Very Bad Service - Geo Collins Honda Herstmonceaux. Review of Poor Workmanship.

[NSXGB]

Advice appreciated…long story, make yourself comfortable.


I recently needed a cambelt service and my LMA’s changed at the same time. Got two quotes from Honda dealerships that professed to have experienced NSX trained mechanics. Both came back with identical prices for the work required so I chose the closest to my home which was around 50 miles away. Car was required for 3 days, courtesy car provided. Dropped car off & showed the service guy a crate full of all the new parts I supplied – water pump, cambelt, air filter, oil filter, plugs, tensioner & spring, gaskets galore, etc.

Middle of second day get a call from the service guy saying he could not stand by the quote as the engine needed to come out to remove the rocker shafts to get to the LMA’s and that the LMA’s I had supplied were the wrong part. I managed to get him the info required to persuade him he could do the job just as he’d priced and that the LMA’s were the correct part with useful photos from this site (thanks to all) – they had never seen the new LMA’s before. Deep breaths, calm down, all sorted…

Picked the car up at the end of the week on my way to work & drove 60 miles to my destination. Lunch time went for a mooch round the engine bay and found a coolant leak, level was still above MIN but coolant splashed around engine bay. Then I noticed an obscene amount of sealant around all of the cam plugs (has to be seen to be believed) – one in particular looked like someone had applied it after assembly very very generously & there were lumps on the surrounding wires and spool valve.
I then opened the boot to have a look to check the old parts and was greeted by the sight of….a load of new parts in my crate! New air filter, plugs but most disappointingly the new cambelt tensioner and spring.
I called the garage to air my concerns. Due to the distance to the garage I agreed with the service guy that I would check out the coolant leak and fix if it was easy to save me driving all the way there again with a leak. Regarding the cam plugs his answer was “I was waiting for a call about that”…great! He said bring it down & we will clean off the residue as it was only what had oozed out on fitting – BS. Regarding the parts not fitted - I only asked for the cambelt & LMA's to be changed apparently....glad they didn't apply the same logic for the water pump!


Went home that night, removed the coolant bottle to get to the hose that had not been seated correctly and re-seated the pipe clamp that was rubbing against the shielded electrical wire harness that goes through the firewall! Leak fixed. Decided to fit the air filter & plugs myself. Then I found that they had fitted the factory rear strut brace upside (it's stamped to shown how it should be fitted!) down & the engine earth strap had twisted when tightened & was now rubbing against the PCV hose…

Anyway, trying to keep this as concisce as possible, I have told them that I don’t feel that paying upwards of £1000 (labour only) for the service I have received is good value for money & after finding so many faults am worried about the parts that I can’t see. All they have offered me is to replace the coolant I used and to bring the car back for the sealant to be cleaned plus give me the petrol for the return visit.

Anyone who has not fallen asleep by now, where would you go from here?

Realistically I don’t see why I should pay a bean for the lousy service but I was suggesting some sort of reduction in price which they seem averse to. I suppose them giving me a goodwill discount would be throwing money away as they feel I’d be unlikely to return to them anyway.

My last email of Friday has not been answered so guessing that they are hoping I go away. I have photo’s of the errors – should I just name & shame?
Can I reverse a debit card payment?

I have filled in an online Honda survey giving brief details but not had a call yet – can I escalate anywhere higher?


Thanks in advance….

[Problem Child]

Advice appreciated…long story, make yourself comfortable.


I recently needed a cambelt service and my LMA’s changed at the same time. Got two quotes from Honda dealerships that professed to have experienced NSX trained mechanics. Both came back with identical prices for the work required so I chose the closest to my home which was around 50 miles away. Car was required for 3 days, courtesy car provided. Dropped car off & showed the service guy a crate full of all the new parts I supplied – water pump, cambelt, air filter, oil filter, plugs, tensioner & spring, gaskets galore, etc.

Middle of second day get a call from the service guy saying he could not stand by the quote as the engine needed to come out to remove the rocker shafts to get to the LMA’s and that the LMA’s I had supplied were the wrong part. I managed to get him the info required to persuade him he could do the job just as he’d priced and that the LMA’s were the correct part with useful photos from this site (thanks to all) – they had never seen the new LMA’s before. Deep breaths, calm down, all sorted…

Picked the car up at the end of the week on my way to work & drove 60 miles to my destination. Lunch time went for a mooch round the engine bay and found a coolant leak, level was still above MIN but coolant splashed around engine bay. Then I noticed an obscene amount of sealant around all of the cam plugs (has to be seen to be believed) – one in particular looked like someone had applied it after assembly very very generously & there were lumps on the surrounding wires and spool valve.
I then opened the boot to have a look to check the old parts and was greeted by the sight of….a load of new parts in my crate! New air filter, plugs but most disappointingly the new cambelt tensioner and spring.
I called the garage to air my concerns. Due to the distance to the garage I agreed with the service guy that I would check out the coolant leak and fix if it was easy to save me driving all the way there again with a leak. Regarding the cam plugs his answer was “I was waiting for a call about that”…great! He said bring it down & we will clean off the residue as it was only what had oozed out on fitting – BS. Regarding the parts not fitted - I only asked for the cambelt & LMA's to be changed apparently....glad they didn't apply the same logic for the water pump!


