Charged by dealership for warrantied repairs

[lairdwd]

So I took over my 80+ year old mother's 2000 honda accord 5 years ago and went through her receipts she meticulously kept from the stealership. I detected one anomaly immediately, where they did a timing belt job twice within a 4 month timeframe. I called the dealership asking for a refund of the second timing belt job ($650), which they agreed and granted, even though the work was done five years ago.

Now, I've got an SRS light on, and discovered it's probably the Occupant Position Detection Sensor. So I go through the receipts again and see that this was replaced once in 2007 at a cost of $400. Upon further research, I find an extended warranty was granted as early as 2006 for this very item!

I'm inclined to give the benefit of the doubt that this is just downright sloppy work on their part and not thievery, although I'm seriously in doubt now after a second incident. I'm going to call them for this second incident of overcharging, and hopefully they will cut us another check for work done seven years ago. But if they don't comply, any thoughts on recourse?

 

[antiqueshell]

If they are willing to split the cost on this second
situation, I would let it go. If not don't ever go back to that
store and let them know why you won't be back.

 

[lairdwd]

I'm really [censored] over the whole thing, and I think they are doing this intentionally to little old ladies. In this case, get the fat markup on a non-warrantied repair instead of the little $$$ they get from warranty work.

That OPDS has been such a clusterf*ck for Honda. The failure rate is probably near 100%. I have a hard time believing that they didn't know about the extended warranty. In any event, I'll give them a call and see what's up. Also, they broke the friggin clips and the seat back has been rattling ever since. Scumbaags.

 

[CourierDriver]

You gotta love them dealerships gang,,do Hondas really break down, guess I was misinformed....

 

[dernp]

If the dealership won't cooperate this time, tell them you are taking this story to the media. This is clearly a case of elder abuse.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: lairdwd
I'm really [censored] over the whole thing, and I think they are doing this intentionally to little old ladies. In this case, get the fat markup on a non-warrantied repair instead of the little $$$ they get from warranty work.

That OPDS has been such a clusterf*ck for Honda. The failure rate is probably near 100%. I have a hard time believing that they didn't know about the extended warranty. In any event, I'll give them a call and see what's up. Also, they broke the friggin clips and the seat back has been rattling ever since. Scumbaags.


I wonder if they got paid twice...once by Honda, once by the car owner. I'm sure this isn't the only case.

I would make two calls: one to Honda, and one to the state's attorney general.

 

[JHZR2]

I see this as a high chance of fraud, but I also see another issue...

If an elderly person is driving, they have responsibility to the motoring public. It seems like she is with it enough to keep meticulous receipts, but is she not with it enough to know what was repaired? I get it that a salesman can talk their way around lots of things, but does she have a memory issue that doesn't let her know that it was fixed before?

I'm sorry, if she's keeping records and out on her own, she should have the capability to do what you did in the few minutes it took you to go through the records. She may not be as technically adept, but if you're seeing this stuff right quick, shouldn't she have?

 

[antiqueshell]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I see this as a high chance of fraud, but I also see another issue...

If an elderly person is driving, they have responsibility to the motoring public. It seems like she is with it enough to keep meticulous receipts, but is she not with it enough to know what was repaired? I get it that a salesman can talk their way around lots of things, but does she have a memory issue that doesn't let her know that it was fixed before?

I'm sorry, if she's keeping records and out on her own, she should have the capability to do what you did in the few minutes it took you to go through the records. She may not be as technically adept, but if you're seeing this stuff right quick, shouldn't she have?


Many folks (including younger ones) don't remember which things they have had serviced over time.

Of course it is standard procedure for $tealerships to keep a record of all visits and services performed on the car over time, so they know darn well themselves. Sure it could have been an honest mistake by the store, but I'm not so sure.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I see this as a high chance of fraud, but I also see another issue...

If an elderly person is driving, they have responsibility to the motoring public. It seems like she is with it enough to keep meticulous receipts, but is she not with it enough to know what was repaired? I get it that a salesman can talk their way around lots of things, but does she have a memory issue that doesn't let her know that it was fixed before?

I'm sorry, if she's keeping records and out on her own, she should have the capability to do what you did in the few minutes it took you to go through the records. She may not be as technically adept, but if you're seeing this stuff right quick, shouldn't she have?


Then why does she even keep records?
Many folks (including younger ones) don't remember which things they have had serviced over time.

Of course it is standard procedure for $tealerships to keep a record of all visits and services performed on the car over time, so they know darn well themselves. Sure it could have been an honest mistake by the store, but I'm not so sure.

 

[Kruse]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
She may not be as technically adept, but if you're seeing this stuff right quick, shouldn't she have?


An elderly woman probably never pops the hood and there's an even greater chance that she knows very little of what each item does under the hood. I can see where this would be completely Greek to her and if she doesn't compare the repair receipts, would completely forget what was repaired. Also, I have yet to find a dealer who would volunteer warranty repair information to an elderly person. (I guess it happens, but.....)
Oh yea, I'm still a little peeved that my nearest dealer conned my 86 year old mom into letting the air out of her tires and refilling them with nitrogen at $40 a pop. Hey, she was arm-twisted by a DEALER, it has to be mandatory, right?

