Online Testimonials and Reviews from our customers - First Texas Honda

"As a locally owned and operated dealership and service center, we at First Texas Honda have always stayed closely connected with our customers and are proud of the strong reputation for quality and value we have established with our customers in Central Texas and beyond. On this page we hope you will learn some of the reasons why customers choose First Texas Honda and have continued to honor us with their business for over 40 years.

However, we know that there is always room for improvement and therefore welcome your feedback, whether positive or negative, so that we may learn from your experiences and continue to improve our business. We also actively search for reviews posted online and are committed to addressing individual customer concerns, wherever we may find them.

We appreciate our customers both for their loyalty and for their important role in helping us make First Texas Honda the best it can be. Thank you very much, and we look forward to hearing from you."

Click on the logos below to view and leave customer comments, recommendations, and reviews:

"We're All About Austin!"

The Hardeman Family: Will and Genny

"In 1995 my Dad bought me a Civic from First Texas Honda as a graduation gift for me as I went off to college. That car had absolutely no problems whatsoever. NONE!!! It had 142,000 miles on it. The only reason I had to go back to them is because my wife was in a wreck with it and it got totalled. So what did I do... Got my insurance settlement money since the wreck was the other person's fault and went to First Texas Honda and bought a Pilot for my growing family. Love it. The buying experience was nice, and they got me a better interest rate than my credit union. So RUN, don't walk to them. My only grump was the make ready folks did not do a good job of cleaning out the back end. I took the car to my in-laws this weekend ( I bought the car on last Friday) and found trash still in one of the drink holders in the back end. Also, the folding 3rd row had crumbs in the space for the seat belt buckle. That is why I only gave them 4 instead of 5 stars.

Kenneth P. - Posted 2/23/2010 - yelp

"We are so glad you had a good experience here at First Texas Honda. We thrive on constructive criticism to improve our business. We are disappointed we didn't get five stars. I don't know why your Pilot was left with crumbs in the third row and trash in the cup holder. Our service department will personally handle a re-clean and give you a complimentary detail for use anytime in the future. Just ask for Garrett Liming our service manager. Thank you for your continued loyalty you've shown toward our store, we appreciate your business! "

Response - Suzette Burrow - Public Relations

"Love them Honda"

Ed Watkins - Posted 1/25/2010 - facebook

"I LOVE MY HONDA>>>>HONDA OWNERS ROCK!!!!!"

Elizabeth Leader - Posted 1/25/2010 - facebook

"i love my gs-r swaped 92 civic hatch"

Steven Tallent - Posted 1/23/2010 - facebook

"It's great to own an Accord!!"

Lorette Johansen - Posted 1/20/2009 - facebook

"good job 1st TX Honda."

Burdda B. - Posted 1/14/2010 - Yelp

"i don't know if i should give this place a higher review because i love my honda so much or because it's so close to my house, but i think 3-4 stars is a pretty reasonable ranking for them. my purchase experience was pretty good. liked the sales guy, not too pushy. the financing people weren't my favorites, but what can you do? that part is never fun. my car was clean and pristine when i drove it off the lot, and it's been wonderful ever since. i just hit the 10,000 mile mark and my husband suggested i take it back to the dealer for the service (oil/filter change, tire rotation, whatever) because the dealer "does those little extra things" like wiping down your dash, cleaning the windshield, vacuuming the floor mats. ya know. well, imagine my disappointment when that wasn't done at all. it took them a little over an hour (that's fine, i can go to thunderbird), and no special touches. while still affordable (certainly compared to other dealer prices), i'm now just wondering why i bothered going there instead of swinging through groovy lube over my lunch break....."

Piper B. - Posted 1/5/2010 - Yelp

"My name is Suzette Burrow and I am in public relations for the Continental Automotive Group. First, I am so glad that you had a good purchase experience with our dealership and you are enjoying your Honda. I wanted to respond to your review because I was disappointed to read that your experience with our service department was less than you expected. After talking to the service manager, he told me they don't do courtesy car washes after service appointments. I am so sorry that was an expectation that you had before your visit. To make it right we are willing to give you a detail wash. Just contact the Service Manager Armando for details and to set-up an appointment. We thank you for your continued loyalty."

Response - Suzette Burrow - Public Relations

"I just got a 2010 Insight for Christmas, $10,000 cheaper and 10 miles more per gal than Crosstour. As far as I'm concerned no contest. I Win!"

Carole Lewis - Posted 12/30/2009 - facebook

"I worked with Craig in the service department. I was in and out in about 45 minutes. The guys were all friendly even though it was busy. One female worker must have been having a bad day or something because she was put off with being friendly. Other than that, and that the place was confusing on where to go and which building to go in, I had a pleasant experience. No up-sells, surprises, or haggles."

T T. - Posted 12/28/2009 - Yelp

"1995 civic with a b16 from an sir2. the wife is in a 95' integra special edition. Honda's for life for me."

Dale Taylor - Posted 12/26/2009 - facebook

"These people are retarded. I called another Honda service center (non-dealer) about an airbag sensor light that was coming on, provided the code and issue, and was given an estimate for parts and labor to resolve the issue. On the other hand, this dealership basically told me they don't know what that code means and will have to get the car in to even give me a quote, despite me telling them exactly what parts i need replaced. I don't call that good service. I'll do my best to never take my car here because it sure sounded like a "we want to suck your pocketbook dry" answer."

Kwan I. - Posted 12/21/2009 - Yelp

"I wanted to respond on behalf of First Texas Honda. I don't know who you spoke with in our service department and I am so sorry that you didn't have a good experience at our dealership. I assure you that is not how we do business. I don't know why you didn't get straight answers when you called in and I am truly sorry that we didn't meet your expectations. I hope that you will try us again in the future and give us another opportunity to take care of your service needs on your Honda. "

Response - Suzette Burrow - Public Relations

"i have a 2009 Honda Civic EX... love the car... hate driving, but not anymore..."

Mark Eslick - Posted 12/16/2009 - facebook

"We have 07 CRV and 08 Civic and like both of them!!! Wouldn't trade"

Cindy Bennett - Posted 12/15/2009 - facebook

"2006 Civic SI coupe, gotta love it"

Tim Smoak - Posted 12/7/2009 - facebook

"2009 HONDA ACOORD V6.. I LOVE MY VTEC"

Sal Raio - 12/7/2009 - facebook

"2003 Honda Element I love it...... would not drive any other auto from now on but a Honda........"

Rebecca Collins Marski - Posted 12/5/2009 - facebook

"I had a price agreed upon on a new CRV via e-mail. When I arrived and informed them that I didn't need their financing, the price went up! I walked out, never to return!"

Chris S. - Posted 12/3/2009 - Yelp

"My name is Gary Coen and I am one the Managers at First Texas Honda, I was extremely disappointed to hear about your experience with us, I can assure you that is not the way we do business. I wish at the time that it happened i would have known. If there is anything i can do for you in the future, please don't hesitate to contact me directly. "

Response - Gary Coen - New Car Sales Manager

"Love my CRV----"

Carlos Harris - Posted 11/28/2009 - facebook

"hell yeah i love hondas"

Nathan Keller - Posted 11/27/2009 - facebook

"Purchased my 2010 Honda Insight from First Texas about a month ago, and I absolutely love it! I'm averaging about 45 mpg in town and 50 and above on the highway. I LOVE THIS CAR!"

Scott Henry-Valla - Posted 11/11/2009 - facebook

"Just got my civic a few weeks ago... i love it :)"

Ben Kraemer - Posted 11/1/2009 - facebook

"first car i ever got was '02 Accord! love it but now its a bit "used" & time for a new one! I am still a student & will be driving at least 3hr roundtrip to school Everyday & I am a single mother of a Growing 2 yr old Boy. **I don't know whether to get the New 'Insite-hybrid' or the 'Fit'...... any suggestions????"

Vida Dulce - Posted 10/23/2009 - facebook

"this is where i bought my 1st car :) They did me good! NO COMPLAINTS! it was not a honda but a car on their used car lot..."

Rochelle Bubenik Kinter - Posted 10/20/2009 - facebook

"this is where i bought my 1st car :) They did me good! NO COMPLAINTS! it was not a honda but a car on their used car lot..."

Rochelle Bubenik Kinter - Posted 10/19/2009 - facebook

"I went to First Texas Honda on Saturday and met with Al who was nice and knowledgable about what it was I wanted.. I was actually going for a 2010 Civic when he mentioned (Or I did can't remember) that the 09 models have 2.9% financing with approved credit.. knowing that we had great credit that was really good! When I got there I was looking at the LX models.. not knowing the differences.. Well, just to show me he showed the beautiful red civic in the showroom-You know the always jacked up priced one cause it has almost everything.. Well, the sticker was 22.5k and it was on sale for 20.4k. Well, what no one told me was.. is that since we qualify for the 2.9 we can't get the reduced price.. it was either the reduced price OR the 2.9. (Found this info out at Howdy Honda) So I was pretty upset and I called the dealership and Lois said well, thats right... So, I just asked if I could have both and she said she would get back to me after she talks to the Sales Manager.. Well, needless to say I didn't expect a call back-after all they are loosing money I think. Thirty minutes later Lois assures me that they can do the price AND the 2.9! Amazing I thought! 2 hours later the car was driven off the lot. (After I decided to get a bunch of stuff added) Overall my experience was good. I can't give it 5 stars because I wasn't told about the price/apr thing.. I would and I will recommend this dealership to anyone.. "

09 Civic - Posted 10/14/2009 - CitySearch

"I'm not sure why everyone is so negative about this place! Al was VERY nice and helpful, gave me more information then I could have asked for. He didn't ask a bunch of silly questions, he knew that I was stuck on the 2.9% OFFER from Honda.. etc... Not only did he get me that (good credit) I also got the best price.. I shopped Howdy Honda and they kept telling me that they couldn't beat the price they were offering. We were upfront and told them what we wanted, how much and what price.. they didnt go round and round and round. Overall we are very pleased with our Civic and when its time for a new one, we will be back here."

HappyHappy - Posted 10/12/2009 - YahooLocal

"I would give this place 0 stars if possible - the Service Deparment is the worst - I emailed the service manager to let him know of my experience about a year ago, they guy never even responded."

Hey - Posted 9/17/2009 - Google

"My name is Garrett Liming, and I am the Service Director at First Texas Honda. I came across your review on Google, and it was easy to surmise that we have failed you in some aspect. You mentioned that you tried to email the Service Manager about a year ago, and we did not respond. Whatever the reason, I apologize. I took over as the manager of the department in August of 2008, so I have been in this position for a little over a year. It very well could have been me that did not respond, or the previous Manager, but whatever the case may be, I would be more than happy to re-open some dialogue between us. We take situations like yours very seriously, and like everyone, we learn from our mistakes. I am not able to respond directly to you through Google, so I only have the ability to post this on our website. That being said, if this finds you, please feel free to contact me directly, so I can revisit your concern, and hopefully prove to you that we actually DO care.""

Response - Garrett Liming - Service Director

"I've been going to this dealership for service for the last 5 years. I actually like taking my car in because their lounge is nice, they work on my car quickly and they rarely have turnover in service managers."

