FYI, Honda does monitor (see below) this site but I don't think they care at all about what we think or do.
This is a little long so bare with me.
On Wednesday, a sales manager called me and told me on the phone my car is not coming, I have 2 options, get my deposit back or pay an extra almost $5000 ($4000 + 13% tax + 3.99% finance interest) to get the Touring that is being shipped right now. On the phone, I said I will think about it and told him I will let him know.
This is what happen yesterday morning. I texted my dealer asking to meet with her and her manager to discuss my car's non-arrival after over 4 months, I told her I will be there around 1pm. She said no problem. Around 1:03pm, she texted me and ask me if I am there yet and told me to ask for either one of her manager (they have 2) and she won't be there but will be back shortly.
I got to the dealership at around 1:12pm. Talked to the receptionist and ask to speak to either one of the manager. She ask me if I have an appointment and I told her I made the appointment with my dealer. She left for about 2 minutes and a man approach me and ask me if I have an appointment, at this point I am a little confused as I thought I had an appointment especially if my dealer actually texted me less than 20 minutes ago and asked me if I am at the dealership. I told him Linda (my dealer) set up the appointment and he said he's the manager. Actually he's the person I talked to on Wednesday except I didn't know because he did not offer his name.
Anyway, just curious, has any of you been to a car dealership as a client (since I put down a deposit already, I consider myself their client) and have booked an appointment and the manager does not smile nor does he offer a handshake nor offer to take you to his office?
As now the 2 of us are standing in front of the reception area and having a conversation. After a couple of minutes, I ask him if we could sit down so we can talk, instead of taking me to his office, he walked to an empty part of the dealership (I guess it belongs to a sales person that's not there) and offer me a chair while he's just standing there staring at me. I asked if he would like to sit down and talk, he did.
We talked about the provincial rebate, and if I am getting a new car, do we have to sign a new contract and how will this affect my rebate (since I bought the car in Jan, I am suppose to get the $14k instead of $13k) and he said it will be the same contract, just the number will be changed. He mentioned there is a Touring coming sometime mid to late June and another one coming in July. Now I have introduced 2 of my friends in Feb and early Mar to buy the car so I am expecting the dealer to have 3 cars coming and when I mentioned that, he did not say anything.
I also ask him how is it possible that 4 months has pass and they don't know the status of our cars, until 1 week before the election. If they had let us know sooner, I could have gotten a different car, he did not answer
Next I asked him about the discount that all 3 of us got when we sign the contract (which is $700) and he said we can keep the discount. When I ask for additional discount as we are upgrading to a higher trim, his answer is 'absolutely not'. Basically get the deposit and leave or pay the $5000 and be happy to get the car. At that point, he actually offer to take me to his office and do the paper work so I can get my deposit back. When I ask him if I am getting any interest for having my money deposited for 4 months, he did not say anything. I just told him I will think about my options and will get back to him and left. At the time of me leaving, my dealer was not back from where ever she was.
He (Hello Steve) also mentioned he has seen the name list we are creating so he and may be other dealers and even Honda Canada is monitoring this group and are seeing what we will be doing in the near future.
As a final note, I have never met someone as rude as Steve in that he offer no handshake, no smile, no sit down and talk.
As someone once told me, don't get mad, vote with your wallet (and all my friends and families' wallet and since this is the social media age, vote with everyone's wallet, Yelp anyone)
PS I did text my dealer and ask her to have her manager to send me an email detailing this new offer, 2 days now, nothing from her nor her manager
I know they have a easy defense to blame the parent company, but I still believe a pre-planned bait and switch scheme is occurring.
