My story with Curry Honda began when after receiving numerous mailers from Honda regarding airbag safety recall work I brought my vehicle in for repair. In addition to airbags, CH repaired additional recall work including replacing a gear lock mechanism and part of the ignition switch to remedy a time-to-time difficulty in moving the gear from park into reverse. When the work was done I thanked my sales rep and went on my way.
Not long thereafter I started experiencing a problem I never had before. When turning the key in the ignition switch the vehicle would sometimes not turn on. At first I thought it was the battery or the alternator but they were fine. I discovered that when moving the steering tilt up and down the dash would register a green key light associated with the switch and when it did the vehicle would turn on. I intuited from this the problem was associated with the switch so when the problem became more pervasive I brought my vehicle back to CH on 5/31/17 and explained to Jeremy, my sales rep the problem and how it came into being. Jeremy indicated that CH would inspect the vehicle and that if it determined their work contributed to the problem they’d fix it and also grant me a service credit for my troubles. I told Jeremy that was nice but that I didn’t need a service credit, I simply wanted CH to fix the problem with the switch.
Around lunchtime on the same day Jeremy called me back and told me that 1) CH determined the problem did not have anything to do with the switch and therefore wasn’t connected to its previous augmentation of the switch and 2) that CH’s technician suspected the immobilizer was the cause but that to be sure CH would need to conduct with a thorough electrical inspection at a cost of $315.
I told Jeremy to hold off on the proposed electrical inspection and that I’d get back to him later that afternoon with feedback. After looking up what a vehicle’s immobilizer is (works with the vehicle’s anti-theft system) I called a Honda mechanic in private practice to troubleshoot the problem over the phone. He told me that if adjusting the steering wheel’s tilt up and down or tapping the underside of the steering wheel causes the switch to be recognized by the vehicle’s computer that it was a faulty switch and nothing else.
I called Jeremy back to share the feedback and told him not to proceed with the electrical inspection and that if CH maintained it wasn’t the switch that it was my intention to have it replaced elsewhere and then to determine if the problem is remedied. If it would be remedied, it would confirm CH had a hand in the malfunction through its augmentation of the switch in the recall work performed. Jeremy said he’d relay the information to his technician and get back to me.
Indeed, shortly thereafter Jeremy called me again and wouldn’t you know it indicated that upon further review CH’s technician now maintained it was in fact the switch. So I asked Jeremy if CH would proceed to repair the switch. Jeremy indicated that CH maintained that despite the fact the switch needed replacing that their previous work had no connection to the problem and that “these parts were designed to ware out”. I told Jeremy I understood that parts were designed to ware out but when and why they ware out also mattered. I also told Jeremy that CH did have a hand in the malfunction because prior to CH’s augmentation to the switch I never had this problem. I asked Jeremy to propose a win-win solution that would factor for the likelihood that CH caused the problem but that wouldn’t place the entire cost burden on CH and where I would assume a portion of the cost of repair. Jeremy refused and indicated the only thing CH was prepared to do was to quote me a replacement of the switch at $523.
As you can imagine if you were in my shoes you’d feel like you were being taken for a ride. It wasn’t enough that CH tried to bilk me into a costly and unnecessary electrical exam but after they changed their diagnosis they weren’t willing to assume responsibility as they indicated at the outset.
I told Jeremy the proposal wasn’t going to work for me and that I would pick up my vehicle at the end of the day. I also left a voice mail for CH’s service manager Chris Ford who never called me back. At the end of the day I asked to speak with Chris to share with him what had unfolded. When I did, in the presence of Jeremy, Chris didn’t as much as even flinch when I relayed the faulty diagnosis and CH’s attempt to take me down the garden path of a revenue bonanza on what should have been a straight forward diagnosis. Chris listened to me and didn’t say anything other than to thank me for my time at the end.
Consequently, CH charged me $106 for their time and shop lubes essentially for their attempt to cheat me out of my money (See attached) and simultaneously adjusted their estimate for repair to $417, crediting the $106 to the quoted $523 in the event I wanted to replace the switch with them.
I proceeded to contact Gwinnett Honda and received a quote for $286 including parts and labor (see attached) and brought the vehicle in for repair. When I picked up the vehicle on 6/2/17 the vehicle ceased to give me any problem with turning on proving the switch was the root cause.
Following the repair I was contacted by TJ Toreno, CH’s director of operations who intended to investigate my complaint. When I forwarded him my account it took some time for CH to get back to me. When I communicated to TJ the matter would require resolution by 6/19 he indicated in his attached response that CH wasn’t concerned with my “threats of blackmail” to share my account publicly, see attached email. I guess in some way TJ thought that after being taken for a ride by CH I should simply lay down quietly.
When we bring our vehicles in for repair to a dealer we rightly expect that the manufacturer’s CERTIFIED TECHNICIANS on staff be able to accurately diagnose a routine problem. We also expect that the business model and culture of the dealer values our business and will be honest with us rather than attempt to fraudulently capitalize on our technical ignorance for unwarranted revenue. Put yourself in my shoes. How would you feel if you brought your vehicle into CH and had to have a third-party save you from a misdiagnosis and an unwarranted and costly exam? How would you feel if the dealer stated at the outset if it’s related to something we did we’ll take care of it and then changed their mind? How would you feel if you found out the actual cost to repair the problem at another dealer was about half the price? BEWARE THE RIP-OFF CROOKS at CURRY HONDA. I’ll never bring my vehicle there again.