Kara - Posted 9/3/2009 - Google

"I have always had very good experiences with First Texas Honda, Sales and Service Dept. These guys work hard, aren't over-bearing and are very helpful"

Stephanie P. - Posted 8/27/2009 - InsiderPages

"Thank you for the positive feedback about our employee’s hard work. We appreciate the compliments. Hope to see you again, for your next scheduled maintenance. "

Response - Jennifer Reyes - Customer Relations Manager

"The guy running the service department may be mentally retarded, im not joking."

Justin - Posted 8/20/2009 - Google

"That's funny. Garrett is a really smart nice guy. I am sure if you contact him, he can help you resolve your issue...""

Response - Timothy Shook - eCommerce Director

"I've had nothing but good experiences with First Texas Honda. We bought and Accord from Carl Lewis there several years ago and went back to him not too long ago to buy an Element. He's very knowledgeable about the cars, friendly, and respectful. He never played all those games with us like keeping our keys or making us spend hours upon hours at the dealership to get the cars. He's there to sell you a car and he doesn't mess around, tell him what you want and what you want to pay and he'll get it taken care of. I've never taken my car there to be serviced so I can't comment on that. I did call and speak to someone in the repair shop once and he was quite rude but that's not why I don't get my repairs done there. Generally speaking, the repair shops in car dealerships are a huge rip off when you are paying out of pocket as opposed to getting warranty work done. If you're looking for a new Honda, talk to Carl Lewis, he'll get you taken care of without taking all day.."

Jjzbl f. - Posted 8/5/2009 - Yelp

"I came across your kind review about Carl Lewis in our phenomenal sales department. He has been a joy to work beside for all the years that I have known him. My name is Garrett Liming, and I am the Service Director at First Texas Honda. I would love the opportunity to speak with you personally to tell you about the culture that we stride for here in the Service Department. Car dealerships have always had a negative stigma attached to them, and in most cases, for good reason. For many years in the industry, they have done many things to alienate and provide poor service at even poorer pricing. The keys to being a successful service department, is to operate the complete opposite of what your opinions are. To survive, we need to provide an exceptionally skilled technician to work on your car. The other key factor is to use the best parts available for your car which are Genuine Honda from the manufacturer. And of course, most important, is to provide all of that at a competitive price. If you could give us the opportunity to work with you, or even just a phone call to discuss your future service on your car, I believe that you would be pleasantly surprised. Only 8-10% of the work we do is warranty claims, which means that the remaining work we do is requested by our customers because of our competitive pricing. It also means that you are driving one the best vehicle brands that money can buy. I hope this posting finds you well, and hope to connect with you at some time in the future. My sincere apologies for the rude person that talked to you on the phone. If you choose to contact us, feel free to get in touch with me personally. I do not have a rude bone in my body. LOL. "

Response - Garret Liming - Service Director

"7/28/2009:I recently returned to the service department to get some recall items fixed. In addition, my sun visor had cracked again. My experience was far better this time. They finished all three repairs in less time than estimated and were fast and efficient checking me in and out. Better still, even though I'm out of warranty, they replaced the sun visor again free of charge. Much better!

1/28/2008:The good: I bought my 2006 Civic here, and it was easy as pie. They got me a good interest rate, reasonable payments, and did not spend hours trying to wear my ass down so I'd take anything they offered. Also important to mention that I was a girly-type shopping by myself, usually a prime target for the Car Salesman Runaround. So go them! The bad: I brought my car in 1.5 years later to have a faulty sun visor replaced and get my oil changed while I was at it. They said they had the part in stock, and I cooled my heels in the comfy waiting room for 30 minutes. Then my customer service dude shows up and says I need an air filter or some such thing, do I want them to go ahead and do that? I say yes, and chill for another half an hour. He shows up and says I'm ready to go, but then adds "Did they tell you they didn't have your part?". Dude. Who, exactly, is "they"? That would be "you." And no, "you" didn't tell me, and I just spend a longish time waiting for a stupid oil change, and now I have to come back. I was not happy. I get a call a few days later from a chirpy chick asking about my customer service experience. I explain, and she tells me they will call me the second my part comes in. I call TWO WEEKS later to check up, leave a message with the parts department, and they never call back. I call back again and am told that I can come in any time to get my part replaced. No apology, no explanation. Nada. Crappy, crappy customer service in the service department. Good customer service in sales. Hence, three stars."

Michelann Q. - Posted 1/28/2008, Updated 7/28/2009 - Yelp

"My name is Garrett Liming, and I am the Service Director at First Texas Honda. Recently I came across your post, and after reading it, felt you deserved a response. What a horrible experience you had. There is definitely no denying that. You did everything that we asked you to do from the beginning, and we failed miserably and repeatedly. We did not follow through with what we promised, and the only thing that we successfully did was make it a "Crappy Customer Service" experience as you put it. There are no excuses, and I hope that somehow we can make it up to you. We have been changing many processes since I took over in August of 08. Without going into all of the details, some of our improved processes would have definitely kept any of this from happening. I understand if you have not visited our service department since this experience, and frankly cannot blame you. If it is not too much to ask, I would definitely like the opportunity to speak with you, and come up with something to try to make it up to you. The offer stands whether you still have your Honda or not. I feel that if you were to try us again, that you would notice a big difference, and have a better feeling about us in general. I hope this post finds you well. "

Response - Garrett Liming - Service Director

"Gary Coen and First Texas Honda-Wow! I have purchased my last 7 cars from Gary. He not only has the best vehicles at the best prices but is always there to answer my questions and believe me, I ask a lot of questions. The entire process is always smooth with Gary and First Texas. There is no hidden agenda and I have just always enjoyed the process. He is always straight forward with me and has never in 13 years been a pushy salesman. I have referred many of my friends, family and friends to Gary and will continue. I am already looking to buy my 8th car next spring from Gary and the First Texas Honda Team. By the way Gary, it will probably be an Accord Coupe EX-L so get it ready."

David M. - Posted 7/16/2009 - Yelp

"Your kind words put a little pep in Gary’s step! Word of mouth and referrals is priceless in the car business and having you post these kind compliments online leaves Gary speechless (and that’s not easy to do) ; ) "

Response - Jennifer Reyes - Customer Relations Manager

"This is one of the poorest examples of customer service I have ever encountered. The first time I came they tried to make me pay about $4000 for replacing my IMA battery on my hybrid. I still had a warrantee on it and they said they had to "check" with the Honda headquarters. It took them over two weeks to get back to me and only because I called them three times to get an answer. As it turns out, I was covered by my warantee. Several months later, I came to check on a "check engine" light and to get my emissions updated. They quoted me $1200 for a CAT converter and refused to perform my emissions test until I had it replaced. They said that I had to use Honda parts for this but one of the employees pulled me aside and said that that wasn't true and to shop around. The Meineke down the street replaced my CAT converter for $243 and included my emissions test in the service. I warn all my fellow Honda owners about this place. Their service deparment is terrible."

Diana D. - Posted 6/17/2009 - Yelp

"I certainly apologize for the experience you had with our service department. If you were willing, I would like to talk to you personally, and get the whole story from you in detail. If I have a real problem on my hands, then I need to act quickly to resolve it. I am sure that we have lost all chances of working with you in the future, and I can accept that. You deserve quick and honest service, no matter what the situation, and that obviously did not happen. I will make myself available to talk with you whenever and however, if you choose to do so. Thank you for the feedback, and hope to connect in the future. "

Response - Garrett Liming - Service Director

"We purchased our first Honda vehicle from First Texas Honda yesterday - we regret the whole experience! We found the car we wanted which was limited in availability - and knew we may not be able to go low on our price preference. PPFFT, they 'played with numbers so eloquently' and boy they did a good job of convincing us, ultimately ending in a bad deal. I went back today because we were only given one key and asked for the other/backup one, (which we didn't know until the second we were leaving with the vehicle after papers signed and all) they told us the shop was closed for the day to come back. Little did they mention there would be a whopping $100+ charge for a second key to be made and its not included with the car because 'that's what you get when you buy used.' WOW, other trivial things that were missing/not set right, they did whatever they could to put fault upon the customer and had no interest in resolving customer's concerns. They convinced us that their financing option was better than ours and that we could change it if we find out ours would beat theirs --- what a load of crock that was! DONT BE THEIR NEXT VICTIM! The car is great, the service is horrible, and they DONT have their customer at their best interest. We will DEFINATELY not go back."

PatLore - Posted 6/16/2009 - CitySearch

"Thank you for your input, First Texas Honda appreciates all the feedback from our guests and strives to improve all our customer’s experiences and expectations. It is unfortunate that you had a poor experience at First Texas Honda as we strive to make the buying process as easy as possible. With regards to the key, most pre owned vehicles come with 2 sets of keys and I will be happy to refund any money that you spent on a second set or provide a second set at no charge. If there are any other concerns that you need addressed please feel free to contact me and we will do our best to earn back your business. Once again, thank you for your input since without it we would not be able to improve our organization. (Actual response was limited to 500 characters) "

Response - Justin Fosbury - Sales Manager

"I purchased a used Honda Element from the in 2007. After getting it home, I noticed that there was a small crack in the tail-light. I thought nothing of it at the time, but when it came time for my state inspection, the car failed the inspection due to the tail-light. I emailed the service guys about it, and not only did they swap out the tail-light for free, but they also gave my dirty car a wash. Customer Service like that is extremely hard to find these days and they've definitely earned my loyalty for the next time I buy another Honda."

Peter H. - Posted 6/2/2009 - Yelp

"When we sell a NEW car we strive to deliver all vehicles in museum quality. We apologize for the minor flaw you experienced at the time of your delivery and we are glad to have resolved it to your satisfaction. Please feel free to contact us for your future service, parts and sales needs. Thanks again"

Response - Jennifer Reyes - Customer Relations Manager

"Possibly the best dealership experience I've ever had... we'd been car shopping for two weeks and had gone through all the usual trauma - ignorant salesmen who didn't know their product, arrogant sales staff keeping us waiting for untold hours, sales managers that refused to budge off ridiculously high prices (hey guys... you HAVE heard the auto industry is taking it in the pooper, right? Maybe it's time to try and make some DEALS?) Anyway, we knew exactly what we wanted. We found the car on First Texas Honda's website, and called to see if they'd make us the deal we needed before setting off for Houston. We talked to Marc Smith and made an offer that was lower than any price we'd been given thus far. Mr. Smith initially said "oh, we can't get that low... that's less than we ever sell those for..." But not five minutes later, Mr. Smith called back and said "I talked to the sales manager to be sure, and yes, we can meet your price!" We headed down to the dealership and they had the car pulled around waiting for us to test drive. We took a spin around the block, said "so, we've got a deal right?" and Marc took us inside to start the papers. He stayed in the waiting room area to keep us updated on how long it would be, and used the time to start going over the owner's manual and the features of the car. When the finance manager was done with us, the car was ready and the only thing left to do was shake hands and drive away. Total time at the dealership was less than an hour and a half. There were no surprises, no add-on B.S., no high pressure tricks or tactics. It was as close to as perfect a transaction as you could hope for buying a new car. I never knew it could be like this!"

