Paint Defect On New Car - Looking for Opinions

[spankis]

So, good update - hopefully. Lindsay just called and let me know that their PDR guy was able to fix the dent, and the scratch polished out. Not sure who they called, but whoever it was got it out completely using the glue technique as requested (no holes drilled or body plug in the door jamb). Thanks to Kevin Clifford for suggesting that option, I had no idea it was even a thing.

 

I'm going to go check the car out after work to confirm it's satisfactory. If all is well I plan to look the car over in GREAT DETAIL before I leave the lot with it. As for the original hatch factory clearcoat issue, that will be dealt with separately, possibly with Roush Honda. At this point I'm in GTFO mode.

 

Jesus.

[spankis]

Sad update from last night's visit after work - dent is pulled out but far from gone. Still an obvious crease above the rear wheel, so I suppose it's as good as PDR can do for me. Spoke to the after hours service manager last night and he was polite and reasonable. I indicated that before we send the car for bodywork I needed to speak with someone about how the loss of value will be handled (it's no longer a new car, Honda North America rep confirmed the damage is forever associated with my case and will be tied to the VIN). I explained that I left two VM's for the general manager at Lindsay asking for a call back to discuss, and nobody has even returned my call.

 

Different service manager called me back just a bit ago (not the GM, but I guy who was an ass over the phone on Monday). He is rude and argumentative again (customer service is not his strong suit). He wants to argue indefinitely about how there is no loss of value "because it's a honda". He also suggested that because it was on their lot for a week they aren't liable.... Obiously there's 1000 ways to refute that whole claim so I won't go into my response. At the end of the conversation I suggested that the loss of value discussion is likely out of his wheelhouse, thanked him for his help and asked to speak with some else, preferably the GM. Waiting for a call back (again).

Edited April 28, 2017 by spankis

[Zx2guy19]

Damn man, that's disappointing to hear. I've worked with Lindsey once before and had no issues, but I had nothing like this happen before. Hopefully they take care of this shit.

[2 Sweet]

"Honda makes the cars, LINDSEY makes the difference!"

 

Sorry to hear, man. What a headache.

[Geeto67]

you may have to physically walk in there to talk to the GM.

 

Personally, and this is just because I am nuts about documenting things, I would send the dealer a certified letter to the head of the dealer and to Honda NA's customer service center detailing the conversation you have had with the service manager and explaining why "there is no loss of value because it's a honda" is not an appropriate response to damage incurred by them on their property.

 

Is it a little petty? sure. But if it ever gets to the point where you are considering legal action, something like that is a PR nightmare for them and a close in time letter detailing a conversation you had directly with their representative as well as detailing new complaints of customer dissatisfaction is admissible evidence.

[spankis]

you may have to physically walk in there to talk to the GM.

 

Personally, and this is just because I am nuts about documenting things, I would send the dealer a certified letter to the head of the dealer and to Honda NA's customer service center detailing the conversation you have had with the service manager and explaining why "there is no loss of value because it's a honda" is not an appropriate response to damage incurred by them on their property.

 

Is it a little petty? sure. But if it ever gets to the point where you are considering legal action, something like that is a PR nightmare for them and a close in time letter detailing a conversation you had directly with their representative as well as detailing new complaints of customer dissatisfaction is admissible evidence.

 

Not a bad idea. I've got a timeline of notes outlining the whole experience so far, this would be a good addition.

[noobiemcnooberson.]

Coming from working at another Honda dealer, I'd be raising holy hell with the Gm and Honda North America to right now. Certified letter or call from an attorney would certainly help get them to step up. Your car was on the lot due to a defect and was damaged sometime in the process of getting it fixed. I would certainly go over the service managers head at this point and if you really wanna piss them off take it to hinderer. John hates Lindsey so I'm sure he would get a kick out of sticking it to them.

[spankis]

So, service manager extraordinaire called me late Friday afternoon, just to let me know that the GM would not be available to call me that afternoon, but would in touch Monday... great, thanks.

 

Got a call from him yesterday at 4:45 and we spoke for 10 minutes or so. He retold the chain of events mostly accurately, but the felt the need to insert "the car was on the lot for a week while you were on vacation" though he didn't suggest they were dodging responsibility, so no point was really made with that tidbit. I corrected him though, noting that I made it very clear the Monday night I dropped it off that I would be out of state for work through Thursday night, and they could have it solely so their monthly visit from warranty guy on Wednesday to review the paint problem would work out. I also noted that NOBODY from Lindsay called me at any point that week, and it wasn't until I called them from the Fort Myers airport Thursday at 5pm that I learned the car had even been looked at. That all seemed to be news to him, though I wasn't surprised those details may have been omitted from the summary of events shared with him.

 

I mostly repeated the same concerns I had shared with everyone prior, and I also shared my experiences with his unprofessional service manager. He then apologized a few times, informed me that the guy was "really just an assistant manager" (lol), and ultimately suggested that "he had looked at it himself, there was clearly a crease, and no one should have called me saying it was fixed before". He then expressed his confidence in the dent guys ability to truly fix it, and said he would be having them back today (Tuesday) to take another swing at it. I got a call this afternoon from the GM personally, saying that he went out to look at it and the dent and crease is gone as far as he can tell, and that they would like me to come look at it. I went by there after work, GM was gone, but two polite, reasonable service guys joined me in "reviewing" the car. Dent was gone, crease was 95% gone after dent wizard round 2 - but sheetmetal is obviously still distorted / fatigued in the fender area above the rear wheel (unibody skin). Not awful, but clearly not quite right at all. More importantly, the deep scratches on the door in front of the area and in the bumper cover behind the area are still very much there, so it's STILL not resolved....

 

I've made it very clear that a blended metallic re-paint and body filler on a new car is not going to "make me whole" in terms of my new car damaged while in their facility for warranty work, so they are clearly pursuing all other options. However I honestly can't tell if these guys are humoring me and making a legitimate effort or just taking unproductive baby steps over and over in the hopes that one of these times I'll look at it and say good enough, or get frustrated enough to accept it as is and drive it home. Regardless, I feel like it will absolutely require paint and a skim of filler, and the damage is spread across the rear bumper cover, rear fender skin, and rear passenger door. Though the damage is minor, that's a lot of panel blending, and I feel like I'm trending toward establishing a pre and post-repair valuation of the car somehow in order to have a meaningful conversation BEFORE agreeing to have the car painted. I will not be hashing all that out after the repairs are done.