Went home that night, removed the coolant bottle to get to the hose that had not been seated correctly and re-seated the pipe clamp that was rubbing against the shielded electrical wire harness that goes through the firewall! Leak fixed. Decided to fit the air filter & plugs myself. Then I found that they had fitted the factory rear strut brace upside (it's stamped to shown how it should be fitted!) down & the engine earth strap had twisted when tightened & was now rubbing against the PCV hose…

Anyway, trying to keep this as concisce as possible, I have told them that I don’t feel that paying upwards of £1000 (labour only) for the service I have received is good value for money & after finding so many faults am worried about the parts that I can’t see. All they have offered me is to replace the coolant I used and to bring the car back for the sealant to be cleaned plus give me the petrol for the return visit.

Anyone who has not fallen asleep by now, where would you go from here?

Realistically I don’t see why I should pay a bean for the lousy service but I was suggesting some sort of reduction in price which they seem averse to. I suppose them giving me a goodwill discount would be throwing money away as they feel I’d be unlikely to return to them anyway.

My last email of Friday has not been answered so guessing that they are hoping I go away. I have photo’s of the errors – should I just name & shame?
Can I reverse a debit card payment?

I have filled in an online Honda survey giving brief details but not had a call yet – can I escalate anywhere higher?


Thanks in advance….

Here are the contact details for the MD of Honda UK.....

E-mail	philip.crossman@honda.co.uk
Telephone	01753 590500

[Problem Child]

Another good tactic is to post your complaint on their Facebook page. I recently did this with Renault UK and my complaint was dealt with satisfactorily and virtually immediately

[NSXGB]

Thanks Geoff.

Will give them a chance first before hassling the big fella.

Good call on the social media front too, it has its advantages.

I've just this second had a reply from Honda customer services asking for more info so I'll see what that amounts to....

[Papalazarou]

If you paid by credit card, you could contact the CC company and see what rights you have.
If you don't get the recourse you're after I would post the name of the garage on the forum. Or as Geoff suggested, on Facebook. I still think we need a buyers experience section on the site! But the way the site is run I know that will never happen.

Cheers and good luck Simon.

[NSXGB]

Paid with debit card James, credit card may have had some sort of cover as you say.
Will avoid posting their name and the photo's just yet as it's only right they have the chance to put it right. Thing is though, they are telling people that they have NSX trained Techs and that appears not to be the case.

Replied to the HUK email now....

[gcon45]

That is shocking.

I decided to take my car to a local specialist for my major service and when I read things like this it just vindicates that decision.

I got to stay for the entire process whilst he showed me every exact procedure right down to the torque setting for every nut and bolt on the C32B engine as stipulated in the Autodata system.

[Papalazarou]

Sounds like the HUK route's worth the effort.
My local dealer in Taunton's really good. Like Connor's Indy, they actually let you see your car and talk you through the work done.
Sucks when you get a bad dealer. I've used a couple and it's pretty soul destroying.

Cheers.

[nigel]

There's a reason Kaz is so busy.
It may be an inconvenience for one as an NSX owner but well worth the wait for a truly qualified and caring fellow to do your major NSX maintenance.
He actually cares to see his customers get above and beyone quality for their money and believes in preserving these special cars in the best manner possible.

If there's a next time, KAZ.

Cheers
nigel

[Problem Child]

Thanks Geoff.

Will give them a chance first before hassling the big fella.

Good call on the social media front too, it has its advantages.

I've just this second had a reply from Honda customer services asking for more info so I'll see what that amounts to....

Don't think of it as "hassling the big fella" think of it as huge multinational taking your money under false pretences. He will want to know that his dealership network (which is subject to a huge quality control effort) is failing his customers. Its easier to retain a customer than recruit a new one, so he'll be interested in your experience. I did this recently with Renault UK and the UK MD got back to me personally within 24 hours, the customer services director within the next 24 hours, and the dealership couldn't have been more attentive. I ended up with 3 different repairs refunded and repaired again free of charge, and a free service for my car!