new NSX owner:all's well that ends well...

[gunner]

What a scary weekend!There I was,due to go up to Fawcetts Honda Newbury to pick up their NSX on Saturday morning,naturally I had planned my w.e. around it.I had bargained hard for the car for weeks,and finally agreed to buy it.It is a 55plate targa,silverstone/black and one of the last 12 made with approx 4k miles on the clock.I put down a deposit,and on the Thursday when the dealership assured me in an email that all the little scuffs had been taken care of,I wired over the balance of the cash with confirmation that I would see them on saturday morning.
So I'm out at the pub fri night about 8ish when my phone goes.On the other end is a bloke I'd never heard of from Honda finance Europe telling me basically that the dealership has gone under,that all its stock has been repossessed and that my money had already been paid.I was sh*tting myself.He wasn't a bad bloke,but despite my pleadings/promptings/threats etc he would or could not tell me anymore and assured me we'd speak Monday (ie today).
Sleepless night ensues.I get busy on the phone on Sat am but to no avail.The only thing I did pick up from another dealer is that clearly there had been rumours circulating around the financial health of the Newbury franchise but nothing official had been issued.I alerted my lawyer.As I was chatting with him the original finance guy called to say that there was good news,the car was mine providing I could prove that I'd paid for it.My bank issued the relevent documentation and today the car was promptly dispatched from its storage facility to Honda Chiswick where I picked it up this evening.
It wasn't perhaps quite as well prepped as I might have hoped but the relief at finally driving it off having been so worried two days earlier that I might have done my money was indescribable.Well done to Honda for at least sorting it out promptly even if I feel pretty let down that the situation had to have occurred at all.Still I learned a valuable lesson.Bankers drafts for me in future,or insistence on a far more rigorous paper trail;I had felt very exposed.
The great news is I finally own this wonderful,unique car of which much more later.In the meantime thanks for reading my cautionary tale!!cheers.

[AnArtist]

That was a bit of a Heart stopper!! :shock:
Nice one !!
I do like a happy ending :P
(Plenty of pics please when you get the time.)

[Senninha]

Great ending and congratulations.

IMO, by far the BEST colour of the limited editions!

I look forward to seeing your new P&J soon.

Post some pics when you get a chance and realise you own it for real!!

Regards

[simonprelude]

Congratulations :)

Wondered if it was anyone from here, heard the Fawcetts tale on HondaRevolutions and re the NSX. Glad all has worked out.

[Senninha]

Knew I'd seen a photo somewhere, presume this is your new car...

Looks even better than I remember.

[NSXGB]

Very nice too, my second favorite colour.

[gunner]

that picture is not my car.It obviously looks identical but I have a feeling that particular car has the red interior whilst mine has the black.I am still somewhat troubled by the fact that certain people in the Honda community seemed aware that this dealership was failing and yet nobody saw fit to alert the public but I guess I should let bygones be bygones etc.
As for posting pics,how do you do that?Don't mean to sound like an idiot,I just have no idea.Still very excited about owning one of these.I just love how different they are to everything else on the road!In a sea of Porsches etc you just can't put a price on originality.

[jaytip]

I just love how different they are to everything else on the road!In a sea of Porsches etc you just can't put a price on originality.
Amen to that :D :D

[Senninha]

As for posting pics,how do you do that?

Once you've added your text, scroll down and click the 'add attachment' box. You can then search your photo files and click to add. You will have to do individually and I beleive the limit is 4 for any one posting. If they dont load (you can check in preview) you may have to resize the photo first.

HTH

regards

[TheQuietOne]

Hi,

Am I right in thinking this persuit all started after THAT PistonHeads thread...if so I'm very impressed with the purchase - and the choice of car..what an amazing combo, look forward to seeing some pics soon?!

If you are having trouble feel free to email them to me at the mrpictureresizer@dekkofolios.com and I will sort them out for you and email them back or post them!

Cheers,

Matt.

[simonprelude]

There have been various rumours on the honda revolutions website, but it all seemed to be final with this post on Friday.

http://forum.hondarevolutions.com/viewtopic.php?t=70734


I am still somewhat troubled by the fact that certain people in the Honda community seemed aware that this dealership was failing and yet nobody saw fit to alert the public but I guess I should let bygones be bygones etc.

[TheQuietOne]

Can you copy and paste it in here, not being a member I can't access the link?! (I really must get round to joining...)

[jaytip]

Can you copy and paste it in here, not being a member I can't access the link?!
Ditto that :(

[simonprelude]

This is alledgedly from someone close to the heart of fawcetts. No reponsibility on my part for the content.

This was from the 'The Drugge Institute' forum by Fawcetts, which is for alcohol induced moments............


HONDA DEALER BOYCOT!!! HUK DISGRACE!!!!!!!!!

Do not venture to any dealers, for parts or service cars.

This is what honda thinks of their customers, reposesed all vehyicles even sold ones, have to tell people they cant come and collect thier car, because honda decided they want it back, mst amazing thing is company hasnt gone bust, more ike honda flexing thier muscle. Our NSX thats sold going out tomorrow they said they wanted it back, guy that bought it gonna have nice suprise tomorow!

I am in amazmen of HUK and am activley gona take themdown by making known any car built in swindon is a piece of grapefruit only ja bult cars are worth having.

