Past:
A couple of weeks ago I booked the Vogue into the main dealer for its first year service, reported the intermittent lower tail gate problem and leather sagging on centre arm rest. On Monday I get a phone call from the dealer to say they would only look at the arm rest and tailgate problem but not fix them and it would have to come in again at a later date to have them fixed. I commented that the tail gate issue seems to be well known and so given the two weeks' notice I would expect it to be rectified during the service but I understood that they would need to check the arm rest leather before making a decision.

Yesterday:
I arrived at dealer and was left for a while whilst "my" service adviser was busy with another customer which was fair enough, although other service advisers where sat around chatting to each other. We went through the service, the outstanding service action for DEF dosing malfunction and the other couple of issues I had highlighted and I said I would be waiting. She seemed surprised, even though I had ticked the "waiting" button when I made the online booking.

Eventually I was told the car would be ready shortly and that a replacement centre arm rest had been approved and would be ordered in due course. Regarding the tailgate, it would have to be rebooked to go to their body shop for adjustment and realignment and they would need it for three days. I questioned the need for three days to adjust a tailgate and it was explained to me that it takes one day to take the car to the body shop, one day to fix it and the third day to bring it back again. Once they had told me where the body shop was I offered to drop the car there myself as it is closer to where I live than the dealership. But, apparently, to have the work done under warranty the car has to come to them first, them drive it to the body shop and then bring it back again afterwards……… Now, I am not the brightest button in the box but surely it would more time and cost effective for me to drop the car at the body shop early in the morning and pick it up again either the same evening or the following day, either way I wouldn’t need a loan car as I could get a lift home………Crazy.

So she starts looking at the booking system, and offered me dates at the end of May………. The long timeline being due to me requiring a loan car for three days that I wouldn't need if I could drop the car at the body shop myself….. Crazy.

Whilst paying for the service. I commented that I was surprised it took over four hours when the online booking suggested a two and half hour waiting time. I also suggested that £495.80 was a bit excessive for changing a couple of filters and the oil. Very politely I was told RR's are expensive cars, and the service entails far more than just changing the oil, it includes an extensive list of vehicle checks, personal vehicle evaluation video and has been washed and vacuumed free of charge. The extra time was due to the other issues. My sarcastic reply that as far as I could see you haven’t sorted the arm rest or fixed the tail gate and whilst I'm not in the slightest bit bothered, I haven’t had any personal vehicle evaluation video. Funny enough, she didn’t make any eye contact after that.

Today:
The intermittent lower tail gate not closing issue is now a every time you open it problem with both tailgates sticking half open and needing a firm hand to push both either open or closed which I assume I'm going to have to live with until the end of May.

Good Job Land Rover Service, send me an evaluation survey……. I dare you.

You fool do you not understand that loyal customers in this country are just an annoyance as they can sell all the cars they can make in the rest of the world.









Oh no hang on they cant any more but they have got use to giving crap service. letters not necessarily in the right order

Is this Marshals?

I do get frustrated by the long wait if you so much as request a loan car. Things improved at my local dealer when they started collecting the car and dropping it off again - was almost painless (until they tell you the bill!) But even this now means the wait to book the car in is hugely extended.

I've got a squeak in my car and it's driving me crazy so I need it fixed. I called up my dealer and was told end of May was the earliest if I wanted a car, and end of April if I wanted it picked up and dropped off. I've now arranged a day off work to take it there myself and I've an appointment almost the next day. Surely something needs to change here? More drivers? More loan cars? Do the loan cars need to be Land Rovers? 2024 Range Rover P550e AB

Unfortunately this story is all too familiar.

My car is going for its first service on Friday with a company who used to be a main dealership for sales but now is just an independent authorised LR service centre. Their service and customer care is first rate.

The trouble with all large businesses these days (not just cars) is that they have lost their "Independence". In JLR's case, they are franchises in hoc to JLR and they are frightened to death to do anything which is not within the parameters set, like you wanting to take your car straight to the body shop. Your service advisor wouldn't have a clue how to deal with that, as it's not one of the boxes to be ticked. Besides it's common sense...what happened to that?

I'm a grumply old 73 year old but I know one thing, life was a lot easier (and better) when people were allowed to make their own decisions! Look at Brexit if you want proof of that!!  All LR cars from 1984
2021.5 Vogue SE D300 Carpathian Grey
2018 Vogue SE British Racing Green GONE

Regarding courtesy cars....they could never have enough because LR has a real problem at the moment with call-backs for software issues alone! All LR cars from 1984
2021.5 Vogue SE D300 Carpathian Grey
2018 Vogue SE British Racing Green GONE

You are spot on Chalky. The tick box culture is dreadful.

The loan car issue reminds me of a friend who had a TVR from new. For more than 50% of his first year of ownership, he was driving a Nissan Micra whilst the TVR was being fixed. They needed something reliable to loan out, hence the Nissan. 2024 Range Rover P550e AB

No Jim, its Lancaster.

God forbid Marshalls would the last place on earth I would take it for service. As my closest RR dealer Marshalls was the first place I went last year when I was looking to buy a Vogue. The sales staff didn’t return phone calls, dismissive, lied and even down right rude to me when I showed them the trade book value of my part exchange. I wasn’t even looking for more than the book value, just the correct price. I even gave them a second chance but they blew it again with their appalling attitude. After years of running Mercedes I was used to be treated like dirt but Marshalls managed to take it to a whole new and totally unacceptable level.

Common sense Chalky……I'm normally really polite and easy going. Treat folk as I would wish them to treat me but the older I get the harder tolerating stupidity becomes. Oh and I am also getting more grumpy.

Ownership does get better when the warranty runs out, then you dont have to bow or beg to LR anymore, i took mine to Cam Tech and paid him to do a job which was under warranty rather than go through the LR bullshit experience.

Yep Captain Black, seems common sense is a thing of the past nowadays. you'd think they'd at least see it from a customer's point of view! All LR cars from 1984
2021.5 Vogue SE D300 Carpathian Grey
2018 Vogue SE British Racing Green GONE

I dared them to send me an evaluation survey and behold, this morning they have.

Give it a few minutes and then listen carefully, you might just hear a shredder running somewhere within JLR.

LOL....They shouldn't ask if they dont want to hear the answer.

I wasn't in the slighted bit rude and only stated the facts plus suggesting that dealer staff be allowed to show some common sense.

This is the reply I have received from Reevoo on behalf of Lancaster:

Click image to enlarge

Reminds me of Twitter shadow-banning people who have unapproved opinions. 2006MY 4.2 SC
BMW R1250 GSA Rallye TE
Triumph Tiger 1050 (sold)
1979 Pontiac Trans Am (sold)

Captain Black wrote:

LOL....They shouldn't ask if they dont want to hear the answer.

I wasn't in the slighted bit rude and only stated the facts plus suggesting that dealer staff be allowed to show some common sense.

This is the reply I have received from Reevoo on behalf of Lancaster:
[see above]

What a load of

Just as well there are forums (or should that be fora?) like this one so that sensible factual reviews can be publicised.[/quote] 2017 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography
2012 4.4 TDV8 Westminster - Gone, but not forgotten

Based on the suggestion within the Reevoo reply that I should notify the dealership directly I have now written to the Head of Business. Once again nothing rude or ranting just a presentation of the facts and a request that as Head of Sales and Service he should be able to take a sensible view on the situation.

Lets sit tight and see what happens next.