I put down a deposit on a SMM AT 4wd EX-s about two weeks ago. It was being built at the time, then sent to another dealer, who would then ship it up to Oregon. I didn't mind waiting, my existing car (honda, natch) would keep going that long.

Yesterday I got the call. My E was in! It got in at around 1, and they had to do the "pre-sale inspection," or something like that. Cool, they said I could pick it up after work.

On the way to the dealership after work, I got a phone call from the dealer saying, "This has never happened to us before..." It turns out, during the inspection they, "noticed transmission fluid leaking. The service guys are going to replace a seal which unfortunately isn't in stock. You should get your Element on monday, or tuesday at the latest."

Now...I've been pretty religiously reading these boards since I started car-shopping, and I'm pretty sure I've never seen anything transmission related. I guess it must have been a build issue, similar to that guy who had gas spewing all over the road from an untightened fuel line. If I hadn't done as much reading into the car, I'd be freaking out right now. As it is, I'm just wondering what else I'm going to find once I get the car.

Yeah, I agree that is an inauspicious way to begin your time with the E, but man, what a great dealership to catch it and be very upfront with you about the problem. That sounds like a dealership on the upper end of the service scale to me!

I dont think his dealership really is on the upper end of service.

I bought a SMM from the same place, got the same story and two weeks later, the photo below mysteriously winds up in my mailbox.

It seems Joe really likes the Element and has a nastly little stunt driving habit. As we speak they're probably testing yours over some railroad tracks too.

The reason they have to order transmission parts is because the E bottoms out hard on the landings. BTW, they also replaced my odometer so I couldn't prove the milage occured. Bastards! :wink:

j/k - enjoy it when you get it. :lol:

http://home.comcast.net/~derek-kelly/element/jump.jpg

Hehehe !!!!!

When I first looked at the subject line, I wasn't sure what this was about.
Let me tell you, Ohio isn't done "giving" to the rest of the USA.

First, Element problems.
Second, Dennis Kucinich decides to run for President.
Third, Jerry Springer wants to become a Senator.

Can we posibly inflict any more pain on the world??
Probably, I just don't want to know how.

I bet the E would make a great stuntcar. Honda should push to get some in the movies, like the mini-cooper did in the Italian job.

It's no wonder they aren't selling to genY. I have seen the same lame commercial and mag ad over and over. Put some effort into it Honda. Toyota is marketing in the movie promos I notice (Scions). And it seems to be working.