Ok guys bare with me. I need all the help i can get.

I was cruising with my friend whome has a Celica GT-s last tuesday. We were getting on the interstate. I was shifting easy cause i just got my car 2 weeks ago. Well when i was going from 3rd to 4th *70mph* i shifted into 3rd instead. Ive owned nothing but manuals. I still have my 98 Honda Prelude and have never done this. But when I mis-shifted it reved hard and bad. I pressed the clutch but it was too late the engine cut. I had to cost to the next exit where i was stranded with my friends from 3am to 7am cause AAA couldnt get a flat bed to me till then. I bent my valves bad. The engine wouldnt even start. I only have 3035 miles on my car too. Well i take it to honda. Told them what happened. They said that they would get back with me in the afternoon. I was a little worried that because i am 21 years old that the dealer would immediately think i was racing and stuff. So i called Honda Customer Relations to let them know what happened. They told me that they would get back with me the next day. Well i called my dealer back home in NC to tell them what happened too. They said that honda should cover it under warranty. And if they gave me any trouble to call him back. Well the dealer Holler Honda in Orlando, FL said it would not be covered and for me to call my insurance company. Well i was mad to say the least. So i called Honda CR again to tell them. She tells me " well you did misshift". I was like yes but there are TSB's on this tranny and all. She told me that that didnt matter. To make a long story short...i just heard from this dealer today...almost a week later. No one called me. THe guy at honda told Honda customer Relation that they thought i was racing. He deny's telling them that but it's documented as such in the computor. What im worried about and Honda Cares is too..is that this guy told the District manager that came to look at my car..that i was racing. So of course he isnt going to cover it under warranty. I called my insurance company..and they dont cover that stuff..only accidents like hydrolock. They insurance company thinks that honda is screwing me over too. Well today my service writter cussed me out when i called him to ask why he told the HCR office that i was racing...he said it was out of his hands now that i called Customer Relations. And that the comment that was in the computor was bullshit and that i was crazy. I warned him that he better have that comment covered if i have to take this claim to court. Because that comment could have cost me my warranty fix. The Customer service Rep is supposed to call me back in the morning. My car has been at Holler Honda a week. Nothing has been done to it. OH..and i was looking for the phone number for this dealer online..and found a website of unhappy Holler Honda customers..go figure. This dealership is horrible. I need your help..what should i do?

 

It would be great if Honda fixes it for you, but I don't see how this should be covered by warranty. The warranty covers manufacturer's defects, not driver error. Maybe this dealer isn't handling this the right way, but I don't see how you have much of a case to get it fixed under warranty.

Shifting from 4th to 3rd at 70 shouldn't over-rev the engine, are you sure that you were only going 70?

 

Not trying to *****, but...

I don't see why Honda should warrenty this. Its not a defective part or quality of workmanship. You mis-shifted and took the RPMs well over 9K which caused the valves to bend. Its your mistake and you just have to bite the bullet and live with it and pay the work out of your pocket.

Now I had my clutch plate replaced underwarrenty (talked the dealer into it cause I had them replace my 5th gear synchro that was defective, and they found metal shavings in the transmission fluid so I received all new bearings) but that was a problem or workmanship in the clutch plate because it was too weak causing it to wear out quickly.

 

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. I'm no expert so I can only offer my uninformed opinion here so take this for the $0.02 it's worth.

First, it is not a warranty issue, sorry. The failure was the result of driver error not a manufacturing one. However, it is an insurance issue. This should be covered by your comprehensive coverage. It was an accident resulting in damage to the vehicle, while not a collision it is still an accident. You should stop fooling with Honda and call a lawyer. Explain the situation and have him/her go over your insurance policy. I am not a lawyer so I don't know what the deal is on this so you must see a laywer. The comments about racing you should completely ignore. It can't be proven so don't even acknowledge them. If that is their defence for not covering the damage it is their responsability to prove it in court. Say nothing about whether you were or were not. Again, see a lawyer.

Again, I recommend not dealing with either your insurance company or Honda any more. Shut the f*** up and see a lawyer. Remember if it comes to blows in court, the defendant can and probably will supeona your statements so don't make any. Let your lawyer deal with it.

Hope that helps and I wish you the best of luck on getting this straightened out.

BTW, how did you manage to misshift 4th from 3rd and end up in 3rd? I'm assuming you meant 2nd.

 

Yeah i know about the mis shift from 4th to 2nd and biting the bullet..its just the way ive been treated that has got me angry. I mean i had my tranny on my prelude break and honda paid for half of that...it had 90,000 miles on it..so i dont understand why they cant help me on this. the CSR told me that that was done under a good will check. I said i want that then on the S2k. She said she has no authority over the district service manager. But honda does think that i have been dis serviced by the dealer. The insurance company will not pay. But i will call again. And see. Yes i know i know its my fault that i mis shifted...but ive heard so much about the synchro problems i didnt know what it dealt with. If the synchro problem could cause this. I have a friend with a Type R and he said he has a lock out feature..a mis shift is hard to do. I guess ill have to pay cause im tire of waiting too.

Desmond

 

Hmmm, first it was misshift from 4th to 3rd and now it's 4th to 2nd. Maybe it was really 4th to 1st? I'm a little confused. How did the synchro problem cause you to misshift anyways and why should Honda be held responsible for your human error?

 

Sounds like you buy a lot of dud Honda's.

 

strike i asked for help..not to be criticized. I ment 4th to 2nd gear. A 4th to 3rd would not cause bent valves. But anywayz. I didnt know what the tranny problem was when i started investigating. Im new to this...im only 21yo man. Dont do this legal stuff everyday. My dealer back home said that they have a prelude and Type R that both have bent valves..from mis shift..and they are being covered. He doesnt understand why im not being covered. thats why i tried and fighted this before just giving up on it.

Desmond
00 S2000

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by G1S2k:
[B]strike i asked for help..not to be criticized.

 

I would have done that..but a District service manager has already made a decision here in orlando not to cover it. the only way that it can be over turned is by talking to the DSM. My service manager back in NC has requested that he call him. Honda of America also has requested to talk to him to see if the service writer here in orlando told him " i was racing and cutting up" when i was not.

Desmond

00 S2000 silver/red