Bye, Bye Bernardi Honda!!

I had an pretty bad experience with Bernardi Honda in Natick, MA
reciently, and thought I would share the email I sent to their service
manager. PS: They never got back to me. No suprise there. There's a
brand new Honda Dealer just up the road from them in Shrewsbury MA,
Ragsdale Honda.
See ya later Bernardi!

To: Rick Voss - Service Director, Bernardi Honda
Dear Rick;

Yesterday, I had my '99 Civic in for service and repair work, for
$771.55 total. It's been a great car, and Bernardi has been a good
dealership over the years. I have no problems with any of the work
done or the repairs, but I do have a problem with the "Mass State
Inspection" preformed by your dealership.

I arrived at Bernardi a little early. The service and repairs were
complete; they were just starting the state inspection. I was told it
would take about 10 minutes, so I sat in the waiting room (for about 25
minutes). I finally came back into the service department, and with
some checking, I was told "it is ready". Ok, great.

Going over my invoice, the tech told me that "They had to replace the
wipers due to wear, to pass the state inspection". Considering that
I drove the car to Bernardi in the pouring rain that morning, I was a
bit surprised. I'll admit that there was probably a little bit of
wear on the wipers, and that they probably did need to be replaced at
some point in the future, but I've never heard of anyone being denied
an inspection sticker due to simple "wear of the wipers".

I asked the service tech what criteria, what tests, what calibration
standards are used to check wipers. They didn't know, so I checked
it out at the Mass RMV website.

According to the Registry of Motor Vehicels, "(d) Windshield
Wiper(s). Test for proper operation. If the vehicle was equipped with
two wipers, as furnished by the manufacturer, both must be maintained
in good working order. Wiper blades must properly contact the
windshield and, be of the same length as those furnished as original
equipment. The rubber elements shall be free from damage or tears."

I did not have any tears in the wipers. The word "damage" is a
very broad and generalized term. Had it not been raining that day,
I'll bet you would have not even noticed any "wear". The RMV
does not require you to wet the windshield and make a "value
judgment" on the wipers ability to clear the windshield. I've seen
wipers that streak "out of the box", including the ones you just
put on my car.

Finally, I don't understand why I was not told that new wipers were
needed - as I was sitting in the dealership at the time. When I
questioned about them before I left, one of the service techs at
Bernardi suggested that they "put on my old wipers or give me the new
ones for free" (ie: get me out of there, because they knew Bernardi
was wrong). How could you have given me a sticker and then put back on
my old wipers if they were "illegal" to begin with? Huh? Would
you put on a new catalytic converter just to pass inspection and then
put the old one back on for a customer?

I needed the car, so I paid for the new wipers, and don't really have
a problem with the $17.32 it cost me.

What I do have a problem with is the fact that Bernardi is probably
doing the same thing to a lot of their customers that require a new
inspection sticker - including your customers who were referrals by me.


I feel that Bernardi is "interpreting" the RMV requirements,
probably for their own corporate profit, and doing so at the expense of
their customers.

I have lost faith, and all it took was a $17 pair of wipers which I
really didn't need to begin with.

Was it worth it?

"dj" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>I had an pretty bad experience with Bernardi Honda in Natick, MA
> reciently, and thought I would share the email I sent to their service
> manager. PS: They never got back to me. No suprise there. There's a
> brand new Honda Dealer just up the road from them in Shrewsbury MA,
> Ragsdale Honda.
> See ya later Bernardi!
>
> To: Rick Voss - Service Director, Bernardi Honda
> Dear Rick;
>
> Yesterday, I had my '99 Civic in for service and repair work, for
> $771.55 total. It's been a great car, and Bernardi has been a good
> dealership over the years. I have no problems with any of the work
> done or the repairs, but I do have a problem with the "Mass State
> Inspection" preformed by your dealership.
>
> I arrived at Bernardi a little early. The service and repairs were
> complete; they were just starting the state inspection. I was told it
> would take about 10 minutes, so I sat in the waiting room (for about 25
> minutes). I finally came back into the service department, and with
> some checking, I was told "it is ready". Ok, great.
>
> Going over my invoice, the tech told me that "They had to replace the
> wipers due to wear, to pass the state inspection". Considering that
> I drove the car to Bernardi in the pouring rain that morning, I was a
> bit surprised. I'll admit that there was probably a little bit of
> wear on the wipers, and that they probably did need to be replaced at
> some point in the future, but I've never heard of anyone being denied
> an inspection sticker due to simple "wear of the wipers".
>
> I asked the service tech what criteria, what tests, what calibration
> standards are used to check wipers. They didn't know, so I checked
> it out at the Mass RMV website.
>
> According to the Registry of Motor Vehicels, "(d) Windshield
> Wiper(s). Test for proper operation. If the vehicle was equipped with
> two wipers, as furnished by the manufacturer, both must be maintained
> in good working order. Wiper blades must properly contact the
> windshield and, be of the same length as those furnished as original
> equipment. The rubber elements shall be free from damage or tears."
>
> I did not have any tears in the wipers. The word "damage" is a
> very broad and generalized term. Had it not been raining that day,
> I'll bet you would have not even noticed any "wear". The RMV
> does not require you to wet the windshield and make a "value
> judgment" on the wipers ability to clear the windshield. I've seen
> wipers that streak "out of the box", including the ones you just
> put on my car.
>
> Finally, I don't understand why I was not told that new wipers were
> needed - as I was sitting in the dealership at the time. When I
> questioned about them before I left, one of the service techs at
> Bernardi suggested that they "put on my old wipers or give me the new
> ones for free" (ie: get me out of there, because they knew Bernardi
> was wrong). How could you have given me a sticker and then put back on
> my old wipers if they were "illegal" to begin with? Huh? Would
> you put on a new catalytic converter just to pass inspection and then
> put the old one back on for a customer?
>
> I needed the car, so I paid for the new wipers, and don't really have
> a problem with the $17.32 it cost me.
>
> What I do have a problem with is the fact that Bernardi is probably
> doing the same thing to a lot of their customers that require a new
> inspection sticker - including your customers who were referrals by me.
>
>
> I feel that Bernardi is "interpreting" the RMV requirements,
> probably for their own corporate profit, and doing so at the expense of
> their customers.
>
> I have lost faith, and all it took was a $17 pair of wipers which I
> really didn't need to begin with.
>
> Was it worth it?


