Need some car advice - 2003 Accord out of oil

[james t kirk]

I need some advice from the peanut gallery.

A very good friend of mine just bought (Nov. 18) a 2003 Honda Accord. Car was purchased BRAND NEW from a Honda dealer (not to be named at this time)

At 3,700 km, the engine quits on her.

Turns out there is no oil, or very little oil in the engine. It either leaked out, burned out, or was never there in the first place.

3,700 km. (Yes, three thousand seven hundred kilometres)

Car had to be towed back to the dealer where they say they can't figure it out. No sign of a leak.

Anyway, they fill up the engine with oil and tell her it's good to go. Just keep an eye on it.

Yeah right.

Anyone who knows cars will know that after about 10 seconds without oil, your bearings start to score.

Anyway, they tell her that if they have to, they will put a new engine in the car for her.

She's not stupid, so she tells them forget it, I want a new car. I just didn't lay out 35 grand for this shit. (Rightfully so.)

She calls me, blah blah blah.

I tell her, look, any car who's engine runs out of oil, the engine is done. Not only that, the car is BRAND NEW. A car with a replacement engine is never worth as much as a car with the original engine (In most cases.) None of us would probably want to buy a car where the engine is not original unless it is really cheap. God only knows if it is a new engine or a 0 time rebuild, whatever for that matter.

Anyway, the dealer gets abusive with her and tells her that they are NOT going to give her a new car. Start giving her the old three on one you're wrong treatment.

Well, she calls a few other people in the trade she knows and they all say the same thing. Get a new car.

I tell her to start keeping a journal, but call up Honda Canada.

She calls Honda Canada today and they tell her to get stuffed, they are not giving her a new car. At most, she will get a "new engine"

Suffice it to say, she is going to take this one to the the mattresses.

My question to the peanut gallery is:

Does anyone out there have any advice?

Any lawyer recommendations?

Any knowledge of government legislation to protect consumers?


I am quite surprised at Honda Canada. I had always thought that Honda was a little more consumer oriented than this crap.

The guy she spoke to at Honda Canada (after going up the food chain) would not identify his last name. (What is that all about??)

Makes you wonder.

 

[Goober Mcfly]

Tell her to stick to her guns and NOT SETTLE.

Farking crooks.

 

[papasmerf]

Just asked Mister Scott his opinon.

Well it seems Scottie belives it is prudent for a cardealer to check all fluid levels. And unlikely that in 3700 klm it would be "out of oil".

With that said the owners manual reccomend checking all fuild levels on a regular basis.

Now you see the stand off

and now for Mister Scotts soultion. Broadcast to situation over Starfleet Communcations Links. Or contact the local Television Consumer Reporter and relay this story for broadcast.

 

[james t kirk]

Just asked Mister Scott his opinon.

Well it seems Scottie belives it is prudent for a cardealer to check all fluid levels. And unlikely that in 3700 klm it would be "out of oil".

With that said the owners manual reccomend checking all fuild levels on a regular basis.

Now you see the stand off

and now for Mister Scotts soultion. Broadcast to situation over Starfleet Communcations Links. Or contact the local Television Consumer Reporter and relay this story for broadcast.

You kill me. The car was out of oil. Dealer has acknowledged this, but you think it "unlikely"

Are you one of those guys who disagrees with everything someone else says just because.

A professional troll.

Too bad it wasn't you.

 

[Jackal]

Was it an electrical problem where the oil level wasnt being checked properly?
It sounds like they didnt do much of a check if they come back scratching there collective heads considering its a new car.
I suggest taking it to an independant mechanic and having it checked our for yourself so you have backup if you go to court.
Also make sure on the warranty it doesnt have any crap about having to have your engine serviced every xxxx km otherwise the warranty is void.
Im not a lawyer, yet, but your deffinetely being shit on and shouldnt take that kind of treatment especially if its a new car.

 

[DenWa]

Don't you have lemon laws in Canada? You should have some protection in this situation. Definitely do not drop this matter. They will eventually cave in but will make you work for it.

DW

 

[Brit]

I own a 2003 Accord, I have had it a full year and have 63,000 Km on it. Just last week I thought I noticed some oil in the garage under the car. I cleaned the oil up and have not noticed it since. (If this is a potential problem watch for a recall notice!!!) If an oil filter is on incorrectly, or there is a tear in the o-ring, that may have caused the problem. When I first purchase my car I had a problem with wind noise from one of the doors, the dealership I bought the car from was not much help, so I took it to another Honda dealer and the problem was fixed properly. I don't think you will have any luck with getting a new car, as the problem is only with the engine. My two cents would be if you think there is dammage to the engine and Honda is willing to replace the engine, take them up on the offer. If the engine only ran "low" on oil it takes 5W20 full synthetic and is probably OK.
I hope some of that babble might have helped.

 

[Goober Mcfly]

You could tell her to ask for a new engine in the present car, and an abatement (refund) in price for the loss of value from brand-new car to replacement-engined car.

