sorry to post this unusual question but here's my dilemma:
a) service manager (highly reputable) used to work for acura (where i bought my vehicle from) and am satisfied with how they fixed my vehicle before (eg. under warranty repairs - personally supervised by service mgr)

b) need my A1 service soon - the service manager actually moved over to a honda dealership (spoke with her briefly and she said they do all services the same in honda)

would you move dealerships to have your rdx serviced with honda bec of the service mgr?

i know it will NOT void my warranty, but then our vehicle is an RDX = turbo = diff engine, diff spec. will the honda technicians be able to service our vehicles appropriately? or shld i play it safe and stick with acura dealership?

 

If it is just an A1 (oil change and rotate tires), should not be an issue, so long as they know to put in Mobil 1 oil in 5w-30, not the usual 5w-20 oil most Hondas use...but here is a reason not to use a Honda dealer.

There is an alleged story (facts still getting sorted out) where a guy brought his RL into a Honda dealer for service including rear diff. The rear diff seems to have packed up, and one possibility is the Honda dealer put in the wrong fluid, VTM-4 instead of ATF-Z1. Again, allegations only, but a cautionary tale, nevertheless...

 

I wouldn't worry about taking it to a Honda dealer for service, you won't be able to have warranty work done there though. The only downside I can see is if you need some sort of "goodwill" warranty work done down the line, you will be much more successful getting this done if you had a history of servicing at the Acura dealer.

 

thanks chas. yeah - i do see both your points: it's not an issue but "here's a reason not to use honda"... hence the question.

net, it's essentially -- do i a) follow the trusty service manager (who thankfully went to a honda) or b) stick with the "mother" dealer (where the servce manager used to work and have had good service when srvc mgr was there).

 

yes, another "pro" for the "mother" ship dealer. thanks!

 

I get more than half of my oil changes at the Honda dealer a couple miles from my house. Still use a "honda' oil filter and Mobil 1....

 

thanks XIS, ill try to build a service (non-warranty related) relationship with "mother dealer" first this time around. next time, it'll be with honda (where my previous service mgr went).

 

if other than convenience due to location, every honda dealer ive called for the RDX has basically the same pricing as the acura dealership. spend the extra 10-20 and get it done w/acura. good will will count at some point if ur an owner. plus, not sure if ALL acura dealerships do it, but cant beat pick up/drop off and cleaned car. never had that at a honda dealership unless they elected to do so and that was rare.

 

Honda dealerships in MD area tell u to bring it to an Acura dealership :-/

 

I thought the owner's manual recommended using Mobil1 oil AND filter. I bought my RDX used from a dealership group that included a Honda dealership but not an Acura. They did all the fluid changes required for the 50k miles maintenance before I took delivery on it and I was happily surprised to find that they used a Mobil1 oil filter. I didn't know (until after I read the manual to get the oil amount for refill) about the Mobil1 filter being recommended so I have an Acura filter on there right now. I'll be going back to the Mobil1 filter on my next oil change in a couple of days.

 

I've gotten A1 service done at a Honda dealer in Alabama and now in Northern New York and never had any problems. I do make sure to mention synthetic just to make sure I don't get a raised eyebrow and confused look. It may make a difference though that I've never lived closer than an hour to the nearest Acura dealer and often see other Acuras serviced at my Honda dealer.

You are out of luck for any warranty work you need though, for that its off to the Acura dealer you go . . . eventhough the busted part had "honda" stamped on it . . . grr.

 

Our RDX is a Honda company car, and they get serviced at Honda Marysville and not Acura Columbus.