Information for 09 owners
08-04-2011, 11:40 PM
#283
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TBH this week I've been quiet on the subject because we wanted to take stock and decide what we were going to do. We feel that after loving two S2000's and being part of the club and meeting some great people, that the shine has gone completely off it and we just want rid now.
I will admit, I wanted to just off load the problem and not have to deal with it - nice and easy that way for me. However, this is something that I criticise people for at work, not dealing with problems and passing them on, so we've made up our minds that I will be getting the nice Cayman but not until this situation is resolved. If we have to take a hit on the residual value of the vehicle then so be it but I know in my heart of hearts that I no longer want to drive an S nor be part of the club.
My car is booked in at a dealer that has proved to be very helpful with this matter and I know won't roll their eyes at me as soon as I walk in. It will have its 36k service on Monday and I will see what they say about the noise / whine. If they put through a warranty claim like Grimsby Honda last week and it gets refused, then based on the advice I have had, Mr CJ (who purchased the vehicle) will contact Bristol Honda and ask what they intend to do about and we'll take it from there.
There is always the chance (small one) that on Monday they say there isn't a noise to worry about and it's just an S2000 and if that is the case, then I will be chopping it in for whatever I can get for it.
I will admit, I wanted to just off load the problem and not have to deal with it - nice and easy that way for me. However, this is something that I criticise people for at work, not dealing with problems and passing them on, so we've made up our minds that I will be getting the nice Cayman but not until this situation is resolved. If we have to take a hit on the residual value of the vehicle then so be it but I know in my heart of hearts that I no longer want to drive an S nor be part of the club.
My car is booked in at a dealer that has proved to be very helpful with this matter and I know won't roll their eyes at me as soon as I walk in. It will have its 36k service on Monday and I will see what they say about the noise / whine. If they put through a warranty claim like Grimsby Honda last week and it gets refused, then based on the advice I have had, Mr CJ (who purchased the vehicle) will contact Bristol Honda and ask what they intend to do about and we'll take it from there.
There is always the chance (small one) that on Monday they say there isn't a noise to worry about and it's just an S2000 and if that is the case, then I will be chopping it in for whatever I can get for it.
08-05-2011, 12:28 AM
#284
I would suggest writing a concise 'Press Release' which details the problem, the evidence, the numbers affected so far and Honda's action.
Use an appropriate headline:
Honda. The Power of Dreams is the cause of nightmares.
Honda are seemingly the world's largest producer of internal combustion engines - any concerted attack on the core USP of the brand (engine expertise) will carry weight. There was a similar situation some years ago concerning the problems of the timing chains of the VFR motorcycle - this resulted in an engine redesign to gear-driven cams. It was a matter of honour for Honda Japan to sort apparently...
Include in the Press Release links to these on-line resources which you'll need to create:
- A dedicated Twitter page to provide on-going information, even if it's 'Heard nothing more from Honda today'
- A dedicated FaceBook page
- A simple web site created with one of the innumerable packages to build a few on-line pages; use a suitable URL such as www.hondas_2000_engine_problems.com
- A YouTube channel with a video of the engine running and the 'death-rattle'.
E-mail links for these to everyone and anyone in order to build up traffic.
Send the press release to the new desks of relevant motoring press/web sites; all media are desperate for stories. The names of the respective contacts will be on their web sites; for example;
- Top Gear
- 5th Gear
- Auto Express
- Autotrader
- Autocar
- Car
- What Car?
- Classic Car
- BBC Watchdog
- Motoring sections of national press
- SMMT
Copy in the General Manager of all Honda dealers in the UK, the Honda' PR man and Honda's PR agency if possible. They will have a PR agency in place for crisis management and it will cost Honda to action a response. Their daily rate for such activity will be considerable...
Find out the company underwriting the Honda warranty and send the press release to the general manager.
Drop an e-mail to Toyota UK's press office and all the other car brands in the UK - it's dog-eat-dog in the industry at the moment and the respective PR agencies of the other brands might pick-it-up.
Place reviews about the Honda S2000 and Honda UK on places such as http://www.reviewcentre.com and anywhere and everywhere which allows consumer feedback.
It may take time and be a slow-burn, but once the momentum gathers, it will take serious effort on Honda's part to counter it. This will cost money and marketing effort at a time when there are other issues to deal with; sales and supply problems.
Register with all motoring forums - Subaru, Lancer, Nissan owners will love a story about Honda's problems!
Consider any other guerilla tactics; vinyl graphics on the side of your S2000 with a brief statement about the engine problem - it will make a nice image to accompany the press release too.
And get one of these on short-term hire and drive it around Swindon with a suitable poster:
Use an appropriate headline:
Honda. The Power of Dreams is the cause of nightmares.
Honda are seemingly the world's largest producer of internal combustion engines - any concerted attack on the core USP of the brand (engine expertise) will carry weight. There was a similar situation some years ago concerning the problems of the timing chains of the VFR motorcycle - this resulted in an engine redesign to gear-driven cams. It was a matter of honour for Honda Japan to sort apparently...
Include in the Press Release links to these on-line resources which you'll need to create:
- A dedicated Twitter page to provide on-going information, even if it's 'Heard nothing more from Honda today'
- A dedicated FaceBook page
- A simple web site created with one of the innumerable packages to build a few on-line pages; use a suitable URL such as www.hondas_2000_engine_problems.com
- A YouTube channel with a video of the engine running and the 'death-rattle'.
