[CU2] Advice sought for trouble with dealer

**nickxau** · 10-02-2009 06:07 PM

Hi all,

Please bear with me as I summarise my experience in getting my first new car and where the situation is at at the moment.

14/01
Bought a new car (cobalt blue Euro, STD, AT) and picked it up. Inspected the car at the dealers and found a bad case of bird dropping on the roof of the car. Told the salesman and he said it'll be fixed at the next service (yes, I should've demanded a new car there and then but that's passed now and nothing can be done about it).

15/01
Did a proper inspection and there were A LOT of other bird dropping marks and it's not a simple wipe/wash off job. Dropped into the dealer to tell them my dissatisfaction and was told the service manager (SM) was away until 27/01.

28/01
Got a call to bring in car for SM to inspect. Took car in and SM agreed to fix it. Was told it'll take 2-3 days with courtesy car provided.

2/02 (last Monday)
Called up and SM confirmed courtesy car was ready for use. Got there and courtesy car was not available. Finally got a courtesy car to use but with practically NO petrol.

In between I called the dealership up to check on progress and each time the reply was: we'll call you when it's done.

10/02
Called up today and service department told me it'll be ready by THIS FRIDAY only after I pushed them!?!?!?

Now I'm extremely dissatisfied with the way the dealer is handling this issue and I feel that I've been kept in the dark in regards to the progress of this case. I tried to get the dealer to give me the contact details of the panel beater's so I could confirm the progress of the work but they refused and told me to speak with the SM directly tomorrow!?

I will be demanding a new car as it stands now because I was promised a 2-3 days turn around period but most importantly of all, I paid cash for a brand new car and not a re-sprayed one.

What advice can you guys offer me? Constructive comments appreciated. Criticisms will be taken into account.

**Sludge** · 10-02-2009 06:19 PM

Mate I am surprised, from memory you used the same dealer as me (I won't name them, leave that up to you). But I had no problems at all, they delivered everything they promised.

In fact when I picked up my car the salesman noticed a small scratch on the front fender (I didn't even notice). He had them take it back and buff it out straight away, took less than ten minutes.

Anyway I am due back for my six month service in a couple of weeks, I'll let you know if there are any issues.

Hope it all gets resolved for you to your satisfaction.

**bennjamin** · 10-02-2009 06:35 PM

please do not name the dealer.

Please also seek legal advice. Perhaps a formal letter of demand from a solicitor may get this dealer up to standards.

**nickxau** · 10-02-2009 07:51 PM

Yes Sludge, I believe we got our cars from the same dealer. Guess all I can say is lucky you that you got such good treatment

. Hope it's not because you got a top of the range and I got the standard!

My salesman tried to rub out the stain with a dry chamois in the 30°C+ heat!?

===

Thanks bennjamin. Hopefully I won't have to get a solicitor involved but if a push comes to shove...

**OMG.JAI xD** · 10-02-2009 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by nickxau

Yes Sludge, I believe we got our cars from the same dealer. Guess all I can say is lucky you that you got such good treatment

. Hope it's not because you got a top of the range and I got the standard!

My salesman tried to rub out the stain with a dry chamois in the 30°C+ heat!?

===

Thanks bennjamin. Hopefully I won't have to get a solicitor involved but if a push comes to shove...

Like .. lol.

Salesman arent very smart people.
Most arent anyway.
Bird poop cant just come off with a polish if its heavily damaged.
That stuff goes straight thru paint coats.

Demand a new car. With floor mats, bluetooth, satnav, 18" alloys, window tints, paint protection, underbody protection, and interior protection.

If not.
Lawsuit.

**markCivicVti** · 10-02-2009 08:14 PM

Pics of the damaged paint work?

Seriously though, if it's damaged enough to need a respray then they would have to give you another car if it weren't for one key thing: the fact that you signed the pre-delivery inspection test.

However, take this up with Honda Australia if the dealer doesn't perform to standard. And if that doesn't work, a nice letter to Honda Japan apparently can do wonders. But only try one at a time. Your request is reasonable.