Dan B. - Posted 5/26/2009 - Yelp

"The compliments you have posted are music to our ears! I know our sales staff appreciates the kudos so thank you for taking the time to post. Daily sales training is one of our priorities and to hear the 8:45am meetings are paying off is a PLUS. Please don’t hesitate to call for any questions or concerns."

Response - Jennifer Reyes - Customer Relations Manager

"So my aunt just gave me her honda crv and i needed to get an out of state inspection in order to have the title transferred to me. I made an appt at first texas honda because supporting local businesses is very important to me. First Texas Honda is the ONLY Honda dealership in Austin where the owner actually lives in Austin. I like that. There are so many people working here that I don't think you even need to make an appointment. The inspection took about 45 minutes and then they gave me a free car wash which was much needed! I waited in the waiting room which has free Wifi and coffee and kinda feels like a living room. Pretty comfy leather chairs. I will definitely be taking my car here whenever I need something done. I did not have such quality of service when I owned a Buick. That dealership was very snobby since I did not have the newest model. This place is highly recommended."

maggie h. - Posted 5/8/2009 - Yelp

"SUPPORT locally owned and operated business is our middle name!!! It’s comforting to know our Owner and his family work side by side us on a daily basis. Maggie, thank you for giving your feedback online we know many people decide where they will do business based on these online reviews. You have helped back our company and we sincerely thank you. "

Response - Jennifer Reyes - Customer Relations Manager

"I just purchased my first new car, a 2009 Honda Fit, from First Texas Honda and it was a great experience! I had been looking for months and working with Mark Smith, one of their salesmen, who was great and totally no-pressure at all. He got me a good trade in and a great interest rate. Great dealership, I would highly recommend it!"

Liz B. - Posted 5/1/2009 - Yelp

"You always remember your 1st vehicle purchase and we are glad you choose us to help! Purchasing a new or even pre owned vehicle is one of the biggest commitments you make, so we are here to make sure you get the best deal, best treatment, and know that after your purchase we hope to have you as a loyal customer for life. We genuinely appreciate your business."

Response - Jennifer Reyes - Customer Relations Manager

"My 2001 Civic experienced an unprecedented transmission failure at 67,000 miles. It had just been at a local, non-dealer shop two months prior. I specifically asked the mechanic to look at the transmission and pay attention to it during the test drive. They said everything was fine. The day my transmission started acting funny, I didn't even have time to drive it to the dealer; I needed to get it towed. I was a surprise on a busy day, but didn't have to wait more than an hour and a half in a large waiting room with complimentary coffee and kolaches, two TVs, and free wifi. The kid's room is pretty well soundproofed, which was very much appreciated during my nervous tenure awaiting what could only be bad news. I had an extended service contract which guaranteed my car to 100,000 miles or until 2012. Craig Walton, one of the expert service managers at First Texas, told me that yes, my transmission had failed, as I suspected. (This is a common issue with 2001 Civics. Get yours checked if you have one!) He told me there was nothing I could have done to prevent the transmission failure, and there was no evidence of hard use--in fact, the car was in good shape otherwise. Dealing with my warranty company is a horror story in and of itself. Facing a large bill, they were initially unwilling to honor the arrangement. Craig Walton, Armando, and the rest of the service team stood at my defense and offered expert advice at how to get satisfaction from the extended service company. Two weeks later, after repeated rounds against customer service both by myself and the First Texas team, the approval finally came through. Within a few days, my car was better than new, with a new transmission to boot. It was also washed and fresh-smelling. They even made sure to address other things covered by my extended service contract that weren't related to the transmission, like cracked bushings that may have been affecting my front tire balance. While I was there, I decided to replace the fob battery for the key in our Honda Pilot. Upon discovering that it was the transmitter that was broken, the woman working in the parts department cut us a significant deal on the replacement, giving us cause to even consider it (otherwise, it would have been too overpriced to go through the dealer). This is just another example of the willingness at First Texas to go the extra mile for the customer. All in all I was very pleased at every aspect of the service department and look forward to going there in the future. This review specifically concerns First Texas Honda's excellent service department. I don't have any practical experience with their sales department, but it may be worth noting that the automotive service and new, and used cars are three separate departments with separate staff and missions. I would urge the reader to make a decision based on the performance of the department they will be working with, and not just the average rating."

Robert E. - Posted 4/29/2009 - Yelp

"It's good to hear we still continue to surprise our new customers! We’re also happy to hear you enjoyed the amenities we provide to our service and sales customers. We thank you for your patience with us when it takes a little longer than average to verify warranty work. We stand behind our work and employees, and appreciate this feedback about how they continue to EXCEL in customer satisfaction."

Response - Jennifer Reyes - Customer Relations Manager

"They do an excellent job quickly and thoroughly. The price is reasonable and there are no surprises. I've been going there for eight years. "

Jerome - Posted 4/21/2009 - RepairPal

"My review covers the First Texas Honda Service Department. Like a previous reviewer, I had used Garrett Liming at First Texas Honda for several years. Garrett was the best. From my past dealings with a different non-Honda dealership in the Austin area, I hated dealer service centers. But Mr. Liming at First Texas Honda restored my faith and trust that not all dealer service centers are shady. Garrett Liming was much better than even local repair shops I went to after my car's warranty had expired. I wished I had kept going to First Texas Honda for my service even after the warranty was up, although I cannot say whether the repair expenses would be a lot more at the dealer than at independent repair centers. One time I had some scheduled maintenance done at First Texas Honda when my car was still under warranty. I didn't even know there was a problem, but one of the service people heard a noise that I had not heard when he was driving my car. Because Honda had issued a recall for the transmission on my V6 2001 Accord, First Texas Honda replaced the whole transmission under the recall. What is truly amazing is that they did all the work of replacing the transmission in one day! I had taken a previous car I had owned to a well-known transmission chain when its transmission went out several years ago, and that place held onto my car for two weeks. So in my opinion, First Texas Honda and Garrett Liming do extraordinary work. They are the best place I have ever been to for auto repair."

Dennis R. - Posted 3/14/2008 - Yelp

"I have been using First Texas to get both our Hondas serviced for quite some time now. They have the express oil change service that is reasonably priced, and their waiting room is both clean and comfortable. However, I have now had two experiences where they found "issues" with my car that would cost me hundreds of dollars to fix, only to find out that the "issues" were not present to begin with. The first time, they told me my brake pads were dangerously low and needed to be replaced (for $650). My uncle just happens to be a mechanic in town, so I took the car to him to see if I could get a better deal. Turns out, the pads were JUST FINE. I let that one slide and continued taking our cars there. Last Friday, I went in for an oil change, and they came up to me with an estimate of $1,723 worth of work that needed to be done to the car (this is not counting the three new tires I supposedly needed, too). They said my two front tires were worn and wouldn't pass state inspection, and that I had a nail in one of the rear tires that was located in an irrepairable spot. Since I have tire warranty at Discount, I took the car up there, and they measured my tread and said the two front ones were still legal, and that they couldn't find a nail in either of my rear tires!! ARE YOU KIDDING??? So then I took my car to my uncle to get the rest of the problems checked out, and it turns out I didn't need the front and rear engine mounts, either. The timing belt and air filters were legit. Either way, I've gone from spending $1723 + 3 tires to less than $850. Bottom line: the guys at First Texas are taking advantage of people (I'm 8.5 months pregnant, too, by the way) and you should get your car worked on somewhere else. I recommend Carters on North Lamar. Pros: Clean waiting room Cons: Unneccessary recommended repairs "

jillebean - Posted 3/3/2009 - CitySearch

"My name is Garrett Liming, and I am the Service Director at First Texas Honda. I came across your post on austincitysearch.com, and wanted to have the opportunity to re-visit your issues with our department. Feedback such as yours is very valuable to me, as it will help me isolate a problem and correct it before it gets out of control. Under no circumstance is it ok for one of our employees to recommend work that is not necessary. I definitely have concerns that you were given an experience that would keep you from visiting us again. I understand where you are coming from, and would like the opportunity to make sure that I can get down to the bottom of the issue and provide you with everything you deserve. Unfortunately, I am unable to find your vehicle in our database with the information listed in the review. I would like to, if you are willing, to open a line of communication between us. I feel confident that with your help, I can handle the issue and possibly re-instill some of your faith in us. I certainly hope this post finds you, and we can work this out. (Actual response was limited to 500 characters) "

Response - Garrett Liming - Service Director

"I took my 04 Honda Element to this dealership after I bought it pre-owned from a non-Honda dealership. In fact, I took the Element in because of a TSB issued on the car - a widely reported problem here on Edmunds as well as in the Element community - the driver's seat rocked and could eventually come unanchored. The 1st Service Advisor told me that Honda did not pay for TSB repairs (though the Element Forum reported that many dealers got Honda good will money toward this very TSB.) I asked to talk to the Service Manager, and this advisor told me that the Manager would be unsympathetic because I didn't buy the car from their dealership! This service advisor also told me that one of my tires was damaged - something to do with the inner belt. Since the tires were relatively new, I told him i was going to take the Element back to Discount Tire and replace the faulty tire. The advisor gave me a piece of paper, indicating which of the tires was bad. When I took the car to Discount Tire, they inspected that tire and found nothing wrong with it. The inspected the other tires, and ended up replacing a different tire. I asked Discount to call this Honda service advisor, and he suggested that he may have pointed out the wrong tire to me because they had rotated the tires! I wrote up this experience and left 3 messages for the Service Manager. Eventually, he called me back - when I emailed me and cc'd the dealership owner. He called to apologize, applied for a Honda "good will" toward the TSB, and eventually gave me a credit for future service. This was my first Honda and I was very disappointed because I thought Honda's were reliable and that their dealers were great. Definitely don't offer the level of service as Volvo or Caddy dealers do.

harrison310 - Posted 5/24/09 - Edmunds

"Awaiting Response from Garrett Liming "

Garret Liming - Service Director

"I've been here many times for regular service of my Honda. These people are incredibly professional and helpful. I'm quite surprised by the negative reviews, given how many times I've been here and never felt the need to complain."

000000382c1f990c? - Posted 5/20/2009 - Google

"My Honda Accord had a 7 year warranty that recently expired. Pretty soon thereafter an SRS light came on and stayed on. SRS regards the safety system (air bags, seat belts, etc.) so I thought for sure I was screwed. Online research made me aware of a warranty extension, but I still thought it would be a huge hassle. I called the 800 customer service number and was surprised at how painless it was. The rep was upfront with me, explained exactly what would and wouldn't be covered, and even sent a message to first Honda that I would be there (not sure if that actually happened, but was a nice gesture). I still dreaded going to the dealership, saying no to a thousand upsells and having to argue for warranty coverage. Not my experience at all. The guy that welcomed me was extremely nice, upselling was pretty restrained, not pushy. He was immediately aware of the SRS extended warranty issue, even before I gave him my case number. He told me it would probably be covered under the warranty, but then made sure I understood how much it would be if not ($95 diagnostic + repair). Fine, I was already aware of this from online research. Later in the day I get a call that my car is ready, that it was covered under warranty. He had a nice demeanor and it was a pleasant call. I went in to pick it up. The woman that waited on me was also really friendly, and it was only about five more minutes before I had my car. There was one more upsell attempt on my way out, but it wasn't bad. I had a break light that went out, and just didn't get around to replacing it before going there. The guy who brought me my car asked if I wanted one from the shop. I said no, I had one already, and that was that. Thanks, have a nice day. Overall, it was so painless without any real complaints. I'm not sure how their sales department is, but the 4 individuals I interacted with in Service were awesome."

