Complaint Review: Right Honda - Scottsdale Arizona

Dear Consumers,

Do you believe you won't go wrong with Right Honda?  Is Right Honda the right choice?  Right Honda Suggests, 'You won't go wrong at Right Honda', however, that might not be the case for select customers.  Right Honda appears to be a reputable business however, buyer beware!  Honda might be developing a bad reputation in the community regarding customer service as it seems they are allowing unethcial business practices as consumers get scammed with little protection from the giant auto maker. 

I had purchased a pre-certified used Honda from Right Honda in 2004.  I maintained my vehicle and kept it in good working order during the time I owned it.  I had used Right Honda Service for my Honda and had it in for repairs a particular day in 2011.  

I had been setting in the waiting area of Right Honda Service when my name was called as a service representative might address customers in the waiting area.  At first, it seemed that I was being called about my car.  However, I later discovered it was a sales trick.  Scott Ford approached me and told me he wasn't a sales person but, he thought I might like to see a new 2011 Honda while I was waiting for work on my car to be completed.  Scott brought a new 2011 Honda Civic covered in beads of water from their wash.  Later it became apparent that the beads of water were used to disguise a large scratch across the front bumper.  Prior to realizing about the scratch, Scott brought me a vehicle that would appeal to me he wanted me to drive the vehicle around the block.

We returned to the dealership and Scott asked me if I might like to sit in the office with a sales person to discuss options.  I was put in a cubical area with chairs and a table.  I was introduced to Dan Riccardi.  Scott Ford remained present during the discussion as he interacted.  Dan Riccardi said he would like to check credit and find out what could be offered.  Dan Riccardi also said he would find out what the value of my car would be as a trade.  Dan Riccardi returned after a few minutes and wrote figures on a white paper as he discussed options.  Dan Riccardi said that I would receive $4,995.00 for my vehicle trade.   He also suggested that I could lease and it would make my payments more affordable and be a good option with low interest.  Dan said he wanted to help me get the best deal.  Scott Ford said that the vehicle could be sold for about $20,000 to me.  Dan Riccardi wanted to shake hands on the deal we agreed upon. 

I spent a few hours at the dealership with this bureaucratic process.  I decided to lease the car and I was passed along to Ed Lounds in Finance at Right Honda.  Ed attempted to quickly process paperwork.  Ed placed numerous documents in front of me to sign and the experience was made to be as overwhelming as possible.  Ed seemed annoyed that I had questions about my deal and the contract he placed in front of me.  The contract was so long and had so many lines with all kinds of figures.  There were so many fees and the contract was layed out in a confusing manner.  I tried to review it as best as I could.  The contract was difficult to understand and I asked for Ed to clarify but, he wasn't very accomodating.  The situation was not pleasant and was not a good experience.  I later discovered I missed something very important that finance changed on me in the contract and was not the deal that was agreed upon with Dan Ricciardi and Scott Ford in the sales department.

My new car was brought out with more beads of water and I didn't notice the giant scratch on the front bumper because of all the water.  I wasn't expecting to be deceived.  I drove away with my new car and I stopped at a friends house to show my car.  While I was there, we took another look at my contract and discovered that I had been baited to a purchase by being told that my trade in would be $4,995.00 and the contract showed only a $1,500 credit for trade in.  In addition, the beads of water had dried on my car and the giant scratch on the front bumper was revealed.  I realized that I had been cheated out of about $3,500.  It seemed like a very deceptive and misleading way to sell a car.  I wasn't expecting to be cheated like that when I had been a good customer.

I returned back to the dealership to see if Right Honda would make things right regarding the new car deal I thought I had completed.  I spoke with Dan Riccardi and reminded him of what he said to me just a couple hours earlier that day.  Dan told me there would be nothing he could do for me since I had already signed the contract.  He told me I should have looked more carefully.  I was left with the impression that Right Honda is deceptive, misleading, and uses unethical business practices to trick customers.  I also addressed the issue with the large scratch on my front bumper. 

The manner in which the car was leased/sold to me does not appear to be honest and up front with clarity and integrity.  The sales experience left me with the impression that Honda is predatory, dishonest and scams customers.  My business should have been valued and I should have been regarded.  I should have been treated with respect, fairness, integrity and decency.  I should be able to trust that a business will do the right thing and make things right when they make a mistake.  I would have thought that Honda would want to have a good reputation and would make sure that customers are treated with honesty, clarity and integrity.

A couple of weeks after the vehicle transaction, a woman named Bobbie called from Right Honda and asked how I liked my car and said she wanted to find out how everything went.  I explained to her about my dissatisfaction with the sales experience and she said she was concerned.   She wanted to see if she could get me in touch with the right person who could help.  To make a long story short, I spoke with Scott Redden and the communication did not resolve the issue.  At that point, it became more apparent to me that Right Honda wasn't interested to make things right and the issue might remain indefinitely unresovled. 