</just an idea>

 

[kooley]

Don't you have lemon laws in Canada? You should have some protection in this situation. Definitely do not drop this matter. They will eventually cave in but will make you work for it.

DW

No lemmon law per se in Canada, as somoene who is in the industry and has seen this sort of thing before I can say I don't think she is going to get a new car, as logical as it may seem to us they do not and in most likelyhood will not do this.

 

[james t kirk]

You could tell her to ask for a new engine in the present car, and an abatement (refund) in price for the loss of value from brand-new car to replacement-engined car.

</just an idea>

That's something i hadn't thought about, but I think she'd prefer a new car.

In all fairness, she laid out the 35 grand in good faith and expected a good car in return. That's what capitalism is supposed to be all about.

I think she will have to go legal if she wants any sort of shot at a new car. It really sucks because i know her fairly well and she doesn't make a lot of cash and has been saving for years to buy a new car. She's always been a Honda freak too, which is so ironic that they would treat her like shit.

I am just wondering if anyone knows of a good lawyer who specializes in this sort of thing. Consumer problems that is.

 

[papasmerf]

You kill me. The car was out of oil. Dealer has acknowledged this, but you think it "unlikely"

Are you one of those guys who disagrees with everything someone else says just because.

A professional troll.

Too bad it wasn't you.

Actually NO
I was stating what a dealer might say.


Now if you would read beyond your predjudice you would see I reccomend your frined contact the media and make this a public issue.

 

[james t kirk]

No lemmon law per se in Canada, as somoene who is in the industry and has seen this sort of thing before I can say I don't think she is going to get a new car, as logical as it may seem to us they do not and in most likelyhood will not do this.

I think you are right.

I just can't believe that a car would blow an engine after 3,700 km.

I think her only option may be legal and even then, if there is nothing in the law books to force them to do it, she's probably screwed. All Honda has to do is argue the law, and it doesn't really matter if it's "right" or not.

The courts don't work on general principle.

On the other hand, I do know a guy who bought a benz and it was lemon (granted, it's a benz, not a honda) and it was replaced by the dealer.

I am sure that if she was someone who bought several cars from them, etc. they would do more than they are.

 

[aptenodytes]

Tell her to get her money back and buy a GM car. Make sure she requests one with the plastic intake manifold.

 

[Goober Mcfly]

That's something i hadn't thought about, but I think she'd prefer a new car.

Might be easier than years of litigation. But I'd go to the media first.

 

[james t kirk]

Actually NO
I was stating what a dealer might say.


Now if you would read beyond your predjudice you would see I reccomend your frined contact the media and make this a public issue.

Ok, i re-read your original post and i gues i misinterpreted what you posted. I read it as if you were mocking me that I was using the internet to broadcast this in the hopes of getting what i want. (Which is nothing cause it's not my car) I in fact edited my original post removing the name of the dealer thinking that that was what you were hinting at, the fact that i was making public the name of the dealer.

Please accept my apologies....

cheers

 

[james t kirk]

Tell her to get her money back and buy a GM car. Make sure she requests one with the plastic intake manifold.

LOL.

That's my battle. Which by the way, i took GM to court and received compensation from them to my satisfaction.

cheers

 

[papasmerf]

Ok, i re-read your original post and i gues i misinterpreted what you posted. I read it as if you were mocking me that I was using the internet to broadcast this in the hopes of getting what i want. (Which is nothing cause it's not my car) I in fact edited my original post removing the name of the dealer thinking that that was what you were hinting at, the fact that i was making public the name of the dealer.

Please accept my apologies....

cheers

Accepted

I used to selll cars and one thing a dealer can not take is bad press.

Even though the bad motor is a factory defect and may not be something the dear could have spotted. The PUBLIC at large will see it as the dealer damaged the motor and the lady should have her money back

A decent reporter will follow up with other HONDA dealers and ask if their policy is to say get out and be gone, as it is with the place of purchase.

Believe it as truth that the squeay wheel gets the greese. And the quite one Burns up from neglect.

 

[kooley]

Might be easier than years of litigation. But I'd go to the media first.

Try Silverman helps, I know if I ever saw him coming into my business I would hand over ,y chequebook to avoid him doing what he does so well.

 

[Nibbler]

Make sure to keep us posted as things start to happen.

 

[Bill the Pirate]

no name

the no name response is a problem as well, your freind should not accept that from a consumer relations rep. Tell her to be polite but persistant, " If you can't give me your name I would like to speak with your supervisor please. " I understand that you are just trying to do your job here, but I need to speak to someone who will go on record. I am not prepared to settle for the answer you are giving me, who higher up can I talk to. Often companys will get away with things like apathy just because of a poor employee. Do not accept it.

I believe that Honda will give her a new car but only when she makes them either through the press or through the people in the organization that have the authority to do so, not by any nameless clerk.
go higher up.