So. I finally decided to get a stook around a month ago. I called a couple dealers and found one that was willing to work with me. I put a deposit down on a silver / black one, which was to be delivered in mid-may. At the beginning of May I call my salesman for no reason other that to make sure everything is still ok. He says everything is fine and that the car will be delivered in Early June now. (I ALSO VERIFY WITH HIM THAT NO ONE WILL BE TEST DRIVING THE CAR, AND THAT IT WON'T BE ON THE LOT.) No big deal, I wasn't going to take delivery of the car until mid June as I am traveling between MI and MN for a month or so for work. Mid May rolls around and I decide to call my salesman to get the VIN number, etc. He gives me the VIN number and tells me that the car arrived a few days back. Well shit. It's not a big deal as I wasn't going to pick up the car for a month, but I didn't get a chance to fax over "special instructions" from s2ki.com. So I fax these instructions (about a week after they received the car).

I happen to be in Minneapolis for a couple days and manage to arrange a test drive of my new S2000. I'm all excited. Just a huge grin on my face the entire day. I'm talking to my salesman about an hour before I get to the dealership and he mentions something about some *small* scratches on the car. I didn't really think much of it...

I get to the dealership to find everything on the s2ki.com list to be done. Everything from floor mats to gas to front license plate! Grrr. Hop in the car...and there are 50 miles on the odometer! That's at least 5 test drives. There should only be 5 - 15 miles, right?! I notice several marks on the interior, you know, like the marks from shoes and such on the speakers. Hop back out of the car to find these *small* scratches. How many do I find? Roughly fifteen (15). It's hard to count them when there are a bunch that are close together. Half are around 2 inches long, some are an inch long and the others are three - four inches long!

I know very little about painting cars, but I'm guessing they'll have to repaint the front left quarter panel. I don't know how they'll fix them on the door and rear quarter panel.

I haven't talked to the salesman since before the test drive (he wasn't working when I stopped by) and I'll be talking to him tomorrow. He basically did everything wrong. If the car is painted it's obviously worth a lot less. How much less? Do I try to get a huge discount on the car and have them fix it? Do I look around for others? (There are at least 4 silver / black available at MSRP or lower) Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

ps. BURNSVILLE HONDA IS NO GOOD. They

 

Sorry to hear that.

It is a tough call since the Silverstone will not be made anymore. If I were in your shoes I would look somewhere else before purchasing that particular car. There is no telling how the 50 miles came about and the scratches.

If you can be patient and do some research, I am sure you can find another Silver/Black (maybe even out of state).

Don't buy the car if it really bothers you that much. That is a mistake that you will regret, especially if the car will need to be repainted.

My two cents.

 

Fifty miles and a few scuff marks are nothing to worry about. According to my friend and dealership owner, Dick Weber, an occasional car will come off the boat with 50 miles because it has had more extensive quality control testing in Japan. The scuff marks could happen when the mechanic gets in and out to do the required prep.

The scratches shouldn't be there. Mine has about fifteen scratches too, but I ME MYSELF DUMB ME put them there. Or friends. I wish I had none.

Your dealer should paint them for you to like new condition or you should refuse delivery and ask for your deposit back and buy your car from another dealer.

I know for a fact that occasionally cars get scratched in transport and the dealers pay body shops to repair them. My dealer told me that they are permitted to spend up to 10% of the wholesale value in repairing a car without disclosing that to the customer. It is part of the "usual" new car prep.

Don't ask for a discount in exchange for the scratches. Ask for a perfect car or ask for your deposit back and get a different one. You'll never feel good about it if you take cash for the scratches. However, if you get it scratchfree that is okay. It doesn't matter that it had some repainting before you bought it.

Then when you get it, DRIVE IT!

 

Hi and welcome. I'd have left the car with the dealer and asked for another. 50 miles, is like a used car. Especially 50 miles at 9000 rpms. Scratches, unacceptable. If they color sand it and blow it, you're looking at a paint job. If it needs a paint job, well, that's not what you expect a new car will need. If your check sheet said no demo drives, they breached the contract. (accepting the additional terms of your check in sheet probably constitutes a contract.) I'd be pretty worked up about this. Remedies: swap for a new car; or they fix the finish and give you an extended warranty.

Good luck to you. Your dealer let you down.

 

I would pass on the car. They blew your confidene with the dealership, and now they are selling you a 'used' car. These cars come off the boat with 5-15 miles on them, nothing more, nothing more at all. Mine had 25, one test drive, no biggie - I agreed to it anyways. But scratches? Scuff marks here and there? Wouldn't you rather be the person that makes those marks over time by your normal wear and tear (if such happens) after you bought a new car?

Suggestion, cough up the dealership name for our references. <grins> Ask for your money back. I'm sure someone on this board can find you the car that you want, when you want it, and one that will be 'new'.

 

Schatten, I'd be more that happy to do that The dealer is located in Burnsville, Minnesota and the name of the Honda dealer just so happens to be Burnsville Honda. I have been working with Todd Berntson. He is a very nice gentleman, however, I would not recommend buying a car from him let alone entrusting him to follow simple instructions.

 

Pass on the car. You need to accept delivery so refuse it. There are plenty of brand new silvers in stock around the country. I got mine with 9 miles on it so should you.

 

You specifically asked them to not let anyone demo the car. I would be pi$$ed. Plus 15 scratches. There are plenty of cars available elsewhere. I don't trust these guys.

John

 

I am not sure why you are having such issues. I was there in MPLS 2 wks ago and was able to find 3 different dealerships with cars at MSRP. Go find one of those. There is also a place called Wyzetta imports or something that had 2 themselves. It really shouldn't be hard to find another car.

 

The miles are probably not that big a deal; the scratches are. Simply tell the dealer you expected to get a perfectly good, new car, and your expectations haven't changed. If you can live with a repaint, request that; if not, request another car or demand a refund of your deposit and go elsewhere. Our daily lives are full of compromises. When you spend this kind of money for an automobile there should be no compromise, period.

Hopefully, you'll soon be able to report a successful resolution of this problem and will be regaling us with stories of your exploits in your brand new, pristinely beautiful Stook. Good luck!