never lied to a customer, my boss which is the workshop controller, will also go through it thoroughly and also the general manager will go with you, so it's basically looked at before it can be passed on back to the customer, and usually if i can't point out the problem then obviously there is no problem, i'm assuming that because the customer might of told me this and that, but when i've taken it out i might of not seen or hear antyhing wrong with it, so when it happens next time he might have to bring it back for another diagnosing session, for dianosing itself isn't cheap, that's why if you know the problem straight up it makes it easier,

[unity]

well to be honest i've never lied to a customer, my boss which is the workshop controller, will also go through it thoroughly and also the general manager will go with you, so it's basically looked at before it can be passed on back to the customer, and usually if i can't point out the problem then obviously there is no problem, i'm assuming that because the customer might of told me this and that, but when i've taken it out i might of not seen or hear antyhing wrong with it, so when it happens next time he might have to bring it back for another diagnosing session, for dianosing itself isn't cheap, that's why if you know the problem straight up it makes it easier,

good to see an honest mechanic out there.

[na-118]

just depends where you go man, like all the customers we have are under contracts but even that, when we get a random person who brings in their truck or car or trailor, we never jip them,