Motor Trend reports on a Honda Dealership experience.
- Thread starter Sayjac
- Start date
This little story is interesting, especially if I knew the lug nuts had not been touched since the factory assembly. If it were me (as we are multi-generational Honda owners), when they tried the "What do you want to do?" I would have asked them, "What are YOU going to do?" When that question is ultimately met with their version of "Nothing" My next question would have been for the District Service Rep's contact information...if they tried to blow that off...Honda Customer Service 800 number here I come.
The only "exaggeration" I can find in the MT article is perhaps MT going out their way to compliment the dealership. I'm pretty sure most customers in the same situation would not have been so kind. I wouldn't have been.
No doubt it happens at other dealerships, doesn't make it right. 'In this case', it happens to be a Honda dealership written about in a long time national automotive magazine. Seems like kind of big deal, 'to me.'
So you would be fine with being charged for the stud plus labor on a new vehicle 'under vehicle warranty' that based on the story was the first time vehicle/wheel was serviced? If so, then I guess for you it would be no "big deal".
No doubt it happens at other dealerships, doesn't make it right. 'In this case', it happens to be a Honda dealership written about in a long time national automotive magazine. Seems like kind of big deal, 'to me.'
Shouldn't they have been able to replace the stud with the hub still on the vehicle?
Or did they they have to pop the knuckle, remove the hub and use a press like the paperwork suggested.
Watch this thing need a new wheel bearing in a year. I could imagine what they'd charge for that. Probably $1000+
I will say I had a pleasant experience with the local Honda dealership back when we owned our 2007 Honda Odyssey. Had a few odd out of warranty issues that were fixed very reasonably.
Or did they they have to pop the knuckle, remove the hub and use a press like the paperwork suggested.
Watch this thing need a new wheel bearing in a year. I could imagine what they'd charge for that. Probably $1000+
I will say I had a pleasant experience with the local Honda dealership back when we owned our 2007 Honda Odyssey. Had a few odd out of warranty issues that were fixed very reasonably.
Honda does tend to build knuckles/hubs in such a way that the only access to drive out a mutilated stud & press one new is hub bearing destruction. They tend to provide no clearance/pass thru area around the hub circumference for stud extraction. : ( Gotta destroy a wheel bearing to create access. cha-ching.
I think the OP did a poor job wording their original post, they're presuming to think things about whether or not it was paid by warranty or whether or not it was paid out of pocket which I think frames this entire thread discussion in a very negative light (not to mention their usage of the term "stealership") and frankly it isn't even in context with what was actually written in the article.
Motor Trend simply pointed out the cost of the repair and the fact that it took two weeks to complete because they had to order parts that took 2 weeks to get in. That is all, there's nothing about warranty or paying out of pocket in this article. Furthermore we don't know whether or not that labor cost is based on the dealership's internal labor rate or Honda's labor rate among many other variable factors that were not specified and should not be speculated on.
^^^^Yep, correct on one point, I'm assuming MT would have mentioned had the repair been cover under warranty. 'Imo', seems leaving out that crucial bit of information would call into question their journalistic integrity. Also, seems to me the dealer would have immediately told MT it would be covered under warranty, and would not have asked, " Whaddya wanna do?" Seems a very reasonable inference and conclusion.
As for the cost of stud repair, I couldn't care less how it was derived by the dealer. MT listed the itemized cost of the services, that's that. So much for that strawman.
And yep, if MT bore the cost as a customer would have and MT implied, the term stealership is intended to be negative and appropriate. Don't need to be quick study to pick up on that.
As for the cost of stud repair, I couldn't care less how it was derived by the dealer. MT listed the itemized cost of the services, that's that. So much for that strawman.
And yep, if MT bore the cost as a customer would have and MT implied, the term stealership is intended to be negative and appropriate. Don't need to be quick study to pick up on that.
I stop caring about anything in Motor Trend after they put out that ridiculous Corvette versus Porsche 911 comparison a few years ago in which the Corvette "won" because they took a 911 with a bloated MSRP, due to an abundance of factory accessories that were added , and put it up against a stripped down Corvette. The Corvette lost in every category except "value" in which it got a 20 point boost to "win" the competition.
I'm trying to understand how it takes two weeks to get a wheel stud. I get it, I get it, it's probably a factory OEM Honda part, but is it actually any better than the ones available from the parts store? They could have installed an aftermarket one and given it a token 30-day warranty and had him out the door in no time.
