Rant: Proprietary parts
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Registered User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 6,564
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From: Cummins Technical Center, IN
Rant: Proprietary parts
OK, I normally try to be a fairly calm guy. But this is something that made my blood boil, and it's a piddly little thing but it irritates the crap out of me.
So..
Wiper Blades. They are simple devices, and one would think a wiper replacement fairly routine, eh? The rear wiper on our Honda van needs to be replaced, so I looked it up in "the book" at the store, only to see that there was no size listed!
Odd, I thought. I know I have a wiper back there! Well, maybe it's just the same size as the previous model year, so I buy the 17" wiper and go on my way.
The installation proves to be a little confounding. It's not a standard hook mount at all. In fact, YOU CAN'T REPLACE THE BLADE AT ALL!
No sirree-- this is a SPECIAL wiper blade (because I guess Honda has a monopoly on superior engineering
) Turns out you can only replace the actual wiping surface-- like the old-school wiper "cartridges" that would slide in. But it's not a "normal" cartidge either. It's a special DEALER ONLY item, and the insert is of course, a mere $10
.
Now, here's the rant part:
WHY?
I REALLY want to hear from the engineer how the curvature of the rear window presents some kind of unique loading to the blade that warranted a departure from current designs. Or how mice are choked in the production of regular blades, and Honda is in favor of animal rights. Or how regular blades are dangerous to the environment, and this special blade is made of biodegradable rice rubber. Or some good reason why a regular hook style blade as used on 99.999999999999999% of all the other vehicles on the road, just was NOT good enough!
Otherwise, it just seems like a brazen attempt to force a person to the dealer to overpay for an inferior product.
NAH, a car company would NEVER do that!
Between this and the "special" PAX system tires (google it to learn more about the bane of your tire existence), I've learned to look at everything *much* more closely next time around.
I love this van, but I HATE maintaining it! It's really souring me on Honda in general-- I don't care how good a car it otherwise is.
Thanks-- I needed that
So..
Wiper Blades. They are simple devices, and one would think a wiper replacement fairly routine, eh? The rear wiper on our Honda van needs to be replaced, so I looked it up in "the book" at the store, only to see that there was no size listed!
Odd, I thought. I know I have a wiper back there! Well, maybe it's just the same size as the previous model year, so I buy the 17" wiper and go on my way.
The installation proves to be a little confounding. It's not a standard hook mount at all. In fact, YOU CAN'T REPLACE THE BLADE AT ALL!
No sirree-- this is a SPECIAL wiper blade (because I guess Honda has a monopoly on superior engineering
) Turns out you can only replace the actual wiping surface-- like the old-school wiper "cartridges" that would slide in. But it's not a "normal" cartidge either. It's a special DEALER ONLY item, and the insert is of course, a mere $10.Now, here's the rant part:
WHY?
I REALLY want to hear from the engineer how the curvature of the rear window presents some kind of unique loading to the blade that warranted a departure from current designs. Or how mice are choked in the production of regular blades, and Honda is in favor of animal rights. Or how regular blades are dangerous to the environment, and this special blade is made of biodegradable rice rubber. Or some good reason why a regular hook style blade as used on 99.999999999999999% of all the other vehicles on the road, just was NOT good enough!
Otherwise, it just seems like a brazen attempt to force a person to the dealer to overpay for an inferior product.
NAH, a car company would NEVER do that!
Between this and the "special" PAX system tires (google it to learn more about the bane of your tire existence), I've learned to look at everything *much* more closely next time around.
I love this van, but I HATE maintaining it! It's really souring me on Honda in general-- I don't care how good a car it otherwise is.
Thanks-- I needed that
Registered User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,055
Likes: 0
From: foothills of North Carolina
Just feel lucky. I figured they were going to charge you $60 or whatever they wanted, since they made it so you had to get it from them and them only. That is what they usually do. Ticks me off too.