Wow, we really are a booton-line society. so much for building up good
will. $17 for wipers you admit were close to replacement time and you are
out the door.

that's rough.

Hugh Graham

>

"dj" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> I have lost faith, and all it took was a $17 pair of wipers which I
You're the type that would sue them if you got in an accident after leaving
the shop and claim it was because they didn't replace the wipers.

"dj" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Going over my invoice, the tech told me that "They had to replace the
> wipers due to wear, to pass the state inspection". Considering that
> I drove the car to Bernardi in the pouring rain that morning, I was a
> bit surprised. I'll admit that there was probably a little bit of
> wear on the wipers, and that they probably did need to be replaced at
> some point in the future, but I've never heard of anyone being denied
> an inspection sticker due to simple "wear of the wipers".

I can't speak for MA specifically, but here in NY, a car can and will be
failed due to wipers.

> I asked the service tech what criteria, what tests, what calibration
> standards are used to check wipers. They didn't know, so I checked
> it out at the Mass RMV website.
>
> According to the Registry of Motor Vehicels, "(d) Windshield
> Wiper(s). Test for proper operation. If the vehicle was equipped with
> two wipers, as furnished by the manufacturer, both must be maintained
> in good working order. Wiper blades must properly contact the
> windshield and, be of the same length as those furnished as original
> equipment. The rubber elements shall be free from damage or tears."
>
> I did not have any tears in the wipers. The word "damage" is a
> very broad and generalized term. Had it not been raining that day,
> I'll bet you would have not even noticed any "wear". The RMV
> does not require you to wet the windshield and make a "value
> judgment" on the wipers ability to clear the windshield. I've seen
> wipers that streak "out of the box", including the ones you just
> put on my car.

Once again, speaking for NY, it is a visual inspection of the contact (to
the window) edge of the wiper blade. for Visible tears. Also includes
running ones finger along the blade edge to feel for rough spots.

> Finally, I don't understand why I was not told that new wipers were
> needed - as I was sitting in the dealership at the time. When I
> questioned about them before I left, one of the service techs at
> Bernardi suggested that they "put on my old wipers or give me the new
> ones for free" (ie: get me out of there, because they knew Bernardi
> was wrong). How could you have given me a sticker and then put back on
> my old wipers if they were "illegal" to begin with? Huh? Would
> you put on a new catalytic converter just to pass inspection and then
> put the old one back on for a customer?

No, they couldn't put the old ones back on, but "should" have comped you the
new ones as a courtesy because they neglected to get your OK.

On the flip side, had the tech come out (as he should have) and told you the
inspetion would be failed due to wipers, would you have given the OK to swap
them? Or would you have taken your failure (and if applicable, 10 day
temporary "drive till repaired" tag), gone and replaced the wipers yourself
for nearly the same amount, then taken the time to have your car
re-inspected (free here in NY at same station that failed you within the
10day period)?

In article >,
says...

>I can't speak for MA specifically, but here in NY, a car can and will be
>failed due to wipers.

True, but I have never seen anyone do more than turn the wipers on and
make sure they sweep across the windshield. No one every actually inspects
the wiper itself.

>Once again, speaking for NY, it is a visual inspection of the contact (to
>the window) edge of the wiper blade. for Visible tears. Also includes
>running ones finger along the blade edge to feel for rough spots.

I've never seen anyone do that. I've been getting at least 2 cars a year
for the past 25 years or so.

---------
Alex