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Honda Northwest in Hilliard


sonavabeech

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I will try my best to be as unbiased as I can possibly be......................

Let me start from the beginning.

Our relationship began with Honda Northwest in Hilliard in the summer of 2005. Even though I had bought my motorcycle from ASK, I chose Honda Northwest to do the first maintenance service on my CBR. In the spring of 2006, my husband purchased a brand new Royal Star TD from the dealership and also chose them to perform the first maintenance service. Last spring I purchased a brand new VStar 1100 from the dealership.

Last Saturday, I dropped of the Vstar for the first maintenance service. It wasn't scheduled to be done until the following Wednesday which was yesterday but Saturday was the most convienent day to drop of the bike.

I called this morning to see if my motorcycle was ready to be picked up. I had my husband take me to work this morning and I was going to have a co-worker take me to pick it up and I planned on riding the motorcycle home.

I arrive around 1:30, I check in, and I pay $373.58. I'm handed my key and I go outside and wait for them to push my motorcycle out. This man gets my attention and says, "We have a situation here." and waves for me to step into the shop area. He says, "Your tire is flat. There's a screw in it." I look down and I do see a screw in it and I ask how much a new tire will cost. He says, "We don't plug tires, we replace them and a new tire will be $180 plus labor."

I tell myself that this doesn't make sense. I dropped the bike of Saturday, they did the maintanence service yesterday, and now today, I have a flat tired. I tell this guy of my concerns and he tells me that "it must have been there Saturday". I ask him, "Well, would a flat, low tire pressure, or screw have been noticed in a standard thorough first service maintenance?"

He steps away to get the paperwork and returns with the technician who performed the service.

She says, "I did the service on that bike and the tire pressure was fine and I did not see a screw." I thanked her and told her that I appreciated her honesty and she proceeded to tell me how she takes pride in her work and she wants to make sure she does things right.

I was told to come back tomorrow and discuss everything with the manager. I then ask them how am I suppose to get home today. I live a half hour away. The technician suggest they go ahead and fix it and take care of the other details tomorrow. Then I was asked to give them a couple of hours. Ok, so I head back to work with my boss who gave me the ride up there.

Halfway back to work, I get a call. The dealership needs the key. I look and I'm still clutching it in my hand and have made a key imprint in my palm. We turn around and head back.

When we get there, I go inside with the key and the guy walks up to me and shows me a three foot screw, ok it was about a three inch screw, still freakin' huge. He tells me, "We don't use these screw in the shop." I think to myself, no shit and I say, "It didn't have to come from this shop. It could have been picked up when the motorcycle was driven around during part of the maintenance service." Also, the technician says, "Well, the pressure was low and I did have to put air in the tire."

I remind her that when I was there the first time she had said that the tire was "fine" and she "didn't see a screw". Even if the screw was an oversight, fine does not mean, the pressure was low and I had to put air in it. Fine means it was fine and nothing needed to be done. I once again ask how was the tire not flat between Saturday and until about an hour ago? The man said, "The service was done Saturday and the bike has been sitting since." I then asked, "Where was the curtesy customer service call on Monday to let me know my bike was ready?" Of course no response. He proceeds to tell me that they will eat the labor and pay for half the tire.

Well, I'm a little too angry to accept that. He points out that he wasn't even authorized to make that offer as if I should be so grateful. I tell him, "that's not my problem." and continue to inform him that:

"I already left here 20 minutes ago with the impression that you don't know how to earn an honest dollar when you immediately denied any possible responsibility by implying that I must have dropped of my motorcycle with the screw in the tire AFTER having driven it 28 miles on I-70 and I-270 at 70-75 mph. Then after I leave and return 20 minutes later, you have a three inch screw IN YOUR HAND and your technician has modified her story. I've been in situations before where a mechanic would think he could screw me over by charging me for shit I don't need just because I'm a girl. What am I suppose to think?"

