Hackettstown Honda Service Dept.
This is admittedly a minor gripe compared to all of the weightier issues being discussed here of late, but can't a service department get the actual
"vehicle servicing" part right?
The front-end service experience is great - easy scheduling, a friendly reception and accomodating waiting/shuttle facilities. The vehicle wash at the end is also just fine.....but the actual servicing shows an alarming lack of attention to detail.
I brought my car there several months ago for a brake flush and a few other things. I get the car back with loose air cleaner clips and a missing fasteners. The replaced the missing parts for free, but had to order them.
Today, I bring my mother there to get an oil change and fluid check/fluid top-off. I told them that her power steering fluid was low and needed topping off before servicing. Oil was changed, nothing else apparently done.
I guess you could say "fool me once, shame on you , fool me twice, shame on me" but I would really like this dealership to succeed. I just don't feel I can trust them to do the servicing the way I expect a Honda dealer to do it.
Sad.
jjmonth4 they think they can pay 'hillbilly wages' so they get what they pay for......that will NOT make this dealership succeed
Hastings The wages are a big part of the quality of worker and work. They currently have 12 techs. Of those half are express or "lube" techs. When the six techs cannot keep up with the work load- a lot of jobs are assigned to the express kids, which have limited tools, time, and diagnostic abilities. When the place is flooded with oil changes, like on a Saturday (which are alternating days off for techs), the quality of the work suffers greatly. As the case in most shops there are a few idiots I wouldn't let fix my lawn mower but that's the luck of the draw as a customer.
They just fired Soloman, the general manager, a few weeks ago so things should start improving soon.
OPI haven't been happy with them- and i LOVED the Phillipsburg dealership. I'll give the Hacks dealer a little more time, but they have not impressed me.
JeffersonRepub Went there when they opened and had the Honda serviced. All was fine. After reading this I guess I'll have to make the trip to P'burg for the next service. They are great. I just hate the drive.
Ms Fishy Ray Price has given me good service over the years, but their location is nowhere near as convenient as HH's.
My 2009 Fit has 136,000 mile on it and the valves need adjusting. It's a pain to go all the way to RP, but I just don't trust HH to do it right...
Amazing that Honda, as a corporation, does not have better quality control over it's dealers. I will stay away till the worm turns, if it does, on this dealership but the comments plus the ones about a "salesy" approach don't make we want to give up the long drive I take for my Honda.
Meanwhile, I have used Subaru dealers in 4 states and, for the most part, have found them consistently good, honest and fair. Won't say "inexpensive and built to stay that way" anymore, but have never had a major issue with any of the ten or so dealers I have used over time. Suby seems to mandate a certain level of quality from it's dealers.
mistergoogle I would not stop going there because of some boneheads, just go during the week- you won't have any problems. jjmonth4 if you go to HH request that Bill perform the work on your car. He is one of their best techs.
I have worked in several car dealers and all have a few techs that can barely pop the hood, it is not just car dealers any business usually has a bad egg or 2 . So it is easy to have bad stories anywhere. Most dealers have decent turn over rates of
Of employees as well so service can be hit or miss.
jdem How the person you talk to in service dept for the work to get done? I have to say you should always go to Jamie there she the best and she well get the work done right. And I would tell her what was wrong be for that they she knows.
NJNJ Htown Honda service is an absolute joke. Pburg not much better. Stick with a private shop.
Philliesman Dealers are really not much different than any other place. There are good ones, OK ones, and ones to stay away from. Other than a handful of things there is generally little reason to go to a dealer and pay the $$$$ extra for the privilege.
GC I've always purchased my Hondas at Sussex Honda and was very excited when a Honda dealer opened here in town. I've been consistently underwhelmed with the service at Htown Honda. Perhaps the drive to Newton isn't really that bad.
ImOnSaxton There does seem to be some turnover at the dealership, though there is one employee who used to work at Ray Price who seems to go out of his way to help people who are waiting. The old guy who greets you when you pull up is also nice, though seems a bit more somber now....still does his job well, though.
They have some good people there. Unfortunately, it seems that none of them are the ones servicing your car...
If the good people are being paid "hillbilly wages", they deserve better. Perhaps the old greeter guy might appreciate a tip, too....though I don't know if that's permitted.
you better believe the wage is a big part of the quality of work & worker.....these guys who opened this dealership are from Brooklyn and think they can come out here and pay nothing and succeed?? how's is working or ya guys?
They sure can afford to pay more. I went in for the first time. When my oil change was done, they told me they would give me the $29 price on the oil change this time, because they quoted it over the phone and when I came in. Then they said it should have been $49, and next time it would be. I never paid more than $29 at Clinton or Pburg.
maja 
Bessie 
D-ManPV Hack. Honda service is sleazy. Tried to talk me into scheduled maintenance 15000 miles before the schedule called for. I've had fair dealings with Sussex Honda, but I do believe I'll just stay with a local guy (Camps) from now on.
EVV Well they did get the location right......
Glad I waited after hearing the initial "very salesy" reports. Thanks HL.
Funny, the guy who owned the Deli before it was the new library was from Brooklyn too. Remember thinking, "ain't gonna last six months" after getting his Brooklyn feedback on a community fund raiser for the kids. Hope he sold at a loss.
I took my Honda Pilot there for an oil change. They tried to tell me my car needed $1,900. worth of work! I said, "No, give me an estimate I can give to my husband." My husband then took it to our regular mechanic who checked it out, and I did NOT need any of that work done! It was all a lie! Beware of Hackettstown Honda! I will never go there again!
ggirl I had such high hopes for H-town Honda...hated taking my car all the way to P-burg for an oil change. At my last visit, the tech noted that I was due for a transmission flush--$90. I checked w/Ted at Valley Auto, his price was $20 cheaper. I emailed the service manager @Htown Honda & asked if they would price match it. No, they would only do that with another Honda/Acura dealer since most independents won't use GENUINE Honda parts, techs are not certified, Honda service so superior, blah blah blah. Then he said since they're a new dealer and are trying to get established he would match the price BUT would not use Honda fluid!!! What???! Are they planning to send some guy over to Walmart to pick some up?? Makes you wonder what they have in the unmarked containers in the service dept. So I promptly made the appt. w/Ted, who DOES use genuine Honda fluid. I think I'll be sticking w/Valley Auto from now on; see no reason to visit Honda again.
Davis Went to Hackettstown Honda today. Took almost one hour for an oil change. And it cost $40. and change. This was after I mentioned it was Monday and WRNJ advertises a special on Monday if you mention the station. The car has 17,000 on it and they suggested? over an additional $200. for filters and 4-wheel drive fluid. What's up with that? Makes me wish I kept my Toyota..
I was quoted $29.99 on Saturday for my mother's Toyota Camry (they service all makes of cars.) There was a coupon for around $25 or so online.
I heard WRNJ's ad too (on Fri. or Sat.) and I think it was for $24.99 or thereabouts. If you needed or requested synthetic oil, then $40 seems reasonable. If you need 5-6 quarts of regular oil or a special filter, that's stretching it, but maybe still OK.
Ya' know, I paid for a "brake flush" from them a few months ago (when they lost the clips to my air cleaner) and now I wonder if I really got one. They basically vacuum the fluid out through the master cylinder (which leaves the most deteriorated stuff from the disc brake cylinders still in the lines/ABS actuator I'll bet) and pump fresh fluid back in the same way.Trouble was, they didn't bother to clean the dirt, or the cap, of the master cylinder reservoir when they did it, and the fluid didn't look all that "new" when I got it back.
This just gets more disappointing the more I read....
@Davis, I go to Ted for all my car repairs, oil changes, everything. I now have 176,000 miles on my Toyota, still runs good, and I'm not even as diligent as I should be about oil changes. Sounds like the Honda Dealer is not getting good publicity..they might want to work on that.
@ggirl..can't you report them for that..terrible to think about how many people have listened to them and had unnecessary work done.
I just finished filling out my online customer appreciation survey from my last visit. Hopefully Honda corporate will look into the problems of their dealership; I also advised them to check this thread as there seems to be lots of bad publicity out there. Enough that they should take notice & make some changes.
They should take a lesson form Phillipsburg...nice shop; the employees acted like they were there to SERVE you, always pleasant & even told me when service was unnecessary or could be done by my husband! Plus never more than $20-25 for an oil change.