Jerry L. - Posted 2/5/2009 - Yelp

"We were VERY interested in purchasing a Honda. Initiated contact with First Texas Honda through the internet and emails. The responding replies of the salesman were sarcastic, demeaning and unprofessional. This was a quite limited experience; maybe other personnel are better representatives of their corporate attitude; but we went elsewhere. Just a "heads up" to the company and to the public. Pros: been around awhile Cons: may not be in the future "

brenon - Posted 12/7/2008 - CitySearch

"My name is Shane Gilbert and I became the first Internet Sales Manager at First Texas Honda in November 2008. I would like to apologize on behalf of the dealership for any unprofessional correspondence you have may have received from First Texas Honda and want to assure you that it is not indicative of how we do business. We have since put safeguards in place to prevent this from happening and consistently monitor the internet sales correspondence of our consultants to ensure our internet customers are treated with honesty and respect. If there is anything that I can do to help regain your trust or help in any way, please feel free to contact me at 512-458-2511. (Actual post was limited to 500 characters) "

Response - Shane Gilbert - Internet Sales Manager

" didn't like this dealer-I was looking for a little Honda Civic and shopped around town just to compare prices. The older salesman here was pretty rude and basically yelled at me because I said I wanted to think about the price since he was unwilling to budge and lower the price. I ended up purchasing my car from Howdy Honda because, not only did they offer a better price, but they also have far superior customer service skills. Don't go here if you want a good price for your car."

Nita N. - Posted 11/25/2008 - Yelp

"Thank you for your input, First Texas Honda appreciates all the feedback from our guests and strives to improve all our customer’s experiences and expectations. I apologize for the treatment that you received when you visited our dealership. We continuously monitor all our pricing in order to be competitive in our market and make every effort to be a leader in customer service. Once again, thank you for your input since without it we would not be able to improve our organization. "

Response - Justin Fosbury - Sales Manager

"I bought my Civic Hybrid from them back in 2003 and got great service from the salesman. I bought the extended warranty there a year later and that experience was great. I had great service for the first 100k miles. Since the end of 2007 service has been spotty. I've had mis-diagnosed leaks on 2 occasions and last oil change they didn't tighten my drain plug. They were extremely apologetic when I came in and whisked me away from the other customers. We reached an agreement, but they seem slow in getting back to me and don't return phone calls. If they come through with their part of the agreement I'll update this and possibly the rating. I'll probably buy a toyota next time.

Christine B. - Posted 7/22/2008 - InsiderPages

"Hello Christine B. My name is Garrett Liming and I am the service director at First Texas Honda. After reading your review on-line about the mishap that our dealership caused you, I felt the need to attempt to contact you. I took over as the Service Director in August of 2008, so I am worried that during the management transition, what was owed to you in apologies and compensation unfortunately fell through the cracks. I would love the opportunity to re-visit this situation to follow through with our part of the agreement. I certainly do apologize that I am unaware of what was promised to you, but I am dedicated to fulfilling the promise. Please consider allowing us to restore your faith in us, and the Honda product. I am available to meet with you either by phone, e-mail, or in person whenever you would like."

Response - Garrett Liming - Service Director

"I went in in March 2008 (1 month before my lease was up), to LOOK at new civics. I ended up leaving that day with a 2008 civic that I purchased from Chris Dugas. He worked with me to get me the right deal. I thought the story ended there, but I was wrong. It was the last day of the month, so I knew they were really eager to close the deal. I was told that I would owe 'nothing more on my 2004 accord. All I needed to do was turn it in and pay my 1st payment on my 2008 civic before I left'. Sounds reasonable..... right. Well, starting in June, I started receiving phone calls from American Honda Finance and a COLLECTION AGENCY saying that I still owed on the accord. I called First Texas Honda SEVERAL times. Each time I was told they would 'look into it and get back with me'. I let a week go by with no response from Andrea in Finance. Next I was put in touch with Justin. He assured me he was taking care of it. After still daily harassment calls from collections I had to call American Honda Finance myself & get the info Justin needed. When I called him back he said 'he was waiting on a response from them'. That was a lie because I got the info in less than 5 minutes. He then assured me 'the check was in the mail'. I am still waiting..... .........and still getting daily calls from collections. I just called again and he had the nerve to tell me that First Texas Honda did not 'owe me anything. They were doing this out of kindness. Nothing in their paperwork showed that they were supposed to pay this.' Right...... I would just end my lease early, turn in my car that I still have to pay on and start paying for a new car. That sounds logical. Just something else they screwed up on........... This Honda I have now is my 4th. I love Hondas, but I will definitely NEVER do business with First Texas Honda again. Pros: sales team is friendly & helpful Cons: poor customer service, poor follow through, shoddy business practices"

spv123 - Posted 7/9/2008 - CitySearch

"I apologize for the way your transaction was handled. Our employees are now trained and required to treat all customers with Honesty and Respect. I have reviewed your comments with Justin and Andrea and the money in question was paid on your behalf in full before your posting. It appears that American Honda Finance did not communicate the successful payoff with the Collection’s department. We have passed on this information so they can improve their systems. Thanks Jim Olmstead – President, First Texas Honda "

Response - Jim Olmstead - General Manager

"My experience with First Texas is limited to the Service Department. The biggest plus that has going for it is the lounge. Power outlets and wireless internet mean that I can do things while I wait. The Service Department eventually fixed every problem I brought them, so I guess I can't complain about the service. The first time, I had a battery die at a gas station in Bastrop on 71. My car, a 2005 Accord, had regular maintenance, and as this happened about 1.5 years after I bought the car, a dead battery struck me as strange. This is especially so since my prior vehicle had better battery performance overwintering in a parking lot in New Hampshire. Apparently "the heat in Texas" (according to the maintenance guy) dries out the water in batteries rapidly, but I also drove a car in South Carolina for 3 years and never had a problem, so . . . Anyway, First Texas replaced the battery and wrote it off under my warranty; they also replaced a fuel pump per a recall of which I was unaware. Fast-forward a few months, and an annoying, rhythmic squeak developed when braking at slow speeds. I took the car in, waited around, and was told after awhile that the mechanics heard nothing and couldn't find anything wrong with the car. I was dissatisfied with this, so the Service Department and I concluded that I should drive around with one of the mechanics. I did. We heard the squeak, he quickly determined the issue, and fixed it rapidly upon our return to the dealership (if you're curious, apparently some sort of backing plate near the rear wheels was touching the brakes or something). I just wish they would've caught it the first time, but at least they found it eventually. I also had First Texas do the routine maintenance and oil change when I brought it in, and even with full synthetic, they had some kind of special that brought it down to Jiffy Lube-non-synthetic prices. So that was good. One particular annoyance, though: First Texas is very "proactive" about contacting you after you deal with them. After my first visit, I received phone calls, emails, postcards, etc. CONSTANTLY. That finally abated. After my second visit, I got a call from the Honda mothership asking about my experience. I gave generally positive reviews, but withheld the 5-out-of-5 just because First Texas didn't find the problem with the brakes on the first go-round (and diagnosis of the problem was one of the criteria by which I was supposed to rank them). Within a few days, I got a call from the Service Manager in which he implored me, should Honda call again, to max out the ratings. It was thinly guised as a call to "make things right," but since nothing was WRONG, per se, I really didn't know what to say to the guy. Anyway, if something goes wrong with my car again (mechanically), I'd probably take it back here, but I'd certainly be open to trying somewhere else, as well."

Jon E. - Posted 7/8/2008 - Yelp

"My name is Garrett Liming and I am the Service Director at First Texas Honda. I came across your post from yelp.com recently and wanted to thank you for your feedback. Your concern in your post about not finding the rhythmic squeak during your visit is something that had been showing a pattern in our service department. What I mean by that is, through feedback like yours, and others as well, I began to pinpoint a deficiency in some of our processes. In the past, when we couldn't duplicate a problem, we would simply state that the problem was not evident at this time, and move on. We took for granted how much of an annoyance this could turn out to be for the customer. Maybe the technicians believed that a customer should understand that we tried all that we could, and came up with nothing. While we do have a phenomenal team of technicians, if a car is not cooperating with us by not failing or making the problem evident, we do not need to give up so quickly. What we have done to combat this issue is to offer test drives with the customer either before or after the technician has looked at the car. That way, if the car is not acting up, then we both can come to the conclusion that the vehicle is not showing the problem and that we should try again another time, or discuss a game plan that will work best for the customers schedule. I also understand about the amount of times that Honda has tried to contact you after you bring your car in. It is obviously happening to get feedback like this for process improvement and to let us know how we are doing. I agree that it can be very excessive and annoying, and for that I apologize on behalf of our dealership. If you would like, we can discuss these issues further at any time. I certainly hope your Honda is still serving you well, and hope we can continue to have a successful relationship with our dealership. "

Response - Garrett Liming - Service Director

"Best Service Department I have ever used. Honest, helpful and friendly!"

Cher - Posted 6/29/2008 - yahoo.local

"e-mails No reply? It's been 3 months I just had the 03 CRV looked at again, NOT by your dealership. No evident leaks. I have been checking the transmission level weekly since my oil change at First Texas. No loss of fluid. I have had to go under the hood more than usual and every time it irks me that I came within a car ride away of being taken for $400.00. It irks more so that you never replied. If that is how you treat loyal customers I will be sure to share my experience with other Honda owners. To: jimo@firsttexashonda. Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2008 2:53:08 PM Subject: Just FYI Dear mr. Olmstead I brought my 03 CRV in for an oil change last month and would like to follow up. We have 98 and 03 both bought and serviced at your dealership. I have had 2 service incidents lately that concern me. One was about a year ago was regarding a an O2 sensor on the 03 going out a low mileage but after warranty, with out going into detail I did get that refunded from Honda after having it replace at your shop. I gave you the benefit of the doubt on that one. The last incident concerns me. I brought the 03 in for an oil change I waited for it. I was told that I had a transmission leak. That it was leaking from both axle seals and that it would cost about $400 to replace both seals and that it could be done right away. I decline and said I would return. I was told that the fluid would be topped off and that I would be ok for few days. Again this car has 46k it seamed strange to me. I had the car checked a day later at Tarrytown Texaco, I have been doing buisness with them for 25yrs they found no leak. I looked at the seals myself while it was up ck no evidence of leakage? I had it checked month later still no leak the fluid level is has not moved. I am confused? We do want to trade the 98 needless to say we are going to try Howdy Honda I was also charged $70 and change for the oil change. Was the extra charge for the leak diagnosis?"

sousam - Posted 5/30/2008 - InsiderPages

"Read Garrett's response to the Yelp review left by Sam S. Post 1/28/2008. My name is Garrett Liming and I am the Service Director at First Texas Honda. I came across your postings on Yelp and Austincitysearch.com from January and March of 2008. I took over as the Service Director in August of 2008, and felt it necessary to contact you to get down to the bottom of your issue. I am worried that during my transition into the role of Service Director, that your issue with us got lost in the shuffle. We definitely want to make things right with you, and I personally understand your frustration with us. In one of your posts you mentioned that you traded in your CR-V for a Subaru. The fact that you do not have the car anymore, does not matter to us at First Texas Honda from the customer service aspect. The bottom line is that we failed you as a service provider and I believe you are owed the respect of explanations and anything else you feel you deserve. I would love the opportunity to work with you to resolve the issue of our recommending axle seals that were not leaking. On behalf of the dealership, I would like to apologize for us not following up with you as you were promised. I will personally act as the person of contact for you here at the dealership if you choose to contact us back. Thank you in advance for any opportunity to resolve this and I hope this post finds you well. "

Response - Garrett Liming - Service Director

"Avoid the women who works the used car lot. She didn't take me seriously, even after giving her my information and what cars I wanted. She even had the guts to insult me asking me if I was a car dealer! wtf?!! I also don't want to hear about the states program for low income people to give their car up for 3000 voucher. don't insult your customers of they will not come back. also, the person in the previous review is right about the condition of the cars. they need to either reduce the prices or at least don't put bad cars on the lot. Also, the cars are all over priced. they basically want 13-14,000 for everything they sell, no matter what it is. any ways, I ended up buying a buying a car at a different dealership. they treated me with respect and kindness."

