Tony Posted September 15, 2008 Report Share Posted September 15, 2008 A good customer of mine came to the new centre with his Honda Accord..... The issue was inner front tyre wear and the reason a very low castor on both front wheels... why they are low i don't know but they are. So once we established the reason and the fact on the Accord the castor is a fixed angle the owner took it back to the dealer to have the problem resolved since the car is under warranty. Reluctantly they took the car with all our evidence to their centre that can measure the chassis and supposedly rectified the complaint, the owner did say he would bring the car back to wim to ensure the problem had been resolved so they was warned. So back at wim with a printout suggesting all is well we measured the chassis again..... and guess what...... Yep just the same as before! The owner said "but how?" their printout shows the castors are now perfect!!.... "Easy" i said? The castor is the fore/aft position of the wheel so all they did was "lean" the targets backwards to change the data, then print it out as perfect. and i showed him exactly how there and then. Exactly how the dealer thought they would get away with this is beyond belief, maybe they thought his threats to take it back to us were idol and the clean bill of health from their printout would prevail.... Sadly for them he did and it won't. To be continued........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIH Posted September 15, 2008 Report Share Posted September 15, 2008 Nah, surely not ? Even fast-fit wouldn't do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted September 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2008 Nah, surely not ? Even fast-fit wouldn't do that. For real and we are talking Honda MD...... The owner is livide and i suggest the dealer buys a really big fan because there's incomming............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted September 16, 2008 Report Share Posted September 16, 2008 For a main dealer to do that is shocking, even more so when they've been to see you. One to send to watchdog maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted September 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2008 For a main dealer to do that is shocking, even more so when they've been to see you. One to send to watchdog maybe? Their messing with the wrong man with this one..... He originally bought a Civic from them but he found so many faults with it and kicked up such a fuss the exchanged the car for the more expensive Accord. Just to add fuel to his anger i bought up the data log from our Accord owners club meet and showed him fifteen cars castor position in succession and all of them had castor positions of around 3 degrees, his positions are 1 degree 30' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIH Posted September 16, 2008 Report Share Posted September 16, 2008 What's next up on the pecking list from an Accord ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted September 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2008 What's next up on the pecking list from an Accord ? I assume the managers nose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIH Posted September 23, 2008 Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 Any developments ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted September 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 Any developments ? Yep today actually.... Seemingly the dealer took the car to a third party and their machine had the figures within spec... The dealer then calibrated their own machine (clever them) and their machine now has the figures within spec. So the owner who wasn't allowed to watch told them it's bollox and he's coming back to us tomorrow, so we will see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwozza Posted September 23, 2008 Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 I smell a fishy tale here..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIH Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 Any developments ? Yep today actually.... Seemingly the dealer took the car to a third party and their machine had the figures within spec... The dealer then calibrated their own machine (clever them) and their machine now has the figures within spec. So the owner who wasn't allowed to watch told them it's bollox and he's coming back to us tomorrow, so we will see "calibrated their own machine" ? That sounds fishy..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 Surely they wouldn't have the equipment to calibrate it themselves...be interesting to see what you find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted September 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 All measured and the castors were the same as before.... The owner phoned the dealer there and then, ranted the cars not right then said "here's Tony" he will tell you why The conversation went something like this...(key) Me : Them > : we seem to have disparities in our findings regarding this car? > well as far as we are concerned the castors are within spec : so can you explain why the tyres inners are wearing onto the sidewall > we think it's a defect in the tyres sidewall : what both of them? > yes : what about the poor handling at speed? > we wasn't aware there was a problem at speed, anyway it doesn't matter since the castor's are within spec and our machine says the same as * machine now it's calibrated : so your saying all the other times you measured Mrx's car the machine was out of calibration? > no, but yes but no (waffle) : despite what you are defending the facts still remain, in my opinion we a right the castor is to low and on lock the scrub is not migrating correctly and the low castor trail is making the car feel nervous at speed. > ? : don't you agree!! > well if the positions were outside of spec we would deal with this under warranty : they are every time i measure them!!! > can i speak to again Mrx please What they have decided to do is get Honda UK to except our measurements and allow a warranty claim... To me that move alone is admission they know there must be a problem To be continued.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIH Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 lol poor old Mr Honda Dealer getting nailed with a load of Geometry "jargon" 'bet his head fell off just about then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted September 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 lol poor old Mr Honda Dealer getting nailed with a load of Geometry "jargon" 'bet his head fell off just about then. Knowlage is power but be sure you are right!!..... I am so i don't have any problem standing face to face with Honda over this complaint. Obviously i don't want to be in any dealers line of sight, they have big lawyers but i will challenge those dealers who do not serve the customers correctly (on behalf) of their parent marque. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 I can see a certain Honda dealer becoming a potential WIM customer how is it that so many manufacturers are getting it wrong ? Lexus Honda Mazda I see that all the time they can fob the customer of and the customer knows no different, they will get away with it Tony you need to make it your mission to educate every car driver out there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted September 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 I don't think they actually get it wrong as a manufacture (other than Lexus) but i feel the dealers get it wrong. The issues you see with wim is that we don't bow down or let it go... I agree my head is on the block but running away only keeps you fit. It's all about facts and being confident to "force" the facts to whoever the recipient is, dealer or not! I'm not trying to heal the world nor end up in court but i will stand by my customer in the face of ignorance. Tiss the wim-way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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