E-mail links for these to everyone and anyone in order to build up traffic.
Send the press release to the new desks of relevant motoring press/web sites; all media are desperate for stories. The names of the respective contacts will be on their web sites; for example;
- Top Gear
- 5th Gear
- Auto Express
- Autotrader
- Autocar
- Car
- What Car?
- Classic Car
- BBC Watchdog
- Motoring sections of national press
- SMMT
Copy in the General Manager of all Honda dealers in the UK, the Honda' PR man and Honda's PR agency if possible. They will have a PR agency in place for crisis management and it will cost Honda to action a response. Their daily rate for such activity will be considerable...
Find out the company underwriting the Honda warranty and send the press release to the general manager.
Drop an e-mail to Toyota UK's press office and all the other car brands in the UK - it's dog-eat-dog in the industry at the moment and the respective PR agencies of the other brands might pick-it-up.
Place reviews about the Honda S2000 and Honda UK on places such as http://www.reviewcentre.com and anywhere and everywhere which allows consumer feedback.
It may take time and be a slow-burn, but once the momentum gathers, it will take serious effort on Honda's part to counter it. This will cost money and marketing effort at a time when there are other issues to deal with; sales and supply problems.
Register with all motoring forums - Subaru, Lancer, Nissan owners will love a story about Honda's problems!
Consider any other guerilla tactics; vinyl graphics on the side of your S2000 with a brief statement about the engine problem - it will make a nice image to accompany the press release too.
And get one of these on short-term hire and drive it around Swindon with a suitable poster:
08-05-2011, 12:45 AM
#287
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: City Of London / Knebworth
Posts: 39,547
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I wanted to do this sort of thing when Honda were doing FA about the seized suspension bush problem ..... too many people on here were more concerned about the affect that this would have on the resale value of their cars
08-05-2011, 12:47 AM
#288
Quite simply.... all 09 owners should get together and pursue the same solicitor. Game on it would be...
I believe under the sale of goods act, that the product sold must have a fair and reasonable shelf life, for the intended purpose. Albeit a car, which we accept can have its reliability issues being made from thousands of moving components, is still included under this rule.
If Honda UK were buying a fleet of 09 Nissan GTR's for example, and then after 2-3000miles pretty much a high % were failing, then do you think that a huge multinational would do nothing about this? Of course they wouldnt. They'd demand their money back otherwise they'd shaft Nissan across the press. So bundling together 100 affected owners (or more) would be more effective using a top wig to pin Honda to the wall.
I tell you, you have to gang together (09 failers) on this and take Honda to court, its the only way i'm afraid. One of you somewhere must have a close friend of the legal system, that would be happy to suggest this to a solicitor. This could be frighteningly embarrassing for Honda
My sister a few years ago bought a Mondeo TDCi 2.2 Titanium, had it 9 months and it kept breaking down. Something to do with a fault that some cars had developed with the diesel engine. Anyway... she got her money back. Why? .... Sale of goods act.
Honda probably cant afford to recompensate every 09 owner, they won't budge unless this goes to the High Court in London.
So get together and use the same solicitor
I believe under the sale of goods act, that the product sold must have a fair and reasonable shelf life, for the intended purpose. Albeit a car, which we accept can have its reliability issues being made from thousands of moving components, is still included under this rule.
If Honda UK were buying a fleet of 09 Nissan GTR's for example, and then after 2-3000miles pretty much a high % were failing, then do you think that a huge multinational would do nothing about this? Of course they wouldnt. They'd demand their money back otherwise they'd shaft Nissan across the press. So bundling together 100 affected owners (or more) would be more effective using a top wig to pin Honda to the wall.
I tell you, you have to gang together (09 failers) on this and take Honda to court, its the only way i'm afraid. One of you somewhere must have a close friend of the legal system, that would be happy to suggest this to a solicitor. This could be frighteningly embarrassing for Honda
My sister a few years ago bought a Mondeo TDCi 2.2 Titanium, had it 9 months and it kept breaking down. Something to do with a fault that some cars had developed with the diesel engine. Anyway... she got her money back. Why? .... Sale of goods act.
Honda probably cant afford to recompensate every 09 owner, they won't budge unless this goes to the High Court in London.
So get together and use the same solicitor
08-05-2011, 12:54 AM
#290
There are many trade web sites which will have home-page news to fill - all worth an e-mail -here's a few;
http://www.motortradeonline.co.uk
http://www.cardealermagazine.co.uk
http://www.autosceneuk.co.uk/
http://www.mechanex.info/
http://dealerprincipal.co.uk/
http://www.motor.org.uk/
http://www.am-online.com/
http://www.facebook.com/britishmotortradeassociation
http://www.dealerclub.co.uk/club/ind...id=1&Itemid=63
http://www.autoindustry.co.uk/
http://www.motester.co.uk/MOTTestingForum.aspx
http://www.motortradeonline.co.uk
http://www.cardealermagazine.co.uk
http://www.autosceneuk.co.uk/
http://www.mechanex.info/
http://dealerprincipal.co.uk/
http://www.motor.org.uk/
http://www.am-online.com/
http://www.facebook.com/britishmotortradeassociation
http://www.dealerclub.co.uk/club/ind...id=1&Itemid=63
http://www.autoindustry.co.uk/
http://www.motester.co.uk/MOTTestingForum.aspx