His responds by saying, "Well, if you're going to call me a liar then we don't need your business."

I respond by saying, "Of course you don't need my fucking business, I'm just one person and besides, my husband and I have already wasted well over a fucking twenty grand here and that's business this dealership has already gotten from us. It's probably more business than you would expect to get from one household so losing our business from this point forward is no big deal, is it?"

He says he has nothing more to discuss with me and the tire will be changed in an hour and it will be $70.00 and I can talk to "the manager" tomorrow. I return to my boss's car and we head back to work.

I get to work and I call the Cleveland location, speak to the manager, get his name, the name of who he says the manager is in Hilliard. I tell him my story exactly as I've posted so far minus the profanity and anger because I have no beef with him. He gets my information and tells me he will call me back.

It is now 3:48. About fifteen minutes ago I received the return from the nice gentleman in Cleveland. He says:

"When you are ready, all you have to do is pick up your motorcycle and we will take care of the rest. Even though no one really knows where the screw came from or how it got there, it was discovered while your motorcycle was in our possesion. We will counsel "the guy" about how he is not to speak for the company by saying "we don't need your business" especially to a customer who has a loyal customer history. I apologize for the inconvienence and we do appreciate your business."

I told him that I appreciated his help in the matter and that I didn't know when I would be able to pick up my motorcycle since I have to take care of work that I wasn't able to do while having to deal with this situation....and post this thread :).

I will be picking up my motorcyle in about an hour when I get off of work. I wonder how I will be treated at this visit.

Sorry for the long post, I hope it was a good read and I hope there aren't too many typos. I hate typos, especially when I tend to make them more often when I'm pissy.

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I will try my best to be as unbiased as I can possibly be......................

Let me start from the beginning.

Our relationship began with Honda Northwest in Hilliard in the summer of 2005. Even though I had bought my motorcycle from ASK, I chose Honda Northwest to do the first maintenance service on my CBR. In the spring of 2006, my husband purchased a brand new Royal Star TD from the dealership and also chose them to perform the first maintenance service. Last spring I purchased a brand new VStar 1100 from the dealership.

Last Saturday, I dropped of the Vstar for the first maintenance service. It wasn't scheduled to be done until the following Wednesday which was yesterday but Saturday was the most convienent day to drop of the bike.

I called this morning to see if my motorcycle was ready to be picked up. I had my husband take me to work this morning and I was going to have a co-worker take me to pick it up and I planned on riding the motorcycle home.

I arrive around 1:30, I check in, and I pay $373.58. I'm handed my key and I go outside and wait for them to push my motorcycle out. This man gets my attention and says, "We have a situation here." and waves for me to step into the shop area. He says, "Your tire is flat. There's a screw in it." I look down and I do see a screw in it and I ask how much a new tire will cost. He says, "We don't plug tires, we replace them and a new tire will be $180 plus labor."

I tell myself that this doesn't make sense. I dropped the bike of Saturday, they did the maintanence service yesterday, and now today, I have a flat tired. I tell this guy of my concerns and he tells me that "it must have been there Saturday". I ask him, "Well, would a flat, low tire pressure, or screw have been noticed in a standard thorough first service maintenance?"

He steps away to get the paperwork and returns with the technician who performed the service.

She says, "I did the service on that bike and the tire pressure was fine and I did not see a screw." I thanked her and told her that I appreciated her honesty and she proceeded to tell me how she takes pride in her work and she wants to make sure she does things right.

I was told to come back tomorrow and discuss everything with the manager. I then ask them how am I suppose to get home today. I live a half hour away. The technician suggest they go ahead and fix it and take care of the other details tomorrow. Then I was asked to give them a couple of hours. Ok, so I head back to work with my boss who gave me the ride up there.

Halfway back to work, I get a call. The dealership needs the key. I look and I'm still clutching it in my hand and have made a key imprint in my palm. We turn around and head back.

