[MCS]

Quick question - WHO is making decisions about how the defective airbag situation is being resolved? We recieved notification that we've been driving around in a vehicle that has a part that has killed 10 people and that I am to contact my local dealer to have the issue resolved. Comment: Companies often face difficult issues and problems.. .this is a given. But one would think that a little bit of time and effort would go into developing a solution which would include a strategy to NOT alienate loyal Brand Customers.. right? Simple basic business rule number one. The letter we received stated that I am to contact my local dealer to have the issue resolved. I call, and they ask me to bring the vehicle. No problem. I go to the dealer and am told that there could be as much as a TWO MONTH wait for this part. Ok... if I am The Honda corporate person responsible for deciding how to deal with "me"... what would I do? Honda's solution is to offer a rental vehicle for the duration of the wait and have me sign an agreement to not drive my Ridgeline. Ok... so far so good. I take my truck and go get the rental car: A 4 cylinder Ford Fusion. So now I have a $33k SUV/Truck sitting in my garage which I bought for task specific features and I'm asked to drive a pile of _____ until my parts are ready? What about my vacation plans that include the requirements of an AWD, truck bed storage, equipped vehicle, etc.? What about my daily vehicle requirement that include the same? I call the dealer and rental car agency and they agree to upgrade us to a truck. To be specific, a Dodge 1500 truck. (Their choice, not mine). Wow... how cool is this? (Are you listening Honda?) Your 1st solution was to put me in a competitive brand sub standard vehicle that's not even close to what I purchased in good faith from you. Strike One. Strike Two: You put me in a competitive brand comparable vehicle that is newer, has more power, more features, and is a much better vehicle than the one that is now sitting in my garage. Natural progression of my family's thought process? Hey.. this new rental is GREAT... let's trade in the Honda on a new Dodge! I'm really curious about this... the cost of thousands of rental vehicles for 2 months vs what it would have cost Honda to put us all in NEW Pilots and New HONDA vehicles... which could easily be sold after the fact as "executive lease" vehicles. Not only would this not have cost Honda a dime, once the loaner vehicle sold, they would have A. Made a PROFIT, and B. Retained brand specific customers. And, how about, along this path of putting us in NEW HONDA vehicles, you throw a few crumbs to your dealers and offer an incentive for those of us with defective vehicles to TRADE UP TO A NEW HONDA! OH... and gee wiz Honda owners, as a way of saying we're sorry for letting you drive a defective vehicle that could have killed you for 4 years without notifying you or doing anything about, AND for you having to take you valuable time to have to deal with OUR problem, we're going to offer you an even better incentive by deeply discounting a new vehicle for you to trade up to. What the heck are you thinking... and how many people have you now alienated and pushed away from your brand? One for sure.

 

[MCS]

Thanks Carsmak - I'll check out the link.

 

[MCS]

Well, let's see... my 2012 BMW M3 was recalled and I was given a new M5 to drive while waiting.

I'm not trying to be snarky... I do understand and appreciate your viewpoint, and thank you for sharing it. I just couldn't help but look at this through CEO / Owner eyes and question the reasoning behind making a bad situation worse.

I just think the solution isn't well thought out and, had it been, Honda could have walked away from a potential major fallout/recoil/backlash situation to one of mutual profitability for everyone involved... that someone or some committee just isn't thinking this through. Yes, I did read through the other thread and I see there are others who also question why Honda didn't or doesn't choose to jump on this and turn it around to help the owners and their dealers walk away from it with big smiles on our faces proclaiming the virtues of Honda to the universe.

And, if I were driving one of the other manufacturers whom you mention and they didn't or wouldn't step up and deal with the issue in a professional and mutually agreeable manner, that would be an different scenario all together... one that would most likely result in personal or class action litigation.