I’m sure the dealer will be happy to clean up the glass and fix the seat belts. Just like they would do with a new car when an issue is discovered. We’re talking humans doing the work and not everything turns out perfect all the time.
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Eh, we had a smash and grab of our suction cup Garfield. Nothing else taken so I did not bother with a police report. Replacement of rear passenger side window was less than deductible so no insurance claim. I don’t think I ever got every piece of glass out of the back seat area.
Finding broken glass in a car does not indicate that the vehicle did not receive a mechanical inspection, the technician performing the inspection is not going to vacuum the interior.
Each used car receives the same detailing treatment, it is “piece work”, the detail department worker gets about 2 hours labor for each vehicle. They have to work fast to make money, sometimes a vehicle is returned to the detail department because the detail job was unacceptable.
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Tempered glass can break at anytime for no apparent reason.
Tester
I bought a 3 year old Certified Pre-Owned Odyssey from the Continental Honda dealer in Countryside, IL with 22,000 miles on it. It had undergone a 150 point inspection the day before, yet I spotted two glaring problems from 30 feet away. The rubbery/plasticky air dam below the front driver’s side headlight had hit something and been indented/inverted. I laid down on the ground and popped it back out with my hands. And on the same corner, the front tire had a golf ball-sized bulge popping out of the sidewall, as though it had been slammed into a curb. The inspection had happened the day before and the salesman said those things must have happened on a test drive since then. As such, the dealer would not pay to replace the front tire, since the car had passed its 150 point inspection, but they would be kind enough to replace that tire for me and charge me the full retail price. Salesman was a remorseless scumbag who would not concede that the dealer shouldn’t be selling cars where the front tire is 5 minutes away from a blowout on the highway. I felt gross after dealing with him but finished with the sale as I was burned out and needed to get it over with.
A Certified vehicle and you put the air dam back in place and bought a new tire from the dealer ? I would have not done either one and went some where else if they did not correct the problems.
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Sorry, the salesman was a jerk, but you helped enable him to continue to operate as one.
I would not have purchased the vehicle (who knows what else was damaged in the collision, other than a tire and air dam?) and I’d be on the phone with Honda Corporate reporting this incidence.
With any car, new, used, CPO, whatever, even real estate, a final inspection should take place prior to closing and any shortcomings have to be addressed prior to the closing.
I’m afraid that you allowed this guy to prey on other buyers, some who wouldn’t even notice any kind of problem until days later.
CSA
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So sorry about what you had to go through:-(
About your thread of October 2018 , did you ever give an update about the vehicle damage your son had?
Yes, the insurance paid for the damages to the other car ( which was sticking out of the parking spot). Your suggestions were very helpful. Thanks
Mike I feel your disappointment. A 150 point inspection. LOL. You seeing the problems from 30 feet away was probably 30 feet closer than the tech/mechanic got to the vehicle. They most likely checked off the list in the break room with coffee and a donut. Safety items. Tires, brakes, and suspension need to be carefully inspected.
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+1
A sad commentary on our times, but very possibly true…
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I had researched the Odysseys pretty thoroughly, and drove about 8 total that day. By the time I got to that one (for the second time) it was clear it was the best car at the best price. I bought it and it has been a great car ever since, with almost no problems. In the end, I wrote a letter of complaint to Honda of America, naming the salesman and the dealership. Got a boilerplate letter back with a coupon for a discounted oil change.
I hope you didn’t accept it. I would have returned such a lame response.
Providing everything you have stated is accurate…
then by accepting an oil change instead of the proper compensation that you were entitled to you are enabling Honda of America and its dealers to treat customers unfairly.
CSA
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Called the insurance company and found out that they have no past information about the car. They asked me to contact the CarFax folks.
Called the dealer and will take the car in such that they will look at the seatbelt as well as the broken glass. Will keep you updated. Thanks
If you have not obtained a copy of the CPO inspection form (showing each item that was to be inspected and notes) and the warranty document, get those when you visit the dealer. The dealer should have provided them.
I know with GM there are actual minimum standards for wear items that must be met or exceeded or the parts get replaced (including brakes and tires). Replacements are noted, too. I always give those my own check to verify the inspection report.
These inspection forms must be signed by a technician being paid to perform and a dealer principal, as required by GM. As long as I get the signed document I don’t really care so much if the inspection was done or not (in my dealings it has been done), but their check had better agree with my check.
It’s the bumper-to-bumper warranty that is important to me and that I will have. As others have pointed out, a car purchase, whether new, used, or CPO is much more likely to have a good outcome if the dealer is honest, reputable, and stands behind their customers. My nearest small town has 3 dealers that have been in business a long, long time.
They compete for business and all treat customers honestly and fairly. If not they won’t be in business too long. Everybody knows everybody in town. I play golf with dealer owners, their staff, and customers several times a week.
CSA
I do have a 180 point check-up report from the dealer.
Dear all,
Took the car to the dealership and talked to the manager of Honda of Danbury. He was apologetic for doing a crappy job cleaning up the glass and for the seatbelt not working. He said that every nook and cranny of the Certified Pre-owned car should have been checked. I guess the original window was broken and was he window was replaced by a generic window, meaning did not have Honda sign on it, hence the broken glass. He immediately offered to loan me a car, fix the seatbelt, clean the car thoroughly and detail it. He also asked me if there are any concerns. I mentioned that the car still sways to the right, in spite of the previous mounting and balancing job. He said that he will take care of all of the above in the next few days. He once again, said sorry.
I also gather that the car fax does take into consideration the broken glass. The car was leased by someone, who lived in NYC. They returned the car probably with a smashed window, or at the end of their lease period. Dealer replaced the window and put it out as a certified used car. Lo and behold, I liked the car and decided to buy it. Since then the dealer replaced the air filter, replaced the loose light cover on the front bumper, painted the scratches on the front bumper, balanced and rotated the tires, did wheel alignment, changed the spark plugs, transmission oil and filter, replaced the motor on the passenger side window, and did full maintenance for free. Now he is willing to clean the broken glass and fix the seat belt. Over all, I guess I did ok. Is there anything else, I should have and could have asked him to do? Please feel free to chime in. Once again many thanks to all of you for your sincere input.
Routine vehicle servicing is not warrantied, because warranties warrant that parts won’t break. They don’t warrant that parts which are supposed to wear won’t wear. Replacement of wear items is just part of the routine servicing you must perform on any vehicle.
Put another way, if routine positive-cost vehicle servicing were covered by the warranty, you should get free gas throughout the warranty period. That would, obviously, be absurd, as would expecting free oil changes (absent a promotion), or wiper blade replacements, etc.
Warranties protect you against part defects. This is why you don’t get to use your bumper to bumper warranty to fix collision damage. The bent wheel was not bent because the wheel was made poorly, it was bent because someone drove poorly, and so even though the wheel is, in fact, covered by a bumper to bumper warranty, it would only take effect if the wheel failed due to the wheel having been made wrong.
I get all that, but here’s my point: I’m not arguing that wearable parts should be covered, I’m arguing that calling it a “pumper-to-bumper” warranty can create the false impression that everything, including wearable parts, that falls between the bumpers, is covered.
At the dealership where I bought my Honda Civic - the one and only car I’ve ever bought at a dealership - both the salesman and the service manager were careful not to call it a “bumper-to-pumper” warranty because, they explained, wearable items between the bumpers aren’t covered. I agree with their reasoning, and think that is a good practice for managing your customers’ expectations.
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