Thread Starter
#1
Two years back, I had given my Honda City ZX for servicing at Hallmark Honda Nerul, Navi Mumbai. Immediately after I got the car back, I noticed that the car used to jerk while changing gears and accelerating, especially when changing from 2nd to 3rd.
I took the car back to Hallmark Honda and they held it back for diagnosing the problem. I went back home and 2 hours later I get a call from the Service Advisor. He said that 4 ignition coils have gone bad (there are 8 in total) and it will cost about Rs.20,000 in parts and labor to replace them. However, he said that he can help me get it done for Rs.10,000 unofficially. I asked,where was he going to source the parts from? (4 ignition coils) Doesn't Hallmark Honda have an Inventory Management System (IMS) or was he removing it from unsuspecting customers and selling it ahead?
I told him that my car was absolutely fine at the time of servicing. In fact, their car check up/diagnosis which is part of the service routine had also not thrown up anything. And I strongly suspected that my car had its ignition coil replaced with a faulty one. I told him that I will not go ahead with this and escalate it to
higher authorities. The service advisor was taken aback and pleaded not to do this. He said he will fix my car at no cost. I got my car back in the evening and was back to normal.
Fast forwarding to last week, I had given the same car for servicing. I got its break pad and wheel bearing replaced. Along with that, I also got the car serviced which included the car checkup/diagnosis. I spent around Rs.21,000 for all of this. In the next few hours, the car started behaving exactly the way it did 2 years back. Same problem, the car jerking while changing gears and accelerating. I took the car to Hallmark Honda and straight away asked for the 'Head of Service'. I explained my ordeal to him and he suggested that we get the car diagnosed. 4 hours later, voila! the same diagnosis, two of the car's ignition coils had gone bad.
Again, this time the service routine where the car is checked didnt throw up anything. The Head of Service (General Manager) did not heed to my suggestion (that these coils are being replaced with faulty ones) and said that problems can occur anytime. In the end, he so much said that I am looking to get the car fixed for free! (yes ofcourse, after spending Rs. 21,000 just last week, I am trying to skimp on Rs.10,000!)
I agree and understand that the car can face issues and parts fail or deteriorate with time and that is precisely why I had no issues spending Rs.21,000 for getting the break pad and bearings replaced.
BUT, what happened with the ignition coils is too much of a co-incidence.
1. On both occasions (now and 2 years back) the car started giving the same problem after service.
2. The service advisor offered to replace the ignition coils for a lesser cost unofficially.
3. The car checkup/diagnostics test for which they charge, didnt throw up anything at the time of servicing.
This is too much of a co-incidence and makes me firmly believe that Hallmark Honda or its employees are up to malpractices.
My fellow members, I wanted to bring this to your notice. I would also like to know your suggestions on what should I do ahead? It is not about money, but about being cheated and stolen from. My father, in all probability would get the ignition coils fixed (as they need move around in the car) and we are buying a new honda city for the same dealership (for which we have paid an advance) but I want to pursue this to the end. Looking forward to your replies.
I took the car back to Hallmark Honda and they held it back for diagnosing the problem. I went back home and 2 hours later I get a call from the Service Advisor. He said that 4 ignition coils have gone bad (there are 8 in total) and it will cost about Rs.20,000 in parts and labor to replace them. However, he said that he can help me get it done for Rs.10,000 unofficially. I asked,where was he going to source the parts from? (4 ignition coils) Doesn't Hallmark Honda have an Inventory Management System (IMS) or was he removing it from unsuspecting customers and selling it ahead?
I told him that my car was absolutely fine at the time of servicing. In fact, their car check up/diagnosis which is part of the service routine had also not thrown up anything. And I strongly suspected that my car had its ignition coil replaced with a faulty one. I told him that I will not go ahead with this and escalate it to
higher authorities. The service advisor was taken aback and pleaded not to do this. He said he will fix my car at no cost. I got my car back in the evening and was back to normal.
Fast forwarding to last week, I had given the same car for servicing. I got its break pad and wheel bearing replaced. Along with that, I also got the car serviced which included the car checkup/diagnosis. I spent around Rs.21,000 for all of this. In the next few hours, the car started behaving exactly the way it did 2 years back. Same problem, the car jerking while changing gears and accelerating. I took the car to Hallmark Honda and straight away asked for the 'Head of Service'. I explained my ordeal to him and he suggested that we get the car diagnosed. 4 hours later, voila! the same diagnosis, two of the car's ignition coils had gone bad.
Again, this time the service routine where the car is checked didnt throw up anything. The Head of Service (General Manager) did not heed to my suggestion (that these coils are being replaced with faulty ones) and said that problems can occur anytime. In the end, he so much said that I am looking to get the car fixed for free! (yes ofcourse, after spending Rs. 21,000 just last week, I am trying to skimp on Rs.10,000!)
I agree and understand that the car can face issues and parts fail or deteriorate with time and that is precisely why I had no issues spending Rs.21,000 for getting the break pad and bearings replaced.
BUT, what happened with the ignition coils is too much of a co-incidence.
1. On both occasions (now and 2 years back) the car started giving the same problem after service.
2. The service advisor offered to replace the ignition coils for a lesser cost unofficially.
3. The car checkup/diagnostics test for which they charge, didnt throw up anything at the time of servicing.
This is too much of a co-incidence and makes me firmly believe that Hallmark Honda or its employees are up to malpractices.
My fellow members, I wanted to bring this to your notice. I would also like to know your suggestions on what should I do ahead? It is not about money, but about being cheated and stolen from. My father, in all probability would get the ignition coils fixed (as they need move around in the car) and we are buying a new honda city for the same dealership (for which we have paid an advance) but I want to pursue this to the end. Looking forward to your replies.