Chevy must've been running a lot of ads in the magazine in the months and years prior to the comparison.
I have a few parts from Mazda that I ordered in October 2021 and they are now saying I "might" see them the end of November. These are collision parts too.
Exactly. I understand that the wheel had never been of the vehicle since MT purchased the vehicle. That to me is definitely warranty work. And I might add, I have been removing wheels for seventy years and never stripped a lug or a lug nut. The only way I can see this happening is when an idiot tries to start the lug nut on with an impact driver. From my own experience, I don't think you can start a lug nut on crossed threaded.
Unless it is a Subaru. Those lug studs will self-destruct for no rhyme or reason.
I have seen a fair amount of studs get stripped out on a brand new vehicle. Not sure what happened but it is annoying.
Unless it’s a Bentley built at VW’s Crewe facility(the former Rolls-Royce factory) or a Ferrari, all automakers use an automated pneumatic or electric wheel lug/bolt tightening machine at the assembly line. A ring of sockets tightens the lugs all in parallel.
Pfft. Honda owners get their opinions from Consumer Reports, not MT.
I think you've missed the point entirely, it is not a matter of frequency but rather the OP trying to extrapolate more meaning (with negative connotation no less) out of something that frankly is routine. Again, re-read my posts in this thread about this, the only thing the article noted is the cost of the repair and the fact that parts took 2 weeks to arrive at the dealership for install. That is it, nothing more needs be added to frame this situation in some negative context.
What if MT or anyone else were like, "We spent $50 on an oil change and needed some custom parts ordered that would take two weeks to receive" and someone on BITOG posted, "OMG this dealership is ripping them off! $50 for an oil change is absurd! Stealership tactics!!!" Again $50 is standard fare for an oil change at a dealership and we all know about parts shortages and backorders due to current world circumstances, no big deal unless someone wants to try to make it into a big deal.
Last edited:
Going back a few years now. I bought a new 1990 Accord EX. (Honda was already known for Quality). Must have been built on a Monday or Friday in Maryville (sp) Ohio.
Many problems from day one. Dealer reaction was (this is a Honda and Honda’s don’t give trouble).
Too many problems to list here but I’ll mention two.
If parked outside in rain, when I’d start off, water would POUR down on us. Dealer did not fix until I did some tests and told dealer that Left Rear Drain was plugged. Dealer FINALLY checked it out and found hose was kinked. Note; it took ME to find problem, not them.
Car had a Manual Transmission. Sometimes when engaging clutch, whole front of car would hop/jump up, sometimes a few inches. (This is a Honda and Honda’s don’t give trouble). Dealer would not fix. “Never heard of this problem. I must be the only one”. Then one day, while on phone with District Service Rep about another problem, I mentioned the clutch problem. “Oh, we have a fix for that now”. YOU TELLING ME THAT OTHERS ALSO HAVE THIS PROBLEM? Rep set me up with a different dealer svc Dept, ordered a new updated clutch. Installed. No more clutch problems.
A month later, I had another problem. (One of MANY). Traded for a 1992 Toyota LE, made in Japan. (Most were made in USA). Most trouble free car I’ve ever owned.
Have not purchased a Honda since.
Many problems from day one. Dealer reaction was (this is a Honda and Honda’s don’t give trouble).
Too many problems to list here but I’ll mention two.
If parked outside in rain, when I’d start off, water would POUR down on us. Dealer did not fix until I did some tests and told dealer that Left Rear Drain was plugged. Dealer FINALLY checked it out and found hose was kinked. Note; it took ME to find problem, not them.
Car had a Manual Transmission. Sometimes when engaging clutch, whole front of car would hop/jump up, sometimes a few inches. (This is a Honda and Honda’s don’t give trouble). Dealer would not fix. “Never heard of this problem. I must be the only one”. Then one day, while on phone with District Service Rep about another problem, I mentioned the clutch problem. “Oh, we have a fix for that now”. YOU TELLING ME THAT OTHERS ALSO HAVE THIS PROBLEM? Rep set me up with a different dealer svc Dept, ordered a new updated clutch. Installed. No more clutch problems.
A month later, I had another problem. (One of MANY). Traded for a 1992 Toyota LE, made in Japan. (Most were made in USA). Most trouble free car I’ve ever owned.
Have not purchased a Honda since.
