I just bought mine out (2018). I did pay the residual in a lump sum. Are you saying they would not finance your buyout? Can they stop you from paying the lump sum and taking the car? I didn't know they had the option of doing that.
We were told that our CU is one that they "work with". Since we had submitted a loan app that morning, we said great, let's go ahead and get the deal done.
The sales rep went away and came back later with the first set of numbers. At this stage he pointed out that the payments were calculated at our CU rates. Now I think that they were not "working" with our credit union at all, but attempting to steal the deal for themselves by matching the CU rate.
It was only when I had them remove thosands of dollars of add on charges that they suddenly discovered that "honda isn't letting leaseholders buy out their Clarities"
After speaking with Honda Financial this am, I believe this was a story cooked up by the sales manager to get out of a commitment that would not be financially lucrative for him.