Based on this thread- they have lost my business- I am ready to new car shop and was excited that they came on the scene.
The pattern I am hearing for such a new business tells me all I need to know- to stay away
The Rhyme Animal Rhyme Animal you just wrote my post! I too am in the market for a new car and there's no way I'd go there after reading this thread! Would appreciate some input from my HL friends on where to go, though!
Lady Jayne I have called Honda corporate and have filed a complaint to the BBB about Htown Honda. Take your business elsewhere.
Philliesman , what was your experience that brought you to that leve? I only had one experience there and it was just a recall so I was in and out.
You almost have to laugh. They do all the research, collect the capital, get all the permits, franchise stuff, and erect the building...............
They will get a certain number of call sales just by location and Honda image.
Immediately, they will get a lot of maintenance by locals not wanted to drive 20- 30 minutes N, S, E or West. Wow, that'sbotta be nice to be able to have money rolling right in without selling a single car.
Those are their two HUGE revenue streams and they don't even have to sell a car to get mainenance revenue.
How hard in this economy is it to find quality technicians and sales folks?
Seems like they had it all planned, the timing was OK, and the location was pretty darned good.
And yet they blow it by, according to this thread, offering a less quality service level than their Honda alternatives and again, according to this forum, pushy sales techniques to the point of most folks willing to drive 20-30 minutes N, S, E or West to avoid them.
I wonder how many people were like me and just waiting to hear the feedback before changing service loyalty? Now it will take at least a year.
I am picking up my new car today from Hackettstown Honda. I had originally heard that service was good and there is a women named Jamie who made sure you were treated well
I guess I will going to Sussex Honda for service. It is a shame as I wanted to stay local.
I don't want to bring my car for service with this many poor reconditions.
susan @Bessie, they called me several days later and I gave them an earful. I was told the manager would call me back, which of course he never did. I am just glad I didn't listen to them and let them work on my car. I tell everyone I know, not to go there.
Easy to cut and paste the good reviews. Why do they lock up the coffee and make the customer go ask for some? Vending machine for drinks. At Clinton Honda it is all free and they don't lock up the coffee. If you can't afford it, don't even have it as an option.
The new GM there emailed me introducing himself and asking what they could do to make things right for those who had bad experiences. Hopefully he can help get them on track. It would be nice to have a successful Honda dealer close by.
My husband went for an interview there before they opened...the salary was laughable.... and whoever he interviewed with communicated with him via text....strange & unprofessional. To get rid of a GM is a big deal......wonder why? I am sure the employees they have are nice and helpful but to get experienced employees they need to pay more and that is why they are having the trouble they are. No surprise
I went there interested in the pilot..they would not give me what i owed on my jeep. I went to joyce honda and they gave me 2k more than what i owed on my jeep. Based on.that i would never recommend htown.honda.
givemeabreak I had my honda serviced 3 times since they opened. (First was an emergency for a new battery) I was contacted multiple times after I visited to ensure that I was happy with the service.
I am guessing that the call I received in the last couple of days was to identify any issues that occurred under the previous GM.
I will give them my Honda business at the moment. I like the facility and the service.
Have not priced their cars, but purchasing a car is a basic business transaction and with the internet you just get multiple quotes and go with the best quote. Afterall, the car you are buying is same from dealer to dealer.
Coralie Service is so good n fast out of Sussex that it will take a lot to make me drive less on this one. Last oil change was less than 30 minutes.
Christine Joyce Honda is great! Stay away from hackettstown Honda, had the worst customer service yesterday and was denied a recall that Joyce is happy to provide! It's a shame that hackettstown Honda wasn't taught proper customer service.
Lvmamma Going to Phillipsburg Honda tomorrow for a very simple thing... willing to make the drive after experiences with Hackettstown Honda. Also- recently got oil changed and new tires, did both in the auto plaza on Mountain Ave. instead of going to HH.
Glad to hear they have a new GM, I'll give him some time to improve the place before I go back again.
Joyce Honda is on Rt. 10 in Denville - http://www.joycehonda.com/?cs:e=g&cs:gn=s&cs:cid=16581080190&cs:kw=%2Bjoyce%20honda&cs:p=&cs:tv=33&cs:ki=126423883&cs:pro=ppsersales
My ex was jerked-around by Clinton Honda and ended up buying from Joyce. No complaints.
I bought mine from Ray Price and, after 136,000 miles, no complaints about sales or service. Actually, the whole experience has been kind of like my previous Saturn experiences....except that Honda's are only expensive when you buy them.
Phillipsburg came highly recommended, and I actually shopped there, but the sales experience was not that impressive. Service must be fine, judging from satisfied customers.
One of my old girlfriends bought a used Accord from Sussex Honda. Pleasant-enough sales experience, no problems. Don't know about service, but seems fine from reviews here.
Phillipsburg Honda bent over backwards trying to get my business. Price was competitive too. Then they tried to jerk me around on the extended warranty. They pushed hard for me to buy some 3rd party brand extended warranty instead of the Honda brand. They even wanted to charge me more than what I had paid for the Honda one in the past ($600 for Honda on 2 older vehicles, $1K for the 3rd party brand.) They wouldn't budge so that killed the deal.
Ray Price Honda tried to jerk us around on a used Odyssey too. I was looking for a used 2005 Odyssey (new generation). It was 2006 so 1 yr. old used vehicles was scarce. They had a 2003 and 2005. I told them I wanted to look at both but was really interested in the 2005. When I got there, the salesman told me the 2005 was sold (odd since it was available at noon that same day.) We looked at the 2003 model but didn't like it. When we were ready to leave, the sale on the 2005 model miraculously fell through. BS if you ask me. I did end up getting the 2005 model for the price I wanted (like I said, not many for sale at the time) but the experience pissed me off.
We got our 1998 Accord at Caldwell Honda for $300 over invoice. It was painless and a pleasure to deal with. When I went looking for a new one in 2009, the salesman was a total jerk.
I think your experience will depend on the salesman and not the dealership. They all have the ability to be jerks or great.
emaxxman BTW, I used the $25 voucher...or I tried to. When I got there, they said it was valid for oil changes. They offered the oil change at their sale price of $19.99. Fair enough. Unfortunately, the cashier had no idea about the sale and tried to charge me $40. Umm...try again.
I only went to them (instead of Camp's Auto) because of the coupon. I won't go there again. It took well over an hour and there was no wait. I can't spend that kind of time sitting around. I'm in an out in less than 30 minutes with an appt. at Camp's.
There's a maintenance guy who works there who was phenomenal very nice very friendly has a broom in his hand but earned the sales commission.. Anyone know who that is?
Going buggy I just had my oil changed at Hackettstown Honda with the $19.95 coupon. I had no problem and was in and out in 30 minutes with a free wash and vacuum. Do I need to be worried about the quality of the workmanship? I would sure hate for the oil filter to fall off.
Tanya First off The people saying private shop is better than a dealership and cheaper . Your right they're cheaper , but you know what? Your private shop calls the techs at dealers to solve problems that they do not have the ability to do themselves . Everyone in this world is human and makes mistakes from time to time . However being a tech I can say for those of you that are happy your oil change took half an hour I know from experience to pull a car in and set it up on a lift safely drop the oil and look the car over it takes a good 30-45 minutes . And 9 out of 10 aftermarket oil filters leak this is what it's better to go to a dealer you get dealer parts and manufacturer trained techs. And hackettstown Honda does not just suck the reservoir out for brake jobs they use a cal opine flush machine which flushes the reservoir right through each individual caliper. Private shops won't recommend these services because they believe the cars don't need it. Yet when the fluid is green and pieces of the rubber are floating in the fluid because it has not been changed and now you have internal failures you complain that you weren't notified. I am a tech for hackettstown Honda and I spend the extra time trying to find the mystery complaint of a customers car even if I am not paid for it because they took t to Sussex or Joyce and they refuse to look into it . Give us a chance we are getting better we were brand new and it's hard to start something from nothing just like the customers , all the employees took a gamble and risk on starting a new job at a new dealer and leaving they're prior dealers . So like us give the place a chance before ripping it apart you weren't complaining when you were getting 300$ timing belt specials , your private shop could not even do that ! All I'm saying is we have a good team now give it a chance ,but if you want cheap 30 min oil changes take it to the private shops that the filter leaks or they can't figure you problem out. We do service all makes and models but let's face it we are a HONDA dealer
Anonymous I understand you're proud of your work and want to defend your employer. That's admirable but I have to call BS on your oil filter statement.