When we get there, I go inside with the key and the guy walks up to me and shows me a three foot screw, ok it was about a three inch screw, still freakin' huge. He tells me, "We don't use these screw in the shop." I think to myself, no shit and I say, "It didn't have to come from this shop. It could have been picked up when the motorcycle was driven around during part of the maintenance service." Also, the technician says, "Well, the pressure was low and I did have to put air in the tire."

I remind her that when I was there the first time she had said that the tire was "fine" and she "didn't see a screw". Even if the screw was an oversight, fine does not mean, the pressure was low and I had to put air in it. Fine means it was fine and nothing needed to be done. I once again ask how was the tire not flat between Saturday and until about an hour ago? The man said, "The service was done Saturday and the bike has been sitting since." I then asked, "Where was the curtesy customer service call on Monday to let me know my bike was ready?" Of course no response. He proceeds to tell me that they will eat the labor and pay for half the tire.

Well, I'm a little too angry to accept that. He points out that he wasn't even authorized to make that offer as if I should be so grateful. I tell him, "that's not my problem." and continue to inform him that:

"I already left here 20 minutes ago with the impression that you don't know how to earn an honest dollar when you immediately denied any possible responsibility by implying that I must have dropped of my motorcycle with the screw in the tire AFTER having driven it 28 miles on I-70 and I-270 at 70-75 mph. Then after I leave and return 20 minutes later, you have a three inch screw IN YOUR HAND and your technician has modified her story. I've been in situations before where a mechanic would think he could screw me over by charging me for shit I don't need just because I'm a girl. What am I suppose to think?"

His responds by saying, "Well, if you're going to call me a liar then we don't need your business."

I respond by saying, "Of course you don't need my fucking business, I'm just one person and besides, my husband and I have already wasted well over a fucking twenty grand here and that's business this dealership has already gotten from us. It's probably more business than you would expect to get from one household so losing our business from this point forward is no big deal, is it?"

He says he has nothing more to discuss with me and the tire will be changed in an hour and it will be $70.00 and I can talk to "the manager" tomorrow. I return to my boss's car and we head back to work.

I get to work and I call the Cleveland location, speak to the manager, get his name, the name of who he says the manager is in Hilliard. I tell him my story exactly as I've posted so far minus the profanity and anger because I have no beef with him. He gets my information and tells me he will call me back.

It is now 3:48. About fifteen minutes ago I received the return from the nice gentleman in Cleveland. He says:

"When you are ready, all you have to do is pick up your motorcycle and we will take care of the rest. Even though no one really knows where the screw came from or how it got there, it was discovered while your motorcycle was in our possesion. We will counsel "the guy" about how he is not to speak for the company by saying "we don't need your business" especially to a customer who has a loyal customer history. I apologize for the inconvienence and we do appreciate your business."

I told him that I appreciated his help in the matter and that I didn't know when I would be able to pick up my motorcycle since I have to take care of work that I wasn't able to do while having to deal with this situation....and post this thread :).

I will be picking up my motorcyle in about an hour when I get off of work. I wonder how I will be treated at this visit.

Sorry for the long post, I hope it was a good read and I hope there aren't too many typos. I hate typos, especially when I tend to make them more often when I'm pissy.

The "guy" in Cleveland is Rick. I don't know who the people are in service you talked to today, but Rick is awesome. I'm glad he's taking care of you.

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The "guy" in Cleveland is Rick. I don't know who the people are in service you talked to today, but Rick is awesome. I'm glad he's taking care of you.

Rick has been in a meeting with BMW all day. I believe she talked to Brian, the GM up there.

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I'm not so angry any more and I just wanted to add that when I initially began to question things, the guy in the service department made me feel like I was trying to get a free tire or something. I already paid for the service. If I was that type of person, I woulda slipped and fell down in there show room a long time ago!

