I bought my car in April 2010 (a used 2005 Honda Civic). Although the sales team were helpful with my questions regarding the car, the problems began once I signed the contract. We had agreed that Excel Honda would do certain repairs on the car, namely the Timing Belt. After a lot of resistance from the manager, he finally agreed. I got a call about 4 days later, telling me that the car was ready. When I went to pick it up, I asked again for confirmation that the Timing Belt had been changed. It turned out they hadn't done it, even after having the car in the service center for 4 days.
After several more days, they called me and said the car was ready and the Timing Belt had been changed. When I went, the paint also had not been fixed. There were chips in the paint and the salesperson said he would fix it before I picked up the car. Was delayed another couple of days as I waited for that to be done. Once I got the car, I asked for a printed report with all the things that had been done to the car by Honda (as proof that the timing belt was done). They told me to come back the next day, which I did and they still didn't have the report ready. I called them about a week later, and still could not get the report. It wasn't until I sent an official fax threatening to file a complaint, that I finally got the report.
After a few days of having the car, the Check Engine light came on. I brought the car to the Service Center and they checked the car. The service guy told me there was nothing wrong with the car and that the system just had to be reset. A few days later, the light came on again and I went back to the service center. I got the same response again from him. I found it very strange that the light would keep coming on and the mechanics could not find anything wrong with the car.
A couple of weeks ago, the check engine light came on again. Yet again, I brought the car to the service center. I was told I had to pay $75 to have the car checked, something I didn't have to pay for before because it was within 30 days that I bought the car. I was then told that the reason the light came on was because the Secondary Oxygen Sensor wasn't good and it's about a $500 repair. I was so frustrated realizing that, within the 30 days of having the car, the mechanics said there was nothing wrong with the car even though the light came on. If there was a repair to be done, it would have been covered by the warranty. Now that the 30 days has elapsed and I am responsible for the repairs, they magically discovered a problem with the car, something that was impossible to do before. They turned off the light for me and it hasn't come back on yet, even though a repair needs to be done.
I eventually spoke to one of the owners and expressed my frustration. She offered to take $120 off the repair. Wow. My mechanic is willing to do it for less than $100 and I trust him more than this company.
I am very disappointed with the customer service I have received from the moment I signed the contract. It seemed like they were only interested in making the sale and once they had my signature, I was on my own. Had I not asked them for confirmation that the Timing Belt was done, they would have let me walk off the lot thinking that it was repaired. Had I not sent an official letter to them, I would never have gotten the report. And now that my car is not covered under the 30 day warranty (even though I took the extra 2 years warranty), there is a major repair to be done.
Moral of the story - don't get screwed by buying at Excel Honda.
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