As Benny said, get legal advice... not ozhonda fanboy advice.

**nickxau** · 10-02-2009 08:32 PM

haha OMG.JAI xD! That'd be pushing it a bit won't it? Though I wouldn't mind that outcome...

===

Pics to come in a few mins markCivicVti...

The key thing that you were referring to - officially called "Sales Quality Delivery System (QDS)" which I just read through is actually quiet vague. For e.g. there's a section for the salesperson to complete and one particular item for them to tick was "I have personally inspected the vehicle interior and exterior and it is correctly prepared to Honda 's Quality Vehicle standards"... I don't think so!
MY tick box was "Examined my new Honda with the salesperson" and that was it.

I have tried to call the SM this arvo without success but will try again tomorrow. I've also called HA after having no luck with the dealer's service department and apparently they'll have a word with the dealer and get back to me... in a couple of days.

**nickxau** · 10-02-2009 08:57 PM

You gotta be a complete NOOB to not know that those bird dropping stains have been baking into the paintwork for a while!

This is the worst of them all but doesn't seem like it coz of the metallic paint and the arvo sun. It's actually brown/reddish in colour

This is another stain.

This stain looks fresh but not even clay bar can get rid of it!

**VIDSEURO** · 10-02-2009 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by nickxau

You gotta be a complete NOOB to not know that those bird dropping stains have been baking into the paintwork for a while!

This is the worst of them all but doesn't seem like it coz of the metallic paint and the arvo sun. It's actually brown/reddish in colour

This is another stain.

This stain looks fresh but not even clay bar can get rid of it!

Hey Nik

Mate its very unfortunate that this occured to you.
Im very sorry you are going through this bad experience.
I can only suggest that you go to the Honda web site
and lodge a personal complaint using your VIN.
I have checked your photos and yes bird droppings are the worst, as its
acid from the bird that has burned the duco.
This may have been a innocent mistake by the dealer, but i think
they are giving you the royal run around.

Mate write a personal letter to the principal of the dealership or the general manager. Do not deal with the dickhead SM. He is making life hard for you.
Hand deliver the letter and explain to him with the way you are being treated.

If things get worse you may get some leagl advice but only as a last resort.

Anyhow best wishes Nik, its a shame this has happened, but mate be Frank and Fearless let the principal of the dealership know of your treatment.

If this does not help say you will name them on the Forums like this one.

**nickxau** · 10-02-2009 09:53 PM

yeh, I knew new car buying can be stressful but this is WAY over the top IMO. Thanks for the words of advice VIDSEURO.

The saddest part is, I reckon I've driven the car for less than 48hrs total since I got it on 14/01???

I will certainly be handing a letter personally to someone more senior than the SM who can make a decision - in this case it seems like the dealer principal, correct?

My plan for tomorrow is to contact the SM first thing in the morning. Tell him to forget about respraying the car as it's no longer about the respray anymore and demand firmly for a new car of equal or lesser mileage (just for infos sake - 806kms when I dropped it off... not even 1000kms yet!) or a FULL refund of my purchase price. If he doesn't give me a satisfactory answer, I'll prepare a letter of demand and hand deliver it to the dealer principal (DP) in the arvo and hopefully the issue can be resolved to my liking at that level.

Anybody with a better suggestion?

Edit: ... and demand money back for the courtesy car fuel which I had to fork out!?!?!?

**buddah51au** · 10-02-2009 10:23 PM

I believe your mistake was signing the pre delivery inspection, paint stained by bird droppings can't be easily fixed. If it came to a respray there are very few, if any spray painters who can match the factory finish

**nickxau** · 10-02-2009 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by buddah51au

I believe your mistake was signing the pre delivery inspection, paint stained by bird droppings can't be easily fixed. If it came to a respray there are very few, if any spray painters who can match the factory finish

yes, true, I knew I shouldn't have signed (let alone paid) for anything on that day but what's passed has passed and that's beyond the point now. What I'm fighting for now is my right to a brand new car and not a re-sprayed one and the fact that I was given promises which the dealership clearly couldn't deliver on and withholding information from me.