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Dealer Damaged my Element!

1742 Views 10 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  bigsmokes
I wasnt even going to post anything about it, but I need to vent. On 6/22 I took my car into Boyland Honda in Greenfield, WI for a left driver door rattle when the window is not in the full closed position. They took the door panel off and found that the window regulator was faulty. Said they didnt have the part in stock and wouldnt have it until tomorrow. They put my car back together and off i went.

When i got home i noticed that the front of the door panel near the hinge area had white stress marks and a scratch. After looking further i noticed that the clip behind the panel was not in the hole causing the door panel to be elevated and rub against the bolts on the side of the dash (pics below).

I called the service advisor and he said he would look at it tomorrow when i was in for the window regulator. When I went back in I showed him the damage and they agreed to repair it. They even wrote on the service ticket that they would repair it (ive learned that you need to get stuff in writing).

So they take my car back to install the window regulator and 30 min later they're done. I think great, that was really fast. So I get home and go to get out of my car when I notice even more damage. The access cover below the pull handle was missing and the door panel was cracked and broken.

I called and talked to the service advisor and emailed him the pictures (below). He called me back that afternoon and said that they will order a new door panel, but the tech said that damage was already there and that the door panel had obviously been removed by someone else previously. I fricken SNAPPED! To make a long storty short, they are now refusing to do anything in regard to tall this damage they caused. Honda and BBB were able to accomplish nothing for me. The service manager at Boyland Honda is a complete and utter moron. They check the car over everytime you are there for damage and note any. None was noted, because there wasnt any!

Result is I am paying the $200 out of my own pocket to get the door panel replaced. It will cost more than the repairs, but I am going to file in small claims just out of principle. Because now I only trust the dealer i purchased the car from in Rockford, IL (90 miles away) to do the repair, i will sue for court costs, my time involved and travel expenses. I spoke with my companies attorney and was told i have a pretty open/shut case with all the documentation, emails, and pictures.

Screw Boyland Honda and their fricken hack techs. Also, screw American Honda Motors for not being able to take care of a customer. I am so pissed! A Honda tech should be able to take apart a door and leave no evidence he/she was ever there!

1st damage


2nd damage


they couldnt even put this piece back on correctly where it sits flush like the passenger side? WTF
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Good luck with your court case. At least it is obvious the damage was caused by ham fisted disassembly. I realize service techs are under the gun for speed, however customers $$$ vehicles shouldn't be damaged just because the tech is in a hurry.

My personal experience with service damage.

The local Honda & Subaru dealer has an old time service area with only one doorway in or out. This forces the techs to jokey cars and trucks through tight spaces to get to the service bays. Guess what?- Every time I've had either my Element or Forester in there, I get it back with a new door ding or scratched bumper. Tried to make them fix the door ding they whacked into my E, however, without an inch- by -inch photo documentation of its condition on the day I dropped it off for service- I have no proof the dent wasn't already there!
Needless to say-I do all routine service myself now and dread needing any dealership specific work.
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