Yet another dealership service rant - but not Ford!

[b2tf]

It seems that shonky dealership warranty repairs aren't just limited to Ford as I found out today. Put the other half's Honda Accord Euro in today to have the CD player and interior light looked at under warranty. The CD player isn't recognising discs and the interior light has blown about 4 times in the past moth so I was concerned it may have a short etc.

The car is under extended warranty until January so I put it in to get these looked at because they would both be potentially costly things to rectify after the warranty is up. So, imagine my surprise when the GF rings me and tells me that they have dropped the car back to her work - with a bill!

The CD player is fine apparently - expected them to say that and will likely replace it with an aftermarket one anyway, so not really a big deal. BUT - and here's the clincher - the bill was to install a new light bulb in the interior light, which is apparently fine too. The bill - $32!!!!!!

$32 to install a damn festoon bulb doesnt seem right to me, so I rang to query it - sorry sir, that work wasn't covered under extended warranty and the bulb is a genuine Honda part. After enquiring whether the bulb was made from gold, silver or platinum to justify the price (and being told 'errr.....no,, i don't get what you mean?'), I asked why we were not called before the work was carried out to be asked if it was ok to do because we would be charged for it. "Oh, I um, don't know. But you were charged because that work wasn't under warranty". On top of that, apparently the interior light bulb HAS to be a genuine Honda one because "normal ones won't work". Obviously this girl does not know that I work in auto parts and that every festoon bulb is the same - and they most certainly do not cost $32.

So by now I am wondering just what this supposed 'warranty' DOES cover and I flat out refuse to pay the bill. Receptionist explains that the bill must be paid etc - I politely refer to the above mentioned points as the reasons why I will most certainly not pay the bill and we leave it at that. Can't believe it!

I'll be following this up tomorrow but I just cannot believe the hide of some dealers - to a) not cover the job when the car is under warranty, and b) go ahead and do a job which incurs a cost WITHOUT getting permission from the vehicle owner, is not right to me. Does anybody else have experience with Honda warranty?