[TheQuietOne]

Thanks Simon,

Looks pretty nasty...maybe we should flag this kind of thing although it only happens once in a blue moon on here if the word NSX is mentioned...although sounds like the last thing gunner would have been doing is checking NSXCB in the circumstances. Seems he was extremely lucky to get his hands on the car!

Where is that thread from...is it contained within the Honda Revs forum then and run by Fawcettes?

Matt.

[gunner]

on the one hand I feel lucky.On the other I have never enjoyed buying a new car less for obvious reasons.I may be relieved and ultimately lucky but it was hardly a pleasurable transaction in the end.Do you guys think on balance I should be complaining to Honda UK more vociferously?

[simonprelude]

Just posted alegedly by fawcetts in the above mentioned section, by the way it's the Dugge Institute I have found out, must be some sort of IN
thing ??


Thanks Simon,

Looks pretty nasty...maybe we should flag this kind of thing although it only happens once in a blue moon on here if the word NSX is mentioned...although sounds like the last thing gunner would have been doing is checking NSXCB in the circumstances. Seems he was extremely lucky to get his hands on the car!

Where is that thread from...is it contained within the Honda Revs forum then and run by Fawcettes?

Matt.

[TheQuietOne]

on the one hand I feel lucky.On the other I have never enjoyed buying a new car less for obvious reasons.I may be relieved and ultimately lucky but it was hardly a pleasurable transaction in the end.Do you guys think on balance I should be complaining to Honda UK more vociferously?

I actually think you should. I'm not really one for confrontation etc, but I think that in this case you are due a few answers. I have no idea how the system works with Honda franchises, but I think you should at very least get an apology in writing from HUK for the trouble you went through. You have sunk a large amount of hard earned money into their coffers - and sounds as though but for the grace of god it could have been an extremely expensive lesson. If you make a fuss now it may well help people having the same experience or worse.

Let us know how you get on - and enjoy the car!!

Matt.

[Papalazarou]

"Cut their goolies off!"

Cheers,


James.

P.s, sorry, just finished work and a little tense!

[Senninha]

Just a thought but it may well be worth having a chat again with Ivan at Chiswick (I'm asuming he handed over your NSX?) as well as writing formally to Honda.

If you can get Ivan to support you then at least you may get the formal apology, but you could end up with the compensation (especially if you suggest same) in the form of free servicing or similar.

Hopefully you have been enjoying the NSX, perfect weather to be out and about.

regards

[Nick Graves]

Gunner,

I am sooo pleased it's worked out for you in the end.

I saw the car advertised on the web, so I am totally envious! It wasn't good timing, but it gives me hope that there are late model Ts out there.

Your experience is fairly typical of when a business fails and you were fortunate to be able to prove & retain title to the goods. Think of all those who lose their dough when Soggy Sofas folds & re-opens again the next week.

Rumours tend to be suppressed, because they will inevitably bring down a struggling business as a self-fulfilling prophecy. As happened with Borgward, MG-Rover, et al.

Your story has almost brought me out in a cold sweat. I'd enjoy your new car & put your story down to a fascinating anecdote.

[gunner]

thanks all of you for your good wishes with the car.I'm going to give it plenty of stick over the w.e.Interestingly I called Honda Customer Service yesterday and was given the name of a lady dealing with all Fawcetts Enquiries.I left a message for her but of course I've heard nothing back.
What's interesting to me in this instance is the franchise system.Surely Honda is responsible.When I located the car I did so via the Honda website,with an official Hoda dealer etc.Had I thought for any great length of time that I was dependent on Fawcetts' financial integrity I guess I'd have been more cautious but all the while I assumed that ultimately I was dealing with Honda UK.maybe I was just naive and lucky!
will try to call this woman again today and keep you posted...

[gunner]

don't want to bore on too much but how good is this car!I am fortunate to have driven most of what's out there Porsches,Lambo's,ferraris etc but I can't tell you how much I enjoyed the NSX this weekend and even more importantly,the wife loved it and she hates everything.Highlights are ride which is superb,visibility with those lovely narrow A pillars,ergonomics which I thought were fantastic despite certain dated interior elements.Best of all though,the gear shift is the best I've ever experienced,and of course the noise when you rev that engine.I hate the cliche,but it's utterly addictive.I have called up several people who own 911's and the like to recommend they have a crack in one of these,it's a huge eye opener!I'm so pleased I took the plunge.

[Martin]

...sounds like a happy ending. :D

I'm very pleased for you after all the hassle you've had, and I second James suggestion of to cut off their goolies! :twisted:

Cheers
Martin

[Senninha]

Great ending to the episode!!

May you (and the wife) enjoy many more weekends with the NSX :wink:

[jaytip]

Come on,photos,photos,photos.Lets see the beast.

[gunner]

ok,will take some photos this w.e.
As to my complaints,I finally got hold of the lady in question,and she was pretty straightforward.Honda can supposedly not do anything to monitor the financial wellbeing of its dealerships.All it can do,she tells me,is honour its customers in the way that,ultimately,i was and apologise for inconvenience etc.Clearly there are Fawcetts customers out there who still don't have there cars though but I am assured they will get them eventually.I was told someone from Honda would be contacting me but I have to say at this point I think I'd rather just forget the whole episode and enjoy the car.Cheers.