I’ve never owned a new car in my life. By “new” I mean “walk into the dealer, pick out a model, choose a color and engine and asswarmers and 8-track player and floormats, write a check, and drive out with 10 miles on the odometer” new. All my cars have been hand-me-downs, used and abused orphans, auction items, or classified ad purchases. I don’t trust dealers all that much based on anecdotal evidence and first-hand experience.

It was with some trepidation, then, that I handed my keys to the service guy at our local Honda dealer this evening. The dealership itself is clean, and he certainly was friendly. I began telling him my problem and he finished my sentence, assuring me the car was still under warranty. He even asked if I’d like the car back by tomorrow evening, if they confirmed the issue.

A couple of years ago, my 3-year-old MacBook Pro battery began swelling unexpectedly. The machine itself was a refurb, out of warranty, so I was expecting to have to buy a new one, but on a whim I brought it in to the Apple Store and showed it to the Genius behind the bar. He took one look, went in back, and exchanged it for a brand-new one. No questions, no hassle.

It feels good to get that kind of support for a purchase. I hope this Honda dealer follows through like the Apple guy did, because I really want to believe loyalty is worth something these days.

Update: They called this afternoon and they’re replacing the actuator under warranty.

Update Update: Got it back on Saturday, and it seems to be working correctly. They didn’t vacuum the floor mats, though…