" And 9 out of 10 aftermarket oil filters leak this is what it's better to go to a dealer"
Garbage statement! Honda filters, as of late, are made by Honeywell. Honeywell makes filters for other aftermarket brands as well.
http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilters/reference.html
Now, to be fair, I do specify Honda/Acura brand for my transmission fluid. There is a big difference between H/A brand and aftermarket brands. The manual only allows you to use Dexron fluid in an emergency but you should replace with H/A trans fluid shortly thereafter. I'm not a chemist but my understanding is ATF is manufactured with different specs and you can't just replace it with any ATF.
I actually get all of my ATF changes on my Ody at a Honda dealer. Honda national customer service is well known for standing behind its products (past the warranty period) if you can demonstrate you kept up with the maintenance (within reason of course.) Honda/Acura was well known for a design flaw with their V-6 transmissions that caused early failures. Honda paid to fix many transmissions (even with 100K+ miles on them) if the owners could prove that they followed the maintenance intervals.
Anonymous - I checked the bleeders on my calipers right after I got the car home and they didnt look like they were touched at all. The spring tensioners on my air cleaner housing were flopped wide open, first thing I noticed when I opened the hood.
I've changed my own oil for years, and haven't had a leak with any aftermarket filters (even the cheap orange Fram ones.)
Maybe you're one of the good techs, but most of your arguments haven't won me over.
I think there are a lot of good private mechanics out there, too.
@going buggy, funny you should mention that because I had went last summer on a Sunday to just walk around on my own and look at the cars, purposely going on a Sunday when they are closed so as not to be bothered by salesmen. I did notice a maintenance guy inside with a mop bucket cleaning. As I was just strapping my two kids in their car seat about to leave he approached me, starting talking, giving me a sales pitch. Asking me questions, etc. I noticed the he had a pocket knife on his belt which is no big deal but at that moment it made me feel VERY uncomfortable as I was aware that we were alone with on one in sight. As far as I knew at that time he was just a cleaning guy, not a salesman that approached me at my car, with young children and also interrupting me while I was visibly talking on the phone. I left there very annoyed with the whole situation. People go to car dealerships on Sundays to not be bothered.
annoyed Annoyed - since the service department is open on Sunday's, I don't think you can be totally left alone on any day of the week.
I have never had any problems going to a dealership and just looking. I make it clear that I am just looking and am not ready to buy and I have always been left alone.
One year I was buying a new car and I did not know what car I wanted. I had a list of cars from different manufacturers that I wanted to test drive. I went to 5 dealerships in one day to test drive my specific requested car. Never had any issue at any of them to test drive the car and ask a few questions and leave.
That year, I did find the car that I wanted but the dealership was not giving me a good price, so I walked out. Did a little internet shopping and saved over $3,000 at another dealer than from the dealer that was jerking me around.
That shopping experience was pretty easy as well. I did my research... put in a request for quotes. Did my research for what my trade in should be. Went to the dealer with the best on line quote. He looked at my trade in... I told him that I had a number in my head of what I should pay for the new car and that if he met that number, I would purchase the car. He worked his best offer and he came in at 50 cents over my projected cost. I bought the car. Simple. No jerking around.
Research is very important and everything is available for a simple search.
Yes, well at that time I did not know that at the time. I had parked on the left side of the building and was peering in the windows in front of building. Was not by the service center at all and I did not see anybody around.
Well said Emaxxman, and JJmonth4. The 9 out of 10 statement got me too. The brake flush issue has long been debatable in my opinion as well.
There are clearly great techs at both dealers as well as private shops. Both private garages and dealers are in the business to make money. In my opinion it is clear dealers are geared a bit more toward pushing for repairs and or "preventative maintenance" as the service advisors are paid to do so and often use the warranty as an arugment to support a particular recommendation.
Greg I worked at dealerships for years, I can't speak on Hackettstown Honda, but I am now on the OEM side. I will say I am astounded at what people will pay at an after market shop like Midas, etc. because they think it's cheaper than the dealer for brakes, tires, etc. for aftermarket, not OEM, parts. Please price shop when getting your vehicle repaired. Sometimes the dealer is cheaper, other times it is not. Both aftermarket and independent shops are looking to make money. At the end of the day, if you follow what is in your maintenance book, you will be fine. Many of the flush upsells at both dealers and aftermarkets are not recommended by the factory. I used to sell them, I used to get spiffed on them. I am now very happily out of the dealership rat race and have joined a manufacturer on the corporate side where I am much happier. :-)
Happilyoutofretail This is directed to anonymous. I really have to disagree with your statements regarding oil changes. My husband always did our oil changes. He did it in well under 30 minutes and over the many years of doing it himself, we NEVER had a filter leak.
Good things are happening at H-town Honda. The techs were given an hourly raise and a guarantee (they had been working without one since they opened!) So expect the quality of work to start improving.
As for the 30 minute oil change, that's unlikely to happen. Even with the fancy Ipads it takes about 10 minutes for the service writer to check-in a vehicle. This includes running the VIN for recalls, prior services, and document any problems or customer concerns. Next, the Service Dispatcher has to assign the job. If it is a straight oil change it will most likely be assigned to the express team (faster-to-set-lifts and bays set up for oil changes). If it has any warranty lines on the repair order it will be assigned to a tech which may or may not be busy. When I worked there the techs had to stand at the parts counter for oil filters, MVCIs, TPMS tool, etc. Additionally all oil changes are required to be given a multi-point inspection. Checking the tires, brakes, light bulbs, filters and fluids. Each tech has a computer workstation running ServiceBookPro, a program which, when working, puts all the recommendations into the parts que for estimate- so the advisor can inform you of recommended services or problems and associated costs. If that program doesn't work the techs have to run ROs to the parts counter... adding time. Don't forget clean-up, even though they have a automatic car wash it still takes them about 10 minutes to wash and vacuum your car or truck.
So that's
10 minutes for intake
5 minutes for dispatch
5 minutes to receive the car and safely set it on the lift
10 minutes to complete the multi-point inspection worksheet
10 minutes to complete the oil change +5 if you need to get parts
~waiting on service writer approval of services [important problems, such as if a car comes in with metal-to-metal brakes- the tech will wait for the service writer to upsell the job before removing it from the lift.
10 minutes for cleanup
-------------------------------
So figure about 50 minutes entry/exit with a tech assigned oil change
"And 9 out of 10 aftermarket oil filters leak"
Well, I stopped reading after that comment. Do a poll and I think you'll find that to be a completely ignorant statement.
justintime OP - thanks for explaining things. I hope that things get straightened-out there and the (good) techs are paid what they're worth.
The "quick" oil-change places can be a mixed-bag, too. Don't get me started about the place on Mountain Ave (though that experience is a few years old...and another trying-to-find-Mom-a-convenient-oil-change-attempt.)
Metal-to-metal brake conditions sell themselves, though...
Happyoutofretail how did you get to work for a manufacture? I would like to get out of the dealership world also.
GoSox I applied online, got a call. I was a service writer for years. Most require a Bachelors degree and I recently got my MBA. It was very difficult breaking in somewhere. Feel free to email me your résumé and I can pass it along.
When I said 9 out of 10 aftermarket oil filters leak I was talking about the manufacturer I'm talking about (and I have pictures to prove it) 9 out of ten vehicles not just Hondas that I work on at hackettstown Honda, oil filters are dripping oil because either not installed properly or just not caring. I am a tech and I believe people to an extent should be able to work on their own car and yes if you are doing an oil change in your driveway you can do it in half an hour. However , when you have a writer a dispatcher a parts person all those people it has to go to it takes time so you will not get a 30 min oil change. Knowledge is a great thing I appreciate the person that has come in with a code pulled for me who knows a little bit about what they are doing to know when I explain to them what's wrong with the car. What annoys me are the people that think they know what their car needs but actually have no clue. I'm fine if a customer doesn't buy what I recommend I know economy sucks and the last thing you want is to be ripped off. Honda does however recommend brake flushes every three years and other flushes , fluids like everything else break down and need to be replaced. Brake fluid breaks down and starts to eat up rubber lines and and seals inside the master cylinder . These are maintenance items I do on my own vehicles. All I'm saying is just give hackettstown Honda another chance it is getting better and we have a great team. We also have only been open for 7 months any new business will have some flaws the first few months being open. If you still don't want to good lick where you go there are some great technicians in private shops and other dealers. Some of them are geniuses I don't doubt it. I just don't want people to make a judgment on what people who they don't even know say on this site for all anyone knows some of the bad comments on here could be another shop trying to make business.
