4 year Honda Happiness Guarantee

[coravel]

I purchased my Jazz 1.4 EX in June 2012 when it was being advertised nationwide with 3 years free servicing and 4 years free warranty.  Yesterday I received an e-mail from Honda to warn me that my warranty is soon to expire and that I should consider extending it.  I phoned the dealer to protest there is still another year to run but he was having none of it and said there is no record of me having a 4th year.  I have a signed document stating that I do have 48 months but I've now phoned the number provided on the document and they have no trace of it.  I suppose the only thing I can do now is to take them to the small claims court.  Is this sharp practice normal with Honda?

[VicW]

First of all take the letter or whatever to the dealer and show them, do not part company with it. If they copy it make sure you get the original back.
If that fails make a copy of whatever you have that says you have a four year warranty from the date of purchase. Attach a letter stating that you have a document, copy attached, that confirms that you have a four year warranty.
Send it, via recorded delivery to the Chief Executive Officer of the dealership with a copy to Honda's head office, you can track and trace the letter to confirm receipt.
Insist on a written reply whatever their decision and if in your favour keep it. If they still insist that you do not have a four year warranty go to your local Citizens Advice Bureau.
I suggest that the small claims court will not be interested because, as yet, you are not financially out of pocket.

Vic.

[Jazzdriver]

What sort of document is it and is it on headed paper?

When I bought my Jazz in September 2014 I paid extra for five years servicing, five years warranty and five years Honda Assistance (this last one I did not need).   I don't have much proof of this, except reference on the invoice.  The salesman said that all Honda garages would see that I had these benefits from the computer system. 

We live in a digital age, but how good are the digital records?  Unfortunately, emails aren't much proof if the other party denies them, as they are not on headed paper or signed and could be reproduced by someone else.

[coravel]

Thanks very much for the very speedy responses.  Your advice is sensible and much appreciated Vic.  The document is on a Honda letterhead with a phone number that services warranties for multiple companies including the long dead Comet.  However it does include a dated reference specific to myself.  My name and address are on it along with the car details with registration number.  It's signed for Honda UK by Don Worthy Retention Product Manager.  It consists of three pages two of which are the customary exclusions and obligations.  Jazzdriver, there is no record of this on the Honda system at all so it may be worth phoning your dealer to check.  At least mine was part of a free deal so I would have far less to complain about than yourself. 

[Ozzie]

Are you still within the mileage allowance ? Otherwise its a pointless worry.

[coravel]

The car has only done 15,000 miles so that is not an issue.  Hopefully the 4th year warranty will not be needed if the reliability reports are anything to go by.  It's just that I want to sort this out now just in case I need to claim. 

[Geoffers]

Reminds of a similar problem I had with MB some years back. Although I had the blurb stating that my A Class car had a 30 year corrosion warranty, the local dealership flatly denied that it was valid. They refused to acknowledge that ever had been such a warranty.
The paperwork I had was MB's own warranty but it made no difference.

I part-exed the car and got my first Jazz and will never ever buy MB again!

[madasafish]

MB of course made lots of rusty cars at the time. Some C and E series cars were shockingly bad: rust bubbles along front wings, starring of bonnet paint, corroded subframes, front suspensions falling to bits. etc.. So I am not surprised they welshed on the warranty...

[Jazzdriver]

What sort of warranty documentation have other Jazz owners got?

[Jazzdriver]

Going through my own paperwork again, I do have a clear letter on Honda headed paper.