Fred Anderson Honda

Fred Anderson Honda responded

This customer arrived at Breakaway Honda on 5/20/17. She requested pricing on a 2017 Honda Accord EXL. In preparation before her arrival she had researched the vehicle and pricing at other area Honda dealerships. She informed us that if we could beat the lowest price that she had acquired during her research, she would buy from Breakaway Honda. Breakaway Honda reviewed her price offer and responded with a lower price. The customer test drove two Accord EXL’s, earlier in the day and asked us to wash the Accord EXL she wished to purchase and she would be back to look at it later that evening. The customer returned later to inspect the vehicle and she test drove it again and her boyfriend test drove the vehicle before she purchased it. She completed her transaction and signed her documents. A few days later she took delivery of the vehicle that she purchased. The following week, this customer came to the conclusion that she did not have some of the features that she had on a 2013 Honda Accord EXL that she previously owned and purchased elsewhere. She returned to the dealership and informed us that we sold her the wrong car. We informed the customer that we sold her the car that she informed us she wanted, and at a price she wanted us to compete with. Because the 2017 Honda Accord EXL she purchased had already been licensed and titled, it would no longer be able to be sold as a “New Vehicle” and had depreciated in value. We offered this customer to trade this vehicle in on a Honda Accord EXL with Navigation and Sensing, which is now the vehicle that the customer decided she wanted after she negotiated and purchased the vehicle she has. Unfortunately, as she has expressed, this customer does not feel the depreciation of her previously purchased vehicle is a fair amount and / or her responsibility. On Saturday June 3, 2017, this customer came into the dealership and spent approximately 1 hour reviewing the merits of her purchase and denouncing her responsibility for her purchase. A dollar amount of $5000.00 difference to trade was established. The amount of difference was a combination of the depreciation of the vehicle she bought and the price difference of the vehicle she now wants to purchase. The customer decided to make a customer complaint to American Honda via cell phone in the middle of the showroom of our dealership. She was asked to leave. On Tuesday June 6th, I contacted this customer by phone and spent approximately one hour discussing with the customer the merits of her purchase. I informed her I would research and interview the employees with whom she interacted with and I would re-contact her the next day. On Wednesday June 7th I contacted the customer by phone and spent approximately another hour reviewing the results of my research. Because this conversation unfortunately did not generate any forward progress, I suggested meeting with this customer in person at her convenience. We decided to meet at her place of business the next day. On Thursday, June 8th. I met with this customer at her place of business at a mutually agreed upon time of 12 noon. I was introduced to her boyfriend and we spent approximately another hour at her employment. I had reduced our offer to trade to $4500. I also presented an alternative offer to trade her for a Certified Pre-Owned 2016 Honda Accord EXL, with the color she wanted and the options she now desires. The Pre-owned car had approximately 5500 miles on it. I had driven it to this meeting in the event that this customer wanted to view it. The difference to take the car she purchased in trade and sell her the Pre-owned Honda was $500.00. The customer declined both offers. I informed the customer that I would review the situation one more time and make a final offer. Once I returned to my office I made a final evaluation and contacted the customer by phone at approximately 4:30. I made my final offer of $3500 difference in trade on the new vehicle or I would give the customer $500 to trade for the certified pre-owned car. She asked me if that was my final offer, I said “yes” and she said thank you and terminated the call. In closing, and after significant research and effort, I feel that Breakaway Honda treated this customer professionally and respectfully. She arrived at our dealership displaying the knowledge and capability of informing us of the vehicle she wanted to buy. She had researched the vehicle and the pricing at other Honda dealerships before she arrived at Breakaway Honda. I have concluded that if she had been treated poorly or “bullied” during her buying process, she would have bought elsewhere, as she had obviously established a relationship with other Honda dealers in the market. Breakaway Honda has continued to make the effort to go above and beyond to assist this customer. We have professionally and respectfully communicated with this customer at her convenience, but have been unable to meet her requirements in order to satisfy her.

