| Wrazor |
Note: I'm new here at HondaPilot.Org and still learning my way around the threads, etc. This was originally posted in the "General" area.)
My 1995 Ford Windstar did not like me on morning of Friday, June 16. It had served me well since 1997. My wife had strong feelings for the Toyota Highlander. She drives an awesome ’93 Camrey. The dealer for Toyota is located on the far side of the Tennessee River...too far for me.
The family went to a northwest Alabama Honda dealer. We were quickly placed into a burgundy red Pilot with tan interior. Mr. Salesman wanted to seal the deal that evening but we were not in a hurry.
About 11:30 on Saturday, June 17 Mr. Salesman called to invite us back to the dealership. At 1:00 PM we were back on the car lot and this time we were sure we did not want the burgundy red/tan Pilot. Black, beige and white were also not what I wanted. Silver and a dark green were about all that was left. We jumped into a amazon green with a taupe interior and took it for a test drive. I noticed an “x” marked (with a Sharpie?) on the clear head lamp cover. I wondered about the “x” and asked Mr. Salesman about it. He didn’t know. In the bright Alabama sun, the Pilot looked perfect. The serious sales negotiations began. We had prepared to buy by purchasing a Consumer Report’s Auto Buyers Guide. The report suggested a price to offer and to negotiation from there. We offer that price, plus trade in of the ’95 Ford Windstar ($750.00) and asked that the dealer install the leather seat option. Mr. Salesman first offered the leather for $1400 but quickly lowered the price to $1000. Following my wife’s lead, we departed the dealership. Mr. Salesman called us at home about an hour later and the leather options was down to $500. I felt okay at that point but the wife was hoping for “free” leather. I folded and Mr. Salesman ran off to get the contract printed so we could sign on the line.
Mr. Salesman returned with a contact that had an additional $399 for all sorts of minor services (that dealers require) (the list included “hazardous waste disposal and computer media backup) plus $189 for the Thief Protection Insurance (window etching of unique serial number). The wife and I laughed and walked out! Mr. Salesman appeared to be in shock. We were just 3 miles down the road when Mr. Salesman called begging for us to return. He was able to delete (most) of the “dealer required additional cost” and redo the contract. The amazon green Pilot was parked in our driveway that evening.
I spent Sunday afternoon cleaning up the garage so that there was a proper place to park the new baby. Monday morning, I took my daughters to swim practice and returned home. Both garage doors were open and the sun was back lighting the new Pilot. It was then that I notice dozens of dimples scattered across the hood. Hail damage! I felt sick to my stomach. Once again I had been “screwed” by a car dealer. I showed the damage to my wife and two neighbors, then drove by myself to a northwest Alabama Honda dealer.
Mr. Salesman was hesitant to believe there was a problem. So was the Mr. Business Manager. They wanted to “repair” the damage. “Ding Masters could make it look like new” said Mr. Salesman. I demanded a replacement. I have purchased one brand new car in my life…a 1982 Datsun 310 hatchback from a dealer in Gallatin, TN. Mr. Salesman disappeared for about 30 minutes, then offered me a replacement. I was told it would take several days for a replacement to be found and brought into the dealership and during that time I could drive the hail damaged Pilot for free!
Mr. Salesman called on Wednesday, June 21 and informed that a silver pilot was available. I refused that offer. I had become very fond of the Amazon Green and asserted to Mr. Salesman that was what I must have. About 10 minutes later an Amazon Green Pilot was found and would be at the dealership the next afternoon. Mr. Salesman asked if they could take some time to clean up and prep the replacement and could we meet Friday morning? Why sure!
I washed the dinged Pilot early Friday and went to the northwest Alabama Honda dealer about 11:00 am. to do the swap. I did a “walk around” about 6 times on the replacement Amazon Green Pilot. It looked okay but the engine compartment was really dirty, like it had been down a real dusty road for about 15 miles. While doing the “walk around” Mr. Salesman asked about the window stickers which I assured him were in excellent shape in the drivers seat of the hail damaged Pilot. My jaw dropped as I watched Mr. Salesman drive the damaged Pilot into a prime parking position on the sales lot and proceed to reapply the window sticker. (I’m sure there is someone driving a hail damaged Pilot around north Alabama even as I write this letter.) I went through the purchase process once more signing my name about two dozen times on eight or nine different forms. I was relieved to be in “my” Pilot but it had different feel.
On Sunday, June 25, I took a few moments to sort through all the paperwork. I made a stack for the safety deposit box, a stack for the Pilot’s glove box. It was “divine inspiration” that made me go check the Pilot’s VIN under the windshield and compare it to the VIN on the paperwork. The VINs did NOT match. The VIN on the paperwork was different in two places and short one digit. Again, I was shock.
On Monday, June 26, I spoke with the northwest Alabama Honda business manager and he apologized for the mix up and offered a free fill up of gas if I’d hurry on over so they could fix the paperwork. So I went through the purchase process once more. I had bought two Pilots on three occasions in less than two weeks!
I wonder what would have happened if I had wrecked or had the Pilot stolen and had not noticed the VIN problem.
Thanks northwest Alabama Honda dealer! |
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