A M. - Posted 5/16/2008 - Yelp

"Allow me to introduce myself, My name Is Gary Coen I am the Used Car Manager at First Texas Honda. First, let me thank you for the comments on our staff and the inventory, with feedback from customers like yourself we can improve and perfect our processes. Secondly, to let you know our inventory changes daily with varying price ranges, I'm sorry we didn't have a vehicle that fit what you were looking for, Maybe the next time you are looking for a vehicle you would consider us again and let me personally assist you. P.S. On a side note the Salesperson you referenced in your email is no longer with us thanks to constructive feedback from customers just like you. Thank you again, and if I can be of assistance to you in any way please let me know. "

Response - Gary Coen - Pre-Owned Sales Manager

"Be aware buyers. I was looking for the new Honda accord coupe and I called them twice, asking if they had specific trim/color I wanted.(EX w/ black/black) They told me they did and since none of the nearby dealers had it, I drove 30 miles to Austin. Guess what happened? haha I met this guy, Chris who was on the phone w/ me and verified the availability of the coupe. me: So, can I take a look? chris: Sure, let me go grab the key. After 5 minutes he comes back and tells me that he doesn't have it. c: Oh I'm very sorry. I thought you meant LX. When I hung up the phone with you, I realized I was looking at the wrong car. me: huh? Why didn't you call me back then? c: well, you've told me you were on your way so I thought I could talk to you in person about it. hahaha just ridiculous...I wasted another 30 minutes or so because he told me how beautiful silver cars were.so I said let's take a look. He comes back after 10 minutes and tells me they dont have it hahahahaha IT was so ridiculous that I couldn't even get angery with him. so any of potential buyers out there, plz ask them 3 times, if not 4 times, about they are saying. I "only" asked them twice so I wasted my time and gas ;) I ended up buying the desired trim/color from another dealer and I'm waiting for Honda to call me for a survey. Guess what I'm gonna talk to them about? I hope it doesn't happen to other people...jesus..."

leggysoe - Posted 4/23/3008 - DealerRater

"Thank you for your input, First Texas Honda appreciates all the feedback from our guests and strives to improve all our customer’s experiences and expectations. I apologize that you drove 30 miles to our store just to find out the car you wanted to look at was not here. It was unprofessional of Chris not to call and notify you of the mistake before you made the trip to our store. All of our employees sign a truth and honesty pledge when they are hired since that is how we strive to do business. If there is anything I can do for you to help gain back your business and trust please do not hesitate to contact me. Once again, thank you for your input since without it we would not be able to improve our organization. "

Response - Justin Fosbury - Sales Manager

"I bought my Accord there in 2003, pleased with purchasing, they gave me more than a fair price. I have taken it in for maintenance / oil changes to the dealership ever since. Their staff started out as a nice one to deal with, but over the years, I have become more and more dissatisfied with their customer service. Their maintenance people are rude and truly unhelpful these days. I think I am going to start having my car serviced some where else."

ScarlettCrittenden - Posted 3/27/2008 - CitySearch

"My name is Garrett Liming and I am the new Service Director at First Texas Honda. I came across a post you made on-line about your dissatisfaction with our customer service. We certainly value your opinion, and I use that as a true gauge of how we conduct our business every day. Your feedback is very important to me and I would love the opportunity to visit with you about how things have changed from your perspective over the years. Long term relationships are very important to customers and us as well. You need to have the confidence to bring your car to us and to enjoy a phenomenal experience every time. If you could find the time, I will make myself available to you to discuss. It could be due to a former employee that is no longer here, or on the flip side, we have had some valued employees retire over the years that we have had a hard time filling their shoes. Whatever the case, I am sure that with all of the changes that I have been implementing since I took over, that we can make it feel like it used to. Thank you in advance for any consideration in responding to this post. (Actual response was limited to 500 characters) "

Response - Garrett Liming - Service Director

"I have 2 Honda CRVs a 98 and 03 both purchased and serviced here. I had one problem in 10 years which was quickly resolved. I am waiting for the 2009 Element which may be the new Honda Crossroad model now available Japan?? I will then trade in the 98 CRV and buy here again. NOT!!! see below Update 2nd Incident not so good I took the 2003 CRV.for an oil change, I was told that my trany was leaking from both axle seals? $400.00 to replace them? They offered to do it right away. I said no due lack of time.. I had the car checked the next day by Tarrytown Texaco who I have used for 20+ yrs. They found nothing!! . A month later still no evidence of leaks!. And no answer from an e-mail to the manager. I learned something here. when you are told your are leaking fluids on a car. Have them take you into the shop and show you. I almost OK'd this repair. It's time to give my business to Howdy Honda I think. Or can anyone else recommend a good Honda shop central? I have heard good things abotut C Van R Automotive on 6th downtown 2 good reviews here.. The dealer owner finaly call me after 3 months, told me the service manager would call me back the same day. NEVEr heard from him. Screw these guys!!!!I just bough 09 Subaru Forester... Love it!! Austin Subaru was great"

Sam S. - Posted 1/28/2008 - Yelp

"My name is Garrett Liming and I am the Service Director at First Texas Honda. I came across your postings on Yelp and Austincitysearch.com from January and March of 2008. I took over as the Service Director in August of 2008, and felt it necessary to contact you to get down to the bottom of your issue. I am worried that during my transition into the role of Service Director, that your issue with us got lost in the shuffle. We definitely want to make things right with you, and I personally understand your frustration with us. In one of your posts you mentioned that you traded in your CR-V for a Subaru. The fact that you do not have the car anymore, does not matter to us at First Texas Honda from the customer service aspect. The bottom line is that we failed you as a service provider and I believe you are owed the respect of explanations and anything else you feel you deserve. I would love the opportunity to work with you to resolve the issue of our recommending axle seals that were not leaking. On behalf of the dealership, I would like to apologize for us not following up with you as you were promised. I will personally act as the person of contact for you here at the dealership if you choose to contact us back. Thank you in advance for any opportunity to resolve this and I hope this post finds you well. "

Response - Garrett Liming - Service Director

"If you are at the business they have to help you. If you are on the phone they blow you off. "

SC65GTO - Posted 1/18/2008 - local.yahoo

"Please accept our apologies. I can assure you, your business is extremely important to us and we now have 4 full time reservationist to answer incoming service calls. We have also equipped the Service Advisors with internal walkie-talkies. We have ongoing phone training in the service department to reiterate how important each phone call is to the dealership. Again thank you for the feedback and we hope to have your business in the future. Jennifer Reyes Customer Relations Manager "

Response - Jennifer Reyes - Relations Manager

"My review is for the Service Department. I recently upgraded to an Acura TL but I had Hondas for 10 years before that. Garrett Liming and his service team were always great to me! They are professional, honest, and they care about their customers. I brought my cars to him for 10 years and the one thing I don't like about my new fancy car is that I can't bring it to him! I moved far away from First Texas Honda a couple of years ago and I still made the drive to bring my car there. They are great and I would totally recommend Honda owners taking their car there for service."

Richard C. - Posted 1/11/2008 - Yelp

"Pros: Excellent Service Technicians, Great Service Manager, Honest, Reasonable Service Costs Cons: Best to make an appointment as most everyone goes to them because of great service. I didn't buy my car from this dealership, but took it to them for all service work as I was told by friends this dealership had the best service department (mainly service manager) and they were right. This service department is the best, most reliable, and honest. I've taken my 2007 CR-V back now a number of times for regular maintenance, warranty work etc... and so far I'm 101% happy. I would definitely recommend this dealership for service compared to any others in Austin. "

austiniter - Posted 1/08/2008 - Edmunds

"I can see from other reviews that my experience was extraordinary. I was attempting to trade-in my gas guzzling companion (big-ass SUV) for something that would make me feel less guilty and leave me more dough in my pocket (civic or hybrid). First Texas Honda was the only dealer in Austin with a used Civic Hybrid. But upon seeing their used car lot, I was pretty disgusted. The cars were dirty, with chipped paint-jobs and dings, and stained interiors. When I pointed out the damage and asked if they would fix it, he snapped back "Well, your car has scratches on it too." What the hell?! I soooo wished at that moment that my parents hadn't raised me as well as they did. So I decided to test-drive it anyway, partly because they had offered me the most for my trade-in. The whole ride, my sales guy sat there chewing gum and not saying anything of consequence. He told me nothing about the car, just told me it was a dream and that I should just go ahead and get it. I decide on a different car and he goes ahead to draw up paperwork even though we hadn't agreed on anything. All I said was I wanted to make sure he was going to give me what I wanted for my trade-in. So when he disappears to get paper for about an hour, no amount of nuts or juice pacifies my rage over why he just got up and left. After a long haggling deal, I realize that I'm not fighting the company or the manager for a good deal, I'm fighting him. This a**hole isn't even trying to get a sale. He is just looking contemptuously at me. He offers me way less for my car than previously discussed, then tells me I'm lying when I tell him what Kelley Blue book offered, and won't apologize for his accusation after I make him look it up online. So I ask for my keys back and it takes him another hour to find my car and give me my keys. I hadn't signed anything. Where the hell did he take my car? I got my keys and high-tailed it outta there. I should have known better. This guy had a soul-patch and slicked back hair. And I noticed he was the only sales rep in the entire dealership that didn't smile. Lucky me. So if you do go to First Texas Honda, just avoid the young, chubby, guy with the soul-patch, slicked hair, and bad attitude. I went to Howdy Honda, who offered me a similar deal but were extremely upfront with everything and much more pleasant. Personality totally counts!"

