The driver's side window on my '02 Accord sedan fell in, so I took it in for a repair. To replace the regulator it was going to be $450. The attendant called me in the middle of the repair and said, "We're having trouble starting your car—would you want to replace the battery?" I was shocked, since I never had trouble starting it, and I told him I'd already replaced the battery with them. Over the phone he said he'd check my records. I waited while he supposedly scrolled down them and told me no, he saw no battery replacement. I said I still didn't want the battery, so he claimed they'd have to jump start the car for me.
I looked through my paper records, and sure enough, I had replaced the battery 3 years and 2 months before with them. I showed them the paperwork, and he said since I was two months past the guarantee, they could prorate it so it'd cost $50 but the warranty would continue from where it left off. I said no way, went to Costco, and bought a battery for $57.00 with the full warrantee. MAGICALLY, in the parking lot at Costco, my car was SUDDENLY extremely hard to start. I don't know what the heck they did to my original perfectly good battery, but all I know is that that morning my car started beautifully, as always, BUT when I got it back from Rock Honda I had to crank it hard for a couple minutes before it finally caught.
The funny thing is that I had stopped going there for oil changes because I couldn't afford it. Almost EVERY time they found SOMETHING else expensive that needed to be done on this supposedly reliable car. On top of that, I bought the car from them with lifetime free oil changes, but 4 years into my ownership they said, "Nope, we don't do that anymore."
THEN through researching online I discovered a serious water pump timing belt recall for my exact make and model and year that could cause a total engine failure if the belt breaks. I NEVER was notified of this! This is not something to wait until you have a problem with it! I drive on the freeway, so this could have led to a deadly crash! Why didn't they at least call me in to check out the recalled parts?
Friends of ours who bought their Odyssey at Honda have given us the name of a reliable mechanic they found through word of mouth, so my husband and I will take our Hondas elsewhere. I thought the dealer would be the Honda specialists, and was willing to pay a little more for the best so my car would last, but I am sick of getting angry every time I go to that place!
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