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Bernardi Honda
When I was car shopping several years ago (yes, my Honda is still purring along quite nicely), I went to Bernardi and test-drove a car. But when I asked them for their best price, they refused to give me one. They said since I was "still shopping", it would be a waste of [their] time (i.e., if I found a lower price elsewhere, I'd never come back, and price isn't everything). They told me to shop around and come back to them for a price when I was "ready to buy."
I walked out then and there, and never went back. They were right, price isn't everything, and bad attitudes are a deal-breaker for me.
I bought at a dealer north of Boston, but have recently started servicing the car at Herb Chambers in Westborough. They seem competent enough, but aren't good at returning phone calls.
Service everywhere has gone WAY downhill.
Patricia McQueen 10/4/07
As I have stated previously regarding Bernardi, my wife and I went to check out their used cars in 2004. We saw one we liked, and then watched in amazement as they required a set of jumper cables to get the car started. As far as I know, that car could still be on their lot.
Also, you asked if they are fair. With all due respect, give us a break. Like any other business, car dealers exist to make money. If anyone is naive enough not to ask for a discount or for a better loan rate, then you are giving them a green light to rape your finances. Their salespeople, much like those at any car dealer, are justifiably looking out for their finances and commissions. Your finances, once you qualify for a loan or a lease and drive off the lot in your new car, are your problem, not theirs. Finally, one person's definition of fair will differ from everyone elses. Welcome to the world.
Tony Siciliano 10/4/07
Went to Bernardi Toyota when I was going for this car (Aug/05), before I went to Boch. They took my keys to look at my old car, while I was talking with them about a used one they had. Guess what....they wouldn't give me back my keys!!! I had to REPEATEDLY threaten to call the POLICE before I got them back. Needless to say, I told them to hold their breath until I came back...
Can you BELIEVE that???
Dan Wiener 9/6/07
Bernardi Honda is a dishonest Honda dealer. They absolutely refused to honor my lifetime warantee on my muffler/ tailpipe on a Honda del Sol purchased at Balise Honda in West Springfield. I had the work receipt and I had my original dealer call the Bernardi representative to tell them that I had in fact purchased and installed new factory warrenteed parts from them. My previous dealership representative was told by Bernardi that they would honor the warantee; they called me and told me not to worry. But, when I returned to Bernardi to get the exhaust fixed I was again told that the warrantee would not be honored and they quoted me a repair fee of over a thousand dollars. I can't remember the exact amount but it included a new factory Honda muffler and tailpipe - which I already had life time warentees for. I drove from Framingham to West Springfield and had my Honda del Sol repaired - new exhaust for free (excluding the 70 miles of gas / tolls / and time).
btw, while I was at Bernardi I happened to notice an ederly woman crying because they installed the wrong stereo system and they were billing her for more than she wanted to pay.
I will never bring my Honda Civic to Bernardi for repair.
Robin Kolnicki 9/6/07
Two years ago, following an oil change, the service guy tried to tell me my '93 Corolla's radiator was rusting and needed replacing b/c, afterall, I had 150K on the car. When I told the guy that the radiator was actually a replacement and only two years old, quickly he went dead silent -- like a deer in the headlights. Clearly he hadn't actually inspected the radiator. I looked at it myself later and found no rust whatsoever. That outfit is good for oil changes and the free carwash, but don't trust them any further than you can toss them for anything else.
Matt Elliott 9/3/07
I am finding the same problem with Bernardi Toyota!!! The last few times I've gone there they have tried to tell me I need something I don't for well over hundreds of dollars. The last time I went there they tried to tell me I needed a new water pump. I took my Camry to another mechanic on Route 135 and he put it up on the lift and looked all around. Bernardi had told me it was leaking! There was no water to be found.
Judy Patterson 9/4/07
Bernardi Honda is a bad apple. They told me I needed a new steering column. I took my VW Passat to a local mechanic who tightened the steering column. A tall friend of mind had moved the wheel forward when she was driving it and hadn't tightened it down properly when she moved it back. This was four years ago now, and the car has never needed a new steering column. When I told the mechanics about their mistake (and by the way, a new steering column costs $900), they shrugged.
So I would say NEVER use Bernardi Honda/VW. They also had a habit of installing wiper blades which cost a fortune and generally lasted about eight months. . .