@Anonymous..."for all anyone knows some of the bad comments on here could be another shop trying to make business."
Except that the majority of negative comments expressed here are by regular or semi-regular posters to this forum, and reflect their actual service experiences (mine included). The comments do have credence to someone trying to determine if this is a shop they want to be loyal to. It's too bad that the mgmt. @HH isn't reading this forum and addressing the concerns rather than an employee. I did supply this link in my "customer satisfaction survey" but have received no response to date.
HH could have the greatest techs around, but their business practices are dismal and until that changes, they will continue to lose customers.
I recieved an email from the general manager at hackettstown honda. It came from this site. He wanted to know my experience so I told him. In all reality I was expecting a thank for your response or come back and we woll talk. NOTHING. Disappointing at the least.
I recently purchased a new car from Hackettstown Honda, they could not have been nicer. I had to wait aprox. 3 weeks to rec'v my total loss settlement check from Geico. I still owed Hackettstown Honda another 13,500. on my downpayment, due to the Super Storm. They were very patient and remained nice. I did keep them up to date every step of the way.
I really could not be upset with Geico as they were so behind in claims from the storm.
I let them know what was written on this forum about their Service Dept. I have been assured I will be well taken care of. I plan on giving them a chance. I will form my own opinions. I am hoping there has been a change for the better. I plan on going during the week and making a appt.
With the car I had that was totaled I Rec'v more then I hoped for because I always had the maintaince done and the Carfax reflected that. I like when it is done at the dealer that is not just an oil change, but the 23 point inspection. They top off fluid levels and let you know of any concerns. On my previous car I had Free Oil Changes for Life, so it was a no brainier to go every 3 months, even though I did not put the mileage on it.
I will let the forum know how my service experience goes. I am hoping for good news.
My Honda is due for service. After a few trips to Hackettstown Honda I learned my lesson and I will again be driving to Sussex Honda in Newton.
I'm going to give the whole Honda dealership another chance and that's only because of the kindness& courteousness of the maintenance guy they have there.. He took the time to see if I was being helped as soon as he saw that I was standing around and no one was coming to help me, and when my daughter accidentally spilled her juice box& started crying over it he got down on one knee and told her that it was ok. He had her laughing& smiling in no time& cleaned up the mess so graciously so that I didn't have too. Other people have also noticed what a great guy he is! When he's there the place is so clean and well maintained, I can tell when he's been off. It doesn't have the same shine or the same feel to it. Just My opinion
Sandra lavery I am new to the Hackettstown area and came on to this site to get some advice from the locals and saw these postings. I have gone to HH a couple of times to have my car worked on three or four times now for different things...oil change, brake job, alignment, etc. I have not had a bad experience since I started going there. They always seem to go out of their way to check everything, beyond what I am going there to have worked on. I had my car written up by the service writer Chris twice now and he was nothing but friendly and seemed to know what he was talking about. I waited for my car the day I got an oil change, it was very busy and they told me it would be a little bit of a wait. I was checked on twice by two different people while I waited, asking if I had been helped and to tell me my car was just being finished up and would be ready soon. When I got my car back they had washed and vacuumed my car out for the long wait. To me that is what service is about. Not one company can control how busy they are going to be on any given day, and I would rather they take their time and do it right than rush it do a bad job on a car that I drive. One of my biggest concerns as a young woman taking my car in for work is to be ripped off by a dealership telling me I need $2500 of work done but it has never happened.
I am John Pearce the new GM at the store. I found this site a few weeks after I started and as dissapointing as it is to read, I am thankful it was found to know the concerns all of you and others have had to make sure we do not duplicate to you or anyone else. We have made changes that are helping the store improve everyday. Those changes include personel changes and process changes. Some of you have received an email from me and I have responded to all as of today. I did receive one email from Christine who has posted on here and until today I did not respond and I hope she gets it and reads why I did not. This is not an easy situation to fix and to earn the trust of a car dealership is even harder. Some of these posts are for real and it is my belief that some may be another dealer posting to fuel the fire. Regardless of the other dealer we have issues and they are being addressed daily. Please give us a chance and I promise that I will do everything in my power to help everyone with a issue. Please continue to post any concerns or email me personally at john.pearce@hackettstownhonda.com and I will respond as soon as I can. My phone number is 908-852-6200 ext 100. i understand that there are plenty of places to bring your business to and I appreciate all who have given us the chance. Please accept my apologies for all the wrong doing and please do not hesitate to contact me if anything is needed. Thank you.
John Pearce
John Pearce Thanks for your input, John.
The dealership seems to have first-rate facilities and a great location. You also have some people working for you that provide a very good front-end experience, including the old guy who brings the car around. For me, things fall apart when you get home and check on the tech's work.
Beyond that, I can't offer too many suggestions outside of not recommending unnecessary work (I have 138,000 miles on my 2009 Fit and Ray Price recommended a front brake job once, plus a warranty valve spring repair. They recently did a PA State Inspection for me and told me my brakes were close, but still OK. Other work I asked them to do in the past was done right, as far as I could tell - car still runs fine.)
So, I trust them. Would like to trust you guys, too.
Hi John, you are correct in stating that you have issues to resolve, and equally correct in stating that earning trust is difficult. Two weeks ago my wife brought her Honda in...it was making a noise. She was told the fuel pump needed replacement. $500. I decided to take it to STS to confirm. Hmmm...flushed the system, refilled the fluid, noise all gone, $90. We are a three Honda family. Love the cars, hate being ripped off.
Since I will never take my car back to your dealership, you won't be able to regain my trust. But I do wish you success, you have a big challenge ahead of you.
yankeefan Yowser, if you got beat by STS, you need to come along way baby. Somewhere in here there's a real flammer on STS rip offs. YF ---- you got lucky (or patched).
Again, good luck John, hopefully the owners support you and you can put customer satisfaction at the top of the list. Especially since your Honda competition is pretty darned good at it. Good luck, looking forward to hearing positive results so I can save the drive.
Mister G, I was unaware of the previous thread flaming STS...nonetheless, I have found Howard to be an honest guy, he's serviced all three of our Hondas, never tried to upsell me, in fact discouraged me from doing work that he felt was not needed. I may be the anomaly?
Bring back GM Solomon for our future business. My husband and I are ready to buy 2 new vehicles and a safe, possibly used,car for our beginner driver daughter. Shopping as well with parents of her friends, also new drivers. The past years, all 3 families have been nothing but happy and completely satisfied with the vehicles and service we have received from Solomon Faizi (5 toyotas,1hyundai) and the girls were looking forward to shopping at H.town Honda because of the many previous years of satisfaction, it was a definite for us all. Without Mr. Faizi there, Htown Honda lost a minimum of 5 definite vehicle sales within the upcoming months. I learned the news of the GM change from other parents who coincidentally have bought cars there under Mr. Faizi and were extremely pleased with their purchase, treatment, and service. They mentioned also going elsewhere for their own son's first car now that GM Faizi was no longer there because of the noticeable negative difference under new management ??? Didn't ask, but just telling Honda your decision was wrong and your timing certainly was off.....H town Honda had a good number of definite sales on the near horizon that will definitely now be going elsewhere.
Flip4gymnastics I'm having a huge problem with them right now. They broke something on my car while they were trying to fix something else (that still isn't fixed) and want me to pay for it...... Their service department manager NEVER called me back.....for the initial problem .... Called Honda America about this, they don't want to work with me. Am I crazy for not wanting to pay 500 bucks for something they broke???? I'll be contacting the BBB. I should have gone to the philipsburg Honda where I got my car....
AA Flip4gymnastics.....so you follow this GM at whatever dealership he is at? you mentioned toyotas etc. interesting.........
this dealership is failing because they are trying to get away with paying hillbilly wages (you get what you pay for!) and working those poor people 6 - 7 days a week! Its a shame, but I knew it would fail........why wouldn't the so called 'management' from NY know that?? Heads are rolling because the owners don't know what else to do to fix the problem
YF --- yes, I like Howard too. It just appeared that after they went to a new business model that they were trying to get an extra $100 out of every "fix."