Phyllis K. - Posted 1/6/2008 - Yelp

"Hello Phyllis, my name is Shane Gilbert and I am the Internet Sales Manager at First Texas Honda. Thank you for your input. On behalf of our dealership and employees, I would like to extend a heartfelt apology for the way you were treated by the sales consultant during your visit. I can assure you that the sales consultant you encountered no longer works for our company, and we have implemented a strict honesty and respect policy for all of our employees. We are a family owned dealership and we are dedicated to providing the best possible shopping and buying experience for all of our customers. I hope that this message finds you well and please give me a call at 512-458-2511 as I would appreciate the opportunity to help regain your trust in our dealership. "

Resonse - Shane Gilbert - Internet Sales Manager

"I am a loyal Honda owner and went to this dealership. They appraised my trade-in $5000 less than Kelly Blue Book and CarMax and made me a ridiculous offer. After I left the dealership, they called and made me a better offer and I accepted (without the trade-in). They asked me to come and sign some papers. When I arrived, they wanted me to pay for the car even though it wouldn't be in for two more days. I said no and they asked for a $1000 deposit. On the day that the car was to arrive, I did not hear anything. I called in the morning and the salesman said he would call back but never did. Late in the afternoon, I called again and he told me he didn't know, went back on things he had said before, and said he would call back. He did not call so I called his supervisor and told him I wanted honesty and to know if this car even existed. He called me back 15 minutes later, said they had sold the car on Monday (the same day I was there and what was the point of the deposit if they sold it to someone else???), there were no more, and I could pick up my deposit. When I arrived, it turned out that standard deposit is $500 and they had charged me $1000 for a nonexistent car. I think they were banking on me paying for the car so they could string me along while I waited for this car to show up some time during the next month. Luckily that did not happen but they wasted three days of my time!!! They also used the tactics of making me wait extended periods of time during the negotiations, good guy/ bad guy and straight out lying and manipulation. I will never return to this dealership. Ridiculous, unprofessional and sleazy."

jbsjbsjbs - Posted 1/03/2008 - CitySearch

"Dear JBSJBSJBS, my name is Shane Gilbert and I am the Internet Sales Manager at First Texas Honda. When I read your post I felt the need to reply and apologize for the obvious breakdown in communications between you and your sales consultant. The sales consultant should have been aware of the proper deposit amount and did not communicate with you properly regarding the status of your incoming vehicle. We have listened to your input and in the months after this event, we now have a rigorous process of sales and customer relations training that we feel has made a tremendous improvement in preventing this type of activity and poor communication. We are a family owned dealership and are dedicated to providing the best possible shopping and buying experience for all of our customers. I hope that this message finds you well and please give me a call at 512-458-2511 as I would appreciate the opportunity to help regain your trust in our dealership. "

Response - Shane Gilbert - Internet Sales Manager

"Initially our experience at First TX was great, but three days after driving our brand new Honda home they called and told us that THEY wrote the wrong stock number and VIN on the contract and I owed an extra $2,000 because of their error. On the day I bought the car I was bragging of the great customer service and professionalism, but now I regret going to First TX and should have went to Honda. Buyer beware, their finance woman is sneaky"

The Phantom - Posted 12/18/2007 - local.yahoo

"Hello Phantom, my name is Andrea Baker and I am the Finance Director at First Texas Honda. First of all, I want to thank you for the feedback on your experience here. We strive to make every customer experience a positive one, and we obviously fell short of that mark in your case. Usually, we don’t hear as much about the negative experiences, the client just tells their friends and relatives, so again thanks for giving us the opportunity to improve. I want to apologize for the mistake that we made on your paperwork. We strive each day to combat the stereotypical bait and switch tactics employed by some of our competitors, and though this case appears to be more of the same, I can assure you it was a simple mistake on the salesperson’s part of writing down the wrong stock number on your buyer’s order. Once the finance personnel received the documents from the sales department, they would have no way to know that they were printing paperwork on the wrong car. We have since implemented additional checks and balances between the sales and finance departments to ensure this mistake does not reoccur. If you find yourself in need of our services again, I hope you will give us another opportunity to live up to your initial opinion of our dealership. "

Response - Andrea Baker - General Sales Manager

"I walked in this dealership on the last day of the month. The sales guy I talked with must not have made his quota...I say this because he quoted nearly $4,500 above what the make and model I was looking for was worth. At that point, I simple turned and walked out. Yuck, yuck, yuck."

miss555 - Posted 12/4/2007- CitySearch

"Dear miss555, my name is Shane Gilbert and I am the Internet Sales Manager at First Texas Honda. I would like to apologize for the obvious breakdown in communications between you and our sales consultant. Because of feedback like yours, we began a rigorous process of sales, communication, and customer relations training that we feel has made a tremendous improvement in preventing the dissemination of inaccurate pricing information. We are a family owned dealership and are dedicated to providing the best possible shopping and buying experience for all of our customers. I hope that this message finds you well and please give me a call at 512-458-2511 as I would appreciate the opportunity to help regain your trust in our dealership. "

Response 8/14/2009 - Shane Gilbert - Internet Sales Manager

"Just bought my second car from 1st Texas because the service on the first far exceeded my expectations! They give you an accurate time and money estimate, drive you where you need to go or let you wait in a nice area with food! "

Lucybrown - Posted 11/12/2007 - austin.kudzu

"Their sales representatives are extremly rude and unprofessional. I had to waited for 40 minutes to even talked to one of them and that person was awful. He even crumpled up the paper when we haggled over the price. If you need to buy Honda, just go to Howdy! They have the nicest refreshment station and nice sales people. If you STILL have to go to first texas, DO NOT go to Thomas Ferres, the sales rep. Worst, Worst in the world!!!"

amlee908. - Posted 11/04/2007 - local.yahoo

"Dear amlee908, my name is Shane Gilbert and I am the Internet Sales Manager at First Texas Honda. I would like to apologize on behalf of our entire dealership for the behavior of the sales consultant that you encountered. I can assure you that this sales person is no longer employed by First Texas Honda and we have made significant efforts to hire sales consultants who are courteous and professional. Because of feedback like yours, we began a rigorous process of sales, communication, and customer relations training that we feel has made a tremendous improvement in the professionalism of our entire organization. We are a family owned dealership and our number one priority is providing the best possible shopping and buying experience for all of our customers. If I may ever be of assistance, please give me a call at 512-458-2511. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to help regain your trust in our dealership. "

Response - Shane Gilbert - Internet Sales Manager

"Their sales representatives are extremly rude and unprofessional. I had to waited for 40 minutes to even talked to one of them and that person was awful. He even crumpled up the paper when we haggled over the price. Worst service. Stuck Up!! They are not the only honda dealership in Austin. Why don't you go somewhereelse where cares about the customers? Pros: NONE Cons: rude sales representative ever, No Customer service !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

lullabie - Posted 11/04/2007 - CitySearch

"Please accept our apologies for not responding to your feedback sooner. We have new business processes in place and we focus on Sales training an average of 17 days out of the month to prevent this negative experience from happening to our future customers. Thank you for your feedback and I assure you we have our Sales and Business Managers located on the MAIN showroom floor, and they gladly take time to hear customer’s comments & suggestions. Thank you Jennifer Reyes Customer Relations Manager "

Response - Jennifer Reyes - Customer Relations Manager

"You can't beat the Service Dept. at First Texas Honda. I'm able to bring my car in whenever I need to, I'm greated promptly, my concerns are listened to and my car is serviced fast. I also have the luxury of waiting for my car to be serviced in a very comfortable waiting area. The Sales Dept. could learn a lot from the Service Dept. "

mac0027 - Posted 10/30/2007 - austin.kudzu

"Reliable, quick, can be a bit expensive, depending on the work you need to have done. If you live in Central Austin and have a Honda, this is a good place for repairs. "

austexop - Posted 10/30/2007 - austin.kudzu

"I have been to First Texas Honda several times for different things and never did I have a bad experience. The staffs are friendly and polite. The waiting room has newspaper, magazine, drinks (pop/coffee/tea/water), and sometimes when you are lucky you get to eat some fresh doughnuts or deserts while waiting for your car to be serviced. They got quite a lot of Honda accesories for sale as well. Check them out if you want to find something Honda-ish. My car uses high performance sport tires and 2 months ago, one of them was badly ripped and had to be replaced. I called First Texas Honda and another Honda dealership (at Round Rock area, near 620) and First Texas was able to give me a quote that is as close as what the Discount Tires would give me while the other Honda dealership wanted to mark it up for another $80 or so. Price wise... I went there for oil change and state inspection. It was just like price quote from any workshop, maybe $1 or $2 more for State Inspection. As for the oil change, I went there not knowing that the oil level had not gone down to 0% but the mechanic checked and showed me the oil level and asked me to come back next time instead of screwing me over. I like that of them and I feel safe to let them work on my car."

Catherine Y. - Posted 10/12/2007 - Yelp

"Went looking to buy a new Accord. Salesman Chris Luke of First Texas Honda in Austin, TX did a poor job of showing me the car's features, insisted that he could never go below invoice (a blatant lie and an insult to my intelligence), got hostile with me, called me a liar, and refused to let me talk to his manager. I took my business elsewhere and bought the Accord from another dealer. I will say, however, that I had a terrific experience with Jolene Caldwell, finance manager, when I was shopping around for the best price on an extended warranty. This leaves me wondering if perhaps there are some other good employees at this dealer. I would advise to avoid salesman Chris Luke, but it is possible you could have a good experience if dealing with First Texas Honda's other employees. Best route is probably to call and talk to the internet sales manager about the price before you go to the dealer (if you know exactly which car you want from previous browsing) and only go to the dealer if you hear a price you like when you are on the phone. This prevents anyone from thinking they can pressure you into buying a car on the spot while offering an uncompetitive price (when you are on the phone you obviously can call many dealers in just a few minutes time and only visit the dealer who is upfront about making a great offer). I would recommend this dealer if you are shopping around for the best price on an extended warranty -- definitely worth a call to a finance manager at this dealer to see if they can beat the other prices you have been quoted when calling around to find the best price on an extended warranty. "

accordbuyer1 - Posted 9/21/2007 - Edmunds.com

"Please accept my apology on behalf of the Management Staff. First Texas Honda has new commitments and our top priorities include an Honesty and Integrity policy. Training for all employees is mandatory and observation is handled by management and you the customer. Please let me assure you all sales representatives are to follow the business process in place to ensure an EXCELLENT buying experience for the customer. Thank you for the kind words on Jolene Caldwell. Jennifer Reyes Customer Relations Manager "

Response - Jennifer Reyes - Customer Relations Manager

"We visited this dealership recently to look at the 2007 Honda CR-V. The salesman didn't tell us anything helpful about the CR-V, instead he was busy asking us what kind of car we drove and how this car was better than my beloved 10 year old car (not a good way to sell me a car). Lastly, he wouldn't really let us test drive the vehicle. He let us take it around the block. Hardly enough to make a 25K decision on. Needless to say, we're not even considering the CR-V anymore. I have a sour taste in my mouth after that experience. "

patanntsai - Posted 8/02/2007 - Edmunds.com

"After reviewing your comments I would like to apologize for having this one negative experience spoil the Honda brand in your eyes. Please be assured what you experienced was unprofessional our salesman's part. The 2006 / 2007 CRV model change was 'HUGE' for us. These hot commodities were limited so the sales staff tended to put the pressure on customers. We now have MANY 'hot commodities' and have trained the sales staff to maintain their professionalism and to help the customer with their 2nd largest purchase they will have to make. Please know we strive to have loyal customers and this feedback helps us better our team. Thanks again Jennifer Reyes Customer Relations Manager "

Response - Jennifer Reyes - Customer Relations Manager

"Great dealership and service department: I bought my Hybrid here and have mostly gotten it serviced here. They don't push "recommended" service if you don't want it and always do a thurough job. The sales pulled a few normal tricks (like the 4 square) when we first began talking but quickly set them aside and we got a price / financing I was happy with on the car."

kirstena001@... - Posted 8/13/2007 - yahoo.local

"I had a bad experience at this dealership several days ago. One car that I looked at had a "check engine" light on. The other car had a "check airbag" warning light on. The salesman said they sell so many hondas that they don't bother to fix those problems before they sell them. Both cars were selling for more than $1000 above Kelley blue book value. I did much better elsewhere."

