[thielonwheels]

My 07 Element LX is the first car I ever bought and I would like it to be the last car as well, so I take care of it by doing whatever the Maintenance Minder tells me to do and whatever the Honda Service Center recommends.

Well, I've been going to my local service center in Woodside, Queens, NY since I got the car except for three and a half months when I was out of town and went to a different, much better Honda Service Center in Middletown, NY a couple of times. It seems to me that not only is there no advantage in paying top dollar to get Honda service in Woodside every time, not only do they not stand behind their work adequately, but that they're recommending things which are totally unnecessary. Key amongst these is the recommendation, virtually every time I go in there for an oil change, that I have my differential fluid changed.

The first time they said it was 'really dirty' from all the off road driving I must be doing (in New York City?). How would they know? Do they actually open it up and take a sample of the fluid, then test it? I have no idea, but I told them to go ahead and do it.

Now they recommend I change it every six months. But my understanding is that even if I were driving a normal amount, changing the rear differential fluid should be done about every five years or 30,000 miles at the earliest. My Element has less than 70,000 miles on it and the differential fluid was changed at about 60,000 miles.

This last time, just last week, they said the cabin filters were dirty as well and needed to be changed, and that I needed my transmission fluid flushed and changed amongst other things. Then I knew they didn't check it because those filters are brand new and the transmission fluid was flushed as of two months earlier. They're just going off of what the computer says I had done at their shop, not actually checking these things it seems.

I was also told, by the way, that the ball joints need to be replaced because they're "leaking" ? I looked up ball joints, so I'm highly suspicious of them leaking some fluid which they don't contain. I'm going to have Pep Boys take a look at it while they change my battery on Saturday.

So what's going on here? Is it just that this shop sucks, or should I try a more honest Honda service center, or should I try to find a non-Honda mechanic who is trustworthy and only take it to Honda when I really need a Honda part? :?

 

[Rick92040]

The service writer gets a percentage of everything he sells to you. Yes. He is in fact trying to make more money for himself. Find a local mechanic who you can trust and just follow the service manual.

 

[jesbecause]

This is Paragon Honda , we are talking about , right ? This Honda service dept. is as good as they come . I personally recommend them . Unfortunately we live in an age of computers and that personal service sometimes goes out the window . A service advisor/writer reads the screen in front of him , suggests items that are related to your mileage and sometimes they just go off ..... Since you are a smart consumer and read the owners manual , you know what items need to be done and if any problems with the vehicle , ask them to look at it . Keep up the good work ........ The Element is one tough cookie , but some things need more attention then others , a 25k differential fluid change , is recommended here . Doing a search for items in question here , can save you time and money .

Good luck

 

[Island E]

I don't know about the whole "as good as they get" comment.
Saying that his rear diff fluid is dirty because of off roading, tranny fluid being filthy after him just having changed it 60 days before. Advising the guy to change his dirty cabin filters that he just changed? Sounds fishy to me and not at all like a "as good as they get" dealership. I don't care what day in age we live in. Computers or not. You're not best of the best if you don't actually go out and LOOK at the vehicle.

I understand trying to make a buck, but if that's what you do, don't be surprised when people call you out on your BS and you start losing business because word travels. Me personally, if I was a customer of that particular dealership, after having read this thread, I'd find a new place to do work on my car.

Shady dealerships suck. This seems to be one of them.

 

[Island E]

Hahaha, wow. Looks like other people have had similar experiences with these clowns.
2 stars on Yelp
http://www.yelp.com/biz/paragon-honda-woodside-4

 

[jesbecause]

Good and bad reviews , you're always going to have that .

Oh my , how quickly things change :http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?p=964545&highlight=#post964545

I did a search and came across this previous post , I don't think this member will ever be happy .......

How dare you call out my judgement , because apparently you have no idea what you're talking about all the way from Hawaii , basing your view from Yelp reviews ...

 

[ayf]

I may be paranoid, but I stopped taking my car to dealers, especially after the warranty is over. I too, used to take my car in for regular servicing and everything was ok. After my warranty was up, something always went wrong (this is the car I had before the E). My friend never took his car in for servicing and "nothing" went wrong with his. The only time I have taken my E in was for the recalls. From now on, I look for specialty shops and am looking for a reliable mechanic. I have gotten two references, if you take your car in and nothing is wrong, they dont even charge you). I dont trust dealers, because repairs/servicing is where they make their money. If they think you are not knowledgeable, they will try to "take advantage" of you. Of course, this is only IMO and I can only speak for me.

 

[Island E]

How dare you call out my judgement , because apparently you have no idea what you're talking about all the way from Hawaii , basing your view from Yelp reviews ...

Yelp ratings....based on the feedback of REAL PEOPLE. Did you read any of the actual stories that some of these people have about that place? Granted that most of the horror stories are from the sales side of the house, but management should see EVERYTHING that goes on in their dealership. That dealership is garbage......period. You probably work for them, which is why you're sticking up for them.

Oh well, it is what it is. I'm sure that the original poster has learned his lesson and will never go back to them.

 

[jesbecause]

Granted that most of the horror stories are from the sales side of the house, but management should see EVERYTHING that goes on in their dealership. That dealership is garbage......period. You probably work for them, which is why you're sticking up for them.

So now you're changing your view , from service to sales , you're a joke , if I wasn't enjoying my retirement so much , I wouldn't mind working again , but it's people like you , on entitlement , that keep me from that ......

Oh well, it is what it is. I'm sure that the original poster has learned his lesson and will never go back to them.

They will , it's a good dealership ..........

 

[Daman858]

I just tell my service writer to maintain the vehicle by the Honda maintenance book. He will give me a song and dance occasionally but I just blow him off. Never had a problem. Once, they wanted to use a fuel and oil additive for $27. I just said no thanks.

And @Rick90240, is there something wrong with collecting pensions, Social Security and Medicare which we WORKED for and paid for? Or are you just jealous?