Having owned many Discoverys and Range Rovers over the last 25 years and used various Main Dealers and Independents in that time, I’d go for the Independent every time.

They are generally cheaper but in my experience just seem to have a better knowledge of how these complex vehicles operate. Experience gained through working through the issues rather than the latest technical bulletin from Land Rover.

I guess I just trust them more.

Also, the Independent I use at the moment has access to the on line system, so no compromise there.

I've just booked mine into a main dealer, but it's only its 2nd service and I'll be extending the warranty so don't want to take any risks.

I also need them to find out why the lumbar support goes to its highest and furthest out setting whenever I press the memory button to change the seat. MY23 Panamera E-Hybrid
MY19 SDV8 Autobiography - Sold

I hate to correct anyone, especially Stan, but both my independents have updated the LR Online Service history. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Geoff

i did mention that in another thread recently Geoff but not many indys have this facility but i dont mind being corrected ..  ... - .- -.




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My local indy must have access to the service logs too. Always leaves a printout of the record in the car too

My My17 L405 just had 30k service at MD ,i asked them to diagnose a noise from rear of car (rumbling,grinding noise) and their solution pair of 20" tyres at £600 ,turned out to be the transfer box.Took them a 60 mile test drive and a trip to Sainsbury's to come to that conclusion.This is one example of the many years of dealing with MDs ,indie every time from now.
on.if they had diagnosed correctly and the transfer flush was done in a timely manner maybe I wouldn't need to be replacing the transfer box now.

It’s ironic but having posted this originally and seemingly against the majority of advice I went with a main dealer for the service which was the 5 year one and included the transfer box oil change and just to repeat my earlier comment that having paid just under £800 for the privilege two days later on a short run revealed the dreaded juddering from the rear. Thanks to this site there was no doubt in my mind that the transfer box was to blame. Contacted the servicing dealer who said that it was unlikely to be that and that it was probably because the box hadn’t learnt my driving style despite having had it for two years, and we’re not talking about the gearbox anyway. They eventually after much persuasion took the car back in where the transfer box and flush was redone. This has sorted the issue surprise surprise but not before they tried to charge me another £250 for the privilege. Before caving in as a “gesture of goodwill “they tried asking me if if used the low ratio box as this was probably the cause? What?!!! But more importantly I hadn’t. Unbelievable and all this to try and preserve future value on trade in.

When I booked mime in I said this was the likely cause, after learning from this forum.I am really tempted to take this this further with JLR ,out and out,one of two scenarios.
1) Deliberately trying to deceive me into buying way over priced tyres .
2) They are incompetent.
Both bad as each other.

Last edited by Ashley on 15th Feb 2021 9:17am. Edited 1 time in total

mattprice693 wrote:

“they tried asking me if if used the low ratio box

The service schedule states it should be put into low range and driven a number of vehicle lengths as part of the service

My experience of MD's (never having bought a brand new FFRR and thus no warranty claims) is that they are dishonest, lack mechanical knowledge and will lie and overcharge if they can. however not all are bad. I have used MJ Fews who are no longer a franchise/full time MD but an old country dealer who did their best for me but ran out of problem fixing ideas and gave up in the end.

example:
1. Bristol MD. Took it in having had all dash lights appear prior to a trip to Europe. Wouldn't allow me to observe what they were doing in the workshop (elf 'n' safety sir) then told me after 45. mins it needed a new ABS unit at £1000. I looked at the unit and it hadn't even been unplugged or looked at. I did so, removed the single piece of green corrosion and car runs perfectly. Told the Dealer Principal that they would never see any of my 3 FFrrs ever and I would see that all my friends also avoided them. Never been back since and reckon it has cost them £6000-£10,000 +in lost revenue.

2. As MJ Fews had repaired my inlet manifold but couldn't find out why it was overdemanding regens, they suggested I MD it - I took it to Dick Lovett in Melksham (glitzy 2 year old showroom) who could only tell me they couldn't find any faults and were happy to refer to LR HQ for a technical referral which would involve a man on a phone talking to the same Technician as had worked on it. The cost would be over £3-400. I thanked them but refused. They then suggested that I do the Turbo drain mod (despite the fact that it had already been done)at a cost of over £900. "Will that fix the problem?" I asked. "errr Not sure. Maybe". "How? I asked. Dunno. they then tried to bill me for nearly 4 hrs labour when I had seen my car sitting in a corner untouched for 2 of those hours. They agreed that 1 hour only should be charged "as a gesture".

3. Took it to a Dr Rob suggestion, an independent LR specialist working out of a barn in Somerset with a field for car storage. Correctly diagnosed the problem in 5-6 hours after going through all the possibilities and eventually correctly diagnosing a broken thermostat. He has over 20 years of LR experience ad knows his stuff mechnically, not just able to read a computer (although he has the LR software too )

So the lesson is....... find a good indie, look after them and stick with them.

I have always used LR for Service, however due to cam belt change at 7 years on MY13 i used LR independent which was significantly cheaper, especially cam belt.

There is an online Land Rover Service History page which you just enter your VIN. It shows independents if they are registered with LR

osh.landrover.com ------------------------------------------
L460 D350 73 FFRR Autobiography Santorini Black with Shadow Pack
L405 4.4 V8 18 FFRR Autobiography (facelift) Santorini Black with Shadow Pack
L405 3.0 V6 13.5 FFRR Autobiography Santorini Black
L322 4.4 V8 12 FFRR Autobiography Santorini Black (RR Styling Pack)
L322 3.6 V8 10 FFRR Autobiography Santorini Black
L322 3.6 V8 07 FFRR Vogue SE Santorini Black
L322 3.0 I6 55 FFRR Autobiography Santorini Black

A few years ago I tried a “LR approved service centre” - possibly not a main dealer (as no onsite sales) but all LR badging on the wall outside.

I guess the prices were about 2/3 of the equivalent main dealer prices; I checked this using the LR website service booking tool.

I’ve been absolutely delighted with the service from the service centre. BTW it’s near to the venue for a famous tennis championship!

Anyway, out of idle interest the other day I did a search for prices for our two LRs which are generally due a service in the summer. I noticed that the price difference between the service centre and the main dealer has narrowed to just about nothing. One of these dealers is a new JLR super-centre. I wonder if this is a supply and demand situation- but really interesting to see some of these price movements in play. 2016 SDV8 AB

This is also confusing as our MD offered the fixed 3 year price but confirmed it was nothing more than a basic service. It didn’t include the additional oils or the dynamic fluid reservoir?

@stan are you saying your MD included the transfer and rear diff oils in the fixed service? Ours was adamant it wouldn’t be anything more than a oil service.

This is what was on our 80k service:





I find the whole thing super frustrating to be honest - we maintained the L322 ourselves and i am tempted to go back to that as there is a certain satisfaction in doing it yourself and knowing it was done well.

I have very little trust in dealers, but I have to say the guys in the workshop come across as very knowledgeable and have always been very good / spot on with any diagnosis it’s also nice that they send you the workshop videos now, this one showed all the bungs out the car with the oil draining and the dynamic fluid res removed etc. Sold - Bell a 2015 MY16 Loire Blue Autobiography 4.4 SDV8
Previously George a 2007 MY07 Java Black VSE 3.6 TDV8
Previously a 04 MY04 Defender 90

Just had my 2015 AB serviced at local dealer who price matched a local specialist and also gave £10 discount on MOT. Mine has full dealer service history and on extended warranty so keeping with dealer for now

@Tom, this is what the dealer did for £399, mines a tdv6 btw....


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