Perhaps they saw the error since for 20 years or so, I never ran into that will my two decades of tire sales from Howard.
I took my non-Honda car for an oil change today. I wasn't even sure they did service on all makes and models but my husband called and made the appointment for me. He also found me a coupon online for $19.95 including wash and vacuum, though they did only vacuum the front. Everything was very smooth. They were ready for me when I arrived, did not question my coupon, and did not try to upsell me on anything. The work took roughly 50 minutes start to finish.
Tracy During the snow cleanups this winter...Honda would clean their lot, but take the cars around the parking lot doing donuts and racing them up and down their lot...Hope they were not customer cars.
animal lover They are closing their Sunday Service, not sure when that will go into effect though
H-town Mama Had the $19.95 oil change today. It took about 40 minutes. Techs were friendly and courteous. No upselling (which surprised me) and washed the car. Maybe service is improving?
Just bought a car from Htown Honda an had a good experance an my son got one 2 weeks ago from there an was very pleased if you go there for a car ask four Gary the salesmen He is good
an realy goes out of his way to try an give the best deal
Just had a 60K mile service at Hackettstown Honda. Like many here, I have had issues in the past and was wary of using them for this service. But they were close and I didn't want the hassle of going to P'burg.
I left my car after hours last night and "Phil" called me promptly in the morning to confirm what I needed. They completed the work before noon as requested and allowed me to pay the bill over the phone. No odd charges, no gimmicks. I then made arrangements to have them pick up my son so he could drive the my car back home. Rather than putting my son through the trouble, they delivered the car to my house. THAT is going the extra distance.
I will try them again. Maybe they are on the upswing. But I'll still watch my back...
Clittle 
eapos As someone who works at a local dealership in the service department, let me say something. When you come in for an oil change and we recommend services, flushes air filters etc... it is for more than one reason. After certain mileage intervals it is beneficial to YOU to have certain maintenance services performed. A trans flush one time could potentially save you upwards for $2000 on a new transmission. And to be quite honest not every CUSTOMER is honest. We have to walk around the cars and check for damage on the vehicle and have customers sign off, because they will try to say damage happened here. Especially on the passenger side of vehicles because how often do you really look there? There are also liability factors. If I tell you your brake pads are wearing thin and you choose not to replace them, I have you sign saying I made you aware of the situation and you declined repairs. Some customers have been told their brake/licence plate lights are out and they get a ticket later and try to blame us... no way, here is your signature saying you declined repairs. Not every dealership is shady and not every customer is always right... :)
Some Gearhead Question....when you buy a used car from a dealership shouldn't it be guaranteed to pass inspection? First it took forever to get the plates. Got the run around. Was actually told by Honda if you get a ticket we will pay for it. Went there and gave some stink and got the plates. Then we get it inspected and it fails. Hackettstown Honda? REALLY? Seems your reputation is catching up with you. We took a risk and now are paying for it...FIX THIS!!
Christine, check this link if your car falls under Lemon Law in NJ for used cars:
http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/ocp/lembroc.pdf
Lena I didn't think they inspected for that anymore. Don't they just check for emission problems?
Christine I Just sent you an email. Please contact me so I can see what I can do to help you. Thank you and I apologize for any inconvenience.
John Pearce
Hackettstown Honda
Bub if there is a MIL on for any trouble code, you will fail. The inspection is for exhaust emissions as well the evaporative emissions system. The test uses the data in the computer to determine compliance and reads it through the OBD II interface. All of the sysyems in the a car are exchanging information through the ECM (computer) alowing the ECM to control individual modules that regulate everything including performance, emissions, etc, etc. If one module or sensor in the system is faulty, it sets a fault code and usually turns on the MIL (malfunction indicator light). For example I have a car right now that has a faulty speed sensor. While that is just the speedometer, the vehicle speed signal information is used by the computer to adjust air fuel ratios, and various other engine functions which all ultimately effect the vehicle's emmission output. Hence the lit MIL and failed inspection in my case.
Older cars still have the emissions checked via a probe inserted into the tailpipe to get the reading.
Most cars are sold "as is" without warranty. The dealer can decline to fix the problem if this was the case, but they do so at the expense of credibility for their dealership. As far as I know, if you bought the car as-is, there is no legal basis to make the dealership fix the problem.
I'd think they would help you if for no other reason than to salvage the already-poor reputation of their service department.
I don't know how important going to a dealer is to you,but I can recommend a good mechanic. All his mechanics are ACI certified and he can do warrenty work I believe. I have been dealing with him for almost 30 years and have been happy with his service.
He also has a web site where you can ask questions and make appointments on line as well as get directions. You can also look at your repair history,which I think is pretty cool.
He is not cheap, but his prices are comparable and he is very honest and passionate about doing the job right.
It is Rick Allen's Auto Repair in Hampton,NJ. It'll be a shorter ride than going all the way to Phillipsburg.
Hope this helps and good luck to you......
Sleepy Reader John you have mail........
JIT I agree. We knew it was as is. We took the chance because John reached out to us to try them. I am hoping this g44ts resolved. We realize things happen BUT we expected it to at least pass inspection.
this place is a joke.
Never will I recommend anyone to this dealership.
So much for Honda Care. Means nothing when you want something fixed. I will be taking my business to a local shop.
Love hondas, hate the local dealership.
awful service, can you elaborate on what the issues were with your visit to the service department.
kb2755 I keep having the tire pressure sensors indicator on... I have been in least three times to get it checked out because this falls under honda care.
First they said my tired were over inflated. Didn't solve the problem
Second they said they found no leaks in the tire. Didn't solve the problem
Third they said they don't know what it is but they cleaned my car.....
They always tell me "have you heard of filling your tires with Nitrous? But they have been filled with nitrous for years now.
oh right now I am a couple hundred miles out of warranty so it's out of my wallet now. I bet if I went there now they would tell me to change my sensors that are $100 a piece i think.
^ Make sure you check the spare as that tire may be low causing the issue (assuming you have a spare and it's not a donut).
I actually had a cell phone charger cause the tire pressure lights to go on. Google it. After I changed brands it went away.
iJay I had it happen in my car when i had memory stick plugged into the usb port and someone was sitting in the passenger seat. Took me a while to figure out what was causing it.
I have a 2007 crv and every winter my senser is on until spring again. i took it back many times, put in air, changed the senser settings nothing works.
stressed out 
coldout it's not the tire pressure light.. its the TPMS light that says something is wrong with the sensors.
Sorry, should have cleared that up.
We bought a Honda CRV 2014 in December, almost immediately the tire sensor light went on. Brought it back 3 times, and said tires were over inflated, then under inflated, then finally after I did some research found this is a problem with the programming. Finally the dealership admitted there is a problem with the software. I called Honda Headquarters, and they said it is being worked on and they will call when a solution is found. They check back with me to keep me updated. We just reset the light which now goes on about every week. Otherwise its a good car and I just make sure visually tires are ok..Hopefully the solution will be found in a few months..It just made me angry because the dealer kept saying it was the tire pressure when all along they knew it was a software problem..
boobalaa Boobalaa - My TPMS light has been on for most of the winter. Where would you recommend I go to get it reset? My Honda is due for inspection this month and I'm concerned this light could be an issue. Thanks.
Lifeistooshort Lifeistooshort, we bought a 2014 crv. The tire light reset button is right on the dash, just push the button and hold until the light blinks, then let up on the button and no more light, until the next time. I don't know about other model years..If its possible to do it on your car I would imagine there should be something in the owners manual.
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2014/07/8_nj_auto_dealerships_and_owners_to_pay_18m_for_alleged_deception.html#incart_river
I know that this forum is more for the service dept., but they listed Hackettstown Honda. I don't know if it was an error because after they listed it, it said "All in Hillside," but I would be interested to find out if they actually meant the one in our town.
sunshinenj No, it includes Hackettstown Honda specifically. No mention of service depts tho, just sales.
I have an older 2001 CRV without a tire pressure light- seems like that's a good thing! Went to Hackettstown Honda because drivers door wouldn't unlock/open. First was told it was a $300 fix and needed a part. Then 30 mins later told it was a $500 fix and 2 parts needed. I said no thanks I'll slide over from passenger side!
Then a friend looked at it, and was able to fix by replacing a spring. Cost 98 cents.
