[techcoze]

Note: Original post here

Following to my initial mails to Honda India, I repeatedly kept email followup for concern related to over the counter parts availability. Few days ago they confirmed by mail that I (i.e. I assume any Honda owner) can purchase parts over the counter from HASS by
- Showing car ownership proof
- Signing following undertaking (this is exact statement from Honda email) - "sign undertaking with the dealership that the repair work has not been carried out at the Dealership and our authorized dealership shall not be responsible for any damages due to work quality as the repairs shall not be carried out by the trained manpower and as per Honda Standards."

So at least now it's clear that Honda accepts owners right to purchase over the counter parts. Second point might raise concern, since other car manufacturers do give 6 months warranty on over the counter sold parts. Personally I would not worry about this for my car since it's already 9 years old and out of warranty. For new cars this might be reason for concern.

If any Honda owner need parts from HASS (and if they are ready to sing undertaking), you can show this email as proof and buy required parts. I hope Honda wakes up soon and make over the counter parts available openly to all.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by techcoze

Few days ago they confirmed by mail that I (i.e. I assume any Honda owner) can purchase parts over the counter from HASS by

Congrats on your victory ! Hell hath no fury like a car owner scorned. Persistence always pays off.

Moving your post to a new thread as it'll undoubtedly help many other Honda owners.

[KaandBaaz]

Originally Posted by techcoze

If any Honda owner need parts from HASS (and if they are ready to sing undertaking), you can show this email as proof and buy required parts. I hope Honda wakes up soon and make over the counter parts available openly to all.

Hello, firstly thanks for the information, also from your location it seems you are in Pune, can you let me know from which HASS you purchased the parts - Crystal or Deccan Honda?

I am asking this because I might need a CVT joint replacement for my Honda City ZX.

TIA

[tilt]

I beg to differ. This is certainly NOT a "victory". It's at best a compromise, and a not very beneficial one at that. This sets a precedence of the owner having to produce proof of ownership for no reason.

Why should I submit proof of ownership?

Also, as long as the car is no longer under warranty, they have no right to refuse anything. If the owner does a shoddy job or the FNG does a shoddy job and the car has to be taken to the service centre for repairs, the owner is anyway charged for the repairs and parts 9since the car is out of warranty). So, there is no reason at all other than sheer greed to refuse sales of OEM parts either at the dealership or at third-party auto-parts stores.

I can understand their reluctance if the warranty is still in effect - they do not want to bear the costs of errors made by unqualified or uncertified people.

Cheers

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by techcoze

...
- Signing following undertaking (this is exact statement from Honda email) - "sign undertaking with the dealership that the repair work has not been carried out at the Dealership and our authorized dealership shall not be responsible for any damages due to work quality as the repairs shall not be carried out by the trained manpower and as per Honda Standards."

... Second point might raise concern, since other car manufacturers do give 6 months warranty on over the counter sold parts. Personally I would not worry about this for my car since it's already 9 years old and out of warranty. For new cars this might be reason for concern.

I think it's not the quality of the part, but of the repairs that they don't want to guarantee. Of course one could argue that since the part was not fitted by Honda, part failure due to incorrect fitting is also not covered.

A small step but a small step!

[techcoze]

Originally Posted by tilt

I beg to differ. This is certainly NOT a "victory". It's at best a compromise, and a not very beneficial one at that. This sets a precedence of the owner having to produce proof of ownership for no reason.

Why should I submit proof of ownership?

Also, as long as the car is no longer under warranty, they have no right to refuse anything. If the owner does a shoddy job or the FNG does a shoddy job and the car has to be taken to the service centre for repairs, the owner is anyway charged for the repairs and parts 9since the car is out of warranty). So, there is no reason at all other than sheer greed to refuse sales of OEM parts either at the dealership or at third-party auto-parts stores.

I can understand their reluctance if the warranty is still in effect - they do not want to bear the costs of errors made by unqualified or uncertified people.

Cheers

Here Honda is speaking about part and repair warranty, and not about car warranty . All repairs at HASS are having default 6 months warranty (as per my knowledge), and here they are saying that this warranty will not be applicable. But yes part warranty should be applicable. If issue occurs due to incorrect installation then of course it would make sense to have no part warranty, but otherwise part must have Honda default warranty. Other car manufacturers who sell over the counter parts also give part warranty.

