Chiswick Honda

itm2

Wasn't sure whether this belonged here, or in the Vent forum...I just thought I'd share the content of a letter I wrote to Chiswick Honda (and copied to Honda UK) a month ago. Neither organisation considered it worthy of a reply....

"I am writing to register my dissatisfaction with service received at Chiswick Honda on Thursday of this week (January 11th). I visited your service department to purchase a replacement battery for my S2000 – my battery had run completely flat, and I had needed a jump-start from a colleague in order to make the trip to the garage.

When I collected the battery I asked if they could fit it for me (a 10 minute job), as I wasn’t confident that I would be able to restart the car with the current battery. I was told that this would only be possible if I paid a service charge of £26 (more than half the cost of the battery). As an alternative, I then asked if I could borrow a spanner in order that I could replace the battery myself, on their premises. They refused.

I left the building absolutely staggered at the lack of helpfulness which had been offered. On one hand, a charge of £26 to replace a battery is extortionate when most neighbourhood garages (or even Halfords) would have fitted it without charge. On the other hand, their refusal to lend me a tool to install it myself was outright rude.

Having used Chiswick Honda for the last 10 years for the servicing of my cars, I shall now be seeking an alternative operation who have a vastly better attitude towards their customers.

If this treatment is representative of Chiswick Honda’s attitude towards customer care then I fear for any customers who have the misfortune to deal with your operation. I have also brought this issue to the attention of Honda UK ."

movilogo

I faced a similar problem 2 months back with a Hyundai dealer. They diagonsed my brake light problem and came with a wrong report. I raised it to Hyundai UK and they politely replied back to me that their dealers are independent entitities and they had no control over them.

It also happened with several dealers during test drives. Many times I got a phone call from manufactuers office that they had arranged a test drive with a dealer near to my home and promised that the "dealer" would call me back.
Well in 50% cases, the dealer didn't ring me back!

The manufacturers won't cause trouble with their own dealers unless it a serious issue. Simply because they sell everything thru their dealers!!!

Main dealers' rates are just ridiculous. They have some minimum charges - be it tightening a screw or changing your wheel.

Now go figure out.

ruggerboy

Hi itm2

I'm absolutely amazed at the poor service you've received at Chiswick Honda. I was there myself just two weeks ago, with a similar flat battery problem, but they could not have been more helpful!

Basically, my story is that I needed to replace the battery in my Honda motorbike and I rode over to their premises to collect a new battery. Admittedly, I didn't ask them to fit it for me because I intended to take the battery back home and fit it myself. But, immediately after buying the new battery (which had not yet been charged up), guess what happened...? I couldn't get my bike started again in their car park, because the old battery just completely died on me!

Anyhow, despite being late evening and their garage being closed, one of the sales assistants was really helpful and help me bump-start the bike so that I could, at least, get home!

Sounds to me that they were having a rare off-day with you! Hope your letter produces some results!

Cheers

Chris

itm2

ruggerboy wrote:

Hi itm2

I'm absolutely amazed at the poor service you've received at Chiswick Honda. I was there myself just two weeks ago, with a similar flat battery problem, but they could not have been more helpful!

Basically, my story is that I needed to replace the battery in my Honda motorbike and I rode over to their premises to collect a new battery. Admittedly, I didn't ask them to fit it for me because I intended to take the battery back home and fit it myself. But, immediately after buying the new battery (which had not yet been charged up), guess what happened...? I couldn't get my bike started again in their car park, because the old battery just completely died on me!

Anyhow, despite being late evening and their garage being closed, one of the sales assistants was really helpful and help me bump-start the bike so that I could, at least, get home!

Sounds to me that they were having a rare off-day with you! Hope your letter produces some results!

Cheers

Chris

Glad to hear that you had more luck with them. Maybe the difference was that you dealt with sales staff rather than "service" staff - i.e. people who have a vested interest in being nice to customers....