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Do most of you insight owners go to honda to get your car repaired? I wonder if they are any better than your local auto repair place?
Where do you guys go to get your insight repaired?
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Several people here are pretty negative about dealer repair, but at least you should be able to expest that a dealer at least has some experience with Insights, they probably have the proper service manuals, and they have access to Honda themselves if they can't diagnose the problem.
Obviously, like independant repair facilities, there are some Honda dealer service departments which are better than others. I've only had my car for a few months, and it's been in for one repair already, I took it to the dealer (would have been dumb not to as it was a warranty situation) and I was very pleased with the way they took care of me and my car.
If you decide to take your Insight to an independant, I'd suggest that you at least confirm that they have the proper manuals, or get them yourself. There are listings on ebay for Insight factory service manuals all the time.
Obviously, like independant repair facilities, there are some Honda dealer service departments which are better than others. I've only had my car for a few months, and it's been in for one repair already, I took it to the dealer (would have been dumb not to as it was a warranty situation) and I was very pleased with the way they took care of me and my car.
If you decide to take your Insight to an independant, I'd suggest that you at least confirm that they have the proper manuals, or get them yourself. There are listings on ebay for Insight factory service manuals all the time.
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My driveway. 
There's no reason for it to go anywhere else unless I need an alignment or to get tyres mounted.
In good faith, I cannot recommend the dealer. The first time I ever took one of my cars to a mechanic was when I took my Insight to the dealer to fix a no IMA problem. 6 months later, I was still dealing with their crap. Calls to Honda Customer Service were near useless. So I finally just fixed it myself.
The Insight is not a hard car to work on. Almost everything on the engine is very accessable, and there's plenty of room in the engine bay. A trusted indipendant who shows interest in the hybrid system (lend him/her the service manual) can only be better then the abysmal dealer service departments.
There's no reason for it to go anywhere else unless I need an alignment or to get tyres mounted.In good faith, I cannot recommend the dealer. The first time I ever took one of my cars to a mechanic was when I took my Insight to the dealer to fix a no IMA problem. 6 months later, I was still dealing with their crap. Calls to Honda Customer Service were near useless. So I finally just fixed it myself.
The Insight is not a hard car to work on. Almost everything on the engine is very accessable, and there's plenty of room in the engine bay. A trusted indipendant who shows interest in the hybrid system (lend him/her the service manual) can only be better then the abysmal dealer service departments.
Do you think part of the problem is that they have never seen Insights?
Here, lucky for me, there are a lot of Insights around. The big Honda dealer in Palo Alto sells dozens every year. I see Insights around town lots and lots - all within a few miles of my local dealer and within 10-15 miles of the Palo Alto dealer. The dealer I have used periodically reports to do service on quite a few of them, and it makes sense given the number around his neighborhood.
I sure hate having some unknown individual, of unkown talent, mucking about, but sometimes one has to trust. That's a lot harder if you think yours will be the first, last, and only Insight your dealership ever sees!
Here, lucky for me, there are a lot of Insights around. The big Honda dealer in Palo Alto sells dozens every year. I see Insights around town lots and lots - all within a few miles of my local dealer and within 10-15 miles of the Palo Alto dealer. The dealer I have used periodically reports to do service on quite a few of them, and it makes sense given the number around his neighborhood.
I sure hate having some unknown individual, of unkown talent, mucking about, but sometimes one has to trust. That's a lot harder if you think yours will be the first, last, and only Insight your dealership ever sees!
Figgy, would that be Anderson in Palo Alto (I've seen them with Insights parked on their display pad, even!)? And who is your "local" dealer? Menlo Honda? Would you be happy taking your babies to either one equally, or have you a preference for one over t'other? My Mountain View based silver 2000 wants to know.
Cheers,
Adam Wilt
I have been using Menlo Honda, because it is just down the hill from me. I was considering Anderson because they have a higher volume. Menlo, as all dealers, overfilled the oil slightly, but otherwise has been fine. I have had none of the reported problems of missing nuts and bolts etc. etc.
I figure because Anderson sells a lot of them, most likely a lot of those customers return for service. I dealt with an annoying and lying sales guy there once, so I don't like them. However, that was just one sales guy out of many, several years ago, and has nothing to do with service.
Since I have no complaint with Menlo, for the time being I use them when required. It is nice to support smaller dealers. They claim to service more than just mine...
The most important thing is that both of them most definitely see Insights in the shop. Anderson is bigger, hence more Insights, but bigger means larger staff count, so per head it may be the same.
I figure because Anderson sells a lot of them, most likely a lot of those customers return for service. I dealt with an annoying and lying sales guy there once, so I don't like them. However, that was just one sales guy out of many, several years ago, and has nothing to do with service.
Since I have no complaint with Menlo, for the time being I use them when required. It is nice to support smaller dealers. They claim to service more than just mine...
The most important thing is that both of them most definitely see Insights in the shop. Anderson is bigger, hence more Insights, but bigger means larger staff count, so per head it may be the same.
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Nope. The problem is their incompetence.figgy said:
If you know anything about say, fuel injection, go have a conversation with the "senior" technician. You'll be rolling on the floor laughing. I wouldn't trust them to fix a Civic, let alone a car like the Insight.Case in point: http://www.insightcentral.net/forum/vie ... php?t=2429
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