not expect anything like this to happen. Long story short, he insisted that Honda step up and stand behind their product. The dealer simply responded to his customer, he did not have the authority to do that, with empathy he gave the contact information for him to contact the Honda Corporate Representative to see if there was something he could do.

He phoned American Honda about the issue, they let him know that they will have to take it up with the dealer, and they would get back to him. He took the CRV into the dealer and they filed for Honda Goodwill on our friends behalf. Within a very short period of time, Honda came back with an offer to pay for the parts, even though this  was about 60% of the total repair, he was hesitant to give the go ahead. He was not appreciative of the offer, but this was a known problem in the vehicle, and simply felt more needs to be done.

After researching the problem on the internet, and discussions with engineering he found the problem was prevalent in the 03 and 04 CRV in such a way that the failure caused additional damage to the Cooling system. His 60K service was completed without any mention of a potential issue, admitting he would have considered the repair if he had known of the risk he would have considered replacing the part to avoid the additional damages to the cooling system. Due to the events around this breakdown, a case was opened with American Honda Motor Co., Inc seeking the labor with the parts offer. They reaffirmed their longstanding loyalty with the Honda vehicles, and this did not affect their overall opinion for both the company and the product.

He was assured that they would get back to him by the end of the week and that they would give it serious consideration. He was really impressed with the return offer the next day to pay for the repair in full.  By the end of the week he was driving his CRV.  His commitment to the company has been almost a crusade for him.

This was an exception and not normal for the American Honda Motor Co., Inc to step outside of the terms of their warranty terms. The circumstances were unique and offered the ability for the company to notify the dealer’s service departments of the issue and seek resolution in advance of serious damage that could result for the failure of the part.

I have mentioned my daughters love for her Honda Element which is almost at the same level of the other example I have used. She was energetic about the product, the company and O'Daniel Honda-Omaha. As a college student, working full time, she is limited on both time and money. When she moved from one part of Omaha to the next, she became an O’Daniel customer with a simple little oil change. When she went to pick up her Element, she was fully informed of the mechanical condition of the vehicle. Once she informed them of her limits and ability to afford all the recommendations, she left with a schedule of priority that allowed her get the work done as she could afford it.

The model we have spent a great deal of time with has been the Honda Civic now in its eight generation and shows no sign of taking a back seat when it comes innovation, reliability and just plain good looks. The 2012 model line has been released and has been impressive on all levels, even in a tough economy.

The Civic with its space-age looks and cutting edge technology continues to turn heads with its futuristic design in the market sector traditionally dominated by more conservative models that include the Mazda 3, Ford Focus and the Toyota Corolla.

As future articles will talk about the Civic in greater detail, we mention this only to point to American Honda Motor Co., Inc commitment to its future design efforts assure the car buyer that with an O'Daniel Honda purchase or service you get a little bit of the old and the new.

For the new, leading edge design, technologies and innovation that insure the buyer that their investment in a Honda is as sound tomorrow as it is today. Because this manufacturing firm is so far ahead of its competition it is attracting those markets that in the past had been very tough to turn. The advancements insure that the resale on your Honda will be secured in the future because the consumer has built a trust that only legendary reliability can earn.

Which brings up my point about the past, way back in the day, Honda chose O'Daniel to represent their product, and they have not given Honda any reason to second guess their choice. As a smaller, locally owned dealership, they understand their customer and their cars. They service them as though they had to drive them everyday only to be sure that they will start every time and get them safely to their destinations. Over the years, it’s been the customers that tell Honda that they are choosing O'Daniel Honda-Omaha every time they need service and when they must replace their cars. For six years in a row now, it’s been their customer sharing with Honda about the quality in the relationship they are forming with O'Daniel Honda-Omaha.

Simply read the comments people make on their Facbook Page (CLK Here).  It’s hard to believe that there are so many people taking time from their busy schedules to post so many positive comments. It is nice to see that in times like we have today, there are still those that work really hard to deliver the quality that made both car maker and car dealer top shelf performers in the eyes of their customer.