after having lurked on the boards for the last few months, and reading posts practically everyday, I have now registered, so first of all, a big hello to everyone!

unfortunately (as is usually the case) I'm posting for some advice regarding my local Honda dealer and would like some suggestions on what to do next. It's a bit long, but I hope you can stay with it! and I'm trying not to 'name' the dealer in question.

I bought my wife a Honda Civic 1.6 Executive 2001 two years ago from my local Honda dealer. Previously she had been driving a MINI One, and when she became too pregnant to drive it, we sold it and bought this one as a 'sensible' family car to do her for now.

About three weeks ago, I booked the car in for it's 6th annual service (it has only done about 47k miles, but it goes off the years as well). I asked to have it serviced according to the schedule, and she advised it was a major service, with a brake fluid change. Cost was about £280, so I booked it in.

They pick the car up from my house last friday, while my wife and son stay at home. I get a call from the garage mid-morning, the rear pads are at 70% would you like them changed, cost at £105 fitted. I phone around for some more prices, phone them back and haggle them down to £95. I ask them about the Honda fixed price servicing scheme, and they advise that that price is £95 so I go OK, go ahead do the pads.

Later on in the afternoon, I go in to the dealers, and pay up, total cost is £364 so the brake pads had been done for £85, which is the official Honda fixed-price servicing price, so I'm happy. They advise that the car will be delivered later on that evening, and I go home.

A driver turns up about 4.30pm, drops keys/documents off and leaves. I look over the documents, and immediately notice that instead of having done the 6th annual service, they have done the 4th one instead which as it happens is also a major service but not including a fuel filter change. So I call the dealers and speak to the same girl who originally booked the car in and tell her what's happened. Unbelievably she gets a little stroppy with me, and says 'Well Sir, we did the major service and brake fluid change as you requested', and with a real attitude! When I query the schedule sheet, she decideds to put me through to the servicing manager.

He first says, 'Oh well, if the technicians have done it once previously, then we'd save you the money and not do it.' He takes the registration number off me 'looks it up' and first says 'aah yes, it was done on the service two years ago'. I say, 'Hang on a sec, this would be the first time that a fuel filter change is mentioned on the service schedule so why has it been changed already?' He goes quiet, and says 'oh my error, I was looking at a different car schedule, let's book it in and change the filter' we agree that if I pay the filter, then they will waive the the labour. Unbelievably considering that I have just payed £364 for a service, they haven't even cleaned the car, so I advise him of this as well, and he says 'we were short of drivers, so nobody had the time to do it, but I'll make sure it gets cleaned this time'. Fine I'm happy.

My wife drops the car in monday afternoon of this week, with toddler in tow. They are advised it'll take about half and hour, so she meets up with some of her mumsy friends outside and they go for a walk and a tea in some (probably) overpriced coffee shop and she returns to pick the car up one and a half hours later.

I'm in work and I get a phone call from the servicing manager. 'Hello, we've had some problems with the car. It's actually a primary fuel filter that we've changed that sits inside the fuel pump that's in the tank. We've changed it but now the car isn't starting. I've been on to Honda Technical Uk, and they've advised me that the fuel filter on this car should never be changed it's a lifetime filter, and the servicing schedule sheet you have is wrong. I'm very sorry, etc.' they sort my wife out with a courtesy car and send her and my son home.

In the mean time, I phone another Honda dealer, about 25 miles away, and I ask him about this 'lifetime' fuel filter on the Civic. He looks up the reg and says yes, we can do it, changed every 6 years, do it all the time. Filter costs about £30, and to change it £80-ish fitted, all according to schedule. This is confirmed by a phonecall to Honda UK, where the woman checks with technical and gets back to me with the same answer.

I'm phoned by the servicing manager next morning (tuesday, yesterday), who again throws out the Honda UK advice not to change the fuel filter line. When I mention that I have had it confirmed by the other Honda dealer, and Honda UK I don't get much response, and I ask him that I would like to know who he has spoken to with his information. He promises to get back to me with that, and also waves the charge for the fuel filter. That afternoon, he drops the car off at my wife's work and picks up the courtesy car.

I get home yesterday, and my wife says the cd player is no longer working, so I go and take a look. There is a stain on the cd dash trim and the cd inside is stuck. Right above it is an empty air freshener with a glass bottle, that has obviously been the source of the liquid. I examine the air freshener, it is the right way up, the glass bottle is intact. There is no way that this could have leaked in the position it's in. Either it's been done maliciously or more probably the air freshener was taken off to clean the dash, or was knocked off, and then replaced upside down, leaked, someone noticed and put it back the right way up.

I drive the car in to the dealers this morning, and I spot the servicing manager in the car park, and I ask him to take a look. He says immediately 'Oh I was pointed this out by the car cleaner before he even began to clean it, he came in and showed it to me and said, xxx this was here before I start'. I said, look, I'm not being funny but the leak had not prior to us dropping the car off to you guys. I am being honest and straightforward, this has happened on your watch. There is no way for that air freshener to leak unless it's turned upside down and however it happened, that is what must have happened. Glass bottles don't leak and then reseal themselves. He says he's baffled, and will have to speak to the General Manager. I ask him to give me a call back this afternoon.

Having not had a phone call back today, I phone Honda UK Car Customer Relations team and speak to Sam, who is very sympathetic, and she says she'll give the dealers a call on my behalf and escalate it, and try and get someone to call me back right away.

About 4.30 she phones back herself and says she's spoken to the general manager, who is extremely busy at the moment as it is at month's end (!), and will only be able to call me back on friday (two days time). I ask Sam what she can do and says to be honest there's not much she can do, as it will be a dispute between me and the dealers but she has recorded it as a complaint against the dealer.

So, this is where I stand now, sorry it's been a long read! I have no idea what's going to happen on friday, or even if I get a call back.

I feel really let down by the dealers who are obviously so busy with Honda's recent success they can't be bothered with good old customer service.

My main gripe is that I was actually putting more work their way, and they couldn't even be bothered to service the car according to it's schedule. My wife drives the car with my son it all the time, and my priority is to pay the Honda dealer for servicing, in the hope that it will be properly serviced each time, which is a source of comfort for me. At least I can feel some reassurance when she's out and about in it.

Well, no longer. I feel that this particular dealer doesn't really care, can't be bothered (unless it's a new sale) and doesn't want my money. So much for great customer service at the Honda dealer, ho hum.

apologies again for the large post, but I had to get it off my chest and, hello again! I'm sure I'll be in a better mood next time I post.
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