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It was Brian that I spoke with in Cleveland and the guy I dealt with in Hilliard wasn't anyone I have seen before. I think he was someone who was filling in. Out of the eleventeen hundred and fiddy times that I have been in and out of that place, this has been the only negative experience. I won't hold his actions against the dealership and I hope the technician did't get fussed at for being honest the first time I was there since her story was modified the second time I went in.

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Who's the "manager" at the Hilliard store?
Brian in Cleveland did tell me the GM for Hilliard was Rick but he was not there today. Neither was Terry, who I was told is the service manager.

Yeah Rick is the GM here. Terry is the service manager

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What ever happened to the customer is Number 1. If it weren't for us- they wouldn't have a business/ Job. Seems like a lot of these dealerships around central Ohio don't give a fuck- they just want to make a buck.

That is certainly NOT the attitude here at Honda Northwest.

I.e. most of the management staff is heading to the lodge bar tonight (including the owner) just to show some support for OhioRiders.net and because many people here on the board have spent at our dealership

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That is certainly NOT the attitude here at Honda Northwest.

I.e. most of the management staff is heading to the lodge bar tonight (including the owner) just to show some support for OhioRiders.net and because many people here on the board have spent at our dealership

Well Hell ya! Can't wait to see everyone. Sorry to hear some one was having a bad day and spoke out of their ass! Sucks but it happens at the best of places.

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Well Hell ya! Can't wait to see everyone. Sorry to hear some one was having a bad day and spoke out of their ass! Sucks but it happens at the best of places.

Yep, can't please all the people all the time I guess :dunno:

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Well Hell ya! Can't wait to see everyone. Sorry to hear some one was having a bad day and spoke out of their ass! Sucks but it happens at the best of places.

I'm not clear about who was having a bad day and spoke out of their ass?

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I have my motorcycle back now. When I went there for the third and last time for today, the service advisor, according to the title on his card, whose name is Rick but not the owner Rick, extended his hand and wanted to apologize for "us getting off on the wrong foot" and that "we" do appreciate my business and "we" hope that I continue to bring business to them.

Yep, can't please all the people all the time I guess :dunno:

I don't believe that I was being difficult by questioning why it wasn't flat and the screw wasn't noticed when the service maintenance was done yesterday. I didn't know whether to question if the job was done thoroughly or perhaps the screw was picked up after the service tech rode it around as part of the service. When the service advisor said it must have been there when I dropped it off, it went down hill from there.

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Where are the best places to go around Columbus for service (for that matter Ohio)??? I know everyone has had good days and bad days at certain places. Seems like everyone on the board has had a bad experience with ASK and MOC. Considering SERVICE only... (not sales) what do you guys think???

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I have my motorcycle back now. When I went there for the third and last time for today, the service advisor, according to the title on his card, whose name is Rick but not the owner Rick, extended his hand and wanted to apologize for "us getting off on the wrong foot" and that "we" do appreciate my business and "we" hope that I continue to bring business to them.

I don't believe that I was being difficult by questioning why it wasn't flat and the screw wasn't noticed when the service maintenance was done yesterday. I didn't know whether to question if the job was done thoroughly or perhaps the screw was picked up after the service tech rode it around as part of the service. When the service advisor said it must have been there when I dropped it off, it went down hill from there.

So in the end,we made it right. Isn't that good customer service?

You say that you don't think you were being difficult by questioning things, which I don't think you were. But you immediately blamed the service dept. whichever question you were asking. How do you know the screw was NOT already there? Just because the tech didn't see it the first time on the lift? The tire could have been in any number of positions hiding that screw behind the swingarm, fender, etc.

I'm not trying to say that it wasn't the service depts fault, it may have been, but it also may not have been. Even by you own posts here, that was not an option in your mind and we obviously did something wrong.

Rick (service writer) is a super nice guy and if he was rude to you in any way then I apologize for that. However, I was standing back there for part of your conversation and you were not exactly being polite. That still doesn't excuse him telling you we don't want your business, because obviously we do, but he is human and we all make mistakes.

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