Parker Johnstone's Wilsonville Honda — Local services in Wilsonville

My wife and I purchased a “new” used Honda vehicle from Wilsonville Honda in late April of this year. We’re happy with the vehicle, itself, but less so with our purchase experience. To be clear, we went to Wilsonville Honda because they were advertising the vehicle we ended up purchasing. We arrived at the dealership mid-afternoon on a Saturday, and the sales rep was able to find the vehicle’s keys, join us for a test drive and answer some basic questions. We also looked at another vehicle but decided to purchase the one we came in to see. As a bonus, the sales rep informed us that the previous owner had decided to not keep the plates, so that we wouldn’t have to buy new plates for the vehicle, which would save us money when registering the vehicle.

After agreeing to purchase the vehicle, we were asked to wait in the lobby for over an hour before the “finance guy” was available to complete the paperwork with us. By then we were already getting tired and hungry. Even though we were paying in cash and not financing, there is a mountain of paperwork that needs to be completed when purchasing a vehicle, and it takes a lot of time. Had we been more aware of this fact, we probably would’ve come back another day to complete the transaction, which in hindsight, would’ve been smart. Along the way, we asked the team several questions about the vehicle and were promised that someone would follow up with us with answers. Unfortunately, no one ever did. We also discovered that we were charged for new vehicle registration and license plates even though the vehicle already had them. When we asked “why”, we were told they’d investigate and get back to us. Noone ever did, even after making a follow-up trip back to the dealership. Ultimately, I ended up having to replace the plates that came with the vehicle with new plates the DMV sent us, only to discover that the registration for the new plates expires in two years, whereas the registration stickers for the plates that came with the vehicle expired in three years. So now we’ll end up paying even more to register the vehicle again in 2027 rather than in 2028.

Ultimately, even though we are satisfied with our purchase, we are not very satisfied with our purchase experience. The Wilsonville Honda team certainly did not make us feel like we were a valued customer with an intention of building a longer-term dealer-customer relationship. Instead, it felt like just a transaction. We got a “new” used vehicle; Wilsonville Honda...

Long story short: Car service inaccurately recorded.

The whole ordeal: We brought our 2021 vehicle in for an oil change and routine maintenance recommended by the technician. Upon arrival we were informed about some recalls on the car, including an issue with the mirror We opted to have the work done at the dealership so that our warranty would be honored and everyone at the dealership seemed great. While driving home we noticed that our driver’s side view mirror was stuck and could not be adjusted. The side view mirror replacement was one of the recalls we had addressed, so we called and set up an appointment to have the mirror fixed again…not a big deal. The following Saturday we brought the car in and had the mirror fixed. The customer service rep told me that the technician was not able to verify my complaint. I was shocked since the mirror was clearly not working and the other customer service agent that checked me in said that the mirror did not work for him either (which he later backtracked and said he heard it click, but is not a tech and does not know what the range of normal is for the mirrors). I said I did not feel comfortable signing the paperwork that my complaint wasn’t verified and the customer service rep said let’s go out and make sure the mirror is working. We went to the car, did a test drive, and the mirror functioned properly but the glass was distorted. Customer rep said the tech must have cleaned the mirror and tried to wipe off the distortion with a rag, which did not fix the problem. The mirror had been replaced. At this point, I asked to talk to the tech. Tech said the mirror was working fine and then he adjusted it with a tool. I questioned why he adjusted the mirror if he found it to be working fine and he said it was working and then it didn’t. At this time the customer service rep said she couldn’t have me talking to the tech, dismissed him, and said she would not lie on the paperwork. She reassured me my warranty was covering the mirror and they would fix the warped glass, but refused to document my initial complaint of my car being broken when it was being worked on to address the recall. Honda fixed both issues and the managers were very responsive, but their documentation was inaccurate and the whole experience was bizarre. If this issue ever comes up for you I highly recommend showing the tech the issue, so it is...

The service department gave me a Christmas gift, and for that I will be very grateful. It was not all smooth, but in the end they did right by me and that will lead me to a five-star review anytime

My 2010 Honda Odyssey went into the shop and was diagnosed with major engine issues. It was a big estimate, but in talking through with the department, it seemed like it would be worth the repair to buy me a few years. They gave me a nice loaner while they repaired it. The estimate was about a week. We called a week later (they had not yet followed-up), and we heard that there was a problem. The job was actually bigger than what they had originally estimated. And the parts were not going to be available for a month. They gave the option that they could put me back together as a short term, but it would be over 1K. And then it would be even more than the original estimate to make it right. That was more than the car was worth to us, so we told them to halt all the work. We thought at that point the bill would be low.

When I went to settle the bill (intended to tow the car away), I was informed that they did in fact put it back together. I was expecting a small bill and I might be faced with a big one. I wasn't not happy at this point because the communication wasn't transparent. But the whole time they did listen to me and I did feel like they cared.

In the end, they actually decided to forgive the work they did (including some new parts that I didn't realize they added). I was able to drive the car home. And now it will be easier for me to see it since it does run.

This could have gone totally different, and I could have (and might have) written a 1 star review. I may have never considered a Honda again with the way I was feeling. But instead I was given an experience that was truly above what I had expected. That is what drives me to brand loyalty. I don't think I'll end up with another Honda this time around, but I will for sure always think of this dealership when I'm in the market again....