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 427
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From: illinois
on my Honda insight,how about $100 for 3 spark plugs, or $5000 for a new battery pack,$2000 for cat converter, $35 for 3 quarts oil and filter.
please don't get me started on my Odyssey.
hohn, i feel your pain, for reasons above, and like yours i will NEVER buy a Honda again
, or $5000 for a new battery pack,$2000 for cat converter, $35 for 3 quarts oil and filter.please don't get me started on my Odyssey.
hohn, i feel your pain, for reasons above, and like yours i will NEVER buy a Honda again
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 776
Likes: 1
From: Nickelsville, Va
PAX is awful. My girlfriends parents have an Odyessy and I believe thats the most undesirable feature on the whole vehicle. That tire is only available at some Honda and Michelin dealers but from what I've read you'll be lucky if one is actually in stock. Plus whats a runflat tire with a 100 mile runflat radius going to do for you when your 150 miles from nowhere on an early Sunday morning. Give me a full size spare anytime!
They towed a trailer with it from Tn to Ga hauling a piano, I would've liked to have saw it going over the mountains in NC through Asheville.
I ended up in my crash that broke my leg before the trip happened but I was going to offer to pull the trailer to Ga for them. When we would've got to the mountains I was hoping to pass them right at the steepest grade I could find. It would've been cool.
They towed a trailer with it from Tn to Ga hauling a piano, I would've liked to have saw it going over the mountains in NC through Asheville.
I ended up in my crash that broke my leg before the trip happened but I was going to offer to pull the trailer to Ga for them. When we would've got to the mountains I was hoping to pass them right at the steepest grade I could find. It would've been cool.
DTR's 'Wrench thrower...' And he aims for the gusto...
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,668
Likes: 3
From: Smith Valley, NV (sometimes Redwood City, CA)
This kind of thing traps a lot of people.
My VW has a battery that is only available at the dealer and it must be installed there to or else nothing but the ignition works and you have to go to the dealer to get it reset.
The over the top impracticality of a slightly "better" design is mind boggling. Too bad there isn't a way to research these things, that seem too simple to screw up, in advance.
My daughter's Honda Pilot has an oil change alert that comes on way sooner than the oil could possibly be bad and at varying mileages. So she sees this warning on the dash at unexpected times about the oil! Then she's wondering, while on some trip somewhere, if her nice new car is about to blow because she's not gonna make it to the dealer for a few hundred miles. Wondering if she and the kids will be stranded, she calls me for help.
Sheesh.
John
My VW has a battery that is only available at the dealer and it must be installed there to or else nothing but the ignition works and you have to go to the dealer to get it reset.
The over the top impracticality of a slightly "better" design is mind boggling. Too bad there isn't a way to research these things, that seem too simple to screw up, in advance.
My daughter's Honda Pilot has an oil change alert that comes on way sooner than the oil could possibly be bad and at varying mileages. So she sees this warning on the dash at unexpected times about the oil! Then she's wondering, while on some trip somewhere, if her nice new car is about to blow because she's not gonna make it to the dealer for a few hundred miles. Wondering if she and the kids will be stranded, she calls me for help.
Sheesh.
John
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,372
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many years ago i bought a new bronco and found out if i needed to replace a tire, it used a good year model and size that was only available from ford. if you couldn't repair a flat, you could either pay ford about $250 for the 1 tire or change out all 4 for less than $500.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 533
Likes: 0
From: big spring tx.
WHY?
I REALLY want to hear from the engineer how the curvature of the rear window presents some kind of unique loading to the blade that warranted a departure from current designs. Or how mice are choked in the production of regular blades, and Honda is in favor of animal rights. Or how regular blades are dangerous to the environment, and this special blade is made of biodegradable rice rubber. Or some good reason why a regular hook style blade as used on 99.999999999999999% of all the other vehicles on the road, just was NOT good enough!
LMAO
I REALLY want to hear from the engineer how the curvature of the rear window presents some kind of unique loading to the blade that warranted a departure from current designs. Or how mice are choked in the production of regular blades, and Honda is in favor of animal rights. Or how regular blades are dangerous to the environment, and this special blade is made of biodegradable rice rubber. Or some good reason why a regular hook style blade as used on 99.999999999999999% of all the other vehicles on the road, just was NOT good enough!