Sybil E Schlesinger 3 Sep 2007
I would like to second Enzo's experience with bernardi. Back when I was younger and stupid(er) I bought a Prelude and allowed Bernardi to do all of the service. Wotta huge mistake. They make half their income by constantly redoing brakes. They charge a huge hourly rate but they do it with a smile on their face. The brake game is that they want to replace the pads and rotors after 20-25% usage. It's a huge moneymaker. They also got me for lots of other things that are now obvious fraud maneuvers. About a year ago my friend Chuck brought his Toyota there because of a malfunctioning AC. Bernardi ran the diagnostics and told him that he needed to replace the entire bloody condenser for $1300 because of a pinhole leak that was visible (to them) when they pressure tested under UV light. Chuck said no thanks and noted that they did not try to collect on the $110 diagnostic fee that they told him would happen. Then he took the car to his favorite gas station mechanic, the kind of guy who fixes things but has grubby hands when he takes your money. There was no leak, he needed a recharge, and the AC worked fine after that. Total cost of the recharge was a fraction of what the B boys wanted.
As a general rule, my take is that by definition, dealers are service crooks and should only be used in the event that they have a tool needed that your regular mechanic can't justify owning. Pretty rare. And *never* use Bernardi. You may know a dealer who does honest service, but since their rates are always higher, why bother?
Steven W. Orr 6 Oct 2006
We have bought a new '93 VW Passat,then traded for a new '03 Honda Odyssey and both serviced exclusively by Bernardi. The VW had more problems with it then the 15 or so vehicles I've owned combined and we did experience disatisfaction from Bernardi. Most problems were repeat repairs for the same problems, although under warranty, we had to have it towed six times to them.
Maybe during our Passat years service was bad due to the constant frustration the service department had when dealing with all the VW reliabilty problems, which is probably why they just recently stopped selling VW's.
However since owning the Odyssey I noticed that the service seems a whole lot better at least since 2003. Other than routing maintenance, we did experience softness in the front end when cornering or over bumps. Bernardi found a leaking front shock and replaced under warranty, making the van steer and ride like new again.
Brad Richelson 6 Oct 2006
We recently had our 2001 Toyota Camry in to Bernardi's on Route 9 in Framingham for an oil change and a Massachusetts inspection sticker. The car passed inspection. When picking up the car the service writer said that there was a serious problem with the brakes. He asked his mechanic to accompany us and he told me that I would need an immediate brake job because of the danger present with the braking system and that the cost would be $800. After leaving the dealership I received two additional opinions about the condition of my brakes. Both other opinions were that I did not need new brakes. Lakeside Garage on Hollis Street told me that I had 15,000 to 20,000 additional miles remaining on my brakes. This car has only been driven 25,000 miles. I will never bring either of my two Toyots's back to Bernardi's for service.
Enzo Rotatori 6 Oct 2006
I have had a hugely bad experience with Bernardi when I used to drive my yellow Prelude. In retrospect, it was very clear that I was raped over and over by those crooks.
Most recently, a friend of mine brought his car in for what they said was a leaking condenser on his air-conditioner. They told him that they would charge the system and then view it using UV light to see if there really was a leak. They saw the leak and give him a bill to fix it for $850. He declined to go forward on the repair and ended up taking it to a local garage that he trusted. The local garage found no leak, recharged the system and it's been fine ever since. The icing on the cake was that Bernardi didn't charge him for the test ($150) like they promised they would.
Steven W. Orr 1 Jul 2005
I wonder if anyone legally knowledgeable could give me a bit of advice regarding whether or not I have a case against Bernardi? (This is also a recommendation against them. They failed to diagnose what turned out to be a serious problem, and claimed another problem was much harder and more expensive to fix than it turned out to be.)
I took my ailing Honda there a month ago to (among other things) diagnose a weird scraping noise. I was told verbally that it was not dangerous, nothing to worry about. So although I could have paid to have it investigated, I chose not to. I was basically ADVISED not to, actually!
Now I have learned that it was the emergency brake calipers, a problem that has been growing steadily worse (and more expensive to fix) and that actually made the car unsafe to drive, accoring to another Honda dealer.
I called Bernardi and was basically told they are unwilling to do anything for me because the invoice says "customer declined further diagnosis at this time." Also, the fellow who gave me the advice no longer works for Bernardi.
I suspect, sadly, that I do not have a case here. Any thoughts from anyone knowledgeable?
Thanks, Lisa Wolf 1 Jul 2005
MetroWest Subaru
948 Worcester Road, Natick
508-651-2000 3 Sep 2007 http://www.subaru.com
I've had my 2001 Forrester serviced regularly at Natick Subaru, now Metrowest Subaru, and have found them to be fine for oil changes and routine maintenance, but expensive for big things like tires, brakes, etc. When I needed new tires, they quoted me a price that was more than double that quoted by Direct Tire, and after researching the two different tire options, I discovered that the quality was identical. Similarly, they've been telling me for at least a year that I'll need new brakes "soon," but an independent mechanic said that the brakes were just over 60% worn and that I could "watch and wait."
I was very happy with the service at Direct Tire, and they gives you loaners for big jobs like brakes or having all 4 tires replaced, which is a huge help.
Nomi Sofer 09/04/2007