In article <zerTe.8089$9i4.6980@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink. net>,
"Paul" <paulDONTSPAMMEmueller@mindspring.com> wrote:

> but I asked my service advisor (nicely) if there was
> something they could do about that price, given that this was a known issue
> with the valve. I was told that my van wasn't one of those included in the
> then-current TSB (based on VIN), but the dealership agreed to replace the
> valve for free as a goodwill gesture. This was before the warranty extension
> came out (I have since received notification of the extension in the mail).
>
> I believed at the time, and still do, that this was one of those "secret
> warranty" deals under which a manufacturer fixes a problem at a consumer's
> request, without actually coming out and admitting any real responsibility.

It may not be.

Many people don't realize that Honda gives every dealer some dollars to
work with every month, to take care of stupid things that shouldn't have
happened. For example, a few months ago I got a new idle air control
valve in my 02 Odyssey--at 35K miles and 42 months.

Why? Because I'm a helluva good customer for this dealership, that's
why. The service manager had no problem using those Honda dollars to
pay for this repair; he had no problem justifying it to Honda should
they ask.

These service dollars are doled out by the service manager working in
conjunction with the factory rep.

You might have gotten in on something like that.