Topic: Returning a leased car to Honda Canada?

[Carman99]

Hi: I have a couple of questions:

1) Anyone here returned a car to Honda Finance recently? If yes what were they like to deal with?

2) Would you advise taking lots of pictures of the car before returning it?

Thank as usual for any help!

[toolatecrew]

Hi: I have a couple of questions:

1) Anyone here returned a car to Honda Finance recently? If yes what were they like to deal with?

2) Would you advise taking lots of pictures of the car before returning it?

Thank as usual for any help!

For question 2 I would answer yes I would absolutley take pictures of the car at the time of return (with datestamp). Stranger things have happened than a car being taken back and then damage being charged after the fact. My process is once you take those keys and sign you have recived the car everyting is on you. Its their job to inspect it BEFORE taking posession. If they miss something and sign that is their problem.

If you can have a preinspection done before return do so.

If not take it to a body shop and have an estimate done on fixing any damage before you try to return it.

[Cortina]

Colorworks are great for small chip and scratch repair. Not a bad prices either 

http://www.colorworks.ca/

Anyway good luck. I'm about to go threw it next year. I think I'm going for a full valet and touch up the stone chips and if they do get shirty and say "it is not normal wear and tear". I will simple say " you going to have prove it, I see you in court". I will refused to pay, because I would love to see them trying to prove that they way I drive and look after the car, that is not normal wear and tear in a court of law. lol. 

Well that is the theory anyhoooow. I'm not sure how far that will get me, or if will come to fruition, I'll see what happens when I get there. 

[Cord]

I will simple say " you going to have prove it, I see you in court".

I'm sure Honda is shaking over that threat. 

Every lease company will provide clear expectations of what their lease end requirements are. Instead of planning your legal defense, why not just contact them and get some information?

[Cortina]

I will simple say " you going to have prove it, I see you in court".

I'm sure Honda is shaking over that threat. 

Every lease company will provide clear expectations of what their lease end requirements are. Instead of planning your legal defense, why not just contact them and get some information?

Yes, Yes Your right. Always the level headed cord. I will make sure I know the score before I take it in.

[dash]

Actual Honda just mailed me a package that provides info on the process of returning my car, including a sample template card to us as a guidline for allowable normal wear and tear items (scratches, dents and glass chips), tires s/b no less than 4/32 regardless of mileage on the car. 
Last week I spoke to a Hyundia salesman, former GM salesman and very thankfull he made the change serveral years ago, anyways, he mentioned that unlike other manufactures he heard that Honda was not as bad to deal with.

[Honda Owner]

I will simple say " you going to have prove it, I see you in court".

Want to see $10,000 disappear into thin air? Pay a lawyer a retainer.

[articsteve]

Do not wash the car prior.

[dr_spock]

I think Articsteve may be hiding something.   

[articsteve]

Rephrase:

Do not wash the car prior .... for about a month. 

[Cord]

Back when I was a lease manager I'd come across the "hide the damage with dirt" trick fairly often. In those days I was the one doing the inspection and signing the condition report and the dealership was responsible for any damage not noted on the report. When a too dirty vehicle came in I always told the person to either wash it and bring it back or else return it to a different dealership. Either way, I didn't care. Lease returns were just a paperwork PITA anyway.

[toolatecrew]

On the wash thing.

Its interesting that many places don't wash the vehcile before inspection. Body shops almost universally wash a dirty car before writing an estimate and taking pictures (especially if they know its an insurance job). They want their estimate to be accurate.

Body shops all have wash bays. New car dealers all have wash bays. Its not like they need to detail the car. A quick spray off is suffucient most times. IMO a dealer (not the individual person doing it he's just following the rules ) who doesn't get a car washed before doing an inspection that could potentially lead to 1000s of $s changing hands is lazy and deserves to get stuck with any bills for damage they miss.

[Cord]

Well that was the old days. Dealers are no longer responsible for missed damage anymore. They just store the car until the auction picks it up. If a customer wants to return a car too filthy to inspect, any ramifications are between them and the leasing company.

[Cortina]

Well that was the old days. Dealers are no longer responsible for missed damage anymore. They just store the car until the auction picks it up. If a customer wants to return a car too filthy to inspect, any ramifications are between them and the leasing company.

How do members of the public get into the lease return auctions for 2-3 year old vehicles. I can't get into any here. I used to buy that way in the UK. Because you buy a car a dealership wholesale prices. I've not been able to get into them in Canada. Members of the public are not aloud to bid. I wonder why, auction is an auction. The ones open to the public. Tend to be banger Auctions.

[Cord]

How do members of the public get into the lease return auctions ...

They don't. This ain't the UK.

[toolatecrew]

Well that was the old days. Dealers are no longer responsible for missed damage anymore. They just store the car until the auction picks it up. If a customer wants to return a car too filthy to inspect, any ramifications are between them and the leasing company.

Just curious. With your dealings at what point does the vehicle owner relinquish responsibility?

As a lessor I would expect that once the keys have been turned over ,the paper signed and I walk off the lot of the "authorized" drop off point that's it. If the dealer is merley storing the vehilce (we are not responsible for any loss or damage while storing the vehicle) I wouldn't be turing it over.

The lease agreement terminates with the turn over of the car alnong with any and all responsibility right?

[Cortina]

How do members of the public get into the lease return auctions ...

They don't. This ain't the UK.

Why is that, Is there away around it. 

[Cord]

How do members of the public get into the lease return auctions ...

They don't. This ain't the UK.

Why is that, Is there away around it. 

Sure, buy a dealership. 
I assume part of the contract between dealers and manufacturers gives them access to those vehicles.

[Cortina]

I wonder would master business license do. Just pretend to have a ford dealership. cost nothing to set up. That way you would be a dealer. I was thinking of going that way because I want in on these auctions. Because you save so much money.

[Cord]

Well that was the old days. Dealers are no longer responsible for missed damage anymore. They just store the car until the auction picks it up. If a customer wants to return a car too filthy to inspect, any ramifications are between them and the leasing company.

Just curious. With your dealings at what point does the vehicle owner relinquish responsibility?

As a lessor I would expect that once the keys have been turned over ,the paper signed and I walk off the lot of the "authorized" drop off point that's it. If the dealer is merley storing the vehilce (we are not responsible for any loss or damage while storing the vehicle) I wouldn't be turing it over.

The lease agreement terminates with the turn over of the car alnong with any and all responsibility right?

If the lease is terminating at the normal time, then Autovin will contact the lessee to arrange an inspection (often at lessees home or work) prior to dropping it off. If the lease is ending early then Autovin will come and do the inspection after it has been dropped off - at that point we will try to advise the lessee if we see anything obviously chargeable but the final Autovin inspection is the one that counts. Our lease guy says he's never heard of a case where Ford Credit tried to collect for damage that wasn't noted on the initial inspection.