Honda hypes reliablity with Mile Makers
Participation in online communities has exploded into the mainstream. It is a hot trend that large corporations cannot ignore, especially due to the advertising potential contained therein. Rather than just forking over the funds to sponsor enthusiast sites, automakers are also creating communities of their own. Honda is one that hopes to ride the trend wave by offering a place for customers to brag about their Honda's reliability. On the Honda Mile Makers website, visitors can join in by uploading a picture of their vehicle, reporting its mileage and writing a blurb about their experiences. Members are awarded a medal depending on the mileage, anywhere from bronze for 100,000 to diamond for 1,000,000 plus. Currently there are no loggers above gold medal status, though. And as far as we can tell, there's no way to verify an owner's mileage claim, so go for that diamond medal by Googling an old CRX image and bragging about your million-plus miles of fun. Memorabilia such as t-shirts, coffee mugs and computer wallpapers are also offered on the site so you can let everyone know you drive your Honda way too much via kitschy paraphernalia.
[Source: Honda]
Get a WordPress.com Blog
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
3000GT TwinTurbo 1:17PM (1/07/2008)
...wow...sounds like a website for douchebags...
Reply
fizzandpop 2:34PM (1/07/2008)
Honda launches the World's Most Boring Website™
Evan Brom 1:18PM (1/07/2008)
I am not even a bronze yet and My hybrid civic needed a new IMA battery and a engine mount and struts and a CVT TSB.
Reply
sk 1:28PM (1/07/2008)
I had an 02 Odyssey, worst car ever. New trani at 32k, new engine at 112k (which I didn't replace because it was over its retained value). I always maintained this car perfectly and never left out an oil change. Honda's are not better or worse than any other car!
nagmashot 1:17PM (1/07/2008)
So Hona picked up a old Mercedes idea... long time ago Mercedes awared customers driving many km with km sticker in silver gold and with dimonds ...
I don´t know what sticker they alltogether had but they had sticker for 100,000km, 250,000km 500,000km and 1,000,000km driven...
If I am not wrong Mercedes droped it long time ago because to many people reached extrem high km
Reply
Marcus 1:18PM (1/07/2008)
Im drive a GM car and cant participate in this nor want to. But I do know one thing, import haters will be all over this bashing it and so on however if Ford came up with this they would be all over it. Guys would come out of the woodwork and say how their beloved Tempo went 300,000 miles with no oil change....
Reply
JM 2:16PM (1/07/2008)
well, right now we're already seeing people saying things like - their new civic hybrid having a need to replace the battery, engine mount, CVT, and the whole IMA itself; or someone saying their odyssey just had an engine and transmission replacement (did he got a turbo?), or someone whose accord's manual transmission is about to explode, or a new honda car dismantling itself right within 2 months after rolling out of the car dealer. fun times!
keep it rolling guys!
EM 1:22PM (1/07/2008)
wow thanks for the article! I know a few people who really have those old crappy civic hatchbacks and accords that are over 250000 miles but still runs fine. i have a 1997 accord that still runs ok at over 150000 miles. judging by the way it performs now, i'm sure it'll run past 200,000 miles with regular maintenance. definitely the best $21000 i have spent.
Reply
George 1:27PM (1/07/2008)
Theres this community site just starting out called MyGarage (play on myspace) where anyone can create a profile for their cars. I dont know about goofy rewards for miles, but its got forums for advice for your car and stuff like that. The URL is www.mywtvg.com.
Reply
Corey W. 1:34PM (1/07/2008)
This stuff should at least be verified at a dearlership, then info uploaded by them, you can later log on and leave whatever comments. But actually, first thought that pops into mind is WHO CARES!!! You got 400,000 on your 94 Civic.... woo hoo!!!
Reply
judd 1:31PM (1/07/2008)
I'll brag about my Honda's reliability as soon as they fix the issues with the Manual 6 speed transmissions. I'm afraid it will grenade itself after one too many 3rd gear grinds. The list of people that are experiencing this issue is growing, Honda. It makes me with I didn't get rid of my Subaru.
Reply
Jason 3:09PM (1/07/2008)
Curious, which issues?
I had a 2002 RSX Type-S that I beat on pretty regularly... that had a 6 speed trans with no problems.
6 or so mos ago I bought a 6 speed TSX, which I've put about 5500 miles on. I don't drive it as hard as the RSX, but I've driven "spiritedly" in it before and haven't ever experienced any bad things with the trans.
Johnny 1:34PM (1/07/2008)
I had a 2001 Accord what a POS. My wife got a 2004 Civic and fell apart in 2 months. Our neighbor bought a Ridgeline and tried to tow a 700lb Jetski and the POS cracked everywhere and the whole underside pulled out.
We bought domestics since and are very very happy.
Reply
stealth 1:34PM (1/07/2008)
Volvo does this too.
Reply
Xcountryflyer 4:14PM (1/07/2008)
Great grass-roots community marketing. Although, there has to be a decent way of confirming mileage.
Reply
John Johnson 2:34PM (1/07/2008)
Hell yeah, new rice. Instead of making your car look fast, make it look like it has high mileage!
It'd be safer, thats for sure. Instead of "Hey, I hit 124 on the highway in my Civic!" it'd be "Whatever Mr. Camaro your POS can't run 250,000 miles like I can so stuff that in your big American Muscle face".
Chrysler should do this. Bronze for 50k, silver for 75k, and so on. 61k and my PT Cruiser (don't hate) needs a new transmission. :(.
Reply
fizzandpop 2:38PM (1/07/2008)
61K? I bet your warranty conveniently only ran to 60K.
John Johnson 2:42PM (1/07/2008)
Haha, normal warranty only runs to 36k. I bought it used with 36,200 miles (for $10k :D). But, I got an extended warranty. Lucky me :P.
Commuter 3:15PM (1/07/2008)
Anyone know what car the mirror hanger in the picture is supposed to be?
Reply
Johnny 3:22PM (1/07/2008)
Honda CVCC