Still I love the CRV and want to get a newer one soon. (Not at Hackettstown Honda) Not sure I like the 2013-2014 body style with such a small rear window. Do the newer models even have spare tires? If so, where are they kept?
hktownie According to the article Hackettstown Honda is one.
"Dealerships included under the deal were Route 22 Toyota, Route 22 Honda, Route 22 Nissan and Route 22 Kia, all in Hillside; Hackettstown Honda; Hudson Honda in West New York; and Freehold Hyundai and Freehold Chrysler Jeep."
If you read the paragraph the first 4 are in Hillside, NJ. Hope this clears it up for you. Now to check and see if we are part of the lawsuit.
Pretty bad, since they have not been at that location for long.Must of had lawsuits pending.
Christine - That article was revised to correct their error. As sunshinenj mentioned it originally said "Route 22 Kia, Hackettstown Honda, all in Hillside;". Now it says "Route 22 Kia, all in Hillside; Hackettstown Honda;".
The article is about used sales because of not disclosing known issues. It's not about new sales. (I'll leave the forum vs thread and Hackettstown vs. Mt Olive or Long Valley discussions alone ;-)
Yeah, like they suddenly get honest when it comes to new and service :>)
So sad but sounds like it starts at the top.
Yeah, I was already done with HH (even tho we bought our new CRV there last year), based on the performance of their service dept. But I am DEFINITELY DONE now. I've taken my car back to my old dealership, Phillipsburg, for the last 2 service appts. Those guys have been great, for YEARS.
I went to the Rt. 22 Honda back in 1997 when I was looking to buy an Accord. It was a wasted hour where I was subjected to the most aggressive sales tactics that I've ever seen. I had already gone to Joyce Honda, Sussex Honda, and Honda of Caldwell. I was going to visit my sister in Cranford and decided to stop in at Rt. 22 Honda just to see what they had. The next day, I went and signed on the dot at Honda of Caldwell....they gave me the price I wanted and it was painless. I'm convinced Rt. 22 Honda hires people straight out of Rahway Prison - lies, nothing but lies there.
Hackettstown Honda is owned by the same people that own Bay Ridge Honda, correct? I remember reading that when they were about to open. I remember thinking, that's not good given the complaints that Bay Ridge has about them online.
If by "rt22" you mean "Phillipsburg", keep in mind that was almost 20 years ago. Their service dept is first-rate. Even went out of their way to save me money on my OLD Accord on more than one occasion.
Oops...no not Phillipsburg. I'm referring to the Rt. 22 Honda in Hillside referred to in the article. Sorry for the confusion.
Now, with that said, the one thing that I despised regarding Phillipsburg Honda was that they wouldn't sell me a genuine Honda extended warranty. They easily had the best price on a V6 Accord coupe. I was in love with that thing and was ready to buy. They tried to sell me on a 3rd party warranty and said it was better than the Honda brand. Not sure how Honda allows them to do so but it wasn't better. 3rd party brand had a deductible was the first red flag. Anyway, I walked out.
It all worked out in the end as I ended up going to Clinton Acura on a lark (not thinking I could afford one) to just look at used TL's. I ended up with a new TSX (fancy Accord) for an extra $3K but man, do I love it.
Yeah, people do love their Acuras like people love their Hondas... they both run FOREVER. (altho maybe not quite in the Volvo-sphere in that regard)
I HATED selling my old Accord, but it was a car used for long distance trips- for me to visit my family, as well as our "2nd car" (I have a truck for work), but it had gotten to a state of age where I didn't want to break down halfway to Ohio in need of a new transmission, or gas tank, or head gasket, or radiator, etc. LOVED that car. -sniff- If it was only used for local driving, I'd still have it.
I'm 43 years old and I'm only on my fifth car (and that's only because I'm including my wife's vehicles too.) Honda's (and hopefully the Acura) last forever.
94 Civic - 12 years old, 175K miles (only replaced oxygen sensor and ignition coil)
98 Accord - 12 years old, 197K miles (sold within 5 hours of posting it on Craigslist) - only replaced 1 bad caliper and oxygen sensor (what is it with them)
I was tempted to keep the Accord as a beater car but there was no point. The transmission was starting to go and the cost of liability ins wasn't worth it. If my daughter was driving age, I would have replaced the trans and given it to her.
My first car (before the Civic) was an 84 Dodge Charger - that wasn't bad either - 117K miles, replaced the clutch and that was it. It took 6 years of hard college-age idiotic driving. Loved that car too.
Oh, I'm with ya on the sniff. I choked up when my coworker, who bought it, drove away with my Civic. I bought it with my first post-college paycheck.
This family owns dealerships in Hillside on 22 & the Hackettstown Honda - my cousin used to work for them in Hillside. Essentially if you going to these guys in town - you are giving your money to thieves & scam artist's.
RU Went to Hackettstown Honda the first week of January as they were advertising their Holiday Sale. They advertised the 2014 Accord for $21,999.00. Took it for a test drive and was ready to buy when they said the sale price did not include the destination fee of $750.00. I told the salesperson that that was deceptive as every new car I bought that was advertised included that fee. He bought the sales manager and he agreed with me but said I am not going to give the car away. I said thanks but no thanks.
The really sad part is, with service like that, you expect them to go out of business before too long... which would mean another big fat empty building in Hackettstown.
Or are there enough ignorant/suckers for them to keep ripping off to stay in business?
I'm thinking the latter. They fill a nice geographical gap between Phillipsburg and Sussex Honda. It's well known that dealerships charge way more for service and yet they all still survive somehow.
I know I was happy to see them arrive. I used the parts department recently to get some rollers for my van doors (instead of mail order.). They matched the online price.
I'm surprised Honda allows them to sell their cars - they get busted in '99 for the same crap and they are fined $450K now 15 years later they are fined $1.8 Million.
GC I did buy a car there. Had issues but after complaining they fixed the issues. But it was not easy to buy either. Sad they have to be so deceptive. We were going to try and get another by trading in our huge van.
Bought my used cry there. Went back several times for the same problem and they kept pushing it off saying excuse after excuse. I bought the extra honda care warranty and they still didn't fix it.
I hope this thread keeps getting bumped.
fujixt1 Hackettstown Honda made the news yesterday,anybody read it ! Big fines ! Happy Trails !
Lobo I'm still mad at them for breaking my drivers side window motor and refusing to fix it. And lol at them trying to get me to order the part from them and getting it replaced by them. Would have been 500 with a discount. Bought the part online and brought it to camps. I refuse to deal with htown Honda ever again.
Went in to Hack. Honda for a routine oil change to my CRV with only 11k miles on it. When I got the vehicle home and checked the oil was the same dark color as when I took it in. The oil was not changed but, what can I prove? Calls & E-mails ignored and lesson learned...take my business elsewhere!
Alan Jones for $25 you can send an oil sample to a lab ( http://www.blackstone-labs.com/) and get it analized. But.. you really have no way to prove it beyond reasonable doubt.......You have to go there and question them and question the tech.
BrownEyesGuy Why don't you just call and ask for a supervisor? Maybe you can just take it back in and refuse to leave until you get some action. I can't believe they won't help you. Sending an email is probably never going to get a quick response.
Missrx A call to Honda corporate is likely in order. http://automobiles.honda.com/information/customer-relations.aspx
I received a "grand opening" letter in the mail today from Hackettstown Honda. It says they are under new ownership. I wonder if it's time to give their service dept another chance?
Hackettstown Honda has become Honda of Hackettstown. Don't know how much of an ownership change that reflects (if any).
OnTheEdge Hello everyone,
My name is Ronny, I work for Honda of Hackettstown. Hackettstown Honda was sold effective 3/2/2015 to small business based here in New Jersey. The name was changed to Honda of Hackettstown to differentiate itself from the previous company, it’s a new dealership in every aspect except for the building.
As a sign of good faith, we are honoring all service contracts with customers made with the previous company and we are also working to resolve any issues that anyone may have had with the previous dealership, Hackettstown Honda.
I have read through many of the comments and feedback about the experiences some of you have had with the old Hackettstown Honda. I have discussed some of the concerns with our general manager, Joseph Cifalino. Joe has asked that anyone that has had a negative (or positive) experience to please stop in, ask for Joe directly or his two General Sales Managers, Ryan Magid or Charlie Centanni, to discuss what we can do to resolve any issues that you may have had with either the sales or service departments. If you do stop in, you’ll see allot of familiar faces and some new ones as well.