Curry Honda Reviews
My story with Curry Honda began when after receiving numerous mailers from Honda regarding airbag safety recall work I brought my vehicle in for repair. In addition to airbags, CH repaired additional recall work including replacing a gear lock mechanism and part of the ignition switch to remedy a time-to-time difficulty in moving the gear from park into reverse. When the work was done I thanked my sales rep and went on my way.
Not long thereafter I started experiencing a problem I never had before. When turning the key in the ignition switch the vehicle would sometimes not turn on. At first I thought it was the battery or the alternator but they were fine. I discovered that when moving the steering tilt up and down the dash would register a green key light associated with the switch and when it did the vehicle would turn on. I intuited from this the problem was associated with the switch so when the problem became more pervasive I brought my vehicle back to CH on 5/31/17 and explained to Jeremy, my sales rep the problem and how it came into being. Jeremy indicated that CH would inspect the vehicle and that if it determined their work contributed to the problem they’d fix it and also grant me a service credit for my troubles. I told Jeremy that was nice but that I didn’t need a service credit, I simply wanted CH to fix the problem with the switch.
Around lunchtime on the same day Jeremy called me back and told me that 1) CH determined the problem did not have anything to do with the switch and therefore wasn’t connected to its previous augmentation of the switch and 2) that CH’s technician suspected the immobilizer was the cause but that to be sure CH would need to conduct with a thorough electrical inspection at a cost of $315.
I told Jeremy to hold off on the proposed electrical inspection and that I’d get back to him later that afternoon with feedback. After looking up what a vehicle’s immobilizer is (works with the vehicle’s anti-theft system) I called a Honda mechanic in private practice to troubleshoot the problem over the phone. He told me that if adjusting the steering wheel’s tilt up and down or tapping the underside of the steering wheel causes the switch to be recognized by the vehicle’s computer that it was a faulty switch and nothing else.
I called Jeremy back to share the feedback and told him not to proceed with the electrical inspection and that if CH maintained it wasn’t the switch that it was my intention to have it replaced elsewhere and then to determine if the problem is remedied. If it would be remedied, it would confirm CH had a hand in the malfunction through its augmentation of the switch in the recall work performed. Jeremy said he’d relay the information to his technician and get back to me.
Indeed, shortly thereafter Jeremy called me again and wouldn’t you know it indicated that upon further review CH’s technician now maintained it was in fact the switch. So I asked Jeremy if CH would proceed to repair the switch. Jeremy indicated that CH maintained that despite the fact the switch needed replacing that their previous work had no connection to the problem and that “these parts were designed to ware out”. I told Jeremy I understood that parts were designed to ware out but when and why they ware out also mattered. I also told Jeremy that CH did have a hand in the malfunction because prior to CH’s augmentation to the switch I never had this problem. I asked Jeremy to propose a win-win solution that would factor for the likelihood that CH caused the problem but that wouldn’t place the entire cost burden on CH and where I would assume a portion of the cost of repair. Jeremy refused and indicated the only thing CH was prepared to do was to quote me a replacement of the switch at $523.
As you can imagine if you were in my shoes you’d feel like you were being taken for a ride. It wasn’t enough that CH tried to bilk me into a costly and unnecessary electrical exam but after they changed their diagnosis they weren’t willing to assume responsibility as they indicated at the outset.
I told Jeremy the proposal wasn’t going to work for me and that I would pick up my vehicle at the end of the day. I also left a voice mail for CH’s service manager Chris Ford who never called me back. At the end of the day I asked to speak with Chris to share with him what had unfolded. When I did, in the presence of Jeremy, Chris didn’t as much as even flinch when I relayed the faulty diagnosis and CH’s attempt to take me down the garden path of a revenue bonanza on what should have been a straight forward diagnosis. Chris listened to me and didn’t say anything other than to thank me for my time at the end.
Consequently, CH charged me $106 for their time and shop lubes essentially for their attempt to cheat me out of my money (See attached) and simultaneously adjusted their estimate for repair to $417, crediting the $106 to the quoted $523 in the event I wanted to replace the switch with them.
I proceeded to contact Gwinnett Honda and received a quote for $286 including parts and labor (see attached) and brought the vehicle in for repair. When I picked up the vehicle on 6/2/17 the vehicle ceased to give me any problem with turning on proving the switch was the root cause.
Following the repair I was contacted by TJ Toreno, CH’s director of operations who intended to investigate my complaint. When I forwarded him my account it took some time for CH to get back to me. When I communicated to TJ the matter would require resolution by 6/19 he indicated in his attached response that CH wasn’t concerned with my “threats of blackmail” to share my account publicly, see attached email. I guess in some way TJ thought that after being taken for a ride by CH I should simply lay down quietly.
When we bring our vehicles in for repair to a dealer we rightly expect that the manufacturer’s CERTIFIED TECHNICIANS on staff be able to accurately diagnose a routine problem. We also expect that the business model and culture of the dealer values our business and will be honest with us rather than attempt to fraudulently capitalize on our technical ignorance for unwarranted revenue. Put yourself in my shoes. How would you feel if you brought your vehicle into CH and had to have a third-party save you from a misdiagnosis and an unwarranted and costly exam? How would you feel if the dealer stated at the outset if it’s related to something we did we’ll take care of it and then changed their mind? How would you feel if you found out the actual cost to repair the problem at another dealer was about half the price? BEWARE THE RIP-OFF CROOKS at CURRY HONDA. I’ll never bring my vehicle there again.