 

[901Memphis]

With practices like those I'd be concerned if they replaced the timing belt at all. I mean if you're going to charge someone for warranty work might as well save money on the actual labor and parts right?

 

[oldhp]

A lot, not all, businesses stick it to older folks. When I took over my Mom's checking account I found she was paying $167 a month to AT@T. She had stuff I never heard of. Long story short, Mom couldn't hear good, they would ask her if she wanted this or that, she couldn't hear and would say yes being polite. Bam...they got her. I called and demanded a manager. Got him, told him what had been going on saying there's no way Mom would've ordered this stuff. Got a refund of over $500 from them. So...watch out for your older parents, or friends, they "will" get taken if the wrong person helps them out.

 

[Lapham3]

My mom inlaw has a Honda CRV and goes to the dealership whenever there is a mailing to come in for a 'service special'. I looked at all her receipts awhile back and all the fluid flushes and fairly large $ for most of it. I suggested a few other options, but 'it's such a nice, clean place and free coffee and donuts-and they're so friendly,ect". Nothing ever broke, just maint. Somebody there told her that the warranty would be voided if she didn't use 'Honda oil'. Ticks me off. They do wash and vac anytime she's there, but underhood is filthy. There's not much doubt that the elderly are targeted. At least we got her to quit picking up the phone and talking to the crooks.

 

[147_Grain]

Originally Posted By: Lapham3
....the elderly are targeted.

+1

 

[CKN]

The elderly may be targeted but sometimes they (the elderly) look at these things as social activities.

They need someone to keep an eye on them.

 

[Olas]

The elderly aren't stupid, or disabled. They're perfectly capable of reading so interpreting the warranty shouldn't be any problem.
Also, they've had more time than us to figure out that dealerships are crooked.

If you ask me, they're just to [censored] lazy check anything
(anything includes warranty cover, TSBs, vehicle condition bothe before AND after its been worked on, and any other work carried it in the last 12 months or so.

But when you're so old you retire, kids have grown up and moved, lots of friends and family have died, boredom sets in HARD! My elderly father had a three month 'feud' with a clothing store because he bought the wrong size shirt from them. Whereas a normal person with time limits and a busy schedule would just exchange it, he made phone calls, wrote letters and ven threatened legal action against the store (frivolously)

Old people need hobbies.

 

[GrtArtiste]

Wouldn't surprise me at all if the dealer made the customer pay for the repair AND sent a warranty claim back to corporate. This kind of double-dipping goes on all the time and is very hard to prove.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: Olas
The elderly aren't stupid, or disabled. They're perfectly capable of reading so interpreting the warranty shouldn't be any problem.
Also, they've had more time than us to figure out that dealerships are crooked.

If you ask me, they're just to [censored] lazy check anything
(anything includes warranty cover, TSBs, vehicle condition bothe before AND after its been worked on, and any other work carried it in the last 12 months or so.

But when you're so old you retire, kids have grown up and moved, lots of friends and family have died, boredom sets in HARD! My elderly father had a three month 'feud' with a clothing store because he bought the wrong size shirt from them. Whereas a normal person with time limits and a busy schedule would just exchange it, he made phone calls, wrote letters and ven threatened legal action against the store (frivolously)

Old people need hobbies.
Its not laziness, many old people are just ignorant of what's going on or what's happened. My grandparents would be easy victims of this if I weren't around. My grandpas Jeep had a dead battery and he had no clue it was still under warranty at O'Reillys (I did). So he called up AAA and paid $140 for a battery to be installed. Their Trailblazer has had 2 sets of Michelin tires replaced in a row under warranty for dry-cracking. They didn't know they could be replaced under warranty and would have spent between 2 sets of tires $2,000. I take their cars to Discount Tire for rotations and balances and there's always a salesman trying to scare someone into buying a set of tires because there's are "really bad". Which is bogus because when I walked out to the car for my phone I glanced at that persons tires since it was next to me and its tires were at least 1/2 still usable, years left in them.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: Olas
The elderly aren't stupid, or disabled. They're perfectly capable of reading so interpreting the warranty shouldn't be any problem.
Also, they've had more time than us to figure out that dealerships are crooked.

If you ask me, they're just to [censored] lazy check anything
(anything includes warranty cover, TSBs, vehicle condition bothe before AND after its been worked on, and any other work carried it in the last 12 months or so.

But when you're so old you retire, kids have grown up and moved, lots of friends and family have died, boredom sets in HARD! My elderly father had a three month 'feud' with a clothing store because he bought the wrong size shirt from them. Whereas a normal person with time limits and a busy schedule would just exchange it, he made phone calls, wrote letters and ven threatened legal action against the store (frivolously) Old people need hobbies.


Your partially correct....but some elderly people are not as sharp mentally as when they were your age. Brain cells deteriorate-and that's a scientific fact.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle

I wonder if they got paid twice...once by Honda, once by the car owner. I'm sure this isn't the only case.


You can bet the farm they did, it happens all the time. They even do warranty repairs for car just in for an oil change then go into panic mode when the rep ask for the old parts they are supposed to keep for a specified time.lol