[honeybee]

If I were a manufacturer exposed to law suits in the US, I would be wary of a blanket warranty where everything after the part has been sold is out of my control.

[techcoze]

Originally Posted by KaandBaaz

Hello, firstly thanks for the information, also from your location it seems you are in Pune, can you let me know from which HASS you purchased the parts - Crystal or Deccan Honda?

I am asking this because I might need a CVT joint replacement for my Honda City ZX.

TIA

You can show this thread to both Crystal / Deccan honda, it should not matter.

[vaasu]

Originally Posted by techcoze

Here Honda is speaking about part and repair warranty, and not about car warranty .

Can I ask what were the parts you were able to buy over the counter?

Thanks.

[Pranay J Pandya]

Originally Posted by tilt

I beg to differ. This is certainly NOT a "victory". It's at best a compromise, and a not very beneficial one at that. This sets a precedence of the owner having to produce proof of ownership for no reason.

Why should I submit proof of ownership?

I can understand their reluctance if the warranty is still in effect - they do not want to bear the costs of errors made by unqualified or uncertified people.

Cheers

Seems like they want to run a background check on you before they release parts. Thus, still limiting sales of parts over the counter only to car owners directly and not third party service centers.

[anilp]

Originally Posted by techcoze

Note: Original post here

Following to my initial mails to Honda India, I repeatedly kept email followup for concern related to over the counter parts availability. Few days ago they confirmed by mail that I (i.e. I assume any Honda owner) can purchase parts over the counter from HASS by

Great stuff. Congrats, and thanks for kicking off this welcome change as far as Honda India is concerned. I wonder if Honda would have been able to pull off such ridiculous restrictions in markets like the US or Europe or for that matter, even in Japan.

As someone who has faced this kind of anti-customer behaviour at the hands of Tata and Honda, I sincerely hope that these auto brands change their behaviour soon.

[techcoze]

Originally Posted by vaasu

Can I ask what were the parts you were able to buy over the counter?

Thanks.

Yet I have not purchased the parts. I received this mail just few days ago. I had initiated this communication with Honda India to get some written proof which I can show to HASS when needed. E.g. I am planning to replace front bumper which I can get aftermarket, but maybe I will need to buy bumper brackets / clips from HASS (not sure if they are easily available outside for civic), I can easily buy it from them now whenever required.

My experience says, you have to raise your voice to get your right. Last time my engine mount went kaput second time (first time it was replaced by previous owner). At this time my car was 7 years old, When I asked them why it's not under HASS warranty / factory defect recall, mounts cannot go bad every couple of years. If my driving style / roads were bad then my suspension should also have gone bad by now, which was not the case. I demanded written reply, to which they replied that mount factory defect warranty only till 5 years (they knew my car was 7 years old). Then I dug into previous owners service records, and found that he had paid 10k for mount replacement when car was 4 years old. Showing this record, I questioned why this warranty / factory defect benefit was not passed on when mount was changed on 4 years old car, and demanded refund of same. They got into their own written mail trap, and I got mount replaced free of cost for 7 years old civic.

In short consumer do have his legal right for quality and spares availability for his car, only thing is car manufacturers don't open up all cards to us.

[gkveda]

Originally Posted by tilt

Why should I submit proof of ownership?

The proof of ownership may be required in the following scenario.

I am trying to sell my old car but it has a major defect in one of the parts. So, I cannot sell without replacing the part. If I replace the part in dealership, it gets documented under the car Registered Number. So, the resale value of the car gets diminished further.

So, What I do is, purchase the same part from the dealership without giving car details and get it fitted outside. So, there is no document for this replacement.

If the purchaser opens up the record for verification while purchasing, he might even decide not to purchase the car. So, I follow second route.

Dealer is probably trying to avoid this scenario by asking for owner's name and proof. This is just my guess

[handsofsteel]

Is it only Honda that refuses (refused) to give OEM posts? I wasn't aware of any other OEM who would give the parts over the counter for fitment elsewhere. Please do correct me if I am wrong.

[ramgkulkarni]

Originally Posted by handsofsteel

Is it only Honda that refuses (refused) to give OEM posts? I wasn't aware of any other OEM who would give the parts over the counter for fitment elsewhere. Please do correct me if I am wrong.

Ya this looks like a Honda only issue. Maruthi Suzuki sells all original parts online. You can pick up the drive shaft assembly online.

I guess Honda wants owners to service their vehicle only in their service centers.