Soccermom responded

I refute Breakaway Honda’s (BH’s) RESPONSE re: this purchase dated May 20-June 8. I contend Honda misrepresented the product I was sold. With BH’s RESPONSE I feel they have politically acknowledged/closed the issue for their gain. SC has no buyer’s remorse clause so I document as follows. B. Donovan fails to state that on 6-8 at my workplace I counter-offered at $2500 the BH $4500 offer and that I called him back on Friday 6-9/5:40 PM to discuss his 6-8-2017 $3500 offer. He did not return the call. If no compromise with BH is met I request a full refund and apology. My family owns 3 Hondas/planned to buy 2 more in 2018. At BH on 5-20 following my car accident I requested BH educate me on car safety features and be honest. Attn: Breakaway: Going above and beyond means returning calls & writing facts re: the conversation. Bill started a response 6-6 to 6-8, but I now know Bill was insincere in his offer. BH: “This customer (…) on 5/20/17 (…) requested pricing on a 2017 Honda Accord EXL. In preparation (…) she had researched the vehicle and pricing at other area Honda dealerships.” MY RESPONSE: NON-factual: On 5-20 I told salesman RJ Jannuzzi and mgr. Adam R. that I had not been able to do ANY research on the new 2017 Accord features for lack of time. BH said they understood my stressful situation and would help. I said I found out 5:30 PM-May 19 that my car was totaled, had to buy a car quickly, I needed to get a car with the exact EX-L 2013 safety features that had saved my life, and that I needed BH to educate me on which features had changed in 2017 as I had not had time to research the new vehicle features AT ALL. I shared with RJ an adjustor detail of the features on my 2013 EX-L and went over the same on Kelly Blue Book. I told RJ I had gotten a phone/text quote from the dealer I got my 2013 Honda from (not several as BH states) but came to BH because of my parent’s positive experiences with BH Service. I told them I got no written detail of features for 2017 EX-L, just a price. BH never asked me what options the dealer included in that price. BH: “She informed us that if we could beat the lowest price that she had acquired during her research, she would buy from Breakaway Honda. Breakaway Honda (…) responded with a lower price. The customer test drove two Accord EXL’s, earlier in the day (…) The customer returned later to inspect the vehicle and she test drove it again (…) before she purchased it. ”MY RESPONSE: I asked three distinct times that RJ clearly identify the features that changed from the 2013 to the 2017 Accord EX-L base model. Twice in the BH parking lot RJ failed to mention the safety package had gone to an option level/wasn’t included in the base model. RJ mentioned a grill change, remote ignition start, and Apple car play. I asked RJ during the test drive to go over the features of the car that had changed in the model years. He repeated not much had changed, just what he had already told me about the front grill, remote start, and Apple Car play. In the 2013, since the features were inherent to the model, simply examining the car visually would not have clued me to the difference with or without safety package. RJ seemed to lack training on this feature change from 2013 to 2017. BH” She completed her transaction and signed her documents. A few days later she took delivery of the vehicle that she purchased.” MY RESPONSE: Note RJ did not go over the features of the car I before I signed my papers, which Bill confirmed in our conversation on 6-6 is a work process requirement for sales. I also mentioned to RJ to leave on the “beep” sound that comes on with lanes changes if turn signal is not on. RJ did not follow- up on the notes he took that day. The date the car was provided to me for delivery was 5-29, as the rear door had a rip in it on 5-24. Since I was 1/2 hour late for my delivery appointment on 5-29, RJ was with another customer and spent only ~20 minutes on car set up. BH:” The following week, this customer came to the conclusion that she did not have some of the features that she had on a 2013 Honda Accord EXL that she previously owned (…). She returned to the dealership and informed us that we sold her the wrong car. We informed the customer that we sold her the car that she informed us she wanted, and at a price she wanted us to compete with.” MY RESPONSE: BH/Bill failed to admit BH staff responsibility to inform me of the vehicle’s features. RJ was speechless when I asked him in my car on 9:30 AM 6-3 why those features were missing. I told them repeatedly I wanted ALL the safety features in my 2013 Accord EX-L in this car and was puzzled when I could not find the button in my car between 5-30 and 6-3. BH: “Because the 2017 Honda Accord EXL she purchased had already been licensed and titled, it would no longer be able to be sold as a “New Vehicle” (…). We offered (…) to trade this vehicle in on a Honda Accord EXL with Navigation and Sensing. (…) Unfortunately (…)this customer does not feel the depreciation of her previously purchased vehicle is a fair amount and /or her responsibility. ” COMMENT: The reason I don’t feel my car driven 90 miles over 4 days (by June 3), is worth $2500 In depreciation: My totaled 2013 Honda only depreciated $7000 over 4 years. BH:”On Saturday June 3, 2017, (…) this customer spent approximately 1 hour reviewing the merits of her purchase and denouncing her responsibility for her purchase. A dollar amount of $5000.00 difference to trade was established. The amount of difference was a combination of the depreciation of the vehicle she bought and the price difference of the vehicle she now wants to purchase. The customer decided to make a customer complaint to American Honda via cell phone in the middle of the showroom of our dealership. She was asked to leave.” RESPONSE: On 6-3 I twice pleaded with Sales mgr. D. Ward to compromise somewhere on his $5000 figure. He stated a “take it or leave it” deal and offered the correct car again for a minimum of $5000. Re: my being asked to LEAVE the showroom as I called Honda Corp. for help- a humiliating experience. BH did not offer me a private office either so I stepped outside as dictated. BH: (…) On Thursday, June 8th. I met with this customer at her place of business at (…) 12 noon. (…) I had reduced our offer to trade to $4500.(…) I (…) contacted the customer by phone at 4:30. I made my final offer of $3500 (…) on the new vehicle (…) She asked me if that was my final offer, I said “yes” and she said thank you and terminated the call.” MY RESPONSE: Mr. Donovan: I hung up 6/8 only because I was in a work meeting. When you called me at 4:30 PM, I said I would call you back on June 9. I did call back on 6-9, left a message on your V-mail at ~5:40 PM-you never called me back. BH failed to mention in this account my counter-offer of $2500 on 6-8 at my workplace. BH ”In closing (…) I feel that Breakaway Honda treated this customer professionally and respectfully. She arrived (…) displaying the knowledge and capability of (…) of the vehicle (…). She had researched the vehicle (…) at other Honda dealerships before she arrived (…). (…) If she had been (…) “bullied” (…) she would have bought elsewhere, as she had (…) a relationship with other Honda dealers in the market.” MY COMMENT: I haven’t been treated with the respect I expect of a tier-1 volume dealer (BH). I pleaded for support with sales on 6-3 and on the phone with Bill on 6-6, 6-7, and on 6-8. I haven’t driven the car since 6-3 and have kept it pristine for BH to trade. I bought my 2013 Honda elsewhere- but I told BH I wanted to deal with ONLY BH. Re: the BH bullying comment, BH sales mgrs. should explore a course in professionalism towards customers of all cultures to reduce coercion. Summary: I have been Honda brand loyal and honestly attempted twice to compromise. The safety feature present in my 2013 Honda saved my life on 4-15 and is non-negotiable in future car purchases.