A Customer Review -of Being Robbed...

We bought our Pilot two years ago at Arrowhead Honda in Peoria, Arizona, and as part of our contractual agreement, they were so kind as to throw in free oil changes for a year! 

I know, isn't that awesome?

FREE OIL CHANGES!!!! 

Ya, right, whatever.

After that first year, I just kept going back because it was easy to do and they were very accommodating to me.  I have had a tune up, my rear brakes replaced, numerous oil changes, a few car washes and I have taken advantage of their courtesy shuttle.  Unfortunately, I feel like the quality of service has slipped a bit.  Usually, they are very helpful and give me what I want.  The last time I took my car in for a little work, at the end of July, I scheduled an appointment for an oil change and for a brake check on my front brakes because they were squeaking so much.  I waited in their waiting room.  About an hour later, the work was done, brakes were fine, but they had given me a long list of items that they said needed to be repaired.  This didn't sit well with me.  I had never been given a sales pitch by them and of course they wanted to get started right away. Forget about it!

In June of 2009, we replaced a dead battery in our Pilot.  We took it to our neighborhood mechanic, highly recommended by some friends of ours.  I have dealt with him quite a bit and have come to rely on his expertise and solid business practice.  Battery taken care of and a two year warranty guarantee. {Can warranty and guarantee go together?}  All was well....

Until a few weeks ago.  I was completely baffled when we went out to the car one morning to find that it would not start!  We had a guy come over who got it started for us and then had the battery tested.  Yep, you guessed it, dead battery.  I kept thinking how weird it was that the battery would be dead already, it was still practically new!  We decided to drive on over to our trusty mechanic and have it replaced. 

I noticed as one of the mechanics was taking the battery out he was examining it.  He brought over another mechanic to look at it too.  I thought, "That's weird."  Next thing I know, the owner is at our window yelling at us that the battery they replaced was not his battery.  It was a brand that they do not sell....a brand they have never sold.  It was also noted that the battery was an old, used one.  The way the guy came at us was like he was accusing us of something....well, it was upsetting!  My first thought was that one of his people scammed us, but I vaguely remember seeing the new battery last June after it was put it and it wasn't the same one. Plus, I trust this guy.  So we began to realize at some point in time our new battery was switched for an old crappy one, and I have suspicion to believe that it happened at Arrowhead Honda.  Why?  Because it is the only place that has worked on my car during these last couple of years.  It is the only place that has opened my hood except by either My Man or myself.   

My Man called Arrowhead Honda and talked to a manager about the situation but the conversation was pointless...I think he should have demanded $90, which was about how much we paid for the battery that was stolen. 

Lesson to learn here? Always watch your stuff.  Keep tabs on every detail of your vehicle, take time to check it out after you have it worked on, and find a trustworthy mechanic who won't pull stupid crap on you. 

It isn't unheard of for service centers to "alter" your car so that you have to go back...cuz they know you will.  You can know I won't be going back to that place.  Remember, the dealership is called Arrowhead Honda in Peoria, Arizona and they will most likely scam you, lie to you, and/or rob you in one way or another.  {And by the way, all three of those things happened to us there.}  I will never go back.  Not in a million years.

Gut nacht.