Hi guys,

Any ideas on the right channels for us to contact about a Canadian dealership which does not want to help with a mess they did?

I won't go onto details - just going to give them one more chance to fix the situation, or else I go public, including this site

Thankx

Vic

 

Check Honda.ca website. Seems obvious enough.

 

Which Honda dealership? Richmond, Burnaby (Metrotown), Maple Ridge, Langley...?

 

I must be lucky. We have one of the best Honda dealerships in the country. They always receive customer service awards from Honda Canada, and they always do right by me. (Sterling Honda)

 

I believe he's in montreal.

BTW, I think BC Honda Dealers, at least in the Lower Mainland, are the best. I've been to many over the years and have zero complaints. In fact, I cannot think of one that I haven't gone to, with the exception of North Shore dealerships.

 

yes i'm in montreal - but its towards a toronto dealership

one more call to them to resolve the issue- its a matter of principle, or i start going public, like here, and to honda.ca & media

 

It has come to this point, no change from the dealership point of view, so its time to go public - not only on this site but on dealer and media sites as well.

Dealership is Sisley honda in thornhill, just on the northern tip of toronto.

During the july 1st long weekend, we drove from montreal to toronto. this is about a 5.5hr drive, along the main highway, which links the cities up.

About mid way, out of no where I hit a dead animal and it turns out damage was done to the lower bumper, rad and condenser, and maybe more. To this date I have not received a full listing of what was done. Hopefully when the car is being picked up.

We made our destination but the rad was leaking and needed to be changed. Next day being holiday, everything was closed, the early friday july 2nd, i had the car towed to this dealership, as it was the closest, and that I have in the past purchased a civic from there years ago.

Turns out they looked over the car and it turns the body shop would need the car. I simply wanted a quick rad replacement, something easy so that I could return home and get the damage fixed at my local dealership.

They didn't let it go and damages are probably 3-4 thousand dollars - so insurance is being involved, my insurance plan has a car rental for such cases.

Left the fit at the dealership, who shipped it to the body shop 'triple crown' in concord ontario, who had to get an estimate done from insurance to get started on the repair.

No rush, as I wanted a clean job.

Last week, we spoke to the body shop manager Danny Gaitanis, who has an office at the dealership with the triple crown logo on the door, and was told come by friday, and the car will be ready.

Perfect. My wife and I took 2 vacation days off and took one of our kids. The older one stayed back. We left the wednesday night. Thursday at 1:44 in the afternoon, I still have the phone stamp on my cell, Danny calls and notified us the parts they ordered are defective. They didn't know when the car would be ready, but expected it ready the following wednesday, which would be july 28 2010. They offered hotel coverage. Which was nice. But we couldn't stay that long, esp with little kids, and loss of income from our jobs, plus they did not 100% know if it would have been ready. Who knows the replacement parts could have had other defects.

So we mentioned have serivce b done for free. they argreed. The car was purchased new from excel honda in montreal in november 2009.

The problem came out that if the car would be ready, the following week, and we would not be able to come back with the rental and get our car until mid august. Insurance will cover rentals until the car is ready. So the question is who will cover the rental until we can make it back.

Danny said the body shop would not.

We felt like this was going no where, over the phone, so before heading back to montreal I went to the dealership, looking for answers - wanted to speak to the shop manager and explain the situation.

The acting shop manager agreed we are not at fault, and would pass this case to the service manager Bob Tasikas, who did not work on the saturday.

We left back.

Wednesday july 28th came, Danny called car is ready. I explained we should not be paying for the mistake and not have to cover the rental. They offered service b again, which I declined, as this could be done at any dealership, but the rental situation is with the dealership. This is a principle thing.

Bob was trying to pass the tab for the rental to insurance, and forwarded me to Danny the Body shop manager.
Bob mentioned to my wife, there is no financial benefit for the dealership on this matter and wanted the case closed.

Still no change on the rental. So we now have to make another trip, take another vacation day from work, drive out, pick our car and return back in one day, eventough we have to be in toronto mid august.

Today I requested at least going half way with Bob that we'll come down next week for the exchange. No budge. Danny now declined getting service b done.

We will be going next week, paying the the week of rental and still have service b to cover when we return home.

Its a beautiful dealership, but you have been warned, basic customer service skills really lack.

 

a new thread will be opened to discuss this

 

I hope the new thread will be easier to make sense out of than what's written above. Too much of he said, she said, I said, they said, danny said, bob said ---

 

sorry bout that

 

see if you can find out who the district manager is.

 

Good idea!