Lastly, we do appreciate your feedback, we’re looking to impress you, our neighbors and want to create a long-term relationship. We encourage you to continue posting about your experiences whether good or bad so that we can continue to strive to provide the best possible experience at Honda of Hackettstown. We look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you,
Ronny Hakim
Honda of Hackettstown
908.852.6200 ext 403
rhakim@shop4honda.com
Ronny Ronny,
Welcome to Hackettstown. It was a smart and positive first step you made by posting here. Good luck with the new venture. Let's hope the new owner makes the town proud.
Also, please keep a presence on the forums. Our local businesses and community are very important to us. Hackettstown is trying very hard to reinvent itself with great businesses and reasons to get off of the highway.
All the best
Any plans to change the sales approach? Unlike many I had an overall positive service experience, but the sales experience (did not proceed) was not positive.
Ronny,
So glad you posted here. I will certainly spread the word of the new ownership.
Best wishes to all of you!
Spring Fever this is really great news. it's great to see new management take responsibility. Honda is a great product and so glad that someone else took over. my only complaint is an old salesman that needs to cut down on the smoke smell. too much smoke is a turn off when you are trying to deal with someone on a professional level.
welcome ronny
Consigliere, thank you and everyone else for the warm welcome, it is greatly appreciated. While I am not a resident of Hackettstown, I am very aware of it's rich culture and all of us at HoH have been impressed with very friendly people (and awesome food) in town. The management has made it very clear to us that they are fully invested in the community and are open to any and all suggestions so we can help support Hackettstown in every direction possible.
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iJay, the sales approach has changed, you'll find transparency a paramount interest here. In addition to that, every level of management is reachable at HoH, you're not going to find any one hiding behind a curtain here.
Our core objective is the heart of our Mission Statement: "Provide our customers with the ultimate buying experience." If we as a company are not doing something right for you, call me directly or Joe, Charlie & Ryan. Let's put it this way, the dealership would not have been sold if everything were perfect and we understand that, we're here to change that.
While we did just open up, it will take us time to get everything squared away from ensuring our inventory is presented accurately to making sure the car wash is working properly but we are doing our best and yes we're open for business.
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Spring Fever, thank you for the well wishes and kind words. We appreciate you as our neighbor.
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Mister Google, the name of the company that purchased the dealership is Rana Managment Inc and is located in Florham Park.
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PV golfer, thank you for the feedback. I'll address it with the gentleman that you're referring to.
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To everyone that is participating in this thread; I'll do my best to stay on top of this thread and any others that need our attention.
Our doors are always open, the coffee is always free (and it's not behind a counter) and our TVs are (almost) always on ESPN.
In the past I have had the worst service.
My tpms light always comes on. I'm sure I have been in there at least four times and every time its a different quick fix. The light goes on after I've been driving on the highway for sometime so I can't tell right away if they fixed it or not. Still happens and now my extended warranty that I added it over. Also when I went in there they disconnected my remote starter that was already installed when I bought my CRV from them. I went back to have them fix it but they said they don't do that there.
I hope the new hackettstown Honda is better. My last purchase was a nissan after my Honda. Lynnes Nissan West has great service so far and only had one little issue that they owned up to and resolved.
Good luck to Ronnie.
I brought my Honda Pilot there for an oil change and with that I received a car wash which during the wash the bug shield attached to my hood broke and the person running the wash said that we are not responsible for that.
Since than my oil is being changed somewhere else besides Honda of Hackettstown.
Pilotowner fujixt1, do you still have the CR-V? If you do or do not, please stop in, I'd like to see what we can do for you and to have a chance to earn your business. As always, we want to make sure you're happy and we really do take our business very seriously.
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Pilotowner, thank you for posting your experience. I reached out to both our service manager and parts manager here at Honda of Hackettstown While we cannot recall this happening within the last 18 days that the store was open, we'll take it a step further and replace the broken bug shield for you even if it happened through the previous company. If you have already replaced the bug shield, we'll reimburse you for it. Please call me at 908.852.6200 and ask for Ken or myself. You can also e-mail me directly at rhakim@shop4honda.com. Even if you choose to never bring your car in for an oil service at Honda of Hackettstown, we want to make this right.
Ronny I do want to thank you for coming on this board. I still have my Crv and would like to talk to you about my options.
I believe that you will convince many to come back.
Ronny,
Good job buttering up all these momo's to get them back in to the dealership so you vultures can try to sell cars. Wake up people. ALL, ALL car dealers are the same.
1. Make you feel warm and tingly.
2. offer you a killer deal.
3. run their 4 square numbers sheet.
4. go talk to the manager.
5. Come back with the lowest price that is just "crazy" to make you feel special.
6. Add in all the taxes and fees and that "crazy"price just went away.
It's really ashame what the average persons second biggest purchase has turned into and the crap you have to deal with at these dealerships. Oh and another piece of advice, don't ever have your vehicles serviced at the dealership unless you are unlucky enough to have warranty or recall issues. The service fees are way high and they recommend unnecessary services that your car doesn't need. 10k service, 20k service, etc. it's a scam. READ YOUR OWNERS & SERVICE MANUALS!
NoHopeForHumanity Not my experience the last few years - NoHopeForHumanity. I'm sorry the world has treated you so poorly.
I'm impressed with Ronny and will think positively until shown otherwise.
5catmom Nohopeforhumanity,
If you want a good deal, YOU are the only one that can get that. You have to do your own research and learn how to haggle a bit. Why should any "mono" be able to go into a dealership and buy the car at $100 over invoice? Are they supposed to give the best deal to everyone and not be able to stay in business? If you're not willing to work for it (haggle, research, then haggle, then research some more) you don't deserve the best deal available. It takes me months to buy a car because, to me, a good deal is not only important, it's fun!
Your second point about unnecessary maintenance is just plain wrong. Scheduled services are very important if you want to keep you car for 100-200,000 miles. People love bashing German cars because they buy them used at 75,000 miles and the cars have only had oil changes and none of the scheduled maintenance and they have major problems at 90,000 miles. If you don't like the dealership hourly rates, learn how to maintain the vehicle yourself or find a reasonable independent mechanic (Ted at Valley Auto perhaps). But please, don't say any scheduled service is unnecessary.
Point made. People are idiots. You have no idea what you are talking about consig. 10, 15, and 20k service is not required but recommended by dealers in order to scare you into spending more money. If you read your owners manuals, you will see that the manufacturer does not require the service. Regular maintenance is important, when it is called for. Oh and I am a mechanic.
Twice I had cars that I did regular Automatic Transmission service on. They both blew out. The ones I never serviced ran fine till the day I junked them. Mind you I only bought used cars all my life also. Need less to say I haven't done that service in years.
Old Gent No hope,
If you're talking about scheduled services the DEALERSHIP recommends, I agree with you 100%. I assumed you meant manufacturer recommended. My bad.
Oldgent, that is like the "90 year old smoking grandma" argument. Sure everyone knows of one person who smoked all of their life and died peacfully in their sleep, but for the majority of people, smoking is bad. For the majority of cars, maintaining them properly is a good idea.
Welcome to the area Ronny. My daughter had a very positive experience with Hackettstoen Honda. She leased her suv, first car she is paying herself, and loves her car. Hopefully that will continue with your dealership. I only wish that people would stop with the negative comments and give you a chance to prove yourself. It happens most times a new business opens and I think we should let the business prove itself first. It is better to actually have occupied buildings rather than empty or abandoned property.
justwondering fujixt1, thank you for the opportunity, I look forward to hearing from you when you're ready.
NoHopeForHumanity, I do appreciate your point of view and I can understand where you're coming from. I have worked for a
We're focused on and all about the client experience. We'll let the actual experiences speak for themselves, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Regarding service intervals, You're a mechanic, you can agree that the manufacturer's requirements (via the maintenance minder) are usually all inclusive when it comes to what needs to be done. If you stick to what the maintenance minder requires, you'll be fine as far as your Honda warranty are concerned.
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Here is our mission statement:
Honda of Hackettstown is committed to providing each and every one of our customers with an exceptional experience in every phase of the purchasing and service process. We will continually strive to have highly trained employees who understand the importance of customer satisfaction and genuinely enjoy providing it.
We will strive to be a leader in this market by basing every decision involving our customers and employees with long-term relationships in mind. Our core objective is to provide our customers with the ultimate car buying experience. While working tirelessly to provide this and by offering them one of the best products in the industry we believe we will achieve those objectives.
justwondering,
Thank you so very much for the kind words and well wishes. I look forward to building a professional relationship with you and your family. We are very motivated to do our best 100% of the time with every opportunity.
