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FK8 New FK8 - Paint & Running In Questions

Honda UK told me last week they can't find a replacement and the dealer will sort a refund. I went back to them and said if I can't get a different car, will they replace bumpers, key fob casings etc. and they basically ignored that and said "sorry we can't help this time, the dealer will refund you." Not even a suggestion they would try to sort the issues even though I'd suggested it.

So now I'm waiting on the dealer to come back and let me know if they can get it sorted using the cash Honda will refund them for taking a used car back (which is what they told the dealer they would do two weeks ago, but usefully didn't tell them how much they'd refund them!)

So I haven't kept ownership of it as such, I just still have it until it's resolved either by full refund or everything being returned to "as new" standard at Honda/the dealer's cost.
 
I would push for a refund.

Honda U.K. customer services are pretty dire..

@allycooke and I had done good fun rejecting our first FK8’s.. we were in daily conference calls :)
 
Get a refund.

Honda are pretty poor with warranty, given what I have read, Ive had mine 3.5 years now and not had any major problems.

Whilst it doesn’t help your plight, I have rejected 3 wheels (All replaced), failed A/C (All replaced) and a bit of rust (turned down) on the suspension turrets from the pin.
 
The refund is already agreed, the issue of course is that a refund doesn't get me an FK8 (or any other car given the waitlists and inflated prices for everything at the moment). If I reject the car, that's it, no FK8 for me as I can't order another one and used prices are now above what I paid new, which obviously I refuse to pay!

Given there is nothing with a better combination of price, performance and practicality on the market (and if there was, I'd probably have to wait a year for delivery anyway), I'm reluctant to let it go if it can be fixed to as-new standard. But if for some reason Honda/the dealer won't do that, I'll have no choice but to take my money back.
 
I feel so bad for you and also for the next potential owner because it sounds like they want to refund you so they can sell on as is.
 
It's a tricky one given the strong pricing on new/nearly-new cars right now. I can see the dealer is thinking it's better to give you your money back, they can then fix the car and then put it on the forecourt at £40k.

Fixing your car (and letting you keep it) hurts the dealers back-pocket (unless they can get Honda to confess the damage happened at the factory or in transit) , so likely this comes down to whether this dealer is profit driven or more geared to customer satisfaction.
 
I'm sorry for you as I see your point and you are totally correct on not being able to get one of these or anything else at the moment.

I also think the post above is correct that unfortunately the dealer can see a profit here with the inflated forecourt values at the moment. Incidentally i would love to know if anyone has heard of an FK8 being sold at an inflated price ie - above list. There seems to be an increasing number of cars going on Autotrader at the moment and none of them are moving. This includes the fabled £50k blue one up north.
 
I tried to buy a blue one, the only new - delivery mileage - FK8 physically available on AT back in April/May time. It was up at around 39k and had just sold when I enquired about it.

I panicked at that point because all that was left were a handful of used cars priced at near new values. I phoned around a bunch of dealers and all said nothing was available. I lucked upon my car, which must have been one of the last factory orders.
 
I wonder if the dealer knows something about a, possible, secret history with this vehicle? Having seen the damage and the ”not so new” key fobs? Just a thought. And I really feel your pain about not being able to get your hands on one. Have you considered an FK2?
 
It's true that the dealer may be able to make (more of) a profit out of the situation. They are getting cash from Honda for taking the car back (amount not yet disclosed) as Honda UK have admitted it's their fault, so if the rectifications can be done within that amount and I keep the car they won't be out of pocket, but if they can take the car back and sell it for more than I paid, obviously that's double bubble for them.

As for an FK2, I test drove one back when they were new and it left me cold. Way short of the chassis & steering involvement/feedback I would expect from a Type R (having done 76k in an FD2 and similar miles in each of a DC5 and two DC2s before over 20 years) and the laggy engine was horrible. Having driven the FK8 a little bit now (granted, not over 4k RPM!), the chassis and steering are what I'd expect/hope for from a car 200kg heavier than an FD2, i.e. like a heavier and possibly slightly grippier FD2. Still a bit of lag <2500 RPM and the comical "bass boost" piped engine noise isn't great, but I can live with that for what I assume will be decent shove over what a K20 is capable of.

If the FK8 does go back I guess we'll be keeping the FD2 a bit longer.
 
Champ White and Racing Blue Pearl FK8's at Honda Grantham

Delivery miles, pre-registered

Prices are above the normal 'new' retail prices which can be expected in this climate, and due to the fact you cant get a brand new one any more
This is the next best thing if money's burning a hole in your pocket and you want a FK8


Had another Racing Blue and Rallye Red one last week but both have sold!! :D
 
Champ White and Racing Blue Pearl FK8's at Honda Grantham

Delivery miles, pre-registered

Prices are above the normal 'new' retail prices which can be expected in this climate, and due to the fact you cant get a brand new one any more
This is the next best thing if money's burning a hole in your pocket and you want a FK8


Had another Racing Blue and Rallye Red one last week but both have sold!! :D

Yeah, not quite the uplift dealers are trying to get on a GR Yaris, but not far off. No way I'm paying £5k over list for a pre-reg car that I ordered in good time last Feb!

If you're wondering why they're pre-registered, it's because until the car is registered, it's still Honda's property and they can move stock around. So if they hadn't registered them, that white one at Grantham would already be mine for example, as Honda would have taken it back off them.
 
When I had my ex-demo FK8 rejected, I was aware that Honda UK would sell the dealer another brand new FK8 at a much discounted rate so that I could be offered a new car at less than list price by way of compensation to the whole long-drawn out issue. There was some heavy discounting from the dealer on their usual commission/cut/markup because ultimately the dealer wanted to keep a Customer happy given all the patience and issues I had endured with the original car's gearbox.

I think Honda UK might make a notional contribution to the dealer that will allow you to get back what you paid in full but also so they don't have to claw back margin / commissions already paid to the sales rep. But this contribution may also equate to just the parts the dealer needs to rectify the car without them taking a hit on that as well.

I do think the car will likely remain as dealer stock to be repaired and sold again as a ex-demo rather than go back to honda factory to be rectified. At no stage with my original car did Honda say let's get this back to factory to figure out the problems.
 
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Your situation totally sucks, but given the market at the moment, used niche cars in particular manuals are going up in value monthly at the moment, I think if you really want one get the dealer to sort it to a satisfactory standard.
 
If you're wondering why they're pre-registered, it's because until the car is registered, it's still Honda's property and they can move stock around. So if they hadn't registered them, that white one at Grantham would already be mine for example, as Honda would have taken it back off them.

Last minute cancelled order as I understand, but all the paperwork was in place and the car was registered already.
Customer changed their mind and had a new black one instead.

No drama to the dealership - that white car is nice too I had a look at it last week.
 
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