2509 - Posted 8/12/2007 - Edmunds.com

"Please allow me to introduce myself, My name is Gary Coen I am the new Used Car Sales Manager at First Texas Honda since 1/1/2008. Kindly accept my apologies for the readiness and the condition of the inventory when you visited us, this in no way reflects the way I am running the department and shouldn't have been that way then. If I can be of service to you and personally assist you in the future please feel free to contact me any time. "

Response - Gary Coen - Pre-Owned Sales Manager

"My wife and I were in the market for a new car, and we had been looking at Civics and Elements. I stopped by First Texas Honda on my way home from work, just to kick the tires and see the prices. I like the fact that it is in my neighborhood, not out on the motor mile, and it is very convenient to me, since it is on my way home. I met a salesman named Gary B. A very nice guy, who knows his Hondas. We sat in a gold civic, and I was immediately impressed with the solid and safe feel the car has. I was worried about me fitting in the car. I'm only six-two but it is like 5ft of torso and 1 foot 2 of legs. So I don't fit in some cars and trucks. I fit fine in the Civic, and Gary who is also a tall guy got in the back seat behind me to show that it has plenty of backseat room. It was Gary who introduced me to the Honda Fit. He had one on the lot that was already sold but he took me to sit in it. I loved it, I texted my wife and said, "I LOVE THE FIT." She wrote back and said, "NO FREAKIN FIT!" Of course that is what we ended up buying. We had to go to San Marcos to find one though. (See review of San Marcos Honda). My wife and I went back late Saturday afternoon to look once again at Civics and to see if they had any Fit's available. Gary wasn't available to they sent some other guy out to deal with us. I don't want to use this guys name, so I will change it to something......lets see......Oh I know I will call him TOOL. We asked him questions about the Gold Civic I had sat in and asked him if he had any FITs coming in. He said not until September but, we could go inside right now put a $500 deposit down and reserve one. "That way you and your husband can relax and stop shopping." Well I may be old fashioned TOOL, but don't try to close my wife when I am standing right there, AND STOP STARING AT HER BOOBS!. I mean they are nice, I stare at em all the time, but I'm standing right there. Well, TOOL told us, "The sooner we get it ordered, the quicker it will come in." Which is a lie, the FITs were coming in anyway, whether we reserved one or not. Plus he added, "It is the only way you are going to get one." Which was also a lie because less than an two hours later we were driving around in our brand new FIT, that we got from a dealer in San Marcos. I guess the phones lines from First Texas Honda don't go all the way down to San Marcos. They probably stop in Buda or something. Overall my experience was very good, maybe this TOOL guy was just having a bad day. Or maybe he is really just a TOOL. I dunno. I amhopeful the service side is good, because it is likely where I will take my fit. It is just so convenient. Have you noticed I like saying the word FIT? Check in photos to see pictures of our FIT. If you do go to First Texas ask for Gary, I know he is good. I'm sure some of the other folks are too. One star off because they didn't tell us about other Honda dealerships, and one star off for TOOL."

Don R. - Posted 8/8/2007 - Yelp

" My name is Gary Coen, I am one of the Sales managers at First Texas Honda, I am very sorry to hear about your poor customer service experience with one of our sales associates and want to Thank you for realizing that not every salesperson is the same as the next one. We appreciate feedback from our customer so that we may know where to train and improve. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to earn your business, and I'm sorry we missed the boat with that purchase, but If I can be of any assistance to you in the future please don't hesitate to call. "

Response - Gary Coen, First Texas Honda Sales Manager

"Hi Andrew B,I saw your review in insiderpages about your Odyssey "has been a complete disaster of a vehicle, First Texas Honda has worked tirelessly to address the problems". I am just curious what was the problem and how did they fix it? because I think I may having the same problem, after spending more than $2,000 for the 105,000 maintenance service including the timing belt replacement, the van keep having this tremble when stopping at the red light. I brought the van back for the 5th time, but they still haven't figure out what causing it. If you have any insight, please pass it on, I really appreciated."

Binh T. - Posted 7/24/2007 - InsiderPages

"My name is Garrett Liming, and I am responding to a post from insiderpages.com from July of 2007. In August of 2008 I took over as the Service Director at First Texas Honda. I came across your post and wanted to get in contact with you to address your issue on your Honda Odyssey. I will make myself available to you in any capacity to discuss a resolution. In your post, you mentioned that the van was “trembling when stopping at a red light.” I do realize that you were having this issue some time ago, and that we, or someone else may have repaired the van in the interim, but I want you to know that we are dedicated to fixing the problem if it still exists. Unfortunately, I have no way of tracking your car in our database without the VIN #, name or license plate. I have tried to search with the name information of Binh T, but came up with no matches. Please feel free to contact me and allow us to resolve your issue. I hope this reply finds you well, and that we can get back in contact with eachother. "

Response - Garrett Liming - Service Director

"took the car in to fix the airconditioning system. had to take car back 2 or three times in two weeks because car continued to have the same symptoms. I've had to take the car back there because of their guarantee. Well $2500 dollars, aprox. 8 visits and 10 months later, the a/c still has same symptoms and now is not working again! This time their not returning my phone calls, so their is no attempt from them to fulfill their gurantees or provide customer service. I believe now that my trust in them was taken advantage of and/or their technitians are not qualified. very disappointed! "

engineeredinaustin - Posted 7/19/2007 - CitySearch

"My name is Garrett Liming, and as of August of 2008, I have been the Service Director at First Texas Honda. I was browsing through austin.citysearch.com, and came across your post about your ongoing air conditioning issues with your Honda. Unfortunately I am unable to locate your record in our database with the information in your post. I want to make sure that you get what you deserve if you have not already. It is unacceptable that you have had this experience, and I would like the opportunity to resolve this on your behalf. I understand that this was from July of 2007, and that you may not even have the car anymore, but that is irrelevant. I want to make this right. You can personally contact me if you choose, and we can work this issue out together. There are no excuses about how you were treated, but hopefully you will allow me the opportunity to make it up to you. (Actual response was limited to 500 characters) "

Response - Garrett Liming - Service Director

"I could go into exact details of my negative experience, but at best it'll only bore you. I've reconstructed the events based on my e-mails with First Texas Honda (thank you Gmail). * I asked them to take a look at my brakes because they caused the car to vibrate. They didn't do it, and they finally offered to perform the work at half price ($200), which was the regular price for other shops. * They didn't call me back as promised (for a status update), and I ended up calling them only to find out that my car was going to be delayed at least another day due to parts. * They replaced the horn on my car because they claimed that the original one didn't work (when it worked two weeks prior). When they installed the new horn, it didn't work. I took it back two more times to get it fixed. This leads me to believe that the original horn may not have been faulty. I'm not a hard person to please, and customer service really depends on how people handle their mistakes. So: - They screwed up multiple times - They have high prices. Yes, I realize that they're a dealership, but the quality of the work for the price wasn't there. - The best they claimed they could do was offer work at half price as an apology, which is the normal price at other shops; they could definitely have done better. + They had timely responses to my complaints. + They attempted to resolve my issue, instead of just apologizing without doing anything about it. "

Phil P. - Posted 7/8/2007 - Yelp

" My name is Garrett Liming and I am the Service Director at First Texas Honda. I read your post from Yelp.com, and felt it necessary to try to open a line of communication with you. I am unable to find your record in our database with any of the information from the post. Your review was a fair description of how we failed you, and your statement about how customer service really depends on how people handle their mistakes is so very true. We will always make mistakes, but it doesn't sound like it was handled well at all. I would love the opportunity to speak with you somehow, and gather as much info about your visit as possible. In doing so, I hope to be able to get down to the bottom of the issues and hopefully we can learn something from this, and at the same time, restore some of your faith in us. Customer service is always a top priority, and let there be no mistake, if we cannot provide great experiences, then we are going to have a tough time standing out against the "dealership stigma". I certainly appreciate the feedback and hope to have another opportunity to make it up to you. "

Response - Garrett Liming - Service Director

"The Good: :: location. it's off of Koenig and Lamar, so it's close for students and residents of Hyde Park. it's also easy to get to :: the level of professionalism with the service department. the people are very nice, polite, and friendly :: i took my car in for the check engine light. i thought it had something to do with the exhaust monitor component (that's what the manual indicated). turns out the problem was i was almost out of oil. !!!!!!!!!! i'm still wondering why the check oil light didn't come on but anyway, instead of taking advantage of my idiocy, they told me upfront that i was simply out of oil and they put some more in and i was good as gold :: i took my car in today to get my car inspected. they took about an hour because it was so busy/packed, but i didn't mind. why? they have an excellent waiting room area upstairs, complete with newspapers, tv, magazines, tables, comfy chairs....i worked on the crossword puzzle and was quite content! :: free coffee, soda, water, tea, snacks in the waiting room area. bonus! The Bad: :: when it's busy, it can be slow, but this rule applies to anywhere for anything, so no biggie. The Ugly: :: none. Would I go back? Definitely. They haven't tried to screw me over yet, so I'm going to go back there for other work I need. This place is IN."

carolyn v. - Posted 7/7/2007 - Yelp

"I've bought two cars from First Texas Honda. The first, a '96 Accord, came with free oil changes for life- a life that lasted 7 years before it was totaled by an SUV charging through a red light. My second, a Civic, is still serviced regularly by First Texas. Although it's no longer under warranty, I am confident that I do not overpay for repairs, and I can trust their service team and mechanics to take care of my car. Case in point- a few days ago I brought the car by because I had drained the battery and the mechanic who gave me a jumpstart felt that my battery was approaching the end of its natural life. First Texas quoted a price comparable to the major retailers for a similar battery, so I brought the car by. After about 20 minutes the First Texas mechanics had checked out my battery and found it to be fine- so I was able to leave without paying a dime. The service team explained the situation to me (I am NOT a mechanic!) and I was on my way. I've always been happy with First Texas. Their sales team was okay- I initially wanted to replace the Accord with a used model but decided to purchase a new Civic instead, so I dealt with a used car salesman who was able to help with the purchase and make the entire deal fairly painless. The service team, particularly Garrett, has always taken good care of my cars and has been upfront about prices and options. "

Adriana D. - Posted 6/21/2007 - Yelp

"I learned to drive on a Honda, so it should have been easy for them to sell me one. I test drove both the Accord and Civic and decided to go with the Civic--having just graduated college and being unsure of my financial future. I could afford the Accord with my trade-in, savings, steady income, and a sizable check/gift from my grandfather. Instead, First Texas Honda told me I could not afford a new Honda Civic. Thing is, they never asked me about my finances. Just assumed I could not afford one (a Honda Civic!). My next car is coming from Howdy Honda, not First Texas Honda.