I decided to put my complaint in writting and I contacted American Honda Motor Company President Tetsuo Iwamura at 1919 Torrance Boulevard Torrance, CA 90501.  President Tetsuo Iwamura did not respond to my complaint.  Instead, I received a phone call from a Honda customer service agent.  I explained my situation to the Honda agent.  He had been forwarded my letter and said he wanted to help me.  At the same time, he explained that Honda is not able to take action regarding a dealership.  I was provided with a lot of excuses and useless information from Honda.  It didn't really seem that Honda was going to help resolve the issue and as of this date they still have not.

I am highly dissatisfied with the process Honda uses regarding complaints with dealerships.  Honda didn't assist to make things right and the situaiton was left unresolved.  Honda and Right Honda left me with the impression that they have no intention to make the situation right.  Honda has allowed the dealerships to get away with unethical business practices.  Honda doesn't seem to have any policy in place to ensure that consumers are protected from crooked, dishonest, deceptive dealership staff.

I realized that I had been taken for a ride in a bait n switch scheme by crooked predatory car shysters.  Car shysters get lots of practice pulling these caculated scams everyday with auto buyers.  At the same time, it's not everyday a consumer buys a car and might not be savy to all of the tricks and deception of the auto industry.  Honda is building a poor reputation when negative inteaction is allowed to continue at dealerships.

It was 2011 and I was locked into my Honda lease contract and there wasn't much else I knew about doing to change the situation.  During the first year, I continued to express my dissatisfaction with my sales experience to Honda and Right Honda.  Right Honda sales staff would call periodically thru the year to find out if I wanted to convert my lease to a purchase and move over to a loan.  Each time they would call, I explained my dissatisfaction with the original sales experience. 

I decided in 2012 that I wanted to do something with my car lease situaiton.  Another sales person from Right Honda had contacted me on the phone about making a new car deal.   He said he wanted to try to get me credit for money that was not provided on my trade in the original sales transaction.  He wanted to earn my business and trust back.  It just turned out to be more lip service.  It didn't happen.  I went into Right Honda and was seated with Brandon Warwick and P.J. Arnal.  Brandon said he wanted to help me in my situation and he wanted to make things right.  The interaction didn't end up leading anywhere.  I spent 2 hours speaking with him about another car deal and the discussion wasn't even reasonable.  Brandon didn't want to offer a fair deal.  Brandon began to insult my character and I ended up walking out. 

At that point, I decided I just wanted out of the lease and wanted to purchase the car.  I visited another person at Right Honda in the Fleet Department named Larry Egnor.  He was refered by another Right Honda customer I know who was with me that day.   Larry Egnor seemed like he wanted to help at first.  He said he was going to speak with the General Manger Darrel Deak about my car deal and about what he would be allowed to do for me.  After several minutes, Larry Egnor returned and told me what he could offer.  It wasn't the best offer but, I wanted out of my lease and I was not allowed to return the car to the dealership without harsh penalities.  I felt blocked in.  It appears to me that is just the way Right Honda wanted me to feel.  Larry Egnor agreed to have my loan placed at a particular local financial instituation.   I signed the papers with him.  A couple weeks later my loan documents arrived in the mail and it was clear that my loan had been switched to an out of state bank I never agreed upon.  

I contacted Larry Egnor about the transaction.   Larry told me the finance department decided to send the balance of my auto loan elsewhere.  It was a financial instituation that had terrible hours of opperation for Arizona as they were only open on east coast time.  They would not accept electronic funds payments unless a checking account was opened with them.  There were many things about the finance company I didn't care for and I would never have picked them.  Larry said Right Honda had the right to take the action they did.  Larry said my loan was bundled with 4 other loans to get better rates for other customers by the same lender.   I expressed my dissatisfaction because that action was not in my best interest and was not something I agreed upon.  Larry refered me to a finance manager voice mail and I never received a return call.  It appeared like another bait n switch scam from Right Honda.  I had to pay more fees and more charges to have my loan refinanced into a local finance company.

Perhaps, you, as a consumer might understand why Right Honda of Scottsdale might not be the right choice for everyone.  My Honda experience has been very disappointing during the past two years.  I feel that I have provided Honda and Right Honda with ample time to make things right.  Unfortunately, the matter remains unresolved and I don't have confidence that Honda is even concerned with customer satisfaction and consumer reviews.  Honda is a very large international company and my experience shows me that Honda doesn't need repeat business and they know how to get away with all kinds of scams.  At this time, I wanted to share my situation with online readers with hopes that you won't fall into the same costly traps I have.  Maybe my experience can save consumers from the results I have had to deal with. 

Shame on HONDA!!!

Good Luck on your vehicle purchase and BUYER BEWARE if you choose to do business with AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR COMPANY and RIGHT HONDA of SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA

Right Honda
7875 E. Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard
Scottsdale, AZ 85260

American Honda Motor Company
President Tetsuo Iwamura 
1919 Torrance Boulevard
Torrance, CA 90501