A couple of months ago, I alluded in a post to some problems I was having with my Honda. My beloved Honda CRV. I didn't discuss the details while the problem was unresolved, but it finally has been resolved to my complete satisfaction, so I thought I'd share the good news.
I really do love my car. Her name is Ruby. I purchased that particular make and model after studying numerous vehicles for six months. I kid you not. It took me six months to make up my mind and feel comfortable with the decision. I liked the roominess, the gas mileage, the price, the 5-speed manual transmission. Most of all, and my number one criterion, was Honda's legendary reliability. I looked forward to many fun years with Ruby. And because I knew in advance I would never trade her in but would drive her to the grave (hers, I hope, not mine), I felt wonderfully free to decorate her. There's a picture on the right under "My Beloved Red Bank." I've added at least 4 stickers since then, also.
Ruby and I tooled along just great for the first 4.5 years after I bought her from DCH Kaye Honda in Eatontown. I put a lot of miles on her. We went to Vermont at least 5 or 6 times. To Maine three or four times. Virginia a half dozen times. New Hampshire once. Nova Scotia once. And conservatively, over 1000 35-mile round-trips to Piscataway (Pissthataway), NJ where I am oh-so-happily employed.
I have rewarded Ruby with the best maintenance possible. Oil changes every 3000 miles (even though Honda says 7500 is OK). All scheduled maintenance, including some expensive things like a nifty new timing belt and a shiny new water pump and a smooth new clutch, always done on time and always by her doctor at the original dealership.
Suddenly, this past June, Ruby started having respiratory problems. She was stalling when I slowed to first gear. It didn't worry me too much in the beginning. I got the air filter changed. I used some STP in the gas. The problem was only occasional, say every couple of days, but it didn't clear up. Finally, in early October, I brought her in to her doctor. I figured it was maybe a timing issue, or the fuel injectors needed cleaning. I left the car there never expecting what was to come.
Two days later, my service advisor Don called. He said "I'm afraid I have some bad news for you. This is a valve train problem. To make a long story short, you need a new head and new valves. That's gonna run you about $4500." I made him repeat the price several times before I grasped it. And he added, "It would be cheaper, at $4000 or so, to replace the entire engine."
I hung up the phone without approving the estimate. $4500? No freakin' way did I have $4500. The car's not even paid off yet! Did he say forty-five hundred? He did. Uh oh. What the heck am I gonna do? I was a wreck, to say the least. The only thing that kept me from a major stress attack was that with So-Co gone to the Persian Gulf for six months, I had his car as a backup for that length of time. I had time to deal with the problem.
Over the next several days, Don and I exchanged further phone calls. He said one alternative was just a valve adjustment that might fix the problem. But probably not. In other cases they'd seen (huh? light bulb going on here) it usually didn't work. I could also sell the car as is (but not to Honda, since they obviously wouldn't want it). I could just drive it away and hope the stalling didn't get worse. But their history (huh again?) showed it usually got worse. My disbelief gradually turned to anger. And those phrases kept bugging me. I began to get the picture that I wasn't the only one with this problem. Not even the only one at this dealership. I did a little research on the internet and decided to fight back.
I told Don that I was not picking the car up until I had contacted American Honda headquarters. By now, two weeks had gone by since I'd dropped it off.
Dealing with American Honda headquarters was quite frustrating, quite slow, and quite funny at times. After I finally filed a case and got a number assigned, a representative contacted me and asked me to explain the problem.
Lynne: I can't explain it, technically. But I do know that I bought this car because of it's supposed reliability.
Rep: The car has how many miles on it?
Lynne: 107 thousand.
Rep: So it's way out of warranty.
Lynne: I agree. But I find it unacceptable that this type of major work is needed at only 107 thousand miles, when this car should last me another 100 thousand easily. Reliability was the number one reason I purchased a Honda. I have had every single piece of scheduled maintenance done, by the dealer. And I know I'm not the only one with this problem. I really think you should be doing a recall, you know.
Rep: /after 10 full seconds of silence/ So what is it you'd like American Honda to do for you?
Lynne: I'd like the car fixed.
Rep: At no charge to you?
Lynne: At no charge to me.
Rep: We'll get back to you shortly.
American Honda's version of "shortly" is different than mine. It was nearly two weeks later, after many unanswered messages from me, that I called Don at Kaye Honda and explained that I still did not have a response from American Honda and I still wasn't picking up the car.
Don: Oh, they didn't call you to tell you?
Lynne: /heart sinking/ No . . . they didn't.
Don: They agreed to fix it at no charge to you.
Lynne: What?
Don: They agreed to fix it at no charge to you.
Lynne: You're kidding. Did you say they agreed to fix it? No charge to me?
Don: Yup. I'm glad I was able to be the one to tell you the good news.
You see Don had been a sympathetic service advisor through all this. His hands were tied when it came to making such a decision, though, and all he could do was provide some guidance. I believe it was his help that was the key.
It took another two weeks, for about six total, before Ruby and I were reunited. They had to order parts, and since they knew I had a second vehicle, they weren't rushing around their paying customers to get the job done. But the happy day finally came. Ruby's got a new head and new valves and she's not coughing any more. I've even got a one-year warranty on the work. To say I'm satisfied is way understating it. I'm elated. And still hardly able to believe it worked out this way.
A couple of weeks later I sent Don a thank-you card with a gift certificate for a local restaurant. A small token of appreciation. He immediately called to thank me back. I asked him if he had any problem with me talking publicly about this and since he didn't, I'm singing his praises as far and as wide as I can.
Thanks, Don!