Anonymous - Posted 5/16/2007 - InsiderPages

"Thank you for your input, First Texas Honda appreciates all the feedback from our guests and strives to improve all our customer’s experiences and expectations. My name is Justin Fosbury, New Car Sales Manager here at First Texas Honda. I sincerely apologize for the way you were treated when you visited our dealership and would like to let you know that since then I have been hired as the sales manager. We share all our feedback with the sales consultants and emphasize that every person that enters our place of business should be treated with respect and honesty. It is very disheartening to me that one of my employees would not explore all the possibilities to allow you to purchase a new Civic; after all, it is in the dealerships best interest to sell a vehicle. If there is anything that I can do to be of assistance to you please let me know and once again, thank you for your input. "

Response - Justin Fosbury - Sales Manager

"Just left the dealership. I walked in interested in the s2000 and Civic Si models and the sales manager told me I could not test drive either. I said that I would not ever buy a car without test driving first and he told me I could test drive a used s2000 but that was a 2005 and I am interested in a new 2007. Bad bad business. Should rename dealership to Last Texas Honda. Perhaps I had the wrong "look" but I will never return to that poorly managed dealership."

Jeff C. - Posted 4/20/2007 - InsiderPages

"Please accept our apologies for this situation. We do have a “slightly different” test drive policy when it comes to the S2000’s, Civic Si’s and Mugen’s. Limited production and the enthusiast that bought these vehicles were very demanding for LOW miles and being delivered in museum quality prevented us from letting everyone take a test drive. We would keep the pre-owned S2000 on hand for this exact reason. We try to explain this in a professional as possible and hope everyone would understand why this is MOST dealers policy. Again, please know this is ONLY for these rare sports vehicles. Kind Regards, Jennifer Reyes Customer Relations Manager "

Response - Jennifer Reyes - Customer Relations Manager

"When I moved into town I took my car here to get serviced because it was still under warranty. I was really happy with the speed of their service department. The waiting room was really nice, and WI-FI was provided for waiting customers..... The reason I don't give this place 5 stars is because: 1. I did not buy my car from here, so I don't know how the sales are 2. I did not pay for my service, because I was still under warranty. I don't know if they are overpriced. I would be interested to see how they perform on those levels, but if my experience with them is any indication then they will be great...."

Cody R. - Posted 3/2/2007 - Yelp

"Their service department assigns you a service representative. If for some reason your representative is extremely busy or if they are unavailable then forget about service altogether. The other representatives could care less about you because they are not assigned to you. I got unlucky and my representative became "unavailable" for a day. I can't get any info about my car over the phone at all. I'm going to have to go in and hopefully they can find my car so I can go somewhere else. As for quality of the technicians, I've gone there before and the work itself has been very good. If you have time and don't need your car for awhile then it wouldn't be too bad to take it there. Pros: Good technicians Cons: Flawed and inefficient Service Representative system"

r_n_c - Posted 7/18/2006 - CitySearch

"Your concerns about our service department are very valid. In your post from July of 2006, you talked about how difficult it was to do business with us if your representative was not available. I have worked at the dealership for almost 10 years, and started off as a service writer. The idea of assigning customers to one particular service advisor was in place long before I started working at First Texas Honda. What may have been a good idea in the past, does not necessarily mean it is still a good idea. There were many pitfalls to that system, and your scenario was a classic example of what could go wrong. I took over as the Service Director in August of 2008. Since then, I have been “fine tuning” our processes to create the best opportunity for the customer to have an excellent experience. That being said, I am sorry for the difficulties that we have caused you. One of the changes that you may be happy to know about is the fact that we have gone to an “open drive” system. That is an industry term meaning that the customer is not assigned to one particular person. You as the customer have the ability to work with whoever you want. The best benefit for the customer in this scenario, is the fact that if the representative of your choice is not available, then someone else can step right in to take care of the entire transaction from A to Z. Or you can simply wait for your preferred advisor to become available. In short, the customer is calling the shots, not an outdated process that can cause more harm than good. I hope this response finds its way to you, and hope that we can have the opportunity to regain your trust for future visits. (Actual response was limited to 500 characters) "

Response - Garrett Liming - Service Director

"Professionals all the way, from sales to service. I've only purchased one vehicle there, a Honda Civic Hybrid. Tell you what - I drive this car over 100 miles daily, and using it rather than the Explorer I was formerly driving has saved me over $8000 in gas since December of 2003! But enough about the hybrid. The most outstanding kudos go to service manager Armando! He is truly the prototype against which all others should be judged and trained. He treats everyone as though they were family, and goes beyond the call of duty to provide wonderful customer satisfaction! There's a different dealership closer to my home north of Austin on I-35 which I visited once for service, only to have them recommend an inadvisable solution to a rattle in my dashboard which may well have resulted in worse problems than existed. Plus, I overheard their service personnel saying that they had mistakenly used an inappropriate motor oil in a hybrid recently which resulted in a badly damaged engine! Never going there again, for sure. First Texas Honda = the best of the best. PROS: The Best Service Department - Bar None! "

D.C. - Posted 4/21/2006 - InsiderPages

"The first time I went to First Texas was to take a look at a S2000. The sales man that I got stuck with was a guy that really didnt care for my interest in purchasing a car. He only answered my questions only with 1 or 2 words (you might want to elaborate more and work on your persuasion skills).Since the sales rep was not responsive to my interest and questions towards the car. I decided to ask the receptionist about how I can go about test driving one. As soon as I said that she looked me up and down and said, "We only let "Serious" customers test drive our cars." Only good thing I have to say about these guys are their service team. They answered all my questions with enthusiasm (something the sales rep didnt have) and without the stuck up attitude (something the receptionist had). Pros: Service team Cons: Everything else "

serialkiller - Posted 2/25/2006 - CitySearch

"Thank you for your input. I sincerely apologize that you had a poor experience with one of our salespeople. Our goal is to try to help our customers or potential customers in any way possible which includes allowing test drives. If there is anything I can do to help gain back your business and trust please do not hesitate to contact me. Once again, thank you for your input since without it we would not be able to improve our organization. "

Response - Justin Fosbury - Sales Manager

"I have used their mechanic department over the course of two years with a positive experience. Also, I had a few friends as well who purchased Honda Accords from them and no issues with the used cars themselves; they are honest believe it or not. ... (More) I have used their mechanic department over the course of two years with a positive experience. Also, I had a few friends as well who purchased Honda Accords from them and no issues with the used cars themselves; they are honest believe it or not. I recommend them and give them A+++++. "

JB-1 - Posted 12/6/2005 - YellowPages.SuperPages

"I've taken my civic there a few times as a result of the good repuataion that they have in Austin. My experience there gives me no reason to change perception. They're honest, quick, and very customer orientated. If I ever have problems again, I'll surely take my car there. I did not use their sales division, so I have no idea how they are for sales."

Morgan B. - Posted 11/20/2005 - InsiderPages

"First Texas Honda has a great service departement. I didn't buy my Honda there, but take it there for service because it's close to work. The service managers are top notch. They call and keep you informed of what is going on and how much the repair will be and asked if you want to repair it or not. They try to get it repaired under warranty or try to get Honda to pay for the repair somehow. Yes, they are a bit on the high side, but they are very quick and thorough and get the job done right the first time. PROS: Good customer service managers CONS: A bit pricey "

Dori B. - Posted 11/02/2005 - InsiderPages

"These guys just aren't willing to deal. I was looking seriously at a vehicle and they just won't budge. There is a great dealership in Ft. Worth...just a few hours drive for a much better deal and a friendly group of salesmen.."

Robbie W. - Posted 11/01/2005 - InsiderPages

"Thank you for your input, we appreciate all the feedback from our guests and strives to improve all our customer’s experiences and expectations. At First Texas Honda we constantly monitor the market regarding new vehicle pricing and try to price our vehicles accordingly. If there is anything I can do to help gain back your business and trust please do not hesitate to contact me. Once again, thank you for your input since without it we would not be able to improve our organization. ry "

Response - Justin Fosbury - Sales Manager

"The service center for First texas honda one of the best in town. However you will have to pay quite a bit more for their service. I take my car in knowing that they won't try to rip me off or fix something that is not broken. The prices for their parts are very reasonable compared to the prices that they sell on the web. However I wouldn't recommend buying a car from their sales staff, totally watsted my time and giving me the run around"

Nick C. - Posted 9/29/2005 - InsiderPages

"Thank you for your input, First Texas Honda appreciates all the feedback from our guests and strives to improve all our customer’s experiences and expectations. We appreciate the kind statements regarding our service department and would like the opportunity to share our new sales processes with you. If there is anything I can do to help gain back your business and trust please do not hesitate to contact me. Once again, thank you for your input since without it we would not be able to improve our organization. "

Response - Justin Fosbury - Sales Manager

"First Texas Honda, as the name implies, was the first Honda dealership in Texas. My family has either purchased or had maintained many vehicles there over the years. Although our latest Honda, an Odyssey, has been a complete disaster of a vehicle, First Texas Honda has worked tirelessly to address the problems. Friendly, fast and courteous. PROS: Friendly, Fast, Courteous. CONS: Repeat repairs for same problem seem to be an occasional issue. "

Andrew B. - Posted 6/09/2005 - InsiderPages

"Thank you very much for you continued dealings with First Texas Honda. Families such as yours, are the reason that we have remained successful all of these years. People do not come back repeatedly if they constantly have bad experiences. So that being said, Thanks again for your business over the years. Your post was from some time ago, and I hope that any issues with your van are only a memory. If there are still problems, I will be more than happy to discuss them with you, and help get to the bottom of it. Our number one goal as a business is to take care of the customers that make everything possible for us. Thank you for the feedback and kind words, and we hope to be your dealer of choice for many years to come. "

Response - Garrett Liming - Service Director

"I regularly serviced my Honda Civic here. My mechanic was great and I really felt like a valued customer. That is, until the day I decided to purchase a new car. I knew I wanted another Honda, so I walked into the showroom. The sales person was rude, obnoxious and incredibly unhelpful. He talked down to me, didn't show me any cars and was really uninterested in my questions. I left after five minutes and have never returned since. I even abandonded Honda altogether and purchased a Jetta. Pros: Good mechanics Cons: Rude salespeople"

princess_malin - Posted 7/05/2002 - CitySearch

"Thank you for your input, we appreciate any feedback from our guests. It is unfortunate that you had a poor experience with one of our salespeople and I sincerely apologize. We try to be upfront and honest while making it easy to purchase a vehicle. If there is anything I can do to help gain back your business and trust please do not hesitate to contact me. Once again, thank you for your input since without it we would not be able to improve our organization. "

Response - Justin Fosbury - Sales Manager

"If you would like your review posted on our website please contact Timothy Shook. Go to the "About Us" drop down menu at the top of the page and click on "Contact Us."

Timothy Shook - Internet Sales Director - CAG Austin