We have been working on our list of things to do. Next up was a Honda recall. But first, let me tell you the beginning of a love story. I heard about Honda when I was 20 or 21. We are from a smaller town, and a few Honda's came in and usually had a list. We could not afford a Honda and were never on the list. I knew when the kids were older, my next car would be a Honda. I would stay in Honda, my kids would get Honda's.
So, one day in 2005, we looked at a Honda lot. A man had turned in his leased Honda. He leased it for 2 years, and then extended it for one more year paying an extra price. He ended up turning it in a month early and picking up the next top of the line Honda. Below is the button I found in the car. I've kept it in my jewelery box because it was a very pretty button and because I wondered what kind of a life my car had had.
The car had a file. A Car Fax file. It was mint, pre certified and came with a warranty. We extended the warranty for an additional 5 years. We started out making payments, but decided quickly to just go ahead and pay the car off. Every time we got a dealership postcard, the car went in. Then the dealership got sold and we were worried about the new dealership giving us the same care as the old dealership. But we got a recall on the airbag 3 years ago and took the car in.
When we got the car back, the horn piece over the airbag had been changed. I was furious and talked to the service manager. I was told that under Honda Corporation directive. That part had to be sent back, and I got one that had been fixed and was close in color and it was being done to everyone because of the massive airbag recall. I was furious with Honda. I hated them for what they had done to my car. I mean this was a certified Honda repair dealership, and where my car had originally come from, and I was sure they were telling me the truth, but I had wanted them to call and tell me or let me know without finding out just by seeing the car. The replacement part looked used. It was dirty, scratched and very, very sticky. Still is. We Googled all over the Internet and purchased some Ibiz. After a number of cleanings, it has become much cleaner than it was, but you can still tell it's not my original part, and the scratches and dark spots are still there, and it's still sticky.
So, this past week, we called to see if our recalled piece had come in, having called 3 weeks ago. They said to bring it in. We also asked if they were going to change the horn piece again as they had done 3 years ago. They said the horn piece should never have been changed and it the inflator under the horn piece. The horn piece would have stayed in the car the entire time. I was livid. We asked the manager of the service department to meet us there. So when we get there, he comes out with his clipboard, saying this was all they did and how could the horn piece have been changed, and how did he know if something had been done on my end in the last 3 years, because we haven't been in in 3 years. He also said why didn't we come back in right away and we said we called, and we did when we got home to talk to the highest person there in the service department and were told the very same Honda directive story. ( Also, remember, we own the car, and can take it anywhere we want to, and remember, the last time we were there, the horn piece was changed.)
I tell him we are willing to address the situation with a service technician and find out who he is and what he did with my original car part, and the man said to take it up with Honda. I said let's go into your office and call Honda and talk to them. He said nothing. Since he had to do the recall, he said they would take care of it.
We picked up the car later that afternoon, and as I was standing in the office, with all the Honda people being so nice, as if my dad had just died, and he did, but they didn't know that, I got a deja vue moment and remembered 3 years ago in that same office throwing the same fit over my Honda part being changed. He lied about the part and must have forgotten lying because who would have thought there would be another recall on the very same part.
I cried for days 3 years ago, grieving my car's loss. I had taken such good care of her, then Honda just ripped a part of her out. Then this past week, I cried again, over deception, horrible care from a certified repair center. I had loved her and Honda let me down, and I needed to put her back in the garage as a regular old car and not my beloved Honda. I told the manager my love for Honda and this car died a little more every time I get in it because of what Honda had done to me when I thought the issue was with Honda and not the dealership.
We are changing dealerships. The car ( not my baby anymore) will soon need more servicing eventually. She It has about 79,000 miles on it and I will try someone new. My husband will not be replacing his commuter car with a Honda, and the boys will look at different manufacturers. It has felt like the loss of a friend to that of an acquaintance and I'm sorry for the loss.
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