Have a great day!
Thank you,
Ronny
My 84 year old mother recently took her car to the "New" Hackettstown Honda to get her oil changed. During their multipoint inspection, they determined that she needed new front brakes. Their follow-up email had a nice printed quote attached stating that the service tech recommended new brake pads and rotors, showing a picture of the components they would be replacing and quoting $315.09 for the job. Since this was pretty much in the ballpark for front brakes and rotors, I recommended that she go there since scheduling was convenient and she was familiar with the location.
I called and made the appointment for her, then figured I would go with her so she wouldn't have to wait around. The service rep seemed to have a hard time finding the quote until I offered to look up the email on my phone. Then he asked the service manager about it and we were told that there was a mistake in the email and the rotors would only have to be resurfaced. Fine, I figured, Mom would save some money.
Three hours later, we go to pick up the car. After some minor confusion, we get an invoice for 325.36. There was a $207 charge for replacing the pads and resurfacing the rotors (turns out they resurface them without removing them from the axle "because it's more precise.") They charged $93 for the pads. I was not happy, and asked the service manager to explain how resurfacing rotors cost more than replacing them and what it would have cost to replace them instead ("uh, $335"). I also asked if the pads were ceramic, since they were pretty pricey ("um, no, composite..... ceramic is very expensive." What kind? "Um, Duralast, probably.... we use their top of the line pad.")
BTW the Duralast gold and max series ( around $50 and $65 retail respectively) are made with ceramic. Gee, that would leave their basic pads which retail for less than $30....
Bait, switch and BS....or am I just being a difficult customer?
Sound like a bait and switch.
Another reason not to have your car services at Htown Honda.
htownnewbie 
Notahonda Notahonda - I stopped taking my car there a couple years ago because of poor service, but I do love my plain vanilla Honda Fit and hope to keep it well past the 195000 miles it currently has on it. Great gas mileage (manual tranny, which I also love) and deceptively large interior for hauling people and cargo.
My mother's car is a Toyota, boring but reliable.
One bad service experience at a dealership is not enough to condemn millions of reliable cars on the road.
Strangerdanger JJ, I wanted to replace my brake pads a couple of months ago. CRV. Called several places. Honda wanted $289. I asked why it was so expenive. They try to always do a rotor resurface with brake pads. Knew I didn't need that. It was $199 without. Went to an independent guy.
Rotor resurfacing, in this case, wasn't worth it. The rotors weren't warped, however any small grooves would probably shorten the life of brake pads. Since they may have used less-than-better quality pads, it may have helped....but the cost-benefit ratio is way out of line.
I have done work on all of my cars. Brake pad replacement is pretty straightforward....and downright cheap if you order from an online source. I know it is a big moneymaker for places that service cars, since replacing pads can take as little as 10 minutes with the right equipment (a lift, pneumatic wrench and c-clamp)..... if you're trying to show off.
$207 for labor and $93 for brake pads of uncertain quality was a BS deal for my Mom. Quoting $20 more than their original quote for the same work (which they didn't do...to their benefit) is sleazy.
Good to hear that you knew it wasn't worth it and found a better way.
Remember this is the second owner pulling the same crap the first one did. Unbelievable! I truly despise car dealers.
Larry I am a mechanic for over thirty years I do side work.Alot of my customers complained about how the dealerships are .Thats why they come to me.I am honest person and get it done the right way.
matt Had to leave my car for repair.. I really need it monday. Pray they can fix it by then..I'm. Trusting they can...
JJ,
Just an observation......So you apparently believe the training of personnel, insurance, equipment purchase ( and maintenance of ) along with keeping a facility clean and maintained is minimal....
These places have huge overhead , use common sense....they will never be competitive with the small local shops ( whom you should support )
Dealers are good for warranty work, that is how they survive.
Just my opinion
Steven I wouldn't drive a Honda. I rented one 5 years ago and it seemed very unsafe and clunky. My Chevy Suburban is PERFECT, even though I have absolutely no use for it whatsoever, since we don't have kids yet and I work in an office.
1988LJ Perfect? If every family of two had a Suburban then a lot more gas or diesel being consumed and greenhouse gases emitted. Unsafe and clunky, a friend had a Chevy Silverado and that's exactly what it was. Honda's are generally very good but the older Passports especially were quite crude. So if you drove an older Passport then maybe so, but the rest of the line is good.
Early Passports, 1993 through 2002 weren't made by Honda, they were rebadged Subaru.
I have a 1992 Honda Accord..over 200,000 miles. Which I have had for at least 7 years and it runs better than my 1999 Honda LX with 90,000 miles that I recently purchased.
positive So,
Apparently my car was getting detailed and when the employee was driving it back to me he hit another employee with my car and he was injured. How do you think this will play out with my insurance since I'm told Honda is not helping this poor gentleman with medical or anything?
car owner Damage to the car is on a per vehicle basis, and liability is per person, ie you. You get paid to have your car fix, the personal injury is against his insurance, not yours.
GC Bought a Certifed Used Accord a few weeks ago and it has been back almost every week to find what is causing the vibration/noise when you hit 45 and 60. They have replaced a bearing, a wheel and have balanced the tires..again. We noticed a bubble on the sidewall of both front tires the other day. Now they say they won't test drive it because of the tires, which apparently they are saying we caused. How in the world do you get a bubble in the same spot in BOTH front tires in the same spot? The only reason we had to get a newer car was because our old one got totaled by an A-hole truck driver who didn't feel like stopping last month. They won't pay for the new tires since they said we did it. Beyond frustrating....
Blackcat njconsumeraffairs.gov has a pdf brochure explaining the lemon law process; it is pretty fast and refunds based on mileage so sooner is better. Probably right on the tires except maybe the fact that you have two of them might help. Or could be a wide pothole.....
If you google NJ lemon law, the brochure should come up.
Then you can choose, lemon, dealer or tell the dealer you're about to use the lemon law. Best luck.
Call up Honda corporate customer service. They will be more helpful than the dealer's customer service department.
http://automobiles.honda.com/information/customer-relations.aspx
The certified warranty should cover the car bumper to bumper. The dealer is being a dick.
Honda's certified pre-owned warranty specifically exempts tires... and a whole lot of other stuff.
Mark Mc. Check the tires for recalls...they may be from the multiple batches of issues there have been over the past 2-10 years, depending on the manufacturer...You my be able to get replaced @ no charge !
If you have receipt for car purchase, contact attorney generals office file a complaint , then Better Business , advise them of dealership and what they did.
Good Luck !
Car is at dealer and no where on the paperwork does it state what tires are mounted on car. It's going to be a he said she said thing.
Freakin stupid truck driver.
"Honda's certified pre-owned warranty specifically exempts tires... and a whole lot of other stuff."
Yes, the standard new car warranty also excludes tires as a wear item. Per the warranty:
-----------------
This limited warranty does not cover the
replacement of expendable or common
wear items that require periodic replacement
as part of routine automotive maintenance.
These items include, but are
not limited to, the following:
Clutch, Brakes & Tires
Clutch disc; pressure plate;
throw-out bearing; pilot
bearing/bushing; disc brake
pads; disc brake rotors; brake
drums; brake shoes; parking
brake shoes; brake hardware;
tires: valve stems, except for
failed TPMS sensors
----------------
However, this doesn't seem to be a normal wear issue. I would still call corporate customer service, show them all of the receipts and paperwork, and let them tell you its not covered. They have much more leeway than the dealership.
Or, try a different dealership. I purchased my certified Odyssey at Ray Price in PA and had an issue with the windshield. I went to Sussex Honda and they took care of it.
General question. I have a 2010 crv. A bit over 100k miles. My maintenance minder is not telling me to get a major 100k service. Has anyone, and is it truly necessary for my model?
maja - When was the last time you had maintenance done? A lot depends on what has been done in the past and when. If you've never had the timing belt done, you really should consider it and not wait until 120k. If you haven't had the spark plugs changed, definitely do that now.
Most other things covered by a 100k maintenance can be inspected and only done if needed. All the belts should be inspected, along with brakes, tires, and alignment.
If you just had some of those things done, you might go until 120k. If you haven't had any of those things done, then you positively should have work done.
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