LMAO
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,953
Likes: 0
From: Belgrade, Montana
That's why after 2 (2003 and 2006) Honda mini vans I told the wife no more Japanese vehicles. We ended up with a Buick Enclave with every option. Way better, way more engineering and way more creature comforts. I had her taking the Honda back to the dealer for everything.
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 583
Likes: 0
From: Shelby NC
Try pricing the headlight wipers on a Volvo, dealer only and $16 a piece, But they were the same as the windsheild wipers just shorter. Bought one replacement cut it in half and got two small ones for 3 bucks. My boss has a new VW with the new completly rubber wipers, only avabile from VW and $250 a piece.
I was banned per my own request for speaking the name Pelosi
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,908
Likes: 0
From: Bristol Michigan
OK, I normally try to be a fairly calm guy. But this is something that made my blood boil, and it's a piddly little thing but it irritates the crap out of me.
So..
Wiper Blades. They are simple devices, and one would think a wiper replacement fairly routine, eh? The rear wiper on our Honda van needs to be replaced, so I looked it up in "the book" at the store, only to see that there was no size listed!
Odd, I thought. I know I have a wiper back there! Well, maybe it's just the same size as the previous model year, so I buy the 17" wiper and go on my way.
The installation proves to be a little confounding. It's not a standard hook mount at all. In fact, YOU CAN'T REPLACE THE BLADE AT ALL!
No sirree-- this is a SPECIAL wiper blade (because I guess Honda has a monopoly on superior engineering) Turns out you can only replace the actual wiping surface-- like the old-school wiper "cartridges" that would slide in. But it's not a "normal" cartidge either. It's a special DEALER ONLY item, and the insert is of course, a mere $10.
Now, here's the rant part:
WHY?
I REALLY want to hear from the engineer how the curvature of the rear window presents some kind of unique loading to the blade that warranted a departure from current designs. Or how mice are choked in the production of regular blades, and Honda is in favor of animal rights. Or how regular blades are dangerous to the environment, and this special blade is made of biodegradable rice rubber. Or some good reason why a regular hook style blade as used on 99.999999999999999% of all the other vehicles on the road, just was NOT good enough!
Otherwise, it just seems like a brazen attempt to force a person to the dealer to overpay for an inferior product.
NAH, a car company would NEVER do that!
Between this and the "special" PAX system tires (google it to learn more about the bane of your tire existence), I've learned to look at everything *much* more closely next time around.
I love this van, but I HATE maintaining it! It's really souring me on Honda in general-- I don't care how good a car it otherwise is.
Thanks-- I needed that
So..
Wiper Blades. They are simple devices, and one would think a wiper replacement fairly routine, eh? The rear wiper on our Honda van needs to be replaced, so I looked it up in "the book" at the store, only to see that there was no size listed!
Odd, I thought. I know I have a wiper back there! Well, maybe it's just the same size as the previous model year, so I buy the 17" wiper and go on my way.
The installation proves to be a little confounding. It's not a standard hook mount at all. In fact, YOU CAN'T REPLACE THE BLADE AT ALL!
No sirree-- this is a SPECIAL wiper blade (because I guess Honda has a monopoly on superior engineering
) Turns out you can only replace the actual wiping surface-- like the old-school wiper "cartridges" that would slide in. But it's not a "normal" cartidge either. It's a special DEALER ONLY item, and the insert is of course, a mere $10.Now, here's the rant part:
WHY?
I REALLY want to hear from the engineer how the curvature of the rear window presents some kind of unique loading to the blade that warranted a departure from current designs. Or how mice are choked in the production of regular blades, and Honda is in favor of animal rights. Or how regular blades are dangerous to the environment, and this special blade is made of biodegradable rice rubber. Or some good reason why a regular hook style blade as used on 99.999999999999999% of all the other vehicles on the road, just was NOT good enough!
Otherwise, it just seems like a brazen attempt to force a person to the dealer to overpay for an inferior product.
NAH, a car company would NEVER do that!
Between this and the "special" PAX system tires (google it to learn more about the bane of your tire existence), I've learned to look at everything *much* more closely next time around.
I love this van, but I HATE maintaining it! It's really souring me on Honda in general-- I don't care how good a car it otherwise is.
Thanks-- I needed that
