Honda dealer wipes out my maintenance records?

I called my dealer to arrange a service for my 91 Accord, which just turned 100,000. The service person says that they don't have any records for the car and explained that the system wipes records for any car that hasn't be serviced in six months.

I'm a computer programmer and nothing is cheaper than disk space these days, and I could likely fit all of the maintenance records of all the Accords in the US on one of my PCs. It just doesn't make any sense that they would wipe out stuff.

I don't do much maintenance of the car at the dealer, but the car was originally bought there by the previous owner and I have had it there several times. The original owner had all of the maintenance done there.

Reply to
dgk
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And your question is.............?

Reply to
MLD

I'll go you one better. I leased my Accord in December of 2000, four years later I purchased the car from Honda Canada. The maintenance records of the vehicle (in fact its very existence) was wiped out of Honda's system due to the privacy laws here. It's a good thing that I have every piece of paper regarding the servicing of the car stored in hard copy here at home.

Reply to
Brian Smith

Sounds odd. More likely their disk crashed six months ago and they had no backup!

:)

J.

Reply to
JXStern

I had the same thing happen here in N.E.Ohio. I happen to have a "lifetime" replacement muffler on my '92 Accord, and the dealer doesn't keep records . I got a three ring binder, and have kept the originals of ALL the expenses for the car. Comes in very handy, and has helped me get three free mufflers and one new radiator! bob

Reply to
N.E.Ohio Bob

Ah yes, the question is, is this normal Honda policy or was I just handed a platter of crap?

Reply to
dgk

There are plenty of programs out there that already do this and I'll admit to just being too lazy (I'll be nice to myself and say "too busy"). I do keep all the paper and eventually it ends up in a folder. It just seems so odd that they "routinely" wipe the records. If so, it makes no sense, and if not, then I don't like being lied to. If they lie about that, then they'll lie about other stuff.

Reply to
dgk

Sign up on Honda Ownerlink and see if your service records are there....

Reply to
Woody

Why should a potential buyer believe your spreadsheet. The dealer's records and paper records adds value to your car when you go to sell it. A spreadsheet prepared by you doesn't. I don't believe the 6 month crap from your dealer. With the new built in honda maintenence system, people driving new Honda's but putting on low mileage won't be back to the dealer every 6 months for an oil change. Will their records be wiped out too? Doubtful.

Reply to
Art

I've registered my last two Hondas on ownerlink and no maintenance records ever appeared there save the entries I put in it myself. Its no different than a personal spreadsheet.

Reply to
E Meyer

On Jul 9, 12:22 pm, dgk wrote: I keep all receipts and maintenance summaries. So each spreadsheet line can be backed up. Very simple and accurate.

Reply to
rick++

You haven't dealt with Honda.

My dealer stores records for much longer, but yours is not related to mine.

Dealers are independant entities, not a part of Honda.

Reply to
Joe LaVigne

The dealer just isn't holding up his part of the deal as that is what you are paying him for.

Reply to
Woody

I called one of the local Honda dealers to schedule a maintenance this morning, and I had been there for maintenance last year. It sounded like they almost didn't want my business. He asked what I wanted to do. I said "scheduled maintenance." Then he said "what kind?" and I said I had been there a year ago, and he said they don't keep good records so they might not know what to do. But finally he said he would schedule me and they would look at it. WTH?

Reply to
void.no.spam.com

Ask them to prove that you have possession of a car supposedly leased from them.

Reply to
z

So basically, if you have one oil change not done by them, they erase your records of timing belt changes, etc.? Yeah, sure, that makes sense.

Reply to
z

Anyone that read what I typed, would know that I don't have possession of a vehicle that is leased from them.

Reply to
Brian Smith

And so it goes...

The question is, do you have the records?

Every business has a records retention policy. While I agree 6 months is not very long, your car is a '91 model. How long would you suggest "they" retain your records? Would you be willing to pay for the service of record retention? The way dealers' are now you're lucky they would even consider working on it... let alone maintain a service record.

-- Tp,

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Reply to
TomP

That's shocking. My mid 90s Chrysler's records are available by all dealers, must be a central Chrysler system. They seem to keep those records forever, even though I only visit the dealer every few years. They even mail out maintenance reminders several times each year. However I keep a file on all work done on my car, because most of it is done at non dealers shops.

Your '91 Honda is even older than my Chrysler. Perhaps they no longer want to work on such an old car as many of their mechanics probably have little knowledge